The Queenstown Women's hockey team has the chance to make history tomorrow when it plays Maniototo in the Central Otago Hockey semifinal in Cromwell.
Queenstown has not made a final since the Central Otago competition switched from a grass surface 15 years ago and captain Ruth Peddie believes this year the team is more deserving and more prepared to do it.
"I think, on paper, we should be able to take this game. Going into this weekend, we are the competition leaders."
Peddie said the key to the side's successful season so far - in which it has dropped only two matches to Cromwell and Alexandra - has been the player base and longevity.
The base of the team has been playing together for the club for three years, meaning the players have started to mould together, she said.
"We probably started the season fit and better prepared. We have taken it seriously and all been really committed. We're focused and we are playing for each other."
Fitness will be crucial when the team plays a strong defensive Maniototo side, but this is something Queenstown players have never lacked.
"People in Queenstown are involved in a lot of other things. It's an active town and I think that has shown on the field this year.
"The game plan will be keeping things simple for Queenstown this weekend - playing a short game, passing and running both on and off the ball."
Peddie has been impressed with the way Maniototo has bounced back from last year's tough season, in which it remained winless.
"They've come a long way since last year and it's great to see them in the semifinal."
Training this week was business as usual for Queenstown, with the players remaining confident under their coach of four weeks, Brendon Martyn, to whom Peddie attributed the side's tail-end winning streak.
"Brendon has been great.
He's injected a lot into our game since he came on board and put his passion for the game into ours. We all have a lot of respect for him and he's got a lot to offer our team."
Martyn was also excited about the game, and said he was confident Queenstown could reach the final, where it would take on defending champion, Alexandra.
Semifinalist Upper Clutha has defaulted to Alexandra and Martyn said this would work to Queenstown's advantage if it were to make it to the final.
The match begins at 2pm at Cromwell tomorrow.
