Super Y League Feature

Monday, December 14, 2015

BRADENTON, Fla. – Given the flow of the game, when the Northern Virginia Majestics took the lead four minutes into the second half of their Girls U16 semifinal against CYA Soccer Premier, there was a sense of inevitability.

The Majestics had much the better of the opening frame, as their short passing game counteracted the stiff wind they were playing into. The side arguably could have taken the lead before the break, but when Samantha Gordon broke in on goal to latch onto a lofted pass over the CYA defense, she made no mistake.

“I mean, we were playing hard, so I was just happy it came,” Gordon said. “I think we deserved it, and deserved to go to the finals.”

Gordon’s goal proved the difference as the Majestics advanced to the championship game against Washington Spirit Academy VA Red with a 1-0 victory on Tuesday.

With the wind at their backs in the opening half, the first good chance came to CYA’s Jada Massey-Cole, who picked up possession just outside the penalty area but pulled her shot just wide of the left post. CYA looked to break quickly when it got the chance, using Massey-Cole and Jenna Hirshfeld as outlets, but the Majestics did well to break up numerous counterattacks before they became serious threats, and they began to gain the upper hand as they connected passes well to move upfield.

Northern Virginia’s passing ultimately started to open gaps in the CYA defense, and Emily Reighard should have given her side the lead in the 32nd minute when a cross from the right by Imani McGee came to her alone on the left side of the penalty area. Reighard’s shot, with only a defender to beat, missed the target.

The Majestics’ Sierra Biber also went close moments later, when her effort from a near-post corner from the left by Mackenzie Kerns was blocked wide by a defender on the left post.

While the half ended scoreless, it didn’t take long for the Majestics’ play to pay off as Gordon broke the deadlock. The Majestics then continued to press forward, particularly through McGee as they looked to add to their lead following the opening goal.

Gordon had another big chance to make it two 10 minutes later as CYA’s defense failed to adequately deal with a cross from the left, but her finish was deflected over the crossbar. Claire Burgess was also culpable, after a good cross from the right by McGee found her alone at the far post, only for her effort to go high.

“We need to finish tomorrow to win,” Gordon said. “Those balls need to be in the goal, so that’s what we’ll focus on.”

In the end, though, the missed opportunities didn’t come back to haunt Northern Virginia as CYA wasn’t able to muster much threat to the Majestics’ goal in the second half.

WASHINGTON SPIRIT ACADEMY VA RED 2, FORCE FOOTBALL CLUB 1: First-half goals by Emily Talotta and Rachel Jackson proved enough as the Spirit earned a place in the final. Emma Nguyen provided the assists on both goals for the Spirit, and while Michelle Herring pulled a goal back for the Force in the second half, Washington held on late to advance.

U14 GIRLS
MIDWEST UNITED FC 6, MIDWEST UNITED B 0: Cassidy Pettinger had two goals and an assist, while Rylee Michaels had a goal and two assists to lead Midwest United FC to a comfortable victory. Khloe Hayes added a pair of goals, and Addie Brown another, to send the side past its opponents.

CYA SOCCER PREMIER 2, ANNANDALE UNITED MAJESTICS FC 1: Goals by Tabitha Galliani and Riley Specht proved enough to send CYA into the final in a tough semifinal. The game went to the break all square as the Majestics got a goal from Shelley Kehoe, but CYA came out on top to earn a rematch with Midwest United FC in the final.