JUST ANOTHER SOCCER FILLED WEEKEND

 

The Blades GU17 team played in the JUSA Kickoff Tournament this weekend to get one more opportunity to work out together before season starts.  In the first game against Chelsea SC the Blades passed the ball around in order to get a feel for their opponents.  Somehow Chelsea SC managed to score first and that set the pace for the Blades to settle down and get down to business.   KENDRA ABELLANEDA passed to her partner up front and SHANTAE ELAM hammered it in.  Hungry and wanting more, ELAM played aggressively and on another shot at goal the ball went a wee bit wide but no worries as DIANE MIRANDA was there to collect it and tap it in with precision.  ABELLANEDA and JODIE KENCH played one two, carrying the ball up but as they got closer to the net all you could see was ABELLANEDA tangled with 3 defenders and then somehow she managed to break free and sent it in to the near post with authority.   JENNA (the Avatar) WOOD was a standout with her great headers and head flicks.  With size in our favor, ninja girl APRIL MODESTI, ARIA ZOMMERS and HANNAH HILDEBRAND put a little mustard on it and won the ball time and time again.  As the Blades were obviously in control, Coach Dave Brown set MELANIE LARIOS loose as forward and she did not disappoint, outrunning her player and knocking in yet another goal for the Blades.   Chelsea SC scored one more on a breakaway before time expired to make it a 4-2 Blades win.

 

In the second game against FC Rebels the competition was noticeably tougher and more physical with both teams battling it out.  At the half it was still zero- zero.   Defenders ALAINA SENEAR and ZOMMERS did a good job at sending the ball up to YASMIN HART and TANIA EULOGIO at outside wing and there were some beautiful crosses but we just could not make anything happen.   MODESTI at the inside mid along side KENCH the ever enforcer played with tenacity and fought hard but in a retaliation play KENCH went down and was done for the game.  In the very next play, Lady T ELAM received the ball from a well placed corner kick from HART and used her noggin to slam in the first goal of the game.  ELAM was all that and a bag of chips!   Alas we were only ahead for a short while, though, as FC Rebels scored one of their own to tie it up before time expired.   Keepers TARYN GREENBERG and SIDNEY SMITH did a great job and we settled for a 1-1 tie.

     

The third game was one of the best game played by the team, the team is showing great movement of the ball and keeping the diamond shape, opening the body into space and conducting with low through passes, congratulations team.

By the third game on Sunday the Blades were short handed with KENCH and YANET MIRANDA out with injuries and WOOD and CECI ADAMS on vacation.  Keeper SMITH got some field time and showed us she’s got legs on the field.  Up against Corona Eagles Elite, the girls knew they had their work cut out for them.  MODESTI sent a great through ball to ELAM who was able to finish with an explosive goal.  Motivated, the girls got fired up and played to win, passing the ball and patiently waiting for another opportunity.  Unfortunately, Corona Eagles Elite had a bench full of subs to keep fresh while we had none and the Blades just couldn’t keep up, eventually walking away with a 2-1 loss.  

 

Season starts next weekend.  See you on the soccer field!



 Surf City Challenge Tournament standings

ANOTHER SHUT OUT TOURNEY FOR THE FC BLADES GU17 TEAM!
 The Blades GU17 team played in the Surf City Challenge this weekend and continued their winning streak. In the first match against FC Long Beach, the girls were a little wobbly, many of them just back from vacation and still not in soccer mode quite yet.  In the first half DIANE MIRANDA passed to JODIE KENCH who hammered it in. Then in the second half ARIA ZOMMERS sent a corner kick to SHANTAE ELAM who used her head and flicked it in to make it 2-0.  Goalie SIDNEY SMITH deserves praise for some phenomenal saves.
 
In the second match against FC Titans the Blades got their soccer legs back. They were in control, passing well and took like a zillion shots at goal. YASMIN HART proved to be a smooth assist operator and passed to DIANE MIRANDA who kicked it in with authority. Both KENCH and YANET MIRANDA were playmakers at inside mid showing us that when you’ve got ambidextrous kicks it’s definitely a big advantage. When a Titan defender handballed the pigskin in the box, our PK Pro CECI ADAMS was cool as a cucumber and put it in the corner with her usual grace. In the second half, though, things got a little hairy. Coach Dave Brown had to leave and it became street ball soccer with balls flying everywhere. The game got a little out of control as the Titans were obviously frustrated with our cat and mouse passing game and they started to knock our girls off their feet, even when they didn’t even have the ball! Our girls gave it back good. If nothing else it was pure entertainment to watch from the sideline.   After another zillion shots TANIA EULOGIO passed back to defender ALAINA SENEAR who sent the ball up but somehow the ball managed to go into the net.  Hats off to SENEAR for her first Blades goal ever!  To mix things up and make the game just a bit more lively, the girls got a chance to play out of position. Ninja girl APRIL MODESTI played forward along side goalie TARYN GREENBERG who tore up the field. They both did fabulous and had the sidelines whooping it up for them. GREENBERG out of the box was a treat!  KENCH got to play defense to add some muscle power in the back. Final score when the whistle blew was 3-0.
 
