UGSHA 2025: Warriors trump All Blacks with final-minute goal to win third straight women’s A-grade title

Warriors secured a women’s A-grade premiership three-peat after they trumped All Blacks with a last-gasp goal on Saturday in the Upper Great Southern Hockey Association grand final. The season’s minor premiers had a winners’ mindset to end a successful year but All Blacks had an early boost when Zoe Dick opened the scoring. Warriors quickly rose to the challenge and met their opponent in an intense clash that kept both teams from scoring for the rest of the half. After a half-time pep talk, Warriors came out swinging, and a swift penalty corner from an All Blacks foot resulted in Amy Oats scoring an equaliser. The goal had every player on their toes as All Blacks fought to retake the lead. Warriors slowed down the play when in possession, as they waited for a break in the All Blacks press. All Blacks quickly caught on to the ball-sharing and upped the pace by continuously cutting off passes.. It was penalty corners aplenty in the second half, and while players crunched the pads, both teams’ goalies were phenomenal and stopped the countless attempts. All Blacks began to tire and with every missed goal their play became more panicked. A reckless tackle from Warriors’ Nicki Evans sent her off with a green card at the start of fourth quarter, yet All Blacks failed to capitalise on the opportunity. Warriors resumed their heavy passing, which kept them a fair distance from their goal circle, while All Blacks hurled the ball to their goal side with hasty decisions often sending the ball over the line. Warriors secured a penalty corner with one minute left. The clock hit 40 seconds and a swift push went straight to Oats, who cleared the net easily for her second goal, putting Warriors ahead. All Blacks were full steam ahead to make a last-minute shot themselves but they failed to beat a determined Warriors defence Warriors coach Alex Caldera said the game was “amazing”. “Our captain Kira (Flynn) came up with a great plan in the last eight minutes to shift everyone into a different position and it worked out exactly as planned, so Kira is an absolute mastermind,” Caldera said. “Being a teacher, I always talk about everything mathematically. We had possession for pretty much 70 per cent of the game, so we didn’t feel scared. “All Blacks is a fantastic team but we were constantly ready.” Caldera said he was screaming when Warriors swatted the final goal. “That’s one of those formative memories. Those guys have worked so ridiculously hard, they’re all wonderful people and I couldn’t be more proud,” he said. Warriors vice-captain Issy Kilpatrick said the team felt like the “underdogs” going into the game. “All Blacks have been unreal all season so a very high competition we’ve got and I’m absolutely thrilled that we ended up getting the win,” Kilpatrick said. Warriors captain Kira Flynn was named as the game’s MVP. “I actually thought I was very slow to get moving today but I tried my hardest to fill the gaps and do the basics,” Flynn said. “It’s a real pleasure to step out on the field with the girls every week so getting MVP is just an extension of playing as part of a really wonderful team that’s part of a really wonderful club.”