The Bandits were a stubborn bunch, but Oceanside United was the better team in a 3-0 win down at Qualicum Beach Rec Fields Sunday, as the locals upped their Mid-Island Womens Soccer League record to 4-1-1.
“We had an awful lot of shots on net today, by everyone — I think the only one that didn’t was our keeper,” OU skipper Dan Mahony chuckled after the game, adding the Campbell River keeper “was tremendous for them today.”
Veteran OU keeper Pam Richer was sporting an injury “so thankfully she wasn’t tested much.”
OU dominated at the outset and centre midfielder Christina Ciolfi scored the only goal of the opening half at the twenty-second minute mark.
Oceanside continued to press, and midway through second half, Barb Wildman-Spencer delivered a throw-in to centre mid Erica Dragani who turned and threaded a crisp pass to hard-charging forward Angelina Gastaldella, who promptly slotted home a hard shot from the top of the 18.
As is the case most every match, Angelina was all over the field Sunday, making life miserable for the opposition and clearly loving every minute of it.
“She’s a workhorse for us out there that’s for sure,” said Mahony. “She’s tenacious.”
OU was awarded a penalty shot 10 minutes later taken by Dragani, who found the back of the net with no problem.
Also earning props from her coach was Jacki Koelewyn who had a strong game at midfield, lofting a number of strong crosses into the midfield area to send her strikers in.
Fourth year sweeper Claire O’Conner continues to lead by example said Mahony, saying her decision making, execution and attacking skills “just keep getting better each week.”
The Bandits, who slipped to 2-4, agreed Mahony “are very tenacious. They didn’t have any subs,” he said, adding “they played very hard, they battled for every inch with us, which made for a very interesting, intense game, right up to about the 75 minute mark when we scored the second goal, and they just ran out of steam after that.
“The other thing though is that they worked the off-side trap very well against us, and its one thing were going to have to work on because we have a lot of stiff competition coming up over the next four five weeks,” surmised the longtime local volunteer coach, explaining a good number of the teams they are facing this year “have a lot of younger players than they’ve had in the past, so the teams are speedier.”
GAME ON
OU takes their game over the hump Sunday for a big test against league-leading 5-1 Port Alberni.
sports@pqbnews.com
