LADY CRUSHERS AIMING FOR THREE-PEAT

PRESS RELEASE – Two-time defending Women’s GFA Cup champions Personal Finance Center Lady Crushers will have the opportunity to make it three in a row in the 2015 championship match against the Isla Paint and Roofing Supply Lady Strykers Sunday at 6 p.m. at the Guam Football Association National Training Center.

The Lady Crushers snapped Quality Distributors’ undefeated streak in outdoor soccer play, edging the Bud Light Women’s Soccer League Fall Season champions 3-2 in the first of two semifinal matches of the Women’s GFA Cup held Dec. 13.

The Lady Crushers’ Anjelica Perez put her team ahead early, finishing a cross from speedy right-side winger Colleen Naden in the fourth minute of play. About 15 minutes later, Quality’s April Talledo set up Paris “Mames” Blas for the game tying goal and a left-side strike by Sabrina Wiegand in the 31^st minute put Quality momentarily in the lead at 2-1.

Simie Willter later equalized the contest again, maneuvering through a tandem of Quality defenders to find space for a tough shot against Quality keeper Lowella Diramos in the 34^th minute. The Lady Crushers’ Nieves Cabreza scored the eventual game-winner two minutes before halftime, finishing a cross from Perez.

The teams had several opportunities to score goals later in the match, but both Diramos and Lady Crushers goalkeeper Mya Sanchez managed to stop all second-half attacks, including a few close-range shots that kept the teams’ defenses in check.

Quality boasted a 16-match undefeated streak since Mar. 1 in outdoor soccer play before succumbing to the Lady Crushers in the 2015 Women’s GFA Cup semifinal; however, in the teams’ fixtures in 2015, both came to Dec. 13’s match with a 1-1-1 head-to-head competition record. The Lady Crushers defeated Quality 5-4 on Feb. 15 in the league’s Spring season and later battled to a 1-1 draw on Apr. 12. In the league’s Fall season, Quality edged the Lady Crushers 5-4 on Oct. 18.

The Lady Crushers will next face Women’s GFA Cup finals debutants Lady Strykers,

4-0 winners over ISA Islanders in the tournament’s other semifinal match.

The Lady Strykers led by just one goal at the half, after Koharu Minato was credited with the half’s lone goal from a corner-kick play. Teammate Alexy Dacanay later scored a second-half hat trick for the final score.

The Lady Strykers earlier had defeated the league’s Spring season champions, Lady Rovers, 2-0, in the tournament’s first round on Dec. 6 to set up the semifinal with the Islanders. Minato and Yae Kawauchi scored in the first-round win, avenging a 3-2 semifinals loss to the Lady Rovers in the 2014 edition of the tournament.

The Lady Crushers won the first Women’s GFA Cup tournament held in 2012, needing extra time to put away Hyundai, 3-2. The tournament was next held in 2014, featuring the Lady Crushers’ 3-2 edge of the Lady Rovers in the final. With the match knotted at 2-all from the 81^st minute, Willter managed to score in the 90+ minute to help her team avoid another extra-time challenge and claim its second tournament title.

The 2015 championship match will kick off at 6 p.m. Sunday. An awards ceremony for both the tournament and the league’s Fall season will be held after the match. Quality will receive the league’s Fall season championship trophy and Naden will receive the league’s Fall season Golden Boot award.

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The Isla Paint and Roofing Supply Lady Strykers’ Alexy Dacanay gets ahead of ISA Islanders’ Megan Diego to the ball during a semifinal match of the Women’s GFA Cup soccer tournament Sunday at the Guam Football Association National Training Center. The Lady Strykers defeated the Islanders 4-0 for a ticket to the tournament’s championship match.

The Isla Paint and Roofing Supply Lady Strykers’ Koharu Minato attempts to maneuver around ISA Islanders’ Susan Lupola during a semifinal match of the Women’s GFA Cup soccer tournament Sunday at the Guam Football Association National Training Center. The Lady Strykers defeated the Islanders 4-0 for a ticket to the tournament’s championship match.

The Isla Paint and Roofing Supply Lady Strykers’ Flora Asanoma looks to get past the defense of ISA Islanders’ Tara Usita-Lee during a semifinal match of the Women’s GFA Cup soccer tournament Sunday at the Guam Football Association National Training Center. The Lady Strykers defeated the Islanders 4-0 for a ticket to the tournament’s championship match.

Personal Finance Center Lady Crushers’ Simie Willter sprints to get past Quality Distributors’ central defender Franshay Shippey to the goal during a semifinal match of the Women’s GFA Cup soccer tournament Sunday at the Guam Football Association National Training Center. The Lady Crushers defeated Quality 3-2 for a ticket to the tournament’s championship match.

Quality Distributors’ Hopemary Calip attempts to turn with the ball facing defensive pressure from Personal Finance Center Lady Crushers’ Nieves Cabreza during a semifinal match of the Women’s GFA Cup soccer tournament Sunday at the Guam Football Association National Training Center. The Lady Crushers defeated Quality 3-2 for a ticket to the tournament’s championship match.

Quality Distributors’ Paris “Mames” Blas attempts to control the ball from a throw-in as the Personal Finance Center Lady Crushers’ Carla Haddock moves in on defense during a semifinal match of the Women’s GFA Cup soccer tournament Sunday at the Guam Football Association National Training Center. The Lady Crushers defeated Quality 3-2 for a ticket to the tournament’s championship match.