PRESS RELEASE – The U17 division of Guam Football Association and The Score’s “Just Kick It” All Girls League officially kicked off Saturday at the GFA National Training Center featuring three of four matches, including ones with new teams to the league.

One new team to the league, the Knights, includes a mix of experienced national team players and new players, coached by husband-wife tandem Ryan and Kyung Shipman, with the latter as head coach.

“We entered a team in the All-Girls League to give an opportunity to new players or players who only play in the interscholastic league to gain more match experience, while also introducing those players to outside leagues that’ll keep them playing year-round,” said Knights assistant coach Ryan Shipman. “Through the All-Girls League, players are able to apply skills and tactics we practice during training sessions and make some basic improvements in technique, positioning, and team play.”

One member of the Knights team, Yae Kawauchi, who at only 14 years old was the youngest player called up to the Masakåda, Guam women’s national team, for the EAFF Women’s East Asian Cup earlier this month, hopes to use the All-Girls League to learn tendencies of new teammates from her school.

The Sharks’ Kiara Camacho keeps back a Knights defender as she makes her way to the goal in an opening week match of the U17 division of the Guam Football Association & The Score’s “Just Kick It” All-Girls League at the GFA National Training Center. The Sharks defeated the Knights 5-1.

“Playing in the All-Girls League will help us get used to each other as teammates and learn how we play,” said Kawauchi, a freshman at St. John’s School. “Also, we get to see how other teams play and how we compare to them.”

Kawauchi’s soccer resume includes playing for Guam at the women’s, U16 women’s, and U14 girls’ levels, as well as for the Paintco Lady Strykers and the Wings FC, club teams in the women’s and youth league, respectively. After getting to know her teammates from her school, she hopes to contribute her high-level playing experience to help them succeed.

In the Knights’ opener against the Sharks, Kawauchi scored her team’s lone goal in a 5-1 loss. Maria Abbey Iriarte scored twice for the Sharks and teammates Skyylerblu Johnson, Kiara Camacho, and Caylani Estoy also scored.

In other matches, the Southern Heat defeated Quality Distributors 4-0 with two goals from Colleen Naden and one each from Hannah Tyquiengco and Anna Armel.

The ASC Trust Islanders defeated the Tumon Typhoons Soccer Club 4-0 with two goals from Aubrienne Pangindian and one each from Rhia Pangindian, and Kaeliana Taitano.

The other U17 fixture pitting the Southern Cobras against the Geckos will be played Sunday at 3 p.m. The league’s U14 division will kick off Sunday at 2 p.m.

Teams in the U14 division are the Strykers, Islanders, Sidekick SC, Community First Dededo Soccer Club, Hyundai, Hawks, Cobras, and Wolverines.

Week 1’s schedule is online at http://www.guamfa.com/all-girls-results A full schedule will be posted on the same Web page after the conclusion of Week 1 matches.

PHOTO GALLERY:

Quality Distributors’ Franshay Shippey attempts to get around the Southern Heat defense to the goal in an opening week match of the U17 division of the Guam Football Association & The Score’s “Just Kick It” All-Girls League at the GFA National Training Center. The Heat defeated Quality 4-0.

The Southern Heat and Quality Distributors play in an opening week match of the U17 division of the Guam Football Association & The Score’s “Just Kick It” All-Girls League at the GFA National Training Center. The Heat defeated Quality 4-0.

The ASC Trust Islanders’ Aubrienne Pangindian sprints to the goal against Tumon Typhoons Soccer Club in an opening week match of the U17 division of the Guam Football Association & The Score’s “Just Kick It” All-Girls League at the GFA National Training Center. The Islanders defeated Tumon 4-0.

Tumon Typhoons Soccer Club and the ASC Trust Islanders play in an opening week match of the U17 division of the Guam Football Association & The Score’s “Just Kick It” All-Girls League at the GFA National Training Center. The Islanders defeated Tumon 4-0.

The Knights’ Yae Kawauchi and the Sharks’ Maria Abbey Iriarte fight for possession of the ball in an opening week match of the U17 division of the Guam Football Association & The Score’s “Just Kick It” All-Girls League at the GFA National Training Center. The Sharks defeated the Knights 5-1.