An Elizabeth Doherty hat-trick has helped deliver Olympic FC their first win of the 2021 NPL Queensland Women’s season against SWQ Thunder on Saturday night at Goodwin Park.
Doherty’s hat-trick was added to by a Nadine Keast brace and Teani Karalouka screamer in Saturday’s 6-0 thumping.
“I think we really just needed to get a win on the board for confidence, momentum and obviously points,” Elizabeth Doherty said.
“It’s do or die if you want to end in that top half [of the ladder], so I’m very happy and hopefully we can use this momentum going forward.”
The number 10 scored the first goal of the match in the 24th minute after her strong shot was good enough to beat Thunder goalkeeper, Elizabeth Hollitt.
It didn’t take too long for Olympic to double their lead after forward Nadine Keast curled a shot into the top right corner in the 26th minute.
It was all but over by the 40th minute when Doherty scored her second to put the home side up by three goals at the halftime break.
Olympic controlled possession throughout the entire clash and after a beautiful Kate Morton pass which supplied Keast her second goal in the 53rd minute, it was clear that it wouldn’t be the Thunder’s night.
Doherty found herself in the right place at the right time to convert her hat trick and get Olympics’ fifth of the night in the 73rd minute.
“Yeah I’m stoked. They were all pretty scrappy deflections and not too much finesse in their but they all count, so I’m very happy that I could get some goals,” Doherty said after the match.
Karalouka completed the rout in style with a stunning long range strike in the 90th minute the round out the 6-0 scoreline.
Doherty said that it was pleasing to see the mindset of the side change from previous weeks.
“The determination and mindset in both ends of the boxes is something we’ve had to work on.
“It’s definitely something we are going to focus on going forward because if we do that then I think we can match it with the best.”
Saturday’s win pushes Olympic into 12th place on the NPL Queensland Women’s standings with four points, focus now turns to Wednesday night’s clash against QAS at Goodwin Park (7pm KO).
MATCH DETAILS
NPL Queensland Women’s 2021 – Round 6: Olympic FC v SWQ Thunder
Goodwin Park, Yeronga
Saturday, 24 April
Olympic FC: 6 (Elizabeth DOHERTY 24’ 40’ 73’, Nadine KEAST 26’ 53’, Teani KARALOUKA 90’)
SWQ Thunder: 0
Olympic FC: Nadine KEAST, Talitha DORO (Eftie AVRAAM 75’), India KUBIN, Elizabeth DOHERTY (Dilara CIFTCI 74’), Teani KARALOUKA, Kate MORTON, Tiffany DIBLEY, Sophie WEATHERBY, Willow LIUKAINA (Kyarna BOUSEN 82’), Matalena DANIELLS, Julia DUFFY (GK).
Unused Subs: Emma BARNES, Taliesha DERRICK, Tamara CUNNINGHAM.
SWQ Thunder: Jessica FRY, Lana STYLER, Siti ROSNANI, Sarah HALL, Georgia FAVERO, Lauren SPREADBOROUGH, Bre MCCARTHY, Madison FRANKE, Jordan FRANKE, Elizabeth HOLLITT (GK).
Unused Subs: Shannon TYRRELL, Dannielle DAVIS, Alice EARLEY, Lucy MAJOR.