They created enough chances to win two or three games but could not find the back of the net.
Coach Chris Leslie acknowledged the finishing was not as sharp as it needed to be.
"We were really impressed with the opportunities that we created and it was nice to get in the circle a lot," he said.
"But if you create those opportunities, you’ve got to finish to be competitive.
"So, while I was happy, I was a little bit disappointed that we just couldn’t nail those chances we created."
The Alpiners won six penalty corners but were unable to convert any.
They really did dominate for long stretches of the game, though.
And one of those squandered penalty corner opportunities resulted in a breakout goal down the other end to Kelsey Smith.
Dunedin hockey fans then got their first opportunity to see the conversion in action.
It is a new innovation to hockey in this country and it has been borrowed from Australia.
It is not what you might think. You do not have to kick the ball over the crossbar or anything.
But when a field goal is scored, that player gets an opportunity to add another.
It operates like a shoot out and is designed to encourage field goals rather than taking the ball into the circle and trying to win a penalty corner.
It is one-on-one with the goalie and Smith, who played for Otago in National Hockey Championship this season, drilled the ball into the net to make it 2-0 midway through the first period.
The Falcons added a third late in the second quarter and the score stay 3-0.
Otago’s Tessa Jopp made some big tackles and was inspiration in the midfield.
Canterbury striker Mezzy Surridge created several opportunities up front.
She had a thunderous strike palmed away and slammed another just wide.
Falcons defender Stephanie Dickins often came to the rescue for the visitors. She was a calming influence at the back and shut down a lot of promising play by the Alpiners.
In the other women’s game on Saturday, the Tridents beat the Mavericks 6-0 in Auckland.
Petrea Webster and Sophie Hildesley banged in two goals apiece.
Premier Hockey League Women
The scores
Falcons 3
(Kelsey Smith 2, Michaela Curtis)
Alpiners 0
Halftime: 3-0
