Round 18 / Semi-Final Match Reports (2025)

The women were keen to get back onto the winners list as they took on UHS-VU in a semi final where it was a must win game to move onto next week. It was a perfect day for footy at Preston City Oval where we had plenty of support in black and red which was a huge boost for our team.

We very happily welcomed back Captain Jess Lowry after missing last week with an ankle injury and she led from the front from the first bounce. The women started the game well, hitting the contest hard. Kaitlyn Ritchie started the game with what was probably her best quarter of the year, acting like a brick wall, repelling anything that came her way. Ella Lauritsen set the tone in the mid with how hard she hit the contest, not taking a backward step all day. Unfortunately, UHS-VU had more obstacles coming out of their backline, clipping a seagull at one stage on their way out of defense. Marleigh Andrews put us on the board first with a major from a deep inside entry from Claire Wilson and we went into quarter time with a 1.4 to 0.0 lead.

The second quarter continued to be a tough contest, with Steph Castagnini bringing the intensity, having about 5 tackle/hip and shoulder efforts in a row to try to lift her team. We only managed one behind to their 1.2 to take us into the halftime break with just a 3 point lead.

With our season on the line, we came out after half time knowing that we had to leave it all out there. Makayla D’Angelo found plenty of the footy and tackled hard to lift the team when it was needed. Her attack on the ball set up our second goal of the day [kicked by Kate Bond] – Editor: Report author Bondy showing much humility!

With one quarter to play, we went in with just a 7 point lead. Madi Duffy and Eve Conlan were huge in the backline, not letting anything get past them. UHS-VU kicked the first point and then goal of the quarter to tie the scores. We then responded with a goal after a free kick was paid within scoring distance at the 8 minute mark, putting us just a goal ahead. [Again kicked by Kate Bond] – Editor: Report author Bondy still showing way too much humility!

Clairebear presented extremely well all day and was a really important link up player. Her huge effort down the wing in the last quarter where she ended up chasing up her own kick, may have just saved us the game!

We managed to not allow any score to be kicked in the last 15 minutes of the game to runaway with a 6 point win. Overall, it was a massive team effort to get us over the line in what was a really tough encounter.

We look forward to the opportunity to take on Old Carey in a Preliminary Final this weekend.