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NHB GU12's Reach Finals of Anaheim Soccer Classic
01/24/2011, 12:00am PST
By Staff
NHB’s GU12’s reached the finals of the Anaheim Soccer Cup, losing in a penalty shootout 4-3. The girls played hard and well together enabling them to get to the finals.
Starting off the tournament, the girls had a game against DMCV Sharks from San Diego. After a lackluster first half that found the girls trailing 1-0 at the break, they came out in the second half regenerated and determined. Applying pressure throughout, they finally broke through when forward Tara Abrams and midfielder Riley Wester combined on a one-two combination that enabled Abrams to break through towards the goal and take a shot that equalized the game. That goal would prove to be the final one of the match.
In the second game versus the Alpine Force, NHB found themselves up in the first minute of the game as Sara Cook broke through on the left side of the field and banged home the first of her two consecutive goals. NHB would go up 3-0 just before the half as Megan McNamara chased down a loose ball and hit it into an empty net. In the second half, Abrams sent in a strong cross for McNamara who would redirect the ball into the goal for a 4-0 lead. Finishing off the scoring in the game with a first time shot was Abrams who once again was the beneficiary of a Wester assist. A strong defensive effort was put in by Edee Huff, Kristen Bedard, Avril Stulginski, Scheer Levy, and Danielle Rommerdahl enabled goalkeeper Nia Henderson to register the shutout. This win advanced the team to the semi-finals as the first place team from their bracket.
Sunday’s first game was against a strong side from Upland. The game was a tale of two halves, as the wind had a huge effect on the play. NHB would outshoot their opponent 11-2 in the first half alone, but was unable to find the back of the net. After intermission, Upland took advantage of the wind and sent a ball into the box that resulted in them scoring on a loose ball in front of the net. With NHB applying pressure and trying to get the equalizer, sweeper Huff sent a long ball into the corner for Wester. Once again, the Wester-Abrams combination would work, as Wester got the ball and sent a cross for Abrams to burry into the net for the equalizer. At the end of regulation, and the game tied 1-1, penalty kicks would decide who would go into the finals. NHB’s first four shots were made by Kassidy Burns, Emily Larsen, McNamara, and Levy. After each team missed once in the first five kicks, in would come down to sudden death p.k.’s. Henderson would set the stage for NHB by making a spectacular save on Upland’s ensuing kick. Next, Stulginski stepped up to the ball, and calmly put it into the left corner, putting her team into the finals.
NHB’s final opponent was the Freedom FC Northstars who had an undefeated Coast Soccer league season. With two strong opponents going against each other, the game was extremely entertaining. NHB midfielder Taylor Beaulac set up two great scoring opportunities that the team was unable to capitalize on. Goalkeeper Hailey Babbit made an incredible save in the first half that helped keep the game scoreless at the break. Once again, after a scoreless second half, NHB would find themselves in p.k.’s, this time to determine the tournament champions. Unfortunately, they found themselves on the wrong end, missing out on the championship by a score of 4-3.
Congratulations to the girls for their accomplishment. Anyone interested in trying out for the 2011-2012 season should contact the team's coach Mike Edwards.
Starting off the tournament, the girls had a game against DMCV Sharks from San Diego. After a lackluster first half that found the girls trailing 1-0 at the break, they came out in the second half regenerated and determined. Applying pressure throughout, they finally broke through when forward Tara Abrams and midfielder Riley Wester combined on a one-two combination that enabled Abrams to break through towards the goal and take a shot that equalized the game. That goal would prove to be the final one of the match.
In the second game versus the Alpine Force, NHB found themselves up in the first minute of the game as Sara Cook broke through on the left side of the field and banged home the first of her two consecutive goals. NHB would go up 3-0 just before the half as Megan McNamara chased down a loose ball and hit it into an empty net. In the second half, Abrams sent in a strong cross for McNamara who would redirect the ball into the goal for a 4-0 lead. Finishing off the scoring in the game with a first time shot was Abrams who once again was the beneficiary of a Wester assist. A strong defensive effort was put in by Edee Huff, Kristen Bedard, Avril Stulginski, Scheer Levy, and Danielle Rommerdahl enabled goalkeeper Nia Henderson to register the shutout. This win advanced the team to the semi-finals as the first place team from their bracket.
Sunday’s first game was against a strong side from Upland. The game was a tale of two halves, as the wind had a huge effect on the play. NHB would outshoot their opponent 11-2 in the first half alone, but was unable to find the back of the net. After intermission, Upland took advantage of the wind and sent a ball into the box that resulted in them scoring on a loose ball in front of the net. With NHB applying pressure and trying to get the equalizer, sweeper Huff sent a long ball into the corner for Wester. Once again, the Wester-Abrams combination would work, as Wester got the ball and sent a cross for Abrams to burry into the net for the equalizer. At the end of regulation, and the game tied 1-1, penalty kicks would decide who would go into the finals. NHB’s first four shots were made by Kassidy Burns, Emily Larsen, McNamara, and Levy. After each team missed once in the first five kicks, in would come down to sudden death p.k.’s. Henderson would set the stage for NHB by making a spectacular save on Upland’s ensuing kick. Next, Stulginski stepped up to the ball, and calmly put it into the left corner, putting her team into the finals.
NHB’s final opponent was the Freedom FC Northstars who had an undefeated Coast Soccer league season. With two strong opponents going against each other, the game was extremely entertaining. NHB midfielder Taylor Beaulac set up two great scoring opportunities that the team was unable to capitalize on. Goalkeeper Hailey Babbit made an incredible save in the first half that helped keep the game scoreless at the break. Once again, after a scoreless second half, NHB would find themselves in p.k.’s, this time to determine the tournament champions. Unfortunately, they found themselves on the wrong end, missing out on the championship by a score of 4-3.
Congratulations to the girls for their accomplishment. Anyone interested in trying out for the 2011-2012 season should contact the team's coach Mike Edwards.