Final match pitted the Blades against FC Lightening Black. It was clear to see that the Blades dominated from the start.  You know what they say…the more skilled the team, the more the opponent team gets down and dirty. That’s soccer for you.   KENCH took a blow to the head when she was down on the ground, DIANE MIRANDA was grabbed down by her ankles, MODESTI was knocked down from behind, ELAM was fouled continuously, EULOGIO got shoved by the goalie without provocation and without a call, and so on. ARIA ZOMMERS answered by showing what a sharpshooter she is and converted a free kick into a beautifully placed goal. Not to be outdone, HART followed suit and showed us her skills by converting another free kick into our second goal. MELANIE LARIOS and JENNA WOOD got nasty, as instructed by Coach Brown, and took care of business in the back. ADAMS never ceases to amaze us with her finesse.   HANNAH HILDEBRAND was a beast and showed us why we love her. KENDRA ABELLANEDA was unstoppable up front, winning the ball time and time again, even with an elbow to her back for most of the game.   Before time expired the MIRANDA twins showed us their ability to communicate telepathically and as our small but mighty forwards they ran the ball up side by side, schooling their opponents, with YANET assisting DIANE for the final goal to make it another 3 nil game. “Yee haw,” as Eric Smith likes to say.   Hungry forwards…midfielders in control…block wall defenders…awesome goalies earning another shut out tourney, this looks like a very well balanced team.  You go, girls! 



Champions at the Fullerton Extreme Cup 2010 GU17/18
GU17 BLADES - FEMME FATALE FOOTBALLERS

 

 

 

This weekend the GU17 Blades team played in the Fullerton Rangers

 

Summer Classic Tournament.  It was the first time having new players

 

SHANTAE ELAM, YANET MIRANDA and DIANE MIRANDA on the field.  Welcome, ladies. 

 

The upgrade was definitely noticeable.

 

 

 

In Saturday’s morning match against FC Manchester Red, the Blades looked good, really

 

good.  Their passes were sharp and crisp, there were a lot of nice touches and the synergy

 

flowed freely.   The Blades definitely had control of the game and kept the ball on the offensive. 

 

YASMIN HART took a corner kick and placed it perfectly in the box where big hearted KENDRA

 

ABELLANEDA charged to it with all her might for the goal, succeeding in scaring the wits

 

out of the goalie who then reacted in desperation by trying to punch it out but instead ended

 

up putting it in for us.  The Blades were able to walk away with the win 1-0.

 

 

 

The second match proved a bit tougher as the home team, GU18 Fullerton Rangers Blue,

 

were a year older but not necessarily any wiser.   Both teams battled it out and when time

 

expired neither team had scored.  It was obvious, however, that our girls were getting more

 

and more comfortable with the new players and each other on the field.       

 

 

 

On Sunday we returned and were up against FC Manchester United, a solid silver elite team.

Our girls rose for the occasion and played magnificently.  Just like a classic textbook play,

defender CECI ADAMS stole the ball away from her striker, passed it up the side to JODIE

KENCH who found DIANE MIRANDA, who responded by running like the wind and

crossing it to HART who went to goal and finished it into the net.  Wow!  From one side

of the field to the other! 

Even the side referee was impressed!  Our girls were pumped up and so were the sidelines

as silly parents high fived each other.   Then ABELLANEDA did a great bicycle kick and got the

ball to ELAM’s feet at the halfway line, where Lady T (ELAM) took off on a breakaway and

sent the ball flying over the goalie’s flailing arms.  FC Manchester United got a lucky free

kick to put one in of their own but it didn’t matter as our girls won on the field and the game 2-1.          

 For the championship the Blades wound up playing against the GU18 Fullerton Rangers Blue

again and knew they were going to bring their “A” game.  After all, it was their tournament and

they were the home team.  Our girls stepped it up and showed just what femme fatale

footballers they are.   YANET MIRANDA from the midfield started the party off and sent it in

hard within minutes into the game.  APRIL MODESTI followed suit and also from the midfield

sent it loose, too.  The win was palpable but to show we weren’t done just yet, our girls passed

the ball around the field and managed to keep one step ahead of their opponents.   It was

absolutely beautiful to watch.  Goalies TARYN GREENBERG and SIDNEY SMITH were solid

in the box.  Sweeper MELANIE LARIOS and her wingmen came through in a huge way and

did a phenomenal job.  ARIA ZOMMERS showed us she can play defense along side ADAMS

and with borrowed players NIKI PARIKH and CAITIE MATHIAS they consistently won the ball

time and time again.  JENNA (the Avatar) WOOD was fantastic and either headed, tackled or

sent the ball up and away.  In the midfield KENCH, YANET MIRANDA, MODESTI, TANIA EULOGIO

and HANNAH HILDEBRAND were patient and kept finding open players. 

MODESTI found an opportunity and passed to ABELLANEDA and although she was tackled

by the goalie, ABELLANEDA still managed to find the back of the net.  Likewise, HILDEBRAND

sent a cross and ELAM with her long legs was able to keep the ball just out of the goalie’s

reach to tap it in to make it 4 nil.    

What a great start for our GU17 season!   Hang on and here we go!