Women's NSL - Season 2004

Women's National Soccer League

Supplied by AWSA and transcribed by Thomas Esamie

Home Team v Away Team

Round Ten (played November 26)

Venue : Queensland Sport and Athletics Centre, Brisbane

Queensland Sting
Buckley, Grant, Reuter, Polkinghorne, Walker (Castelanelli 75), Ferguson, McShea, Harch (Hamer 58), Mitchell (Kuralay 76), McDonnell, Walsh (Nicopolous 59)
Goals : Sarah Walsh 1, Lana Harch 33, Jessica Mitchell 45, 49 4 - 1 Victoria Vision
Barbieri, Lamb, Digiammarco, Romano (McEvoy 46), Thornton, Ruyter-Hooley, Groenewald, Jackson (Koutrouvelis 85), Fitzgerald, Totsidis (Vardakas 46), Terek
Goal : Sarah Groenewald 71

In Brisbane, Queensland Sting were far too experienced for Victoria Vision and produced a 4-1 victory. A goal to the Sting in the very first minute set the tone for a three-goal lead in the first half, with the speed of the Queenslanders frequently putting them through on goal against a fairly square Vision defence.
Sting went straight into attack from the opening whistle and immediately posted a goal on the scoreboard when Sarah Walsh was able to stick the ball away from amidst a goalmouth scramble. Within the next six minutes, Sasha McDonnell was found unmarked by a Lana Harch cross but the shot flew over, and Victorian goalkeeper Melissa Barbieri made a solid diving save to deny Walsh.
Midway through the term, McDonnell was again in a good position but her shot struck the crossbar, before Harch's cross found Walsh only to bring out another good save by Barbieri. The inevitable second goal came in the 32^nd minute, Harch this time taking matters into her own hands, cutting inside after breaking down the right and converting with a clinical low shot.
Soon after, Barbieri was kept ever busy, this time stopping Walsh with a double save. A minute before the break, Victoria had a rare chance on goal but the attempt narrowly missed the target. Instead, they were to go another goal down in the little time left before half-time, a defender's backpass wrongfooting keeper Barbieri, allowing Jessica Mitchell to run in and score.
Queensland scored again just four minutes into the second half to send the lead to 4-0. Harch was again the provider, finding Krystina Walker whose shot was parried by the keeper, and the pacy Mitchell again followed in to score from the 6 yard box.
Sting took the opportunity to make numerous substitutions which slowed the intensity of the game although they remained in control. Victoria scored a consolation goal midway through the half, their counterattack finding the Sting defence a little short, and Sarah Groenewald was successful with a low drive from the edge of the box.

Venue : Sydney Olympic Athletic Centre

NSW Sapphires
Poulos, Gilbert, Rollason, Brogan, Holcombe, Ristevski, Rockall, Kennedy (Adalis 65), Carney, Burgess, Hilder (Klessattel 46) 0 - 0 Adelaide Sensation
Wirkus, May, Brock, Katianos, Burgess, McCallum, Papageorgiou, T Harrison, Barbiero, Bexis (Day 63), Balomenos

In Sydney, NSW Sapphires and Adelaide Sensation played out a dour 0-0 draw, not befitting of the majestic venue of Sydney Olympic Athletic Centre, which tonight saw its historic first competitive soccer match played on its centre surface.
Sensation fielded their new addition Qantas Young Matildas midfielder Collette McCallum, whilst Sapphires only had the services of two of their Australian U19s following their return from the FIFA U19 Women's World Championship - Briony Holcombe and Danielle Brogan.
Whilst both sides found the fast pitch a little difficult to accommodate, the game itself was far from slick. Neither team was able to take control of proceedings, and very few highlights were to be recorded from the midfield battle.
The home team started the more attacking, a Taryn Rockall freekick saved by keeper Emma Wirkus in the 4^th minute, before Michelle Carney was set free on the break but a loose touch allowed Wirkus in again to thwart the danger. Adelaide had their best chance for the game when Chichi May's freekick from just outside the box bent around the wall and hit the near post in the 27^th minute.
Things did not improve in a lifeless second stanza, the best chance in the 45 minutes being a long range effort from NSW's Jo Burgess in the dying moments of play. To add to the Sapphires' woes, substitute Aysha Adalis was sent off in stoppage time after receiving two yellow cards within the space of a minute.

Home Team		v		Away Team
Round Ten (played November 26)
Venue : Queensland Sport and Athletics Centre, Brisbane
Queensland Sting Buckley, Grant, Reuter, Polkinghorne, Walker (Castelanelli 75), Ferguson, McShea, Harch (Hamer 58), Mitchell (Kuralay 76), McDonnell, Walsh (Nicopolous 59) Goals : Sarah Walsh 1, Lana Harch 33, Jessica Mitchell 45, 49	4	-	1	Victoria Vision Barbieri, Lamb, Digiammarco, Romano (McEvoy 46), Thornton, Ruyter-Hooley, Groenewald, Jackson (Koutrouvelis 85), Fitzgerald, Totsidis (Vardakas 46), Terek Goal : Sarah Groenewald 71
In Brisbane, Queensland Sting were far too experienced for Victoria Vision and produced a 4-1 victory. A goal to the Sting in the very first minute set the tone for a three-goal lead in the first half, with the speed of the Queenslanders frequently putting them through on goal against a fairly square Vision defence. Sting went straight into attack from the opening whistle and immediately posted a goal on the scoreboard when Sarah Walsh was able to stick the ball away from amidst a goalmouth scramble. Within the next six minutes, Sasha McDonnell was found unmarked by a Lana Harch cross but the shot flew over, and Victorian goalkeeper Melissa Barbieri made a solid diving save to deny Walsh. Midway through the term, McDonnell was again in a good position but her shot struck the crossbar, before Harch's cross found Walsh only to bring out another good save by Barbieri. The inevitable second goal came in the 32^nd minute, Harch this time taking matters into her own hands, cutting inside after breaking down the right and converting with a clinical low shot. Soon after, Barbieri was kept ever busy, this time stopping Walsh with a double save. A minute before the break, Victoria had a rare chance on goal but the attempt narrowly missed the target. Instead, they were to go another goal down in the little time left before half-time, a defender's backpass wrongfooting keeper Barbieri, allowing Jessica Mitchell to run in and score. Queensland scored again just four minutes into the second half to send the lead to 4-0. Harch was again the provider, finding Krystina Walker whose shot was parried by the keeper, and the pacy Mitchell again followed in to score from the 6 yard box. Sting took the opportunity to make numerous substitutions which slowed the intensity of the game although they remained in control. Victoria scored a consolation goal midway through the half, their counterattack finding the Sting defence a little short, and Sarah Groenewald was successful with a low drive from the edge of the box.
Venue : Sydney Olympic Athletic Centre
NSW Sapphires Poulos, Gilbert, Rollason, Brogan, Holcombe, Ristevski, Rockall, Kennedy (Adalis 65), Carney, Burgess, Hilder (Klessattel 46)	0	-	0	Adelaide Sensation Wirkus, May, Brock, Katianos, Burgess, McCallum, Papageorgiou, T Harrison, Barbiero, Bexis (Day 63), Balomenos
In Sydney, NSW Sapphires and Adelaide Sensation played out a dour 0-0 draw, not befitting of the majestic venue of Sydney Olympic Athletic Centre, which tonight saw its historic first competitive soccer match played on its centre surface. Sensation fielded their new addition Qantas Young Matildas midfielder Collette McCallum, whilst Sapphires only had the services of two of their Australian U19s following their return from the FIFA U19 Women's World Championship - Briony Holcombe and Danielle Brogan. Whilst both sides found the fast pitch a little difficult to accommodate, the game itself was far from slick. Neither team was able to take control of proceedings, and very few highlights were to be recorded from the midfield battle. The home team started the more attacking, a Taryn Rockall freekick saved by keeper Emma Wirkus in the 4^th minute, before Michelle Carney was set free on the break but a loose touch allowed Wirkus in again to thwart the danger. Adelaide had their best chance for the game when Chichi May's freekick from just outside the box bent around the wall and hit the near post in the 27^th minute. Things did not improve in a lifeless second stanza, the best chance in the 45 minutes being a long range effort from NSW's Jo Burgess in the dying moments of play. To add to the Sapphires' woes, substitute Aysha Adalis was sent off in stoppage time after receiving two yellow cards within the space of a minute.