NPL Women’s Round One talking points: Ravens make big statement, new signings deliver

The new NPL Women’s NSW season is underway, with Gladesville Ravens and Sydney Olympic picking up huge wins. Check out all the major headlines from a bumper opening round.

Gladesville Ravens started the new NPL Women’s NSW season with a stunning 5-0 win. Picture: Dan Ullman / Aptitude Photography

The first round of the new NPL Women’s NSW season delivered some dominant performances, stunning goals and new faces.

Gladesville Ravens and Sydney Olympic recorded convincing wins over Sydney University SFC and Emerging Jets respectively, with new signings all over the scoreboard.

New team UNSW FC picked up their first point in their debut match, proving they’ll be competitive after the jump up from League One.

Meanwhile Sydney Uni have a lot of improvement ahead of them following a crushing loss.

Check out all the talking points from round one of the NPL Women’s NSW.

Ravens make dominant statement

Lexie Moreno netted a brace for Gladesville Ravens in round one. Picture: Dan Ullman / Aptitude Photography

It took Gladesville Ravens four rounds to record their first win in their inaugural season last year, but took just 90 minutes to deliver an outstanding result in 2024.

The Ravens made a host of changes in the off-season including bringing in new coach Guillermo Rubio who seems to have settled in very well in Gladesville, with the 5-0 win over Sydney University SFC a major statement of intent for the season.

It took new signing Isabella Edwards just six minutes to opening the scoring with a banger from Pat Charalambous, a brace from Lexie Moreno and a tap-in header from Renee Poutney securing the decisive scoreline.

The five goals are a sixth of the total goals the Ravens scored in 26 matches last season and although it’s only been one round, if the team can keep up this form they could be a real finals contender this year.

Concerning signs for Sydney Uni?

Sydney Uni are a far cry from the side that convincingly took out the premiership in 2022.

Coming into the new season with a new coach in Oz Rowley and a massively changed squad is difficult for any team, but the 5-0 loss to the Ravens only continues the downwoods slide seen last season.

Sydney Uni claimed the 2022 title by 11 points over APIA Leichhardt but finished last season in the bottom half of the ladder in 10th with only seven wins in 26 matches.

The stats from their round one match showed the team’s lack of firepower with just six shots, only two of which were on target, compared to the Raven’s 18 and eight on target.

The side could be boosted later in the season with the inclusion of some returning A-League Women players, but early signs point to another frustrating year for Sydney University.

New signings shine for Olympic

Maxine Peak scored a goal for her new team Sydney Olympic FC in round one of the 2024 NPL Women's NSW. Picture: Brett Nielsen

Four goals and a clean sheet marked a perfect start to the season for Sydney Olympic as they took down Emerging Jets in Belmore.

While the Jets are not a formidable opposition, taking home no wins last season, it was important for Olympic to come out of the gates firing to start their campaign.

Olympic’s new faces stole the show, with former Bankstown City player Demi Koulizakis scoring a brace and Maxine Peak and Priya Sciuriaga each contributing a goal.

The main area of improvement for Olympic would be keeping up pressure in the second half, with all four of their goals coming before the break.

The match was a perfect opportunity to set up a solid goal tally, with their next two opponents, Northern Tigers and APIA Leichhardt, unlikely to allow such a goal fest.

Teenage star ruthless against former club

After scoring over 30 goals across three divisions in 2023, young gun Amber Luchtmeijer went into her first match with new team Bulls FC Academy with a lot of hype surrounding her with the added pressure of facing her former club Blacktown Spartans.

But if there were any nerves, Luchtmeijer didn’t show them, securing her first goal as a full-time first grade player in less than three minutes.

Her second contribution came just before halftime, with a scrappy goal finding the back of the net following a cross from Daniella Naeimi.

Elizabeth Grey’s goal made it three for Bulls, with only one goal conceded giving them a near perfect start.

UNSW secure point in debut match

UNSW FC were promoted to the NPL Women's NSW for 2024. Picture: Jeremy Denham.

The newly promoted UNSW FC left it to the last possible moment to earn their first point in the NPL, drawing 1-1 with Football NSW Institute.

The UNSW defence was key for the new side throughout most of the match, with keeper Tiahna Robertson making a spectacular penalty save in the second half before conceding a goal to the Institute’s Adelaide Wyrzynski.

The final few minutes showed UNSW’s resilience as star signing Allira Toby netted their first goal ever in the competition, resulting from a mishandled save from Institute keeper Sofia Fante.

It’s a promising start for the new team, who joined the top flight this season after winning League One in 2023.