Ballarat City coach Tessa Curtain is confident her side can turn around a pre-season defeat at the hands of Moreland Zebras and open its 2019 account this Sunday afternoon.
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The Zebras proved too strong for Ballarat in a clash about a month ago and the two sides will meet again in the opening round of the Football Victoria women's state league one north-west season.
"We have had a solid 10-week pre-season so the girls are definitely eager and ready for round one," Curtain told The Courier.
"We were not at full strength against Moreland in the practice match so I am confident that we can challenge them and come away with at least one point."
The Ballarat side had been planning for the women's state league two season until the club's committee accepted an offer to join the state league one ranks just last month.
This has seen City's Ballarat and District Soccer Association division one women's team become the state league reserves outfit.
Curtain said City's senior squad would be without Alysha Reisacher this weekend and revealed international signing Jade Carter had returned home and won't play for the club in 2019.
"We have a quality playing squad who are very capable of standing their ground in state league one. We are excited and look forward to the challenge," Curtain said.
Sunday's fixtures will be played on the main pitch at the Morshead Park soccer complex.
The senior game is set to begin at 3pm, with the reserves to play the curtain-raiser at 1pm.
After this weekend, Ballarat City has to hit the road in round two for a clash against Keilor Park.
Following that trip and a break over Easter, there is three-straight home games against Old Xaverians (April 28), Hoppers Crossing (May 12) and Bundoora United (May 19).
