EIGHT’S GREAT FOR THE DUCKS
DEAKIN Ducks caused a sensation on Saturday, trouncing the more fancied North Geelong 8-3 in their Geelong Region Women’s Division 1 semi-final at Elcho Park.
In only their first season in the elite women’s division, the Warriors went into the contest minus star attacker Jadranka Erceg but with last season’s league golden boot Lara Heric spearheading the attack.
Despite early chances, which saw Warriors midfielder Renee Zebic and Heric rattle the crossbar, it was the visitors who drew first blood in the 19th minute.
A slaloming run by Musha Sakurako saw her find space to slot the ball past North keeper Kristina Luburic.
Sakurako made it 2-0 minutes later with another wellplaced effort from close range, this time from a slight angle.
In the 25th minute, a keeping error saw Meaghan Ryan pounce on the spilt ball and steal the third for the Ducks.
Five minutes later, Heric pulled one back for the Warriors with a sliding goal.
Sakurako then completed an extraordinary first half hattrick in the 34th minute as a lofted ball caught the Warriors defence napping, her own lobbed effort from close range finding the back of the net to make it 4-1 at the break.
Ella Caitlin Struthers increased Deakin’s lead four minutes into the second half with a neat tap in, while Ryan made it embarrassing for the home team with a long range effort that curled into the back of the net.
A minute later Heric guided the ball past keeper Catherine Burns for her second to make it 6-2.
In the 59th minute, however, Sakurako put the nail in the coffin with her fourth goal of the afternoon.
North’s Olivia Ortiz rose above the pack to head in the Warriors’ third in the 67th minute, but it was to no avail as Deakin’s Hannah Gordon put the icing on the cake for the Ducks in the 70th minute to round out the rout.
Victorious Deakin coach Nick Williams said he was “super proud” of his team.
“It was a massive effort. We knew what we needed to do and executed it when it mattered,” Williams said.
“North Geelong was a tough team all season and the game today was much closer than the scoreline suggests. We are keen to carry the same form and energy into next week’s grand final.”
Deakin will meet Geelong Rangers in a repeat of last year’s Division 1 grand final, after Bell Park forfeited its semi-final with Rangers. IN WOMEN’S Division 2, North Geelong advanced to the grand final after defeating Golden Plains 1-0 in their semi-final clash at Elcho Park.
The only goal came about from a Julia Akmacic penalty.
In the other semi-final, Surf Coast went down to Geelong 2-1 in a thrilling contest at Torquay’s Banyul Warri Reserve.
Sophie Razmara was the scorer for the Coasters, while league golden boot Emily Sutcliffe and Angela Stefanovski were on target for the Lions.
Both grand finals will be held at the Drysdale Sports Precinct on Saturday.