It’s hard to believe Ellie Carpenter is still just 19 years of age given her incredible performances on the pitch and the growing list of accolades off it.
The Canberra United and Westfield Matildas defender added another to her resume on Monday night, taking out the NAB Young Footballer of the Year for the Westfield W-League.
Carpenter beat off the challenge of her Canberra United teammate Karly Roestbakken and Sydney FC attacker Princess Ibini to retain the mantle as the league’s best young player which she also won last season.
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A key player in Heather Garriock’s United side, Carpenter started the campaign in blistering form, helping the ‘Green Machine’ topple reigning champions Melbourne City 2-0 on the opening day.
Despite inconsistent form from United, Carpenter continued to shine.
The flying fullback is like an additional winger at the peak of her powers, such is Carpenter’s dominance of the right flank, an area of the field from which the Cowra-born star registered 15 key passes in her 11 matches.
She also managed to find the net three times during the campaign to firmly establish herself as a genuine star of the competition.
And things are likely to get even better for the talented teenager on Tuesday, a near-guaranteed selection in Ante Milicic’s Westfield Matildas squad for next month’s FIFA Women’s World Cup in France.
