Shepparton enjoys a fine drop of Reds

September 22 2009

Shepparton News

Shepparton has held its nerve on penalty kicks to become the second Goulburn North East Football Association junior girls' premier after a 4-3 shootout win against Shepparton South in the grand final.

The Reds looked set to win their first junior girls' title in regular time, but had to go to penalties after reigning and minor premier South dug out a late equaliser to salvage a 2-2 draw.

League best and fairest Isabel Cook erased the pain of missing a penalty for the Shepparton open women's team earlier in the finals series by netting one of the vital kicks in her team's triumph.

The diminutive forward opened the scoring for the Reds early in the match only for South's Chelsea Clarke to equalise by half-time.

Shepparton regained the lead early in the second half through Nathalie Musafiri, but South's Zoe Courtney scored an equaliser in the dying moments of the match to send the game to penalties.

With the penalty shoot-out tied 3-3 and from four kicks each, Cook had her penalty hit the hands of South goalkeeper Aslihan Avan before falling into the net.

Victoria Prinzi saved the next South penalty to win Shepparton the match.

"I really wanted to take that kick to get back what I'd lost," Cook said.

"It feels really good to win, I'm just lost for words.

"There's no way to explain it, it's the best thing we'll ever do in our soccer careers."

Junior girls premier: Shepparton, (back) Dannielle Dimit, Nathalie Musafiri, Hale Tanrikulu, Rachel Coghlan, Meg Anderson, Lauren Comer, Caitlin Cunningham, Stephanie Dimit, Kate Coghlan, (front) Nick Dimit (coach), Rebecca Heap, Lucy Marino, Emily Balaburov, Victoria Prinzi, Maisie Deveny, Isabel Cook and Sarah Coe.