Guam Shipyard’s Destiny Castro leaps for a header against the Doosan Lady Crushers’ Andrea Odell (hidden behind Castro) in a match of the 7-A-Side Soccer League Sunday. Castro scored both goals in her team’s 5-2 loss. (courtesy photo)
PRESS RELEASE – The dck Masters are holding on to a playoff spot with an 4-2 upset victory over Hyundai, formerly in second place in the rankings, Sunday in a match of the 2012 Bud Light Women’s 7-A-Side Soccer League at the Guam Football Association National Training Center.
The Masters opened scoring early when Jaime Fahy put her team up 1-0 in the fourth minute. Seven minutes later, Hyundai’s Arisa Recella knotted the game after sending in her shot with just enough arch to sail over the Masters’ goalkeeper, Jamie Skornia and into the goal. The momentum was short-lived as just one minute after, a Cheri Stewart goal gave the lead back to the Masters through to halftime.
Shana Spindel equalized the game again in the opening minute of the second half, but Hyundai was unable to capitalize on other scoring opportunities, as the Masters needed Sunday’s win to stay in good standing for a playoff berth. Kyung Shipman scored the eventual game-winning goal in the 33rd minute, after teammate Rhoda Bamba jumped up and out of the path of the ball to let it roll in for the score. About 20 minutes later, Cara Walsh’s shot, which ricocheted off the right post and into the goal, sealed the win for the Masters.
In other games, Destiny Castro scored two goals to tie the Doosan Lady Crushers before halftime in her women’s league debut with Guam Shipyard, but it wasn’t enough to earn a win against the undefeated league leaders. Kristin Thompson scored the eventual game-winning goal in the 42nd minute and Golden Boot leader Kim Sherman scored two more goals before the final whistle to secure the 5-2 victory. Sherman also scored in the first half to record a hat trick. Abbey Iriarte scored the Lady Crushers’ other goal.
The Paintco Lady Strykers defeated Pika Soccer Club 7-2 led by Caroline Quigley’s hat trick. Alexy Barbe, Krystiana Martinez and Felicia Alumbaugh also scored for the Lady Strykers. The Lady Strykers’ other goal came on a Pika own goal in the first half. Christine Ubaldo scored both goals for Pika.
The Lady Strykers’ win over Pika and Hyundai’s loss to the Masters created a four-way tie for second place based on points; however, only the league’s top four teams can advance to the playoffs. The Lady Strykers move up to second place with the highest goal differential at +11, while dck is next in line behind them with a goal differential of +4. Hyundai’s +1 goal differential puts them into fourth place over Quality Distributors, which has a -2 goal differential.
Pika Soccer Club’s Christine Ubaldo powers in a header to advance the ball past the Paintco Lady Strykers’ Sheena Borja. Despite Ubaldo’s two goals, the Lady Strykers defeated Pika 7-2. (courtesy photo)
The final week of regular season games begins at 3:30 p.m. Sunday featuring Hyundai against Quality. At 4:45 p.m., the Lady Strykers take on the Lady Crushers on Lower Field A, while the Masters play against Guam Shipyard on Lower Field B. With the exception of the Lady Crushers who have already clinched their spot in the playoffs, the final week’s games will determine the other teams that will advance to the playoffs.