Olivia Nicolazzo, Sophia Dobbie named among best female performers at Futsal National Championships

It was a tip-top Futsal National Championships in Melbourne this year with plenty of exciting players on show in the five-day event. Here’s the tournament’s best performers.

It was a captivating five days of women’s futsal at the National Championships in Melbourne last week, with the action streamed via KommunityTV.

There was talent on every pitch with players putting it all on the line for their home states or territory.

NSW Thunder proved to be the better side in the older age groups with the U17 girls and Open women taking home titles.

In the U13 and U15 girls, Victoria led the way, winning both trophies in their home state.

Following the tournament, here’s a list of the top performers from the five-day championships.

CAPITAL

Sophia Dobbie, Capital U13

Local club: Boomerangs FS

Strengths: Work horse, gets up and back in transition. Confident in possession and strong.

Sophia Dobbie, Capital U13. Picture: Supplied.

Tiarna Ruberto, Capital U15

Local club: Boomerangs FS

Strengths: A goalkeeper that can play with her feet, every coaches dream. Communication is outstanding.

Sofia Paloywoda, Capital U17

Local club: South Canberra Swift

Strengths: Game controller, confident in possession and can play a killer pass and can score from range too.

Sofia Paloywoda, Capital U13. Picture: Supplied.

Natalie De Marco, Capital Open Women’s

Local club: Boomerangss FS

Strengths: Game awareness is off the charts. Game controller, confident in possession and can play a killer pass. 

Natalie De Marco, Capital Open Women’s. Picture: Supplied.

SOUTH AUSTRALIA

Kimi Van Resenburg, South Australia U13

Local club: Football South Australia program

Strengths: Natural goal scorer, shooting

QUEENSLAND

LuLu Horton, Queensland U13

Local Club: Ipswich Futsal

Strengths: Tenacity in both attack and defence, leading the way in transition to create goal scoring opportunities and body on the line defending.

Tournament highlight: Sliding block in the semi final to save a goal, securing the win.

LuLu Horton, Queensland U13 named among top performers at Futsal Nationals.

Layla Adams, Queensland U15

Local Club: Crusaders

Strengths: Mental and physical toughness as well as ability to produce in the pressure moments.

Tournament highlight: Penalty Shootout in quarterfinal match against South Australia.

Kyla Hanson, Queensland U17

Local Club: Sala Time

Strengths: Incredible athleticism in speed and strength. Kyla Hanson also plays with intelligence knowing where and when to pass or take the opponent on with a dynamic right foot.

Tournament highlight: Finishing a first time shot under pressure from long range at speed. It was an incredible strike, goalkeeper had no chance in saving this one.

Annika Paulsen, Queensland Open Women’s

Local Club: Elitefoot

Strengths: Her ability to read the game and remain composed under pressure. She is also solid defensively.

Tournament highlight: Her goal against Victoria to equalise. This gave Queensland a vital point to qualify to the semi final.

VICTORIA

Olivia Nicolazzo, Victoria U13

Local club: Wanderers Futsal Club

Strengths: A physically strong pivot with tenacity to win the ball back high up the pitch. Instrumental in both scoring and creating opportunities for others.

Tournament highlight: Olivia Nicolazzo was the captain who led the team by example and set the standards with her high work rate and determination.

Victoria U13 Olivia Nicolazzo named among top performers in Futsal Nationals.

Annie Yates, Victoria U15

Local club: Bushrangers Futsal Club

Strengths: Strong and composed in defence. Good leader.

Tournament highlight: Annie Yates was the captain of the title-winning U15 girls. She was able to impose herself physically in breaking down the opposition attacks. A leader who inspired the other girls around her and allowed them to flourish in attack.

Victoria U15 Annie Yates named among top performers at Futsal Nationals.

Bethan Mason-Jones, Victoria Open Women’s

Local club: No current futsal club.

Strengths: Reflex saves, distribution of the ball.

Tournament highlight: Showed her class in goals throughout the tournament. She could not be beaten by the NSW attack in the group games and she pulled off remarkable saves to keep Victoria in the game in their semi final loss. Has the potential to be the number 1 goalkeeper in the women’s national team.

Victoria Open Women’s player Bethan Mason-Jones named among top performers at Futsal Nationals.

NSW, WESTERN AUSTRALIA, TASMANIA

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