A brace from Ashleigh Sykes offered the Blues the first Grand Final Trophy of their history as Canberra Olympic dominated Belconnen United 4-1 thanks to another heroic display from Nicole Begg’s troops.
The O’Connor faithful had travelled in numbers at Deakin Stadium, getting behind their team every chance they got, helping them winning the final game of the season in WNPL.
Scott Conlon and his Blue Devils had not travelled South to simply make an appearance though and started the game all guns blazing, pressing high, building up patiently, and creating two chances early, both falling inches wide of Janet King’s goals.
Olympic was dangerous on set pieces at first, with a couple of precise efforts flying by Jayla Murphy and her busy six-yard box. The third corner kick, a perfect in-swerving effort taken from the left by Vanessa Ryan at the 20th minute, was helped by fate, and an unfortunate deflection by Talia Backhouse, to end in the back of Murphy’s net.
The Blue Devils barely had time to digest, and try to answer, that Sykes was launched towards goal. With only Stefi Leijins between her and the keeper, the forward let her pace do the talking, ran past her defender, and skilfully opened her right foot to put the ball past Murphy.
Olympic managed that two-goal advantage, defending expertly whenever Keira Bobbin, Olivia Bomford or Reilly Yuen, often the most dangerous Belconnen player on Saturday, tried to make the difference. The Blue Devils were unable to reduce the score by the time Delfina Dimoski sent the teams back to the locker room, under a heavy but short rain shower.
Any encouraging, motivating words Scott Conlon had for his team were reduced to despair 70 seconds into the second stanza, when Olivia Gurney inherited the ball at the edge of the box. A precise control and a powerful half-volley sent the ball piercing through Murphy’s gloves and Olympic to their second trophy of the season.
The Blue Devils pushed, and tried, but were unable to break the deadlock. Instead, ten minutes before full time, it was Sykes who would strike again, running away from her defenders one last time to finish the job.
Asleep at the wheel, Olympic conceded a goal in the following minute, Tatum Mazis racing away to score, and for a second, we thought we were in for another crazy end of game in WNPL, but 4-1 would be the final score.
2022 is of course the most successful season in Canberra Olympic’s women’s program’s history. Maybe it was down to the experience of Ali Cook and Victoria Jamieson, on top of her game on Saturday, or the efficiency of Sykes, or the youth of Taniah Miro, Meg Roden and Elke Aitolu, maybe it was the leadership and talent of Michaela Thornton, Nicole Jalocha and Sarah Johnston...
One thing is certain, Nicole Begg has built something special at O’Connor: a culture of success, a team bound to disrupt the league, that has confirmed its early promises. From title contender after a busy off-season, to Federation Cup and Grand Final winner eight months later, Olympic has redealt the cards in the Capital.
The Blues are the new team to beat and have a few months to enjoy their success before a new challenging, exciting campaign start. We can’t wait.
MATCH STATISTICS
Canberra Olympic 4 (Backhouse 20’ (og), Sykes 22’, 80’, Gurney 47’) Belconnen United 1 (Mazis 81’)
LINE-UPS
CANBERRA OLYMPIC: 1. Janet KING, 4. Olivia GURNEY (2. Olivia FOGARTY 57’), 5. Sarah JOHNSTON, 6. Vanessa RYAN, 9. Elke AITOLU, 13. Meg RODEN (8. Michaela THORNTON 57’), 14. Ashleigh SYKES, 17. Nicole JALOCHA (7. Brittany FIORESE 90+2’), 22. Jasmine ZABEL (10. Katrina PERIC 71’), 23. Victoria JAMIESON, 34. Alexandra COOK
BELCONNEN UNITED: 1. Jayla MURPHY, 2. Lauren PRESTON (21. Pearl TEIN 52’), 3. Karen CLARKE, 4. Sophia DOUMOS, 7. Stefanie LEJINS, 8. Sofia PALYWODA (5. Katie WOODMAN 86’), 9. Talia BACKHOUSE, 10. Olivia BOMFORD (16. Tia BURRIDGE 86’), 11. Keira BOBBIN, 15. Leah CARNEGIE (12. Tatum MAZIS 63’), 22. Reilly YUEN
