HOCKEY
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Albion Park scored a memorable extra time grand final victory over University to end the students' five-year dominance of the competition.
Blake Govers scored a magnificent five goals for Park, including one in the final seconds of normal time, to help his side break their own championship hoodoo, winning 7-6.
In a seesawing battle at Unanderra, the rivals swapped the lead several times throughout the action-packed clash before Park finally prevailed.
"It was an unbelievable game of hockey," Albion Park captain Steve Mayo said.
"It is probably one of the most exciting [grand finals] I have played in.
"I can't remember that many goals being scored in a grand final. And both the goalkeepers were great. They both made some big saves."
Park started the goal-scoring early through Bede Gillard before the students hit back with two Flynn Ogilvie strikes.
The match then went goal-for-goal until the closing stages when Govers scored from a penalty corner to level the scores at 6-6 and send the game into extra time.
Mayo got the decisive goal in the second half of extra time, before Park repelled a pair of penalty corners right at the death.
"We thought we would give them a challenge and thankfully we played well on the day," Mayo said. "They were quite outstanding as well."
Ogilvie scored a hat-trick for the losing side, but it was Park's day.
"The boys were pretty pumped, it was a good celebration," Mayo said. "As you know, it has been a while and to make it doubly good, second grade won as well and so did third grade so we had a good celebration night."
The students got a taste of glory in the Illawarra women's final when they defeated Figtree 4-1.
"We had played pretty well the whole season, so I guess we were the favourites to win but it is never easy," University captain-coach Sally Johnston said.
"I think it was a well deserved win because Figtree always put up a good game.
"Our defenders Rachel Donovan and Kate Davis both had great games in defence and Zoe Armstrong. had a great game in attack."
Melissa Davis scored the opening goal of the final from a corner, before Rachel Vaughan scored from a cross to give University at 2-0 lead.
Holly Warren and Keagan Mitchell rounded out the scoring for the students, helping the club to bounce back in style from last weekend's Combined grand final loss to Albion Park.