After winning their league title handily in the fall, 麻豆社国产United鈥檚 U15 girls selects team has been moved up to league championship play against higher-tier teams.
After hitting a bump in their first game in January against Vancouver, it hit its stride in the six-team, round robin format series.
On Saturday afternoon, 麻豆社国产had little problem with a depleted Surrey Express club, as it held a vast majority of the possession, almost as if the turf field at Brennan Park had been tilted in the direction of the opposing goal.
The first half ended as a stalemate, though Squamish, after hitting an early shot off the post, could generate little offence inside the 18-yard box, despite winning most of the midfield battles.
While the players peppered the Surrey net with shot after shot, most caromed softