A Mercer Island under-13 select girls soccer team celebrated its first summer tournament triumph on July 26, winning the Crossfire Select Cup.
The MIFC Islanders, representing Mercer Island Youth Soccer Club (MIYSC), dominated their bracket and their group, scoring 14 goals and allowing only one in five matches over the weekend in Redmond. The Islanders scoring was led by forward Joelle Antilla with eight goals while forward Kelly Devine, midfielder Amanda Tsang and forward/midfielder Rachael Kovar each scored twice.
Coaches Bryan Mazza and Ryan Scott said midfielders Emily Menz, Olivia Snell, Katherine Vetter, Amanda Tsang and Kelly Stone helped to control the pace and flow of the match, which created a number of scoring opportunities for the Islanders.
“The team’s possession-oriented attack frustrated opponents,” said Mazza.
In the championship match, the Islanders played a complete game and beat North Sound Soccer’s Legacy FC team with an overtime goal by Joelle Antilla. Mercer Island goalkeeper Megan Barbara secured the shutout, but not without effort. During a corner kick, the Islander goalkeeper was broadsided and stepped on by a North Sound player, but she managed to hold on to the ball.
“Pushing people around is part of the game,” she said. “We kind of wanted more than them, I think.”
The 12-year-old keeper credited defenders Gretchen Peterson, Sarah ‘Dub’ Walters, Ashlyn Reid and Catherine Seifert with keeping her penalty area quiet for most of the games. Anna Weiss, Barbara’s back-up, and MIYSC Academy guest player Katie Hummel also saw time in tournament games.
Earlier in June, the team played in the Skagit Firecracker Tournament and finished 1-1-1 in group play. Next up for the U-13 Islanders is the Sky River Tournament on Aug. 27-30 in Monroe.
Their regular season starts Saturday, Sept. 12.
MIYSC is holding their annual Summer Bootcamp during the weeks of Aug. 10 and Aug. 17, and a Fall Microsoccer Registration 2009/10. For more information, contact the Eastside Youth Soccer Association at (425) 462-6616 or the MIYSC at miysc-registrar@live.com.
