Seventeen wins, 144 goals and an unbreakable bond which far outstrips that of a regular football team — that is all it took this year for Shepparton United to wrap up the women’s Bendigo Amateur Soccer League championship.
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Unbeaten since round one of 2018, the juggernaut has embarked on an unbeaten run spanning 38 games and has hardly looked beatable in any of those fixtures — Sunday’s comprehensive 7-0 win over Tatura at Howley Oval included.
United coach Sheridan Fairless was over the moon with the Blues’ performance and is satisfied her side is primed and ready for finals.
“I was really pleased with the strong start from the girls after a rest for two weeks, it was nice to get out there and get some game time going into the last game of the season against Strathdale this weekend,” she said.
“We are really excited to have won another title, it has been a culmination of lots of work throughout the season on our overall consistency and the development of our younger girls.”
Sophie Papalia kicked off proceedings with a classy finish in the eighth minute, before the Blues found another courtesy of an own goal from Tatura custodian Amelia Rando.
Olivia Loverso found the back of the net while sister Sarah nudged United out to an unassailable lead with a brace of her own.
Papalia scored her second as the clock ticked past the hour mark, while Taylor Zito saved the best for last with an exquisite free kick with 10 minutes to play to seal the title.
“We have seen some great individual efforts from a lot of our girls this year, but the title really is a testament to the way the girls play together as a team.”
In other games, a rampant Shepparton South was in cruise control on home soil as it thrashed Epsom 10-0.
Like Melbourne trams, it seemed as if a goal was due every 10 minutes as South bruised its way through the Epsom lines as it pleased.
A five-goal haul for Britney Scrivens proved a highlight for the Southerners, who look in fine touch ahead of finals with a huge 31 goals from 10 games so far this campaign.
Elsewhere, Shepparton had a tough day at the office, going down 9-0 to a third-ranked Colts United outfit.
The Reds' defence was no match for league leading goal scorer Rebecca Berry, who blasted home five on the day to take her season tally to 52.
