Cardinia Storm celebrated Pride Round with a big victory over Frankston in the Women’s Metro 1 South competition, winning 3-1.
It was a special day for the club, with all of the senior teams playing on the same day and the vibes were high from the first whistle.
Lauren Walsh was on fire, finding the net on two separate occasions to lead her team to victory, while debutant Jen Bowtell also scored a goal.
Botwell slotted seamlessly into the team and produced a special piece of play to score Storm’s first goal in style.
The victory had another added layer to it as coach and player Zena Nicholas played her 50th game for the club, an incredible milestone to recognise her contribution to the club.
Captain Alana Nancarrow set the tone for Cardinia and her strong performance earned her the Pride Round medal as the player of the match.
She was impressive through the midfield and showcased her brilliant composure to help set up scoring opportunities for the side.
The Storm sit fourth on the ladder and will look to continue their form into this weekend’s game against the struggling Casey Cannons.
The Greater Dandenong Warriors were far too strong for Cardinia in the Men’s Metro 2 South competition, registering a big 5-1 victory.
However, the final score didn’t fully reflect Storm’s performance, with plenty of positives to take out of the game.
Many of the forwards found good positions and created scoring opportunities, which unfortunately didn’t quite come to fruition on the day.
Samuel Albrecht produced another outstanding performance and was the sole goalscorer for his team on the day.
While Gareth Ventom, who was playing his first game of the season, brought great energy and was the best player in the loss, earning the Pride Round medal.
Ultimately, the more experienced Dandenong side was able to capitalise on opportunities, which proved to be the difference in the game.
In the other match, the Men’s Metro 1 South side took on Monash and was keen to get back on the winners’ list, but it wasn’t to be, as the Storm went down 1-0.
It was a game Cardinia was probably expected to win, but credit goes to Monash who brought its best performance.
Despite limited chances, Monash managed to capitalise and score a goal in the first half, which turned out to be the only one for the entire game.
The Storm didn’t give up there, as defenders Adam Welcome and Bryce Alards (who was the medal recipient) controlled the ball from the back half.
Despite their efforts at generating offensive looks, Cardinia Storm couldn’t convert on opportunities from short corners or general play, resulting in a second consecutive goalless performance.
Next week, the side takes on Collegians in a top-of-the-table clash and will need to bring an improved performance if they are to register a win.
Despite falling short in two of the three matches, it was a successful day for the hockey club as it celebrated inclusion, progress and passion for the game.
In another special milestone for the club, both Peter Turner and Hasantha Jasinarachchi have been selected to represent Victoria in their respective masters’ age groups.
They are the first players in the club’s history to earn Victorian selection and will be excited about challenging themselves at a higher level.
The experience they will receive from playing with and against some elite players, as well as under high-level coaches, will elevate their games further.
