Keeper Jeanette Maleska did a pretty good impersonation of Spain’s Euro Cup hero Iker Casillas as the AF Blazers earned a scoreless draw with the North Enderby Celtics Tuesday night at Marshall Field #4.
Maleska made several highlight-reel saves to earn her first shutout of the season for the last-place Blazers (0-8-2). The second-place Celtics went to 4-2-3 in the North Okanagan Women’s Soccer Association Division 1.
After an injury in the third minute, the Blazers played the first 25 minutes down a body before their 11th player arrived from work. After putting on decent offensive pressure in the first 15 minutes, the Blazers fell back in to a more defensive game. Dana Lazar, Carol-Ann Bourdon and Jessica Brewis were stellar on defence in support of Maleska.
Jen Moen and newcomer Becky Dodds were brilliant in the midfield shutting down the Celtics’ attack. Kailee Streichert and Carissa Morneau had several quality scoring chances in the first half.
Missing several regulars, NET had to change things up with players in positions that were somewhat foreign to them.
“The Blazers’ keeper had lots of work to do; her hands appeared to have stick’em on them as she didn’t drop much at all,” said NET coach Graham Ross.
Jodi Bariesheff showed her tireless work effort dominating the left wing and getting the ball in the box. Charmaine Biagioni earned the shutout for NET (4-2-3).
In other first division play, Dr. Lee Dental scored four second-half goals to beat host Salmon Arm Glenn Power 4-1 to keep their unbeaten streak alive at nine games.
The Floss Crew came out firing in the second half with Madison Kaneda scoring two minutes in on a great pass from Irene Arrotta Two minutes later, Kaneda connected on another well-placed shot which stunned Glenn Power.
Salmon Arm pulled within a goal 15 minutes later, only to have Andi King tap one in after a howitzer from Kaneda five minutes later.
Jacquie Hansen made it 4-1 minutes later, set up by Kaneda and Leah Frye, as Dr Lee had 10 touches before the goal was scored.
Okanagan Heat Lady of the match Kaneda was all over the pitch, and defensive stalwart Kim Teichman chased down the speedy Salmon Arm forwards. Arrotta and Stephanie Wilson had great games in the midfield, while Lisa Arrotta made several key stops early to keep 8-0-1 Dr. Lee in the game.
Smithson goes big for Longhorn
In Masters Division play Tuesday night, the Longhorn Impact clipped the Goplen Drillers 2-1 at Marshall Field #2.
Janelle Smithson copied Mario Balotelli and scored both goals as the undefeated third-place Impact improved to 6-1-2. Kim Wiebe was stellar passing and weaving through the Driller defence on an injured foot from co-ed play Friday night.
The first Impact goal came off a pass by Wiebe to Smithson, who buried a shot past the charging keeper.
Liz Thomson had a great game in the middle of the park, setting up through balls, and Myra McEwan sent in numerous fantastic corner kicks, one converted by Smithson.
Tina Garrison again tirelessly covered the field winning balls for the Longhorn in the middle.
Despite starting the game with only nine players, the Drillers took the lead at seven minutes when fullback Krista MacCagno sent a perfect through ball to midfielder Michelle Loxam.
Loxam carried the ball up the wing, crossed it to striker and Drillers’ leading scorer Lena Urquhart, who calmly settled the ball and put it high over the head of the Impact keeper Derri Berube.
Minutes later Urquhart scored another, only to have the goal called back on a questionable offside call.
Keeper Shawn Nickoli was stellar in stopping several difficult shots. Defenders Jodi Peshko, Kate Ball, Karen Zupp and MacCagno did a great job of minimizing the shots, while midfielders Aggie Golosinski, Karinda McGraw, Maura McCarthy and Loxam played excellent two-way games.
Chick Kickers run over NOU
The first-place Vernon Chick Kickers didn’t let the NOU Vernon Liquor Store’s new bright orange tie-dyed socks confuse them in a 4-1 win at Marshall #1.
The Chick Kickers (9-1) proved their endurance and strength after stopping the Longhorn 2-1 in a make-up game the night before, without subs.
Crystal Bergman opened the scoring for the Kickers, weaving around the NOU midfielders and defence. Jen Sorochuck then scored after a pass from Mel Jacobs. Sorochuck’s second goal came on a speedy breakaway, giving the Chicks a two-goal lead at half time.
In the second half, Kelly Challen and Michelle Johnston were synchronized and after a few give-and-goes, Johnston delivered the final goal. Colline Johnson, Crystal Bergman, Wendy Magnus and Wendy Martens were marvellous in the middle. Sorochuck and Colline Johnson split the keeper duties with authority.
Unable to flow forward for most of first half, NOU fell behind 2-0 at the end of the first half with the ball straying and causing numerous give ups on possession.
NOU (4-2-3) showed a great change in the second-half flow, and with quality passes and the communication gates open, they quickly picked up their new socks and created solid pressure on the Kicker keeper.
Charging forward onto the Kickers’ defensive wall of Kicker defense, Shelley Henry pulled the ball back out of the huddle in front of the net and while going around some defenders was able to launch a beauty Euro Cup-like shot up and over the Kicker keeper’s head.
In Monday night’s make-up, the Kickers’ late arrival Mel Jacobs, with a feed from Tania Sladen, started the scoring. The Impact responded with the equalizer.
In the second half, Sladen and Jacobs again worked well together, with Jacobs feeding Sladen for a sweet winner.
Char Johnson and Colline Johnson were superb in net. The defensive line consisting of Magnus, Martens, Marilyn Vanderdeen and Trish Cox worked tirelessly to maintain the one goal lead in a physical affair.
Nuyens bags deuce for Controllers
Jacquie Nuyens bagged two goals as the Vernon Controllers grounded the Seasons Sista’s 6-0 at Marshall #5.
It had been three weeks since the Controllers (5-2-2) last touched the ball and with seven subs waiting, everyone ran hard and gave it a good effort. Great playmaking by Jenny Currie, Deanna Baker, Jenn Spitzer and Therese Weber had the Sista’s hemmed in their own end much of the first half.
Baker got the Controllers going with a hard, low shot just inside the post. Also finding net before the break were Emma Louis, Nuyens, Weber, and hard-working Sue Ghattas.
In the second half, Nuyens drilled a left-footer bottom corner on a nifty pass by Sena Bishop to close out the scoring. Midfielders Leslie Epp, Michele Wernicke, Bishop and Krista Copeland, playing her first game in a while, were rock-solid breaking up the 0-9-1 Sista’s attack.
Keeper Mickey Templeton didn’t have a lot of work but made a few great saves in the second half for the shutout.
