Tie-riffic contest as MUWFC and Caulfield thriller ends in a stalemate

Round 7 in the William Buck Premier Women’s competition was full of excitement as the first tie of the season befell Melbourne University Women’s and Caulfield. Old Scotch and St Kevin’s continued their undefeated streaks and Coburg returned to the winners’ list with their second win of the season.

The Round kicked off at Victoria Park where Kew overcame West Brunswick by 22 points.

West Brunswick got off to a hot start, managing two goals to Kew’s one in the first term, however Kew returned from the quarter-time break with zeal, kicking four goals to take a 14-point lead into the main break.

Things tightened up in the second half, but Kew were still able to maintain control of the game, not permitting West Brunswick to reduce the deficit.

Lily Barr and Sophie Stewart proved to be the main forward targets for their respective sides, finishing with 3 goals apiece and both appearing in their team’s best players.

Other notable performances included those of foundational Kew Bear, Michaela Harding, who impressed in her 100^th game, and Bronte Carlin, who stood out for West Brunswick.

Collegians posed no serious threat to Old Scotch, who got the job done by 47 points at Camberwell Sportsground.

Collegians did produce the first goal of the day off the boot of Georgia Harris; however, it would turn out to be their only major for the game. Two late first-quarter goals to Old Scotch dampened the spirits of Collegians and provided Old Scotch with the momentum going into the second term.

By half time, Old Scotch led by 26 points, and it was not looking promising for Collegians. To their credit, they increased their pressure in the third, leading to a scrappy contest in which neither side was able to convert.

In the final term, Old Scotch added another three goals to their tally to extend their undefeated 2024 record with another big win.

Despite how the scoreboard reads, Collegians did well to assuage Old Scotch’s attacks for large chunks of play, however, they appeared to fade away at the end of each term, with 7 of Old Scotch’s 8 goals occurring in the last five minutes of quarters.

Maxine Wells was superb in defence for Old Scotch, while Millie Fraser-Smith (2 goals) and Mia Cowan (3 goals) were presences up forward.

St Kevin’s remain unbeaten in their premiership defence after securing another four points against Old Yarra Cobras in a 34-point victory.

Holly Kenealy had a sensational first quarter, contributing three goals for St Kevin’s, to earn the Saints a 12-point lead at the first break.

St Kevin’s proved too quick and too clean for the Cobras in the second, and had they been more effective with their scoring opportunities, they could have done even more damage. As it was, they extended their lead to 21 points by half time.

There was a serious injury in the third, leading to play being called off. As this occurred after the main break, St Kevin’s were still rewarded with the win.

Monash Blues woeful season continued with another disappointing loss, this time at the hands of Coburg.

Monash kept within reach of Coburg in the first half, trailing by 15 points at the main break, however, Coburg put the foot on the pedal in the second half, outscoring Monash by 39 points to win by a final margin of 54.

Georgia Hampson (4 goals) and Sarah Jolly (3 goals) played the lead roles for Coburg, while Chloe Gibson (1 goal) and Eliza Grills battled valiantly for Monash.

On Sunday, we saw the first draw of the 2024 season in the Premier Women’s competition, as nothing could split Melbourne University Women’s and Caulfield Grammarians.

The first term was a marker of what was to come, with each team having periods of authority, resulting in a one-point difference at the first break.

The rest of the match proved to be a battle between accuracy and persistence, with Melbourne Uni Women’s making the most of their opportunities, while on the other hand, Caulfield won a lot of the territory battle but struggled to hit the scoreboard in a meaningful way.

Trailing by 8 points going into the final term, Caulfield had repeated inside 50 entries until captain Serena Kuo took matters into her own hands and kicked a beautiful snap goal to level things.

Melbourne University reclaimed the lead after Asha Price kicked her third goal of the day at the 16-minute mark, however, Caulfield refused to bow down.

The final score of the day came from Serena Kuo, who kicked a textbook ‘Captain’s Goal’ to cause a stalemate at Melbourne University Oval.

Aisling Tupper was instrumental for Melbourne University, showcasing her pace and skill, while Victoria Holt embodied the ‘goalkeeper’ role, denying Caulfield of goals time and time again.

For Caulfield, Isla Mottram and Zoe McCurdy were two of the best afield, while Serena Kuo also deserves recognition for her mammoth fourth quarter.

Heading into Round 8, Old Scotch and St Kevin’s head up the ladder, with Kew and Collegians rounding out the top four.

Caulfield Grammarians will face a huge challenge when they host Old Scotch at Glen Huntly Park, with Old Scotch yet to drop a game this season.

Collegians will look to boost their percentage when they come up against bottom-placed Monash Blues, who are still searching for their first win.

Boosted by a massive Round 7 win against Monash, Coburg will take on a much tougher side in St Kevin’s.

Finally, Old Yarra Cobras will host West Brunswick in what promises to be one of the matches of the round.