However the 18-year-old is now using that experience to help guide her U-20 teammates as many of them make their national team debuts at the 2015 OFC U-20 Women’s Championship in Nuku’alofa this week.
“Papua New Guinea helped me learn about international competition,” she says.
“It was the first time for me and I found that it was very difficult but we managed to do pretty well.”
Hace has quickly gone from being the baby of the squad to one of the leaders and it’s a role she’s quickly adapting to.
“During the games, the other girls were a lot older than me,” she explains.
“Our team here in Tonga is quite new and most of them haven’t played in an Oceania tournament before.
“I learnt a lot during my time with the senior players, especially in terms of talking, of communication. Now it’s up to me to teach those things to my generation of players.”
The early disappointment could mar the New Caledonian campaign, but Hace doesn’t want her teammates to get too down about the opening 4-0 loss to Vanuatu.
“It was a bit disappointing but that’s how things go. It was our first match of the U-20s and for us it’s a lesson ahead of the next match.”
With the added weight of having to face off against the defending champions New Zealand, who opened their campaign with a 15-0 romping of Tonga, Hace says her side are realistic about their chances but intend to represent their country with pride.
“It’s hard knowing you’re up against a team like New Zealand that has a reputation for being very strong. It will be my first match against them because they don’t take part in the Games so it will be a real learning curve for us.”
New Caledonia will take on New Zealand at 1pm (local) in the opening Match Day 2 encounter of the 2015 OFC U-20 Women’s Championship.

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