It was very nice for our team to start off the season with a win at the Nike Cup (Clearwater Chargers) SCI Tournament.
The girls played a total of five games over the three day tournament and came out on top late Monday afternoon. Game highlights:
Game one vs. Hometeam Clearwater Chargers ended with a 2-1 eagles victory, with goals from #5 Kortney Hinden and #23 Jacqui Koebel.
Game two was a fairly easy with with a 7-0 win over Cape Coral Cyclones Division II team.
Game three was a must win, as both the Eagles and their opponent Westside Lady Eagles had won both games in their earlier seeding and a tie would advance the Westside team. The opponent would score first, but this Eagle team wanted the win. Just after half-time, #5 Kortney Hinden made the assist of her life, with putting a perfectly placed through ball between the defenders, allowing #33 McKenzie Malone to drive it in. The keeper would initially tap it out, but Malone on a second attempt, beat the keeper. We needed another goal and it didn’t look optimistic. But with two minutes left in the game, #33 McKenzie Malone received the ball in the box and made a quick turn and hard shot into the back of the net. What a win to advance to the semi-finals.
The semi final game was played against Naples Sharks. The game ended in a 2-1 victory with a corner kick shot to the head of #23 Jacqui Koebel for the first goal and a back post cross from #23 Jacqui Koebel to #14 Megan O’Toole for the second. Naples lone goal was scored on a penalty kick awarded for a handball in the box.
The final game was played on Monday afternoon, with both the Eagles and their opponent Cape Coral Cyclones Division I in a state of exhaustion. The victory over Cape Coral was a sweet 3-1 score, with all three Eagles goals being scored in the first twenty minutes of the game (two by #33 McKenzie Malone and the third by #23 Jacqui Koebel).
Players and Coaches in the Photo:
Bottom row: Jackie Yao, Rudi Bard, Valerie O’Toole, Emma Bales, Paula Rodriguez, Ciara Giordano, Valerie Weinbrum, Megan O’Toole
Back row: Coach Billy Ramos, Daniella Suarez-Rivera, GG Pacetti, Ashley Johnson, Taylor Malone, Brianna Dorsey, Kortney Hinden, McKenzie Malone, Lauren Markin, Jacqui Koebel, Coach Pablo Gentile, Coach Don Cooper.
