Photo Credit: Jeremy Ng
Sydney University first grade Women’s NPL1 team played against Northern Tigers in a nail-biting grand final match at Valentine Park in Parklea. In an extra time penalty shoot-out, Sydney University won 4-1.
Throughout majority of the grand final match, the Tigers held possession and looked more damaging in attack. This wasn’t reflected in the half time score as both team went locked at 0-0.
At the end of regular time the scores were level at 1-1. Extra time didn’t change the scores, and so the game went to a penalty shootout.
Our women kept the cooler heads, slotting their first 2 penalties as the Tigers hit the incredible efforts of goalkeeper Courtney Newbon, who saved their first two shots. Uni slotted their next 2 penalties to give them an incontestable 4-1 lead and the grand final win.
The winning coach Alex Epakis acknowledged his team weren’t at their best but last year’s loss drove them forward. “We didn’t play our best game tonight, the Tigers really made it hard for us but last year’s loss to the Rams drove us at the end to the title.”
This season the first grade team has won the Premiership in record time, the Championship, and the Club also won the Club Championship in record time, equalling the feats of 2016 when the women’s program won every piece of silverware available.
Congratulations to Captain Taren King and the first grade team on an outstanding season!
