Perth RedStar were officially crowned champions of the 2023 NPLWA – Women’s season following a 3-3 draw with Balcatta in Round 19 action at RedStar Arena.
Carlos Vega Mena’s side needed only one point to be rubberstamped as back-to-back title winners, and they did it despite letting slip a 3-1 half-time lead on Sunday afternoon.
RedStar have lost only three league games in three seasons since Vega Mena took charge in 2021, with victory today taking them 12 points clear to cap another comprehensive league success.
They had to come from behind as Lauren Continibali’s brilliant strike from 25 yards saw Balcatta go ahead inside eight minutes.
Etna didn’t lead for long, however, as Reina Kagami crossed for Sophia Neal to hook home on the volley. The Japanese then fed Jayna Ridley to slot past Gabbie Dal Busco and complete a swift turnaround.
The champions added a third in first-half stoppage time as Kagami recorded a third assist when floating over the top for Neal to run in and make it 3-1.
It seemed a long way back for Yash Pratap’s team at that point, but they reduced the deficit when Monique Prinsloo netted from close range on 64 minutes to bring up 10 goals for the season.
Gabby Dal Busco made excellent saves from Kagami and Sarah Carroll to keep her side in the game. Then with 90 minutes on the clock, the Etna keeper got her reward as Prinsloo and Tia Stonehill linked up for the latter to run through to score a 20th goal of the NPLWA – Women’s season. She goes into the final two weeks a goal behind RedStar’s Kagami in the Golden Boot race.
The draw did not dampen RedStar’s celebrations after the game, while Balcatta’s dropped points combined with results elsewhere saw them all but eliminated from top-four calculations with a fortnight remaining.
That is because Hyundai NTC moved five points clear of Etna with a game in hand following a 4-1 win over Perth SC.
Tanika Lala was the star for NTC, bagging a hat-trick at E&D Litis Stadium to take her tally to 11 goals for the season.
Her first came when she held off Matilda Bohm to race in on goal and fire the opener past Rebecca Bennett which gave the hosts a half-time advantage.
Ischia Brooking doubled the lead with an outstanding strike as she got past a challenge and curled brilliantly into the top corner.
The Azzurri got one back when Poppie Hooks’ deflected effort from Judy Connolly’s low free-kick found its way in. But Lala once again found herself behind Perth’s defence to all but seal the win.
And she headed in a late fourth from Georgia Cassidy’s corner, as NTC bounced back from Wednesday’s dramatic 5-4 defeat to RedStar in style.
With two fixtures against bottom side Curtin in their final three matches, Ben Anderton’s team could still finish in the top two after cutting the gap on Perth in second to four points with a game in hand.
On Saturday, two Marianna Tabain goals helped Subiaco upset third-placed Fremantle City 2-1 win Hilton Park.
Greg Farrell’s side went in front after four minutes and never looked back. Tabain’s initial shot following a long throw was blocked but the former Melbourne City and Perth Glory forward made no mistake with the rebound put past Dayle Schroeder.
Tabain made it two later in the half and 14 for the campaign when Savannah Oolsthorn’s cross ran through for her to volley a left-footed effort past the goalkeeper.
Freo got one back two minutes from time when Abbey Green’s cross found its way to Mikayla Lyons who finished from close range.
But it was Subi’s day as they held firm to win in impressive fashion having played less than 48 hours earlier on Thursday. Freo missed the chance to go second with the race for a post-season double chance still alive.
On Friday night, Katie Schubert scored a hat-trick as Murdoch University Melville defeated Curtin University 8-0 thanks in part to a first-half blitz which saw them score four times inside the first 18 minutes.
Sam Mathers whipped a strike into the bottom corner on nine minutes, before Jessica Johnson stayed onside and poked past the goalkeeper to make it 10 for the campaign.
Schubert’s header from a corner brought up her maiden goal in 2023, and Clara Hoarau added to the tally when her left-footed shot beat Curtin goalkeeper Danielle Petch.
Hoarau scored the pick of the goals early in the second half with a great strike from the edge of the area. Schubert then got on the scoresheet again midway through the second period with a low finish, which made it half a dozen.
Bonnie McQueen’s superb pass found Johnson who completed her brace to make it seven. Late on, Schubert completed a hat-trick with a solo effort to bring up a seventh win for MUM FC this year, while Curtin remain rooted to the bottom with 18 defeats from 18.
