Team Blue wins inagural Superleage Title
May 9, 2010
See also – Thank you to Superleague Supporters
Game 8: BLUE vs NAVY (4-1)
The weather was co-operating for the final match of the 2010 AK Pro Super League cup. Saturday morning’s final match-up was between the Blue Dolphins and the Navy Seals. Coaches Nick Sandhu and Aaron Guest were eager to get their teams on the pitch for this face off. The last time the two teams met was in week 1 of the Super League where the Blue Dolphins were able to capture a 3-1 win. Since then, both teams have had impressive records and showed steady improvement. This weekend, however, saw some new faces to both line-ups due to a few key absences. Pink team member Kate Gillis and red team goal keeper Kaitlyn Williams were called up for double duty this weekend for the Navy team and red team midfielder Robyn Pendleton and recently added Vancouver Hawks defender Chiaka Drakes were present for team Blue.
The score line for this final match up was definitely indicative of the play during the game. The Blue team was strong throughout the first and second halves in possession, attack and defensive outletting. The navy team was able to get on the board early in the game though, with Sherri Bradie pocketing a rebound off a cross by Thea Culley that hit Blue goal keeper Bea Francisco. Quick to respond, the Blue team generated numerous scoring chances with some good attack by forwards Stephanie Nesbitt and Priya Randhawa. Christine De Pape was able to take charge of the midfield for the blue team and Steph Jameson was a key role in the Blue team’s defence. The blue team’s first half goals can be credited to Steph Jameson on a direct shot off a penalty corner and on a free play goal by Kim Scraper who scored on a lobbed shot with her reverse stick. Though the score remained tight at 2-1, the play seemed mostly to be down in the Navy team’s end.
The second half didn’t see much of a different flow to the game, though the Navy Seals were able to gain some territory at times. Chiaka Drakes made some great low stick tackles that thwarted the Navy team’s attack on most of those occassions. Navy was able to test goal keeper Bea Francisco on a few attempts led by Thea Culley, Kate Gillis and midfielder Poonam Sandhu. Unfortunately for navy, Blue were able to capitalize on two more chances with one coming a stroke that resulted from a ball hitting Navy defender Sam Smith’s foot instead of heading across the goal line. Kaitlyn Williams was close to making the save on Steph Jameson’s stroke that went in along the ground just past her foot. . The last goal for the Blue team came in the final minutes of the game on a top quality goal by Kelowna native Whitney Siegmann. Stephanie Nesbitt was able to cause a bit of havoc carrying the ball up the field and on a booming reverse stick hit towards net, found Whitney Siegmann in good position to redirect the ball low and hard over the goal line. A great team effort by the blue team helped them earn the first ever 2010 AK Pro Super League Cup with a 4-1 win over team Navy.
Deb Cuthbert after Victory
