Balcatta Etna claims back-to-back NPLWA Women’s Night Series titles ahead of regular season

Perth Azzurri 0 – 1 Balcatta Etna 

by Enya Liu (15/3/26).

Balcatta Etna head into the NPLWA regular season with a pep in their step as they claim the Women’s Night Series title for a second consecutive year.

A scraping goal by Balcatta defender Frankie Murray is all it took for the North Perth side to secure the silverware over Perth Azzurri. 

A fixture familiar for both teams and a replay of the preceding year’s decisive match, Balcatta came into their 5th Night Series Final hungry to defend their title, while Perth seeked revenge on their 2025 misfortunes. 

The game started in an expected fashion, with both teams focusing on keeping the game tidy and tightly contested. 

The 20th minute saw an unfortunate setback for Perth. Hannah Collins sustained an injury, forcing a premature substitution with Macey McCready entering the game. 

Seven shots at goal were recorded across both ends of the pitch throughout the first half, with the most promising going the way of Balcatta in the 15th minute. Rachel Jarvis picked out a clean pass to Jamie Duncanson who belted the ball towards the goal, forcing a stellar save out of eventual player of the match and Perth number 1 Dayle Schroeder.

The second half began with a bang for Balcatta, as the ball scraped across the line for the match-winning goal. Frankie Murray pinged a cross from the left-hand side into the penalty box. The pass ricocheted off the underside of the crossbar, before finding its way past the goal-line.

Despite continuous efforts from Perth, they were unable to find the equalizer they needed to send the game to penalties. The Azzurri struggled to break down a stubborn Balcatta defence, unable to get out of their own half, with the best chance coming in the 88th minute where Alisa Zindell found the side-netting.

Balcatta’s win tonight will fill the star-studded side with plenty of confidence ahead of their opening regular season match next week. 

Teams: PERTH AZZURRI (4-4-2): Schroeder, Warburton, Nossent, Collins, Marshall, Tana, Archibald, Boehm, Mathers, Flannery, McCartney. Substitutes: Longmore, Dalton, Contibalti, Ottobrino, Zindell, McCready, Ingrey.

BALCATTA ETNA (4-4-2): R. Bennett, Murray, Davis, C. Bennett, Meakins, Marwick, Van Heurck, Duncanson, Doeglas, Glanfield, Jarvis. Substitutes: D’Opera, Duncan, Mohammad Zainuurafiq, Foletta, Britton, Nalder, Comito.

Scorer: Murray 48’

Referee: Connor Richards 

Attendence: TBC

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