IT is the 90-minute lung-busting effort that will stay with Layni Fens forever.
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The Mid North Coast defender lined up for a friendly at Taree on Sunday against players such as Jenna Kingsley, Gema Simon and Cass Davis.
Throw in former Matilda Hannah Brewer, current Matilda Emily van Egmond and American duo Taylor Smith and Katie Stengel and it makes for an eye-opening experience.
As expected, the Newcastle Jets proved too strong for their opposition, but it was more about the experience than the result for the local girls.
“It was what we expected, but it was good because it pushes us to have a higher standard and expectation of ourselves to be more like that,” Fens said.
“It was really good to see how they play and it pushes us to be more like that and how we should be playing.
“It gives us an idea of what to look forward to in the future.”
The 16-year-old St Joseph’s Regional College student even managed to put the ball around Kingsley in one of their many battles in the second half.
She said the most challenging aspect of the match was how quickly the Jets moved the ball – at times the local girls were chasing shadows.
Impressively, they never gave up despite the scoreline heading into double figures.
“It was a really good experience and it was good to challenge us,” Fens said.
The teenager has previously been a member of the Emerging Jets program before the challenge of balancing travel and training commitments with school proved too difficult.
“I played for them last year in the Emerging Jets but the travel was hard and with school as well, but maybe in the future if I move out of Port I’ll look (to go back),” she said.
“But it’s good to be back playing on the Mid North Coast.”
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