For Box Hill United’s Christina Cardaci, it was the opportunity to see off a disappointing season on a positive note.
The explosive winger’s side toiled to a ninth placed finish in the league, off the pace against the WPL’s top teams in a season of distantly placed highs.
But with the women’s league in its off-season, the Bass Straight Cup against Tasmania presented the chance to earn silverware, and Cardaci – along with her teammates – grasped it with both hands.
The team survived an early scare after trailing in just the ninth minute to a Rani Cavaretta goal, before storming home to claim an emphatic 4-1 victory.
“[I played] to break up routine I guess, the season’s over and Box Hill wasn’t in finals, so I’ve had time off and that [Bass Strait Cup] was a good motivation,” Cardaci said.
“I think both teams played really well and especially in the conditions it was really good to have a great match.
“Everyone just in general [played their part in the comeback]. You’d have leaders in the backline, leaders in the middle and leaders up front.
While the occasion wasn’t with her regular teammates at Wembley Park, Cardaci said the week spent with peers – previously her opponents in the WPL – under the guidance of coach of the year Shaun Ontong, was enjoyable and contributed to the team’s good showing in the cup.
“Considering the team hadn’t gelled before, it was great to see everybody working and playing for each other,” she said.
“The first training session really set the bar and he was really supportive and friendly and everyone likes Shaun [Ontong] so it worked, nobody was scared, intensity was up and we all wanted to play.
After not featuring in the first edition in 2013 but following her positive experience this year, Cardaci now believes she’d be keen to participate once more next time around, to be played back in Tasmania.
“Definitely [would play again], I had a lot of fun,” she said.
“This is my first time playing in this competition and I’d look forward to it.”