James Murphy
BLUE LAKE 3 d NARACOORTE 0
BLUE Lake kicked off its 2024 Limestone Coast women’s soccer season with a good win over Naracoorte.
The Rangers opened the competition on Saturday and at the final whistle claimed a 3-0 victory.
In the comforts of home, Blue Lake put itself in good stead when Pip Crewe scored in the 14th minute, followed by an Aimee Brooks goal in the 19th.
That put the hosts 2-0 up and that was a margin they carried into the half-time break.
Brooks fired again in the opening minutes of the second half and her second goal would be the last of the match.
From there play went back and forth, but neither team could capitalise on their opportunities, leaving Blue Lake to a strong win to start its season.
APOLLO 6 d INTERNATIONAL 0
Apollo made a statement in its Round 1 match against International, with a strong 6-0 result earning the club the annual Mrs Thomas and Mrs Panagopoulos Cup.
The ledger was opened five minutes in when Alix Lescure scored for Apollo, which she backed up shortly after with another.
The goals kept on coming and Deni Atkin and Daylia Daylia both added to the total before the 30th minute.
Things settled down late in the half, but despite Inter’s best efforts they could not narrow the margin.
The second half had more of the same and after a short stalemate, Demi Ingley scored Apollo’s fifth goal in the 53rd minute.
Atkin scored her second late in the match and by then there was little threat of a comeback.
Inter fought it out to the end but Apollo was too strong on the day.
With the win Apollo secured the top spot on the premiership ladder, in what looks to be another successful season for the club.
MILLICENT 4 d GAMBIER CENTRALS 1
Millicent visited Gambier Centrals for a good start to its 2024 Limestone Coast women’s soccer season.
The match started evenly, but eventually Lana Shepherd opened the floodgates.
Her goal put Millicent 1-0 up at the 25-minute mark and from there the margin grew to three goals in the space of nine minutes.
Heading into half time with a 3-0 disadvantage put Centrals in a tough spot, but they pushed hard to reel in the margin in the opening minutes of the second term.
After a scuffle in goals an own goal to Meredie Widdison put Centrals on the board, but unfortunately that would be the Lions’ only success for the day.
Shepherd completed her hat-trick in the 60th minute and with it Millicent secured the honours 4-1.
Inter and Blue Lake played off yesterday for the Anzac Day clash, while Millicent hosts Apollo on Saturday and Centrals visits Naracoorte on Sunday.
