
By Robert Balajadia
The surging Academy Cougars defeated the Harvest Eagles 3-1 at the GFA Training facility Thursday evening as the girls soccer season nears its end. Despite benching half the starters in the beginning of the game, the Cougars got big goals from their key players down the stretch to pull out the win.
“Half the starters didn’t start show up on time. They were supposed to be here at 3:45 but they start showing up at 4:10. I know traffic is bad from [GFA] to Academy, but if everyone else shows up on time then they should start before them,” firmly stated Cougars’ head coach Shana Spindell.
Academy’s Gabby Paynter took control of the offense early netting the first goal within the first 10 minutes to give Academy the Edge.
Harvest would quickly answer behind Jessie Flynn as she received a through ball and snared her shot right through Cougars goalie Mya Sanchez to knot the game at one goal.
As the starters slowly started to make their way back into the game, the Cougars started to regain control. Constant pressure by Mia Santos kept the Eagle defense on their toes in the first half, but Santos’ shots were just missing the goal.
The constant pressure kept on by the offense eventually paid off in the first half after Eagles’ Natha Hennegan got tagged for a hand ball that set up Cougars’ penalty kick ace Gemilie Ilao for an easy goal to go up 2-1.
Santos and the offense kept their pressure up in the second half and looked to put the game out of reach midway through.
Cougars’ Andrea Odell had the goal of the game as she stopped her dribble from outside the goal box and slammed a high shot with her left foot that sailed over Eagles’ goalie Bryn Collier for the teams third and final score to go up 3-1.
Academy is currently allowing the least amount of goals scored with kudos going to their defense and the ability of goalie Sanchez.
The Cougars only loss came early in the season against the Southern Dolphins. Academy has two big games remaining on the schedule against the Sanchez Sharks and Guam High Panthers before the playoffs begin.

Nicole Pierce of the Harvest Eagles cuts the ball out in order to avoid it being taken by Cougars’ Fina Paulino.
When asked if her team was where they want to be at, Spindell admitted there are still areas of her team she feels can improve.
“After the ND game yes! But after todays game, not really,” said Spindell on peaking. “We know what we have to do to, we’ve watched how both those teams play. Sanchez has Maria Abbey Iriarte so we need to shut her down. Guam High’s main threat is Kayla Kinney. We need to stop her from shooting and dribbling. It’s going to be hard games, but I’m concerned about getting into the quarterfinals.”
The Cougars will face the Sharks Wednesday May 7th and the Panthers on Saturday May 10th.


GPS Sports Calendar
December 2023
- SU
- MO
- TU
- WE
- TH
- FR
- SA
Events for November
1st
ISA BOYS SOCCER
IIAAG GIRLS BASKETBALL
ISA GIRLS BASKETBALL
Events for December
2nd
IRON LEGENDS THROWDOWN
ISA HS BASEBALL
HIGH SCHOOL WRESTLING
Events for December
4th
IIAAG BOYS SOCCER
ISA BOYS SOCCER
ISA GIRLS BASKETBALL
Events for December
5th
ISA HS BASEBALL
ISA GIRLS BASKETBALL
IIAAG GIRLS BASKETBALL QUARTERFINALS
Events for December
5th
Events for December
7th
ISA HS BASEBALL
IIAAG BOYS SOCCER PLAYOFFS
Events for December
9th
40th GRC PLUMERIA ROAD RACE
GUAM RUGBY INTERNATIONAL 7s TOURNAMENT
ISA HS BASEBALL
HIGH SCHOOL WRESTLING
IIAAG GIRLS BASKETBALL SEMIFINALS
Events for December
10th
TOUR OF GUAM 2023
GUAM RUGBY INTERNATIONAL 7s TOURNAMENT
Events for December
11th
ISA HS BASEBALL
IIAAG BOYS SOCCER SEMIFINALS
Events for December
12th
ISA HS BASEBALL
ISA GIRLS BASKETBALL
Events for December
12th
Events for December
14th
ISA HS BASEBALL
IIAAG BOYS SOCCER FINALS
Events for December
15th
ISA GIRLS BASKETBALL
IIAAG GIRLS BASKETBALL FINALS
Events for December
16th
3rd GUAM NINJA CHAMPIONSHIP
ISA HS BASEBALL
HIGH SCHOOL WRESTLING
Events for December
16th
Events for December
18th
IIAAG BOYS SOCCER ALL-ISLAND MEETING
Events for December
19th
ISA HS BASEBALL
ISA GIRLS BASKETBALL
Events for December
19th
Events for December
23rd
HIGH SCHOOL WRESTLING
ISA HS BASEBALL FINALS
Events for December
23rd
Events for December
24th
Events for December
25th
Events for December
27th
Events for December
29th
- 31
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
Events for December
30th

Baseball
ROYALS DOWN FRIARS IN STATEMENT GAME

Basketball
3×3 HOOPS REPEAT AS GOLDEN BOYS

Basketball
RAPADAS LEADS WILD COUGAR COMEBACK

Baseball
GUAM HOSTS KIWIS IN U15 BASEBALL

Baseball
ROYALS DOWN FRIARS IN STATEMENT GAME

Basketball
SHARKS FEND OFF DOLPHINS IN GIRLS HOOPS
COMING SOON …
- IIAAG Girls Basketball Playoffs