Can anyone stop the West Canberra Lightning? That’s the question from the Capital Futsal League Women’s competition as we reach Round 7 with the Lightning perched atop the table and with a two-point lead over the chasing UC Stars.

A clash with the winless ANU Apex is the challenge for the Lightning to maintain their 100% record tis weekend, the Apex having finally returned to the Futsal pitch in Round 6 some four weeks since their last run-out.

They were defeated in that match against UC Stars last weekend, a narrow 2-4 loss that proved their competitive abilities. The Stars had to dig deep and call upon all their quality to come away with the victory, relying on some staunch defending to keep out a valiant Apex effort.

Scoring goals against Lightning has proven tricky, Nat Lacey having been beaten only seven times in five matches in the inaugural competition, and the Apex will need to be at the best and take every chance that comes their way if they are to spring a surprise.

South Canberra Swift are currently third and they will be hoping to consolidate that position when they clash with the Queanbeyan-Palerang Power. Both teams have had disrupted schedules in recent weeks, both having only been seen on the pitch twice in the last five weeks.

Swift pushed Lightning all the way in their narrow loss in Round 6 whist the Power saw their scheduled fixture with North Canberra fire postponed. The Power are still within touching distance of the top four despite their lowly status, and they could go someway towards that objective with an upset win in this one.

The Swift have scored and conceded with equal measure in their opening five matches, so the Power may sense some vulnerability in the defensive third.

North Canberra Fire would be champing at the bit to get back in action having seen their last three fixtures postponed for a variety of reasons, leaving the side that are fourth on the table with one win, one draw and one defeat playing catch-up on the clubs above them on the league table.

Their last outing was a 1-3 loss to the West Canberra Lightning in Round 3, meaning they haven’t in fact won since the opening round demolition job on Queanbeyan-Palerang Power, a fact they will be keen to rectify against the Stars.

The Stars themselves are on a five game unbeaten run, having won four and drawn one of their matches so far, the anomaly being a hugely entertaining 3-3 stalemate with the Fore back in the second round.

Both sides have scored plenty and conceded few which should make for an equally tight contest the second time around.

WOMEN

Friday 9 December

North Canberra Fire v UC Stars (18:00)

Saturday 10 December

South Canberra Swift v Queanbeyan-Palerang Power (17:00)

Sunday 11 December

West Canberra Lightning v ANU Apex (17:00)

TABLE

	TEAM	P	W	D	L	F	A	GD	PTS
1	Lightning	5	5	0	0	47	7	+40	15
2	Stars	5	4	1	0	33	12	+21	13
3	Swift	5	2	0	3	27	21	+6	6
4	Fire	3	1	1	1	23	7	+16	4
5	Apex	4	0	0	4	7	24	-17	0
6	Power	4	0	0	4	7	73	-66	0

 

LEADING SCORERS

11 Brittany PALOMBI (Lightning)

8 Jennifer BISSET (Lightning)

7 Stella DE MARCO (Fire), Amy MCLACHLAN (Lightning), Becky RIZZO (Stars), Reilly YUEN (Stars)

6 Rebecca KITING (Lightning), Cara CERUTI (Swift)

5 Eliza-Jane NORRIS (Stars), Mikayla VAN DEYK (Stars), Own GOALS

4 Jamie BERKELEY (Lightning), Natalie DE MARCO (Fire), Krista HAGEN (Lightning), Tayla HAMPSON (Stars), Nicole JALOCHA (Fire), Samantha PRICE (Swift), Bessie REITHMULLER (Fire), Sabrina TOUFEXIS (Swift), Dianne WILSON (Lightning)

3 Isabella HINDMARSH (Swift), Ginger OLIVER (Swift), Sofia PALYWODA (Swift)

2 Justine ARMSTRONG (Power), Talia BACKHOUSE (Swift), Maia CAMERON (Power), Sheridan MCELLIGOTT (Apex), Cassia MCGLASHAN (Stars), Nikita PERRY (Fire), Roxie SWART (Apex)

1 Elke AITOLU (Fire), Leah CARNEGIE (Swift), Kaitlyn COLWILL (Swift), Emily DANIEL (Stars), Grace DAVEY (Apex), Sally KISS (Power), Renee KITE (Power), Stefi LEJINS (Fire), Holly MCPHERSON (Power), Alexandra SERRAS (Apex), Shayma TAWEEL (Apex), Kate WALKER (Stars)