TPS also undefeated in the Finnish Cup, the striker who used up the bench got the role of the decider – “It’s enough that one has a game day”

TPS has not lost a single match in the floorball women’s F-League, and it did not change its winning tactics in the finals of the Finnish Cup either. Although the three-time cup winner SB-Pro gave a tough resistance to the people from Turku, TPS won the final match with 7–4 goals.

Last year, TPS suffered an overtime loss to PSS in the final of the Finnish Cup. It was the coach Aki Vilander’s I think it’s an important experience for players. However, he was not completely satisfied with his team’s game, even though the victory came.

– It wasn’t a good game from us. Of course, nothing off the opponent. Pro played a single game with good skills, succeeded at the right moments and made our life difficult, but the wins count, in that sense I am satisfied, Vilander stated after the match was stopped.

Vilander raised one as the hero of the match Anna Marttalan, who has spent most of the time on the bench in recent matches. Marttala finished with two goals in the match, a 2–2 equalizer and a 4–3 lead goal. The entire TPS three-court team was in the spirit of the game in the final, because in addition to Marttala’s hits Olivia Pietilä got to ventilate the paint.

– It is to the team’s advantage that we have three really great fields. It’s enough for one to have a game day, but usually all three of us have a game day. You can count on that, said the center forward Ella Alanko-Salminen.

Commitment produces results

Alanko-Salminen, who played for TPS for several years during his career, represented Classic from Tampere in the 2014–2018 seasons, after which he decided to focus on other things. Alanko-Salminen returned to TPS after a four-year break.

– It feels absolutely insane to win something with this team for the first time, Alanko-Salminen said and admitted that the team’s level of performance is different than in previous years.

– The coaching is more professional and the players are as committed as athletes can be. It then produces such results when everyone works towards its general goal

On Monday, back to the “belt”

According to Vilander, progressing from win to win on domestic pitches has brought more pressure to the team. The final of the Finnish Cup was a single big game with big stakes.

– It’s a bit like trying to put a small helmet on your head, and it just doesn’t seem to work! It’s not easy, but I think we got successes in the right places, Vilander said and reminded that there wasn’t much time to celebrate.

– On Monday, we will return to the belt. We have two games next weekend and a chance to win the regular season with two wins. The players go there to eat some pizza or something.