11 Jul I just couldn’t believe I had scored a goal
Her reaction after scoring, wheeling around to her team-mates with a look of shock and disbelief on her face, seemed to embody the last couple months' worth of emotion and work that has led her to this point.
That she had the word "SHOOT" written in black marker on the tape around her wrist also spoke to how this young Kiwi footballer has taken her slim opportunity with both hands: Shooting her shot, if you will.
"I really can't describe the feeling and put into words how much it meant, but I just couldn't even believe what had happened.
"Straight after the game, everyone was saying, 'Alyssa, you're going viral' and I was like, 'Surely for the goal?', but they're like, 'No, for the celebration!'
Shoot!
"If you watch the games, you know I'm not one to shoot when I probably should, so everyone was yelling at me in that moment: ' '
Losers
There was a moment against Sydney FC on Saturday afternoon that seemed to encapsulate the first half of Canberra United's bizarre 2021-22 season.
Within seconds of Hawkesby floating the ball towards the six-yard box, three Canberra players had clattered into each other and were in a tangled heap on the ground, while the goal music was blaring out of the stadium speakers.
It was the third of six goals United would concede this round - their worst ever result in the history of the competition.
Inconsistent squad selections and the deployment of players in unusual positions have been the defining features of United's season so far, with the game against Sydney the most blatant example of the damage it can cause.
The loss of regular starting midfielder Grace Maher and defender Emma Ilijoski to COVID-19 - as well as short-term loanee Karly Roestbakken to Matildas duty - saw head coach Vicki Linton reach deep into her bench and make wholesale positional rotations.