Ards continued their perfect start to the Ulster Indoor Championships as they finished day two top of the group with maximum points.
The reigning champions will be joined by Queen’s University and Coleraine in the Championship Phase, with all three sides still in contention of earning All-Ireland qualification.
Top of the group after week one, Ards got their day off to a winning start as they beat Randalstown 6-1.
The deadlock was broken with nine minutes played when the reigning champions were awarded a penalty corner and Maddie Leathem’s drag flick picked out the top right corner.
Just a couple of minutes later, Leathem got her second of the afternoon before her side were awarded a penalty stroke on the brink of half-time.
From the resulting penalty, Frankie Brown found a third and extended the lead going into the break.
At the start of the second half, Brown got her second of the afternoon before a double from Alana Thornton sealed the points.
However, it wasn’t without a late consolation effort from Randalstown as Ella McCooke scored to make it 6-1.
Title hopefuls Queen’s University began the afternoon as they beat Portadown 7-1.
Megan Cochrane opened the scoring in the first minute of the tie, cutting in from the left wing before picking out the near bottom corner.
Ellie Edwards then doubled the lead just moments later, but the two-goal advantage was short-lived as Alyssa Sommerville immediately levelled for Portadown.
On the brink of half-time a quickfire double from Jodie Simmons saw the Students’ lead extended to 4-1 before second half goals from Jenna McCarlie (2) and Simmons rounded off a dominant 7-1 win.
The Students then followed that result with a resounding 15-0 win over Antrim to seal their place in the top three.
Also clinching a comfortable win over Antrim (8-2), Coleraine went into the final game of the afternoon joint top of the group with Ards as the sides went head-to-head.
With just four minutes on the clock, it was the Co Down team who took the lead when they were awarded a penalty stroke with Brown picking out the side netting with her effort.
However, Coleraine quickly struck back with Grace McNally breaking down the left wing before cleverly beating Ards goalkeeper Naomi McKnight at the near post.
The Ards lead was then restored as they were awarded a penalty corner before Brown’s effort came off the post only for Leathem to convert the rebound.
However, just as Ards thought they were going into the break ahead, their opponents struck back once more as Kia McCartney picked out the top corner with a drag flick on the brink of half-time.
In the second half it was Ards who looked like getting the game’s fifth goal and it eventually came through Brown.
The forward scored from a penalty corner of her own to net her fourth goal of the afternoon and restore her side’s lead before Emma Reid quickly added a fourth and sealed a 4-2 win.