Canterbury United Pride name strong squad to chase seventh national title

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Canterbury United Pride have revealed the squad aiming to capture their seventh women’s National League title.

It contains emerging Wellington Phoenix star Alyssa Whinham, former international Kate Loye and a number of players with national age group and international futsal experience.

Main photo: The Pride have done it before, including winning the league in 2018. Photo: Shane Wenzlick / Phototek.

Phoenix midfielder Whinham, a nominee for last season’s Women’s A-League Fan’s Young Player of the Year, recently played for the Junior Ferns at the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Costa Rica.

The 18-year-old recently signed a new two-year deal with the Phoenix, but the Liberty A-League does not resume till mid-November.

Former Football Fern and age group international Kate Loye (29) goes into the season as Canterbury’s experienced midfielder while defender Rebecca Lake, a Futsal Fern, was also a key leader in the Pride side that won successive titles in 2019, 2019 and 2020.

Futsal Fern Britney Lee Nicholson is in the squad, alongside three teammates from the New Zealand Universities Futsal squad, Ellena Firth, Rebecca Lake and Frankie Morrow.

Squad

1 Una Foyle (goalkeeper)
2 Ellena Firth (midfielder)
3 Rebecca Lake (defender)
4 Lara Wall (forward)
5 Mikaela Hunt (defender)
6 Charlotte Roche (forward)
7 Lisa Evans​ (forward)
8 Kate Loye (midfielder)
​​​​​​​9 Frankie Morrow (forward)
10 Lottie Mortlock (midfielder)
11 Britney Lee Nicholson (forward)
12 Lauren Dabner (midfielder)
13 Whitney Hepburn (midfielder)
14 Jasmine Donald (defender)
15 Alyssa Whinham (midfielder)
16 Kate Guildford​​​​​​​ (forward)
17 Petra Buyck (forward)
18 Chloe Bellamy (midfielder)
19 Bel van Noorden (forward)
20 Megan Simpson (defender)
21 Ella McCann (forward)
22 Maddie Iro (goalkeeper)
23 Kendrah Smith (defender)
24 Georgia Williams (goalkeeper)
25 Jonelle Arthur (midfielder)

Staff

Canterbury’s coach Alana Gunn. Photo: David Joseph / Phototek.

Alana Gunn (head coach)
Khalil Gerbeaux & Finn Gaupset (assistant coaches)
Duncan Reed (goalkeeper coach)
Marcus Beatson (team manager)
Sam O’Neil (strength and conditioning)
Julian Firth (physio)

Opening weekend fixtures

Games to be played on Saturday September 17, 2022

Capital Football v Eastern Suburbs
Petone Memorial Park, 3pm

Canterbury United Pride v Central Football
English Park, Christchurch, 4pm

Games to be played on Sunday September 18, 2022

Western Springs v Southern United
Seddon Fields, Westmere, 1pm

Auckland United v Northern Rovers
Keith Hay Park, Mt Roskill, 3pm

Honours

National Women’s League Winners: 2013, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2020
National Women’s League Runners Up: 2015 & 2017

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