There was plenty on the line right across the Westfield W-League in Round 14 as the regular season drew to a dramatic close.
The make-up of the top four was settled on Saturday as Melbourne Victory secured a home Semi Final with a 3-1 win over Sydney FC, while Western Sydney Wanderers booked their maiden post-season appearance with a nervy 3-2 result against Perth Glory.
On Thursday night, Adelaide United avoided the wooden spoon by seeing off Newcastle Jets, while newly-crowned Premiers Melbourne City notched another win on Sunday against Brisbane Roar.
So, with the regular season now done and dusted, the question remains which players made the cut for our Team of the Week in Round 14.
Read on to find out who made it in our 4-3-3 formation.
Goalkeeper
Casey Dumont (Melbourne Victory)
There were extended periods where the Victory defence completely stifled their Sydney FC opponents on Saturday, which made the Dumont’s reliable efforts between the sticks even more impressive.
The Victory shot-stopper denied five of her six shots faced at AAMI Park – including a pair of crucial saves midway through the first-half as she first closed down Veronica Latsko’s low drive before tipping Amy Sayer’s effort over the bar a minute later.
Dumont also stood tall at the death after being beaten from distance by Natalie Tobin as she thwarted a late Sky Blues surge to secure her side a vital three points.
https://players.brightcove.net/5519514572001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6137174270001
Defenders
Emily Menges (Melbourne Victory)
The Victory have built their second half of the season surge on the back of near impenetrable defence and Menges proved next to unbeatable against Sydney FC on Saturday.
Working alongside Westfield Matildas Jenna McCormick and Laura Brock in a back three, the American was statistically faultless as the Victory effectively stifled the Sky Blues for much of the contest – winning all three of her tackles and all four of her duels in a tireless 90 minute showing.
Laura Brock (Melbourne Victory)
The Westfield Matildas defender brought all her experience to play as the Victory sewed up second place in a composed win over Sydney FC – with only a late strike from Natalie Tobin spoiling what would have been deserved clean sheet.
Composed on the ball, Brock racked up 54 touches and 41 passes across the 90 minutes, while her defensive timing and positioning were crucial to post a team best six clearances and win seven of her nine duels.
Aivi Luik (Melbourne City)
In the absence of commanding Kiwi centre-half Rebekah Stott to international duty, City midfield general Aivi Luik was asked to step back into the Premiers’ three-player backline and the Westfield Matildas international did so with distinction.
Luik displayed a masterclass in carrying the ball forward out of defence and linking up with the midfield and wing-backs, while also putting in a dominant display in her defensive duties.
The 34-year-old won eight of her 12 duels, five of seven tackles and added a pair of interceptions as City made it 11 wins in a row, despite losing the chance to claim an eighth straight clean sheet.
Angela Beard (Melbourne Victory)
Playing further up the pitch, Beard was simply everywhere for the Victory in their crucial win over Sydney with a team best 70 touches for Jeff Hopkins’ side at wing back.
She regularly had the Sky Blues on the back foot with her dangerous runs in the central third while her vision on the ball created three scoring chances and provided crucial width on the left hand side with six crosses.
She was also unfortunate not to get on the score sheet with her 60th minute strike only missing due to a sharp tip over the bar from Sky Blues goalkeeper Aubrey Bledsoe.
Midfielders
Lais Dos Santos Araujo (Adelaide United)
The Brazilian midfielder capped off her maiden Westfield W-League season with another strong showing in the middle of the park for her side as they posted just their second win of the season to avoid the wooden spoon.
She was involved in everything throughout the 90 minutes in a key transitional role as she racked up a match best 84 touches and 63 passes in attack; while defensively she was also key to the result by winning four of her five tackles and six of her 11 duels, while adding a further four interceptions to frustrate the Jets.
Yukari Kinga (Melbourne City)
The Japanese midfield master showed her experience by bossing the AAMI Park pitch and proving destructive when City needed her most.
Kinga logged the assists for both of Ally Watt’s goals, picking out the American striker in a crowded area on both occasions with vision, awareness and precision timing.
The 35-year-old recorded a match-high touch count of 94 as she directed traffic from the centre of the field while winning 100% of her four tackles, six of her eight duels and making four interceptions to shackle the opposition.
https://players.brightcove.net/5519514572001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6137346343001
Darian Jenkins (Melbourne Victory)
The Victory were impressive as they dominated Sydney FC to secure a home Semi Final but none was more electric than the American winger as she toyed with the Sky Blues defence at Marvel Stadium.
After a threatening first-half, Jenkins struck a delightful second-half double to wrap up the points for her side – her second brace in as many weeks.
Her first was a well-placed 49th minute strike from the top of the box but her second was simply astounding as she burned two defenders on a scintillating run from the right flank into the box before an equally impressive finish.
https://players.brightcove.net/5519514572001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6137179472001
Forwards
Kristen Hamilton (Western Sydney Wanderers)
The American showed how important she will be to the Wanderers Semi Final prospects as she returned from suspension with a match-winning double against Perth Glory.
Her two goals were both converted on the back of brilliant headed finishes from set-piece deliveries and lifted her to equal top of the Westfield W-League scoring charts, but she proved an attacking threat from everywhere in the front third as she tallied five shots and four crosses all told and won six of her 12 duels.
https://players.brightcove.net/5519514572001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6137194940001
Mallory Weber (Adelaide United)
She’s been the Reds’ most threatening player all season so it was fitting the American attacker came up with the biggest play to ensure her side avoided the wooden spoon.
Weber caused Newcastle’s defence plenty of problems in the first half before scoring the winner after the break, producing a composed finish after getting on the end of Dylan Holmes’ flick-on.
She said post-match she’ll be back next season and Reds boss Ivan Karlovic will be hoping Weber is true to her word.
https://players.brightcove.net/5519514572001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6136405804001
Ally Watt (Melbourne City)
She may have only been in the competition for a little over a month but the 22-year-old American striker has made a big impression in a short time.
Watt was playing her third Westfield W-League game and she took her goal tally to three with a second-half double, showing her predatory instincts with one strike that required a smart first touch and finish, while the other needed an intelligent run to find space in a packed box.
She gave the Roar defence a workout by taking seven shots on goal, three of which hit the target, and she created three chances for her City teammates in an energetic attacking performance.
https://players.brightcove.net/5519514572001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6137344005001
