Another four goal haul from Jodie Kenny helped the Hockeyroos to a 4-2 victory over India in their final Pool B match at the World League on Saturday.
The Australian women have a quarter-final clash on Tuesday with Italy, who finished in third place in Pool A.
In Tuesday's other quarter-final Pool B winners New Zealand will play Japan while on Wednesday it will be Pool A winners the Netherlands versus India and Korea versus Belgium.
Kenny's early penalty corner double either side of Vandana Katariyas fifth minute equaliser set the tone for a pulsating game that twice saw India battle back to draw level, only for the Hockeyroos to respond immediately.
Poonam Ranis scrambled equaliser shortly after half time made it 2-2 but less than 60 seconds later Kenny completed her hat-trick of penalty corner flicks.
The Queensland defender's fourth goal came from the penalty spot on the stroke of three-quarter time after Brooke Peris was wiped out by Indian goalkeeper Ranjani Etimarpu.
Coach Adam Commens was happy with the sharp start but not the second-quarter fade that allowed India back in the game.
"One of the things that we've been doing over the past three months is working on a number of different game plans that we think will make us a better team in 14 months when we get to the Olympic Games," he said
"In this tournament we need to get the job done but to grow and be a gold medal-winning team we need to have multiple ways of play and I've been really proud of how the girls have been able to adapt and bring in that way of play when we've got the ball. Now we just need to tidy up when we lose it."
Looking ahead to Tuesday's quarter-final Commens said, "They've got some experienced players and they're pretty sound technically and tactically.
"We'll need to be on our game and take our opportunities, otherwise you get in a real tooth-and-nail struggle and that's something that you don't want to get in with teams like Italy."
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