Women's NSL - Season 2002/2003

Women's National Soccer League

Supplied by AWSA and transcribed by Thomas Esamie

Home Team v Away Team

Round Three (played October 27)

Venue : West Belconnen Leagues Club, Canberra

Canberra Eclipse
Marzotto, Swaffer, Borucinski, Davies, Taylor (Brew 65), Rukavina (D Hepperlin 72), Karp, P Hepperlin, Thomson, Wilson, Munoz (Parker 30) 0 - 2 Queensland Sting
Nichols, Garven (Hohnke 72), Reuter, Grant, Canham (Harch 65), McShea, Garriock, Duus, Mann, Thomas, Dawney (Mitchell 77)
Goals : Natalie Thomas 36, Bryony Duus 56

Queensland Sting have stood up as the team to beat this season and are well on track having already defeated both of last season's grandfinalists, Canberra and NSW Sapphires. Today in Canberra, the Sting were reliant on their quick forward line on the counterattack early in the contest, but as the game wore on, held the upper hand all over the park. Eclipse rarely looked in the hunt and had trouble penetrating in attack.
Queensland took the lead in the 36th minute when a defensive slip allowed the lurking Natalie Thomas to dribble in on goal for a simple finish, low past the keeper. It was the first goal Canberra had conceded for the season. The home side, with their first real chance of the game, almost levelled five minutes later but Amy Wilson's attempt was smothered well at close range by keeper Claire Nichols.

Sting doubled their lead eleven minutes after the break, a Heather Garriock ball into the goalmouth fumbled by the keeper and Bryony Duus putting away the crumbs from the ensuing scramble. Belinda Dawney, Lana Harch, and Thomas each came close to adding to the "maroon" account, before Canberra's Kristyn Swaffer rocked the frame of the goal with a freekick in stoppage time.

Venue : Jack McLaughlan Oval, Newcastle

Northern NSW Pride
Hunter, Alley, Dunne, Stevens, Wilson, Amber Neilson, Colthorpe, Baker, McMinn, Crawford, Gill
Goal : Katie Gill 84 1 - 2 Adelaide Sensation
Trimboli, May, Benoist, Walsh, Blacker, Stocco, Salisbury, Madden (Harrison 79), Slater (Sabljak 60), Ralph (Katianos 8), De Vanna (Balomenos 87)
Goals : Lisa De Vanna 3, Leanne Slater 52

Adelaide Sensation posted a 2-1 victory over Northern NSW Pride in what was a fairly evenly fought encounter in Newcastle. The difference proved to be Sensation's greater effectiveness in finishing their attacking moves, whilst Northern's tended to break down in the final play.
Adelaide took just three minutes to claim the lead. A corner kick was parried out but not cleared by Northern's defence, the ball falling for Lisa De Vanna who smacked it into the back of the net from just outside the 18-yard box. Leanne Slater scored her first WNSL goal seven minutes into the second half, her 20 metre strike flying in just under the bar.
Northern NSW Pride finally pulled one back with six minutes remaining, Katie Gill finding the target from long range high into the net. Pride made a late surge for the equaliser with some good chances but without success.

Venue : Christie Park, Sydney

NSW Sapphires
Poulos, Gilbert, Warrener (Klessattel 83), Collins, Carney, Blayney, Rockall, Ledbrook, Burgess, Small (Todd 83), Walsh (Cannuli 66)
Goals : Leah Blayney 8, Sarah Walsh 61, Catherine Cannuli 90 3 - 0 Victoria Vision
Barbieri, Smith, Lamb, Groenewald, Skvarc, Farrugia, Fitzgerald, Bisby, Terek (Koutrouvelis 46), Totsidis, Balta (Massouh 60) (Humble 80)

NSW Sapphires cruised to a 3-0 win at home to Victoria Vision in windy conditions. Fielding a new-look lineup, NSW Sapphires created plenty of chances and could have put away their opponent earlier in the match. Victoria Vision, set back by the absence of key attacker Selin Kuralay, had little in response.
Sapphires midfielder Leah Blayney gave the home side the lead after eight minutes with her first WNSL goal. Released by a Kylie Ledbrook through ball, Blayney sidefooted her shot under the keeper. It was just past the hour mark when Sarah Walsh doubled the NSW lead, set free up the left, before beating the sweeper and finishing with a neat shot inside the far post.
Substitute Catherine Cannuli added her name to the scoresheet in the 90th minute after some good work by Neisha Klessattel. Cannuli dribbled past the keeper and, from near the byline, found goal with a top strike from a very acute angle.

Home Team		v		Away Team
Round Three (played October 27)
Venue : West Belconnen Leagues Club, Canberra
Canberra Eclipse Marzotto, Swaffer, Borucinski, Davies, Taylor (Brew 65), Rukavina (D Hepperlin 72), Karp, P Hepperlin, Thomson, Wilson, Munoz (Parker 30)	0	-	2	Queensland Sting Nichols, Garven (Hohnke 72), Reuter, Grant, Canham (Harch 65), McShea, Garriock, Duus, Mann, Thomas, Dawney (Mitchell 77) Goals : Natalie Thomas 36, Bryony Duus 56
Queensland Sting have stood up as the team to beat this season and are well on track having already defeated both of last season's grandfinalists, Canberra and NSW Sapphires. Today in Canberra, the Sting were reliant on their quick forward line on the counterattack early in the contest, but as the game wore on, held the upper hand all over the park. Eclipse rarely looked in the hunt and had trouble penetrating in attack. Queensland took the lead in the 36th minute when a defensive slip allowed the lurking Natalie Thomas to dribble in on goal for a simple finish, low past the keeper. It was the first goal Canberra had conceded for the season. The home side, with their first real chance of the game, almost levelled five minutes later but Amy Wilson's attempt was smothered well at close range by keeper Claire Nichols. Sting doubled their lead eleven minutes after the break, a Heather Garriock ball into the goalmouth fumbled by the keeper and Bryony Duus putting away the crumbs from the ensuing scramble. Belinda Dawney, Lana Harch, and Thomas each came close to adding to the "maroon" account, before Canberra's Kristyn Swaffer rocked the frame of the goal with a freekick in stoppage time.
Venue : Jack McLaughlan Oval, Newcastle
Northern NSW Pride Hunter, Alley, Dunne, Stevens, Wilson, Amber Neilson, Colthorpe, Baker, McMinn, Crawford, Gill Goal : Katie Gill 84	1	-	2	Adelaide Sensation Trimboli, May, Benoist, Walsh, Blacker, Stocco, Salisbury, Madden (Harrison 79), Slater (Sabljak 60), Ralph (Katianos 8), De Vanna (Balomenos 87) Goals : Lisa De Vanna 3, Leanne Slater 52
Adelaide Sensation posted a 2-1 victory over Northern NSW Pride in what was a fairly evenly fought encounter in Newcastle. The difference proved to be Sensation's greater effectiveness in finishing their attacking moves, whilst Northern's tended to break down in the final play. Adelaide took just three minutes to claim the lead. A corner kick was parried out but not cleared by Northern's defence, the ball falling for Lisa De Vanna who smacked it into the back of the net from just outside the 18-yard box. Leanne Slater scored her first WNSL goal seven minutes into the second half, her 20 metre strike flying in just under the bar. Northern NSW Pride finally pulled one back with six minutes remaining, Katie Gill finding the target from long range high into the net. Pride made a late surge for the equaliser with some good chances but without success.
Venue : Christie Park, Sydney
NSW Sapphires Poulos, Gilbert, Warrener (Klessattel 83), Collins, Carney, Blayney, Rockall, Ledbrook, Burgess, Small (Todd 83), Walsh (Cannuli 66) Goals : Leah Blayney 8, Sarah Walsh 61, Catherine Cannuli 90	3	-	0	Victoria Vision Barbieri, Smith, Lamb, Groenewald, Skvarc, Farrugia, Fitzgerald, Bisby, Terek (Koutrouvelis 46), Totsidis, Balta (Massouh 60) (Humble 80)
NSW Sapphires cruised to a 3-0 win at home to Victoria Vision in windy conditions. Fielding a new-look lineup, NSW Sapphires created plenty of chances and could have put away their opponent earlier in the match. Victoria Vision, set back by the absence of key attacker Selin Kuralay, had little in response. Sapphires midfielder Leah Blayney gave the home side the lead after eight minutes with her first WNSL goal. Released by a Kylie Ledbrook through ball, Blayney sidefooted her shot under the keeper. It was just past the hour mark when Sarah Walsh doubled the NSW lead, set free up the left, before beating the sweeper and finishing with a neat shot inside the far post. Substitute Catherine Cannuli added her name to the scoresheet in the 90th minute after some good work by Neisha Klessattel. Cannuli dribbled past the keeper and, from near the byline, found goal with a top strike from a very acute angle.