Words: Matt Dorman
Image: Chris Simpson/UQFC

Greta Bodey struck a fourth hattrick of 2015 as UQFC marched to a 9-2 rout of Western Pride Women at University of Queensland Field 5 on Sunday.

The hosts were untroubled in moving to within a match of the top-two, while Pride slipped a position to ninth.

The home side began the match in an aggressive mood with Kaitlyn Winter and Chloe Williams both giving Western Pride goalkeeper Amelia Quabba early work to do.

Free-scoring forward Bodey was instead left to open the floodgates, netting the first in the 15^th minute.

Georgia Chapman doubled UQFC’s advantage five minutes later and by the 24^th minute the match was almost out of reach for Pride as Cindy Carroll added a fine finish to Bodey’s lead-up play.

The visitors found a glimmer of hope when Jascinta Perrin kept her cool to pull one back against the run of play but their joy was short-lived as Chloe Williams soon pounced on Bodey’s spilled shot to make it 4-1.

Incredibly, there was still time for two further goals before the break.

Bodey initially poached her second from close range before Pride reduced the deficit to 5-2 on the stroke of half-time.

Caitlin Turner made no mistake from the spot after the home defence was adjudged to have committed a foul inside the penalty area.

Saves at either end ensured a quieter start to the second-half although UQFC were in the mood for goals with Winter shooting high over Quabba to open her account just after the hour.

Perrin and player-coach Lorena Maggio tried to grab a third for Pride only to be foiled by substitute goalkeeper Kaitlin Peterson.

It was Bodey instead who netted next, completing her hattrick and ballooning UQFC’s lead to 7-2 with 15 minutes remaining.

Substitute Georgia Buchanan found time to make an immediate impression off the bench with a pair of eye-catching finishes sealing the 9-2 result.

Speaking after the match, Buchanan said she relished the opportunity to make a third senior appearance.

“Coming up and playing and getting a couple of goals helps with the confidence,” Buchanan said.

Pride assistant coach Meshelle Ryan said the Ipswich side would seek maximum points for the remainder of the season, began with Souths United Women next week.

“We’re definitely hoping to try and take points out of them and anyone else who comes in our way for the next couple of weeks,” Ryan said.

UQFC Women  9 (Greta BODEY 15’, 40’, 75’ Georgia CHAPMAN 20’ Cindy CARROLL 24’ Chloe WILLIAMS 30’ Kaitlyn WINTER 62’ Georgia BUCHANAN 78’, 90’+2)
Western Pride FC Women  2 (Jascinta PERRIN 27’ Caitlin TURNER 45’)