Illawarra were on the wrong end of a five-star performance from North Shore Mariners striker Tara Andrews as they crumbled to a 7-2 loss in Sydney over the weekend.

Andrews, who plays in the W-League with the Newcastle Jets, netted five goals in a devastating display which left the Stingrays without a win after two rounds.

The 21-year-old was all-but unstoppable as she added to her two goal performance in the first round of the season last weekend.

"I know she is a W-League player and is right up there as a quality player. We had an off day all over the field and she was just on fire," Stingrays coach Graham Shaw said.

"She was a bit unplayable. We did contain her in certain spells ... but she was brilliant."

Andrews and the Mariners had the Stingrays chasing the game in the first half when they raced to a 3-0 lead.

The Rays pulled one back before the break through a fortunate own goal and made a match of it early in the second half courtesy of an Erica Halloway header from six yards.

That would be as close as they got as momentum swung back in the Mariners favour following an injury to Stingrays player Rhiannon Fensom.

Unfortunately, Fensom was forced to hospital after suffering a severe concussion.

In her absence, the Mariners kicked away again through Andrews.

The striker was assisted by Jasmin Courtenay and captain Hannah Bromley on the scoresheet.

"We fought well to get it back to 3-2 and obviously thought we might be able to get something out of the game but obviously when it went to 4-2, we didn't show enough ... to keep fighting," Shaw said.

"And in the last 10 minutes we fell to bits - there was not enough character."

The loss leaves the Stingrays 0-2 to start the season but Shaw believes the club can learn from the experience.

"We beat them 8-0 on their ground last year and I know how that felt.

"It is a great day when you walk away with a result like that but we have obviously been on the other end of a couple - like Sunday and last year against Uni."

He said they need to remember how much it hurt.

The Stingrays' task gets no easier with a match against the second placed Football NSW Institute at Valentines Park on Sunday.