The Wellington Phoenix will be without Rebecca Lake for the remainder of the 2023-24 Liberty A-League season.
The Canterbury centre back suffered a high ankle sprain in the first half of the Phoenix’s 3-1 win over Perth Glory last week and will be sidelined for six weeks.
Lake has become an integral member of the Phoenix squad in her first season in Wellington, missing only one of the team’s 18 matches to date.
After coming off the bench in the opening six rounds, often in an unaccustomed midfield role, she has been mainstay at the heart of the Wellington defence since the season-ending injury to Marisa van der Meer in December.
Lake was also promoted to vice-captain during the season, having impressed the coaching staff with her leadership.
Rebecca Lake will now cheer on the Wellington Phoenix from the sidelines as the women endeavour to make the finals for the first time in their history.