FOOTSCRAY will play no part in the Hockey Victoria women’s state league1 finals with a 2-0 loss to Essendon in the do-or-die round at McIvor Reserve on Saturday.
The newly-promoted Bulldogs have been a revelation this season and were on the verge of a shock finals appearance at their first crack in the big league.
Their dreams evaporated on the sticks of Asling Utri and Bess Keaney, who scored the goals that sent fourth-placed Bombers to the finals instead.
Click on the image below for our gallery of the Footscray v Essendon game.
Bulldogs administrator Nicole Virtuoso told the Weekly it was a bittersweet feeling for her club.
“It was a little bit disappointing because we were still in finals contention,” she said. “But it was our first year in the competition and our girls have done extremely well.”
The Bulldogs are undoubtedly in the top flight for the long haul. They have one of the finest young coaches in Luke Michael at the helm and a youth-driven squad.
“We’ve got a very young squad,” Virtuoso said. “Most of the players are 23 or under and there’s a lot of junior state representatives in the team.”
Defender Megan Berriman and striker Sam Ellis will represent the VIS Vipers in the Australian Hockey League in October.
Young goalkeeper Panny Mather is also a part of the Victorian Institute of Sport. The Bulldogs’ last game will be on the road at MCC on Saturday.
Hockey Victoria
Women’s state league 1: Footscray 2 d Essendon 0, Altona 0 lt Doncaster 2
Men’s state league 1: Altona 1 lt Doncaster 3, Footscray 2 lt Greensborough 9
