NSW Pride teams started their title defences with wins over the Blaze in round two of the Hockey One League in Brisbane on Saturday.
The men were in total control with a 7-3 win and - with Illawarra in prominence - with Jack Hayes and Blake Govers scoring a goal each, and with great support from Flynn Ogilvie in midfield and Callum Mackay in defence.
Gerringong's Grace Stewart added her contribution with a goal in her team's 3-1 win ably supported by Albion Park's Maddi Smith in deep defence.
Experienced Hockeyroo Stewart, who scored her goal just before the end of the first quarter to take a 3-0 lead, said it was great to get the first win on the board and it was a hard contest against the Blaze.
"This win sets up really well going forward," Stewart said.
"Besides our goal scoring, I think we can tidy up a few things in our press and maybe our outlet."
Men's Pride captain and former Kookaburra Jack Hayes was pleased with the win, but said it was hot and humid playing in the evening.
"We played with a lot of fluidity considering it was our first catch up all together," Hayes said.
"The boys are pumped and can only improve from here. We tried a structure that we haven't tried before in the fourth quarter and they got a couple of goals, but overall it was a very sound performance."
The Pride men didn't waste time and surprised the Blaze after 30 seconds when Hayes sent an aerial ball from the left end to Govers, who picked it in the circle and cleverly passed it to Tim Brand and he scored. Brand then converted another goal to make it 2-0 in the first quarter.
Sydney player Brand was on the mark again in the second quarter when he sent an aerial pass from the right side to Tom Craig in the circle, who scored with an overhead ball to make it 3-0.
With two minutes to go in this quarter, Ky Willott made it 4-0 from a drag flick in the absence of Govers. A minute into the third quarter, Hayes took the score to 5-0 from an overhead touch coming from Brand, and converted this opportunity from a direct slap from the top of the circle to make it 6-0.
Three minutes later, Govers had returned to the field and scored his trademark flick from the team's second penalty corner taking the score to 7-0.
The Blaze rallied in the final quarter, reducing the deficit to 7-3 with a goal and conversion from Jacob Anderson, and Corey Weyer scoring a penalty corner hit.
The Pride teams face HC Melbourne this Sunday in their second match at Sydney Olympic Park.
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