Deb Orrock and Kerrie Wood catapulted their NSW sides to incredible victories in the Hockey Australia Women's Masters National Championships' gold medal games last weekend, inspiring their respective over-60 and over-65 outfits to glory.
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Orrock was superb throughout the two weeks at the Gold Coast and finished as the tournament's leading goal-scorer with five, two of which came in a stunning grand final brace that lifted NSW to a 3-2 win over the previously undefeated Victoria.
Orrock's side was actually forced to come from behind in the decider after Janie Davey fired a shot home to give Victoria a 1-nil lead, before the Ex-Services' veteran equalised just before half-time and then pushed the sky blues ahead not long after the restart.
Rosemary Cheetham scored NSW's third later in the quarter from a penalty corner and while the Vics hit back late in the fourth through Kris Tulloch's field goal, Orrock's sky blues held on for the final three minutes to prevail.
After being beaten 2-1 by Queensland in their tournament-opener Orrock's NSW side finished the preliminary games ranked third, but earned redemption by knocking off the maroons by the same margin in the semi-final.
Wood's outfit completed an undefeated campaign in the gold medal game, holding their nerve in a nail-biting shoot-out to down the west Australians, the only side that had troubled them, 3-1.
The decider finished nil-all after regulation time and the fierce rivals were still deadlocked at 1-all through their opening two shots of the one-on-ones.
Jenny Grey and Jannis Hutton nailed NSW's third and fourth attempts though while Karen Allan and Catherine McFarlane couldn't do the same for Western Australia.
Former Orange stars Naomi Sparks and Mel Mendham helped NSW's over-45 side to their decider as well, where they were beaten 1-nil by Queensland.
Sparks was the tournament's leading goal-scorer with 10 though, while Leanne Kennewell's over-35 side finished fourth after a 1-nil loss to Western Australia in the bronze medal match-up.
Darryn Marjoram's NSW outfit were also beaten in the bronze medal match-up at the men's titles in Bunbury, Victoria won that division one play-off 5-2.
Grant Michell picked up bragging rights over Peter Tattersall in the over-45 second division, while playing for South Australia, his outfit beat Tattersall's NSW side 1-nil in the bronze medal clash.
Adam Hurford, Scott Baker, Rowan Baker and Quentin Anderson all lined up in the NSW2 side in the combined over-40 championship, finishing sixth.
Hurford finished as the side's leading goal-scorer.
Lindl Taylor also coached the women's over-55 side to a silver medal, while Sammi Vennard and Jane Rowlands managed the over-60 and over-65 sides respectively.
The men's and women's titles are the main selection tool for the Australian sides set to head to next year's Masters World Cup, with Kennewell, Mendham and Wood all named as shadow players in their respective age groups.
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