The U14 Riptide girls and Nanaimo’s HCFC U15s kicked off December with a friendly soccer match at the Vanier turf. With minimum substitution on both sides due to injuries, it promised to be a great game to watch.
The match started strong from both sides with the ball doing the work. It wasn’t until minute seven that Riptide goalie Chiara LeVesconte, who had to play striker due to low numbers, pocketed the first goal of the game. Her teammates were ecstatic and she was sent into a frenzy.
The game continued with plenty of opportunities. The U14s continued to let the ball do all the work which seemed to allow the game to be mostly played in the HCFC side of the pitch. The game ended 1-0 at the half.
In the second half, the game was simple as the Riptide continued to move the ball. At minute 48, Nastasha Kalhous found herself inside the HCFC 18 yard box and found a wee window to cannon the ball in the bottom corner making it an early 2-0 lead. As the possession game continued Sadie Klobchar, at minute 52, found herself wide open to bury her opportunity making it a 3-0 lead with plenty of time remaining. The final cap came at minute 62 when Nastasha slid her second goal of the game just outside Nanaimo’s six-yard box to end it 4-0.
In a Saturday road game, the U14s drew 1-1 with Victoria South, the league’s top team.
At kickoff, it was evident the Victoria team meant business. Wave after wave their midfielders and strikers pressed the Riptide’s back line. Riptide responded defensively and within 15 minutes, both teams were in the zone. Victoria South struck first in minute 22. With just one substitution on the Riptide roster, the team had to rally and fight through some aches and pains. At minute 29, a Riptide through ball from Avery Sorenson made its way to midfielder Meaghan
Linegar, who sent the ball out wide to midfielder Savannah Meeres, who slid the ball through Victoria’s defence onto the foot of Kalhous, who made more moves than Michael Jackson to cross the ball high across Victoria’s 18-yard box to midfielder Isabella Garrett, who took a touch and fired a shot bottom corner for her second goal of the season. The Riptide team and fans erupted.
The game remained 1-1. Riptide’s Megan Sargent took a shot in the second that glanced over the top of the Victoria net. Next game is Jan. 13 in Comox.
