Boroondara Eagles have progressed to the WPL Grand Final with a 3-0 victory over Ashburton United at Knox Regional Football Centre.
The clinical hosts put away their opportunities – Taryne Boudreau netted a double while Alex Gummer scored a pearler from distance – to run away with the victory.
On the other hand, the visitors were the architects of their own downfall at times after missing a number of shots on goal, while injuries to key players also hurt their chances.
Ashburton had the ascendancy early, with Briar Palmer rattling the woodwork from distance.
Anna Lanning was kept busy early, forced to pull off saves to deny Georgia Clopefil and Melina Ayres.
Rani Cavaretta then provided Boroondara’s first sighter on goal, cutting in from the left to fire a shot the grazed the crossbar.
With Ashburton applying the pressure, the Eagles struck on the break when Sarah Jacobs found Cavaretta on the overlap, whose strike was palmed away by Melissa Maizels into the path of the oncoming Boudreau, who tucked away the finish.
It was two goals in two minutes when the Canadian played through Gummer on goal, who composed herself and curled in an incredible effort from distance that beat Maizels’ outstretched arms.
United worked hard to peg back the deficit with a number of half-chances before the break, as Emma Checker hit a shot at Lanning, while a Palmer cross just evaded Cloepfil and Laura Spiranovic.
Ayres should have given her side a sniff of a comeback early in the second half following Cloepfil’s run down the wing and cutback into the box, but her blast from six-yards flew over the bar.
Ashburton’s task was made all the more difficult following injuries to two key players, with Christine Pfeiffer and Checker both forced to watch the remainder of the contest from the sidelines.
A sub for @AshyUtdWomen also, Pfeiffer OFF injured, Britt Thomas ON #WPLVIC #BEvAU
— Sportsmart WPL (@wplvictoria) September 13, 2015
54′ SUB for @AshyUtdWomen | Another injury affected sub. Checker OFF for Kotsikas ON. Engine room decimated for the visitors #WPLVIC #BEvAU
— Sportsmart WPL (@wplvictoria) September 13, 2015
Possession was shared between the two sides for most of the second half, with chances hard to come by.
Boudreau drove the final nail in the coffin late in the game, heading in Jacobs’ corner to seal the 3-0 scoreline.
The Eagles will now enjoy another week off to prepare for the Grand Final, while Ashburton have a chance to earn another crack at Boroondara when they face South Melbourne, who are coming off a late 2-1 victory over Heidelberg United.
Photos: Adrian Shaw
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Boroondara Eagles 3 (Boudreau 33′ 90′, Gummer 35′) defeated Ashburton United 0 at Knox Regional Football Centre
Boroondara Eagles: 1. Anna LANNING (GK), 22. Liv ELLIS, 5. Sky JENSEN (3. Ally GAYFER 80′), 55. Jess TAY, 52. Aimee MEDWIN (15. Amy JACKSON 46′), 6. Ash CALLAGHAN, 31. Rani CAVARETTA (50. Lucy JOHNSTONE 90′), 2. Sarah JACOBS, 7. Taryne BOUDREAU, 9. Alex GUMMER, 11. Aliesha NEWMAN (12. Sarah PETTY 77′)
Unused Substitute(s): 21. Freya CROCKER (GK)
Ashburton United: 1. Melissa MAIZELS, 2. Maria PATRIKIS, 5. Kristin STENSHOLT, 3. Holly RICHARDSON (13. Azize ERENLI 72′), 8. Briar PALMER, 14. Christine PFEIFFER (4. Brittany THOMAS 50′), 18. Georgia CLOEPFIL, 21. Laura SPIRANOVIC (12. Amy MALANDER 82′), 9. Melina AYRES, 19. Olivia EDWARDS, 15. Emma CHECKER (7. Jesse KOTSIKAS 54′)
Unused Substitute(s): 16. Rachel Jarvis