They were into their third day of competition and still unbeaten, but Orange's women's side were staring in the face of losing their most important game in the Hockey NSW Women's Open Women's Field State Championship division two - the grand final match.
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Down 2-nil, the side hadn't made the most of their chances while their New England opponents had broken through defence several times, with both shots on goal finding the back of the net.
The unbeaten favourites being pipped by underdogs in grand finals is a tale as old as sport, but Orange went into the half time break determined not to add their name to the list of sides who've blown it in the final stanza.
I think we always had that belief and that confidence we could win that game.
- Orange skipper Jade Georgiou
They came out after half-time and slammed on four goals to zip, with young India Draper leading the way with two.
Skipper Jade Georgiou said despite Draper, Eloisa Purtell and Larissa Gallard finding the back of the net, the whole side lifted across that final game.
"Collectively I think we all stepped up," Georgiou said.
"Kathryn Cox in goals made some good saves, Kayla (Russell) in the back with some goal-saving tackles, Eva Reith-Snare and Libby Smith in the centre making electric runs beating two or three players each, each of them really stepped up."
"It was extremely exciting, really good to come back from 2-0 down."
"I think we always had that belief and that confidence we could win that game. In the first half we had a lot of possession and didn't take our chances and they had two shots on goal and scored twice."
While Orange had a breezy run to the finals, notching two 4-1 wins over Grafton and Goulburn and an 8-1 win over Sydney South - with Draper and Purtell scoring five and four times each - in group stages, the semi-final clash with Lithgow, which Georgiou said was like a "local derby", was a difficult clash.
It ended in a 1-all draw, which let Orange progress after finishing on top of its group, but was a "tough fight".
t's really good to put aside the club segregation, it was a really good chance to get to know each other. On the pitch you can be a bit more fiery and competitive so it was good to put that aside.
- Orange skipper Jade Georgiou
"We always knew they would be scrappy and they were really hungry," Georgiou said.
"We kept going through the middle which played to their strengths with strong players in the middle but we did well to grind out a 1-1 draw and progress because we finished on top."
The victory allows Orange to compete in the top tier next year, but Georgiou said the taxing weekend - with five games over three days - might not be something she could go around again on.
"I've learned a lot of things about my body after coming back (from childbirth)," Georgiou said.
"I don't know if I'll play again next year, it's tough on the body."
However, she loved the change to drop the club allegiances for the long weekend, with the fierce inter-Orange rivalries melting away.
"It's really good to put aside the club segregation, it was a really good chance to get to know each other. On the pitch you can be a bit more fiery and competitive so it was good to put that aside."
It also gave her a front-row seat to watch some of Orange's best young talent, with Smith, Reith-Snare, Millah Allcorn, Purtell, Draper, Luci Ferguson and Heidi Townsend all lining up for the side, and all pulled their weight.
"Libby (Smith) really stepped up, she's been in good form and it was good to see her take that to the next level, Eva (Reith-Snare) was impressive, her skills were exceptional," Georgiou said.
"I've coached India (Draper) with All Schools, saw the quality of player she is and it was good to play with her."
Meanwhile, Orange's men's side competed in division two, making finals after finishing second in group B before being bundled out by eventual winners Grafton 6-2 in the semi-finals.
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