Sydney University through to Grand Final
A first half blitz from Sydney University saw Heather Garriock’s side move into Sunday afternoon’s Grand Final as they defeated Blacktown Spartans 3-0.
With a slight drizzle hitting the pitch prior to kick off, the synthetic pitch at Valentine Sports Park made for a quick surface. It also meant that one teams Grand Final hopes would slip away at full time.
Uni seemed to settle the better of the two early with Rachel Soutar going close on five minutes, her shot flying just over the bar.
The first real chance came just before the quarter hour mark as Evelyn Chronis beat Sarah Easthope for pace, only for her touch to take her too wide to have a shot. Instead she played a ball back for Carla Trimboli who couldn’t get her first time effort on target.
Again Chronis’ speed was creating problems and when she raced down the right to cut back for Caceres it seemed the number 14 would put the ball into the back of the net, only for Teigen Allen to make a fantastic tackle.
The rebound fell to Trimboli though as she unleashed, only for her shot to also get blocked, this time out for a corner.
Against the run of play Joanna Martino almost had the Spartans in front. Uni couldn’t clear their lines when Martino let fly from just inside the box, only for Trudy Burke to make a great save and tip the ball over the bar.
It would be the girls in yellow that would break the deadlock though in the 32nd minute. Trimboli whipped in a teasing free kick from the left to find the head of Natasha Prior who found the back of the net.
Linda O’Neil tried to get something moving for the Spartans but her tame effort just before the break was easy pickings for Burke.
It was Elizabeth Grey that would really end the first half on a high note with a pearler of a goal. Chronis played in a square ball to Grey who placed her shot into the top right corner of the goal, clipping the bar on its way in.
Just when the Spartans thought they’d move into the break two down, things got worse. Again Chronis was the architect, this time crossing for Stephanie Ambrose as the left winger made no mistake, tucking the ball home for a 3-0 half time lead.
At the start of the second half Uni had a chance to put the result beyond doubt but Easthope saved the day. It was Easthope’s error though that led to the first chance for Uni through Ambrose but she saved and then saved the follow up from Caceres too.
Tara Pender, fresh from Young Matilda’s duty looked set on goal with 20 minutes to go before Victoria Guzman came flying in to make an inch perfect tackle and thwart the attack.
Despite the Spartans in desperate need of a goal, Uni didn’t look very troubled as the game started getting away from the Blacktown side.
With the Spartans opening up as the clock ticked on, more gaps started appearing in their backline, allowing the Uni strikers to try and exploit that.
With two minutes remaining Samantha Nagy had an opportunity to claw one back for the Spartans but her header came off the post before it was cleared to safety and the referee blew for full time.
Blacktown Spartans 0
Sydney University 3 (Prior 33’, Grey 40’, Ambrose 43’)
by Nikola Pozder, PS4 National Premier Leagues NSW Women’s 1 Reporter
