“Right place, right time – a poacher,” the FF USV Jena striker says of her seven goal haul in Kokopo.
A prize which was really just the icing on the cake after the New Zealanders qualified for their third consecutive FIFA Women’s World Cup.
Something Hearn says never gets any less exciting.
“It never does. And knowing the players that we have coming through helps a lot,” she explains.
“It just makes the game that much more exciting for us. We have a really bright future, a lot of young players coming up and hopefully there’s someone to replace me soon.”
One player Hearn was particularly impressed with was Daisy Cleverley, who she says has a big future ahead with the Ferns.
“I mean, first touch, first goal, first cap – what more can you say? There’s loads of players like Daisy coming through, not just one or two and they’re working just as hard as the ones based overseas.
“We’re doing a lot back home and it’s a really good sign for us.”
While proud of the team’s legacy, earning the prize for top goalscorer as well as notching several assists over the three matches played, proves Hearn still has plenty to contribute to the side.
“Like I say, right place right time. We had the opportunities, we had our things to do and to score goals was something I wanted to work on.
“It’s awesome to win the Golden Boot. It just shows how much the team has progressed. They get me in the right places, I get myself in the right places and like I said – poacher’s goals.”
New Zealand-based Helen Collins was runner-up in the Golden Boot chase with five goals.
Papua New Guinea’s Meagen Gunemba finished third with four goals, with six other Football Ferns also making it onto the list of the top ten goalscorers for the competition.
New Zealand’s Football Ferns won the 2014 OFC Women’s Nations Cup in emphatic style, scoring 30 goals in three games, and conceding none along the way.
They’re next in action in November when they take on fourth ranked France and ninth ranked Norway.

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