
By Robert Balajadia
The Academy Cougars used a hot start to hold on and beat the Sanchez Sharks 3-2 Wednesday evening at the Okkodo field where drama unfolded in the last few seconds of the game.
Trailing 3-1 in the final minutes of the game, Sharks’ forward Maria Abbey Iriarte broke through the defense and was in a race to the ball against Cougars goalie Mya Sanchez where Iriarte got to the ball a half second ahead of Sanchez who also stuck a leg out to try and stop the ball. The force of Sanchez caused an unintentional trip on a slide sending Iriarte flying where she landed on her side.
The foul granted Sanchez a red card for being the lone defender and she knew the play was bad as soon as it unfolded.
“I was telling my self to just get the ball away from the goal. I just went for it, but right when I did and [Abbey] tumbled I knew it was a really bad foul,” said Sanchez about how the end of the game unfolded.
Iriarte and Sanchez are friends outside of the league as Sanchez apologized and made sure Iriarte was able to stand up right before making her way out of the game. Iriarte scored on the free kick cutting the Cougar lead 3-2, although time expired just seconds after the play ending the game.
The foul will cause Sanchez to miss the Cougars’ season finale against the Guam High Panthers where Sanchez was eager to go up against one of the best scorers in the league in Kayla Kinney.
“We just have to train our other goalie and cheer my team on and root for them,” said Sanchez on what she’s going to do from the sideline against the Panthers.
The Cougars got off to a quick start scoring their first goal just six minutes into the game. Academy’s Mia Santos took a ball from midfield to inside the goal area where she dished off a quick pass to teammate Morgan Quinley who tapped in the shot for the wide open score.
Six minutes later, the Cougars were once again on the attack as Andrea Odell stopped her dribble from 40 yards outside of the goal and slammed a left foot beauty right into the net putting the Cougars up 2-0 in the first 12 minutes.
“I’m just taking all the shots I can. You always have to take your shots to score,” said Odell on her 40-yard bomb.
The Sharks responded in the first half after Kiara Camacho challenged Sanchez by attacking a ball Sanchez was trying to save when Camacho managed to send the ball flying into the net before Sanchez could get a hand on it.
A back-and-forth second half had both teams appearing to share time of possession before Santos would suck the momentum away form the Sharks with a game sealing goal.
Santos found herself some wiggle room where she used her left foot to catch Sharks goalie Lowella DiRamos off guard netting the Cougars last goal of the game.
The Cougars improve to 8-1-1 with the win. Sanchez was coming off a big win against the ND Royals over the weekend, butt the loss now drops them to 6-2-1.
Academy is scheduled to end the regular season against the Guam High Panthers on Saturday. When asked how she feels her team will perform despite missing key players, Odell responded saying, “We’re just going to have to see how this weekend unfolds. We do have another keeper who plays very well in the goal so I think we’ll be alright.”


Foody’s Fun Facts
Foody’s Fun Facts with Makayla Atoigue
ND Royals Rugby Player Makayla Atoigue lays down her Foody’s Fun Facts and shares her dream vacation spot
GPS Sports Calendar
May 2022
- SU
- MO
- TU
- WE
- TH
- FR
- SA
Events for May
2nd
ISA TRACK & FIELD MEET #4
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
ISA BOYS VOLLEYBALL
GUAM MAJOR LEAGUE
Events for May
3rd
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
ISA RUGBY LEAGUE
IIAAG BOYS VOLLEYBALL QUARTERFINALS
GUAM MAJOR LEAGUE
Events for May
5th
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
ISA BOYS VOLLEYBALL
GUAM MAJOR LEAGUE
Events for May
6th
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
IIAAG BOYS VOLLEYBALL SEMIFINALS
GUAM MAJOR LEAGUE
Events for May
7th
GPD HOT PURSUIT 5K
MARIANAS OPEN
ISA MIDDLE SCHOOL TRACK & FIELD
ISA RUGBY LEAGUE
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
Events for May
9th
ISA TRACK & FIELD MEET #5
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
ISA BOYS VOLLEYBALL
GUAM MAJOR LEAGUE
Events for May
10th
ISA GIRLS SOCCER All-Star Meeting
IIAAG GIRLS BEACH VOLLEYBALL CHAMPIONSHIP
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
IIAAG GIRLS SOCCER CHAMPIONSHIP
IIAAG BOYS VOLLEYBALL FINALS
GUAM MAJOR LEAGUE
Events for May
10th
Events for May
12th
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
IIAAG BOYS VOLLEYBALL ALL-ISLAND MEETING
ISA BOYS VOLLEYBALL
ISA GIRLS SOCCER SEMIFINALS
GUAM MAJOR LEAGUE
Events for May
12th
Events for May
14th
14th JUDICA CRABAO 5K
ISA MIDDLE SCHOOL TRACK & FIELD
ISA RUGBY LEAGUE
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
ISA GIRLS SOCCER FINALS
Events for May
16th
ISA TRACK & FIELD ALL-ISLAND MEET
ISA BOYS VOLLEYBALL
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE All-Star Meeting
Events for May
17th
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
ISA BOYS VOLLEYBALL
GUAM MAJOR LEAGUE
Events for May
18th
ISA RUGBY LEAGUE SEMIFINALS
IIAAG GIRLS MIDDLE SCHOOL BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP
Events for May
19th
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE SEMIFINALS
ISA BOYS VOLLEYBALL
GUAM MAJOR LEAGUE
Events for May
20th
ISA BOYS VOLLEYBALL All-Star Meeting
GUAM MAJOR LEAGUE
Events for May
21st
Pre-Memorial Day 13-Miler
GETTING GUAM HEALTHY 5K BUBBLE RUN/HEALTH FAIR
ISA MIDDLE SCHOOL TRACK & FIELD All-ISLAND MEET
ISA RUGBY LEAGUE FINALS
ALPHA WARRIOR ESPORTS CHAMPIONSHIPS
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE FINALS
2022 Guam Track & Field National Championships
Events for May
23rd
ISA BOYS VOLLEYBALL SEMIFINALS
GUAM MAJOR LEAGUE
Events for May
24th
Events for May
26th
ISA BOYS VOLLEYBALL FINALS
GUAM MAJOR LEAGUE
Events for May
27th
- 29
- 30
- 31
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
Events for May
29th
Events for May
30th

Volleyball
VOLLEYBALL ALL-STAR PLAYERS DRAFTED

Volleyball
TITANS COMPLETE PERFECT 2022 SEASON

Volleyball
VOLLEYBALL ALL-STAR PLAYERS DRAFTED

Baseball
DODGERS HAND TRITONS FIRST LOSS

Volleyball
TITANS COMPLETE PERFECT 2022 SEASON
Foody’s Fun Facts
Foody’s Fun Facts with Makayla Atoigue
ND Royals Rugby Player Makayla Atoigue lays down her Foody’s Fun Facts and shares her dream vacation spot
Foody’s Fun Facts
Foody’s Fun Facts with Makayla Atoigue
ND Royals Rugby Player Makayla Atoigue lays down her Foody’s Fun Facts and shares her dream vacation spot
COMING SOON …
- YOUTH FOOTBALL LEAGUE KICKOFF June 4
- Todd Gurley Football Camp on Andersen
- GSPN Boys Volleyball All-Star Game
- Pacific Mini-Games in Saipan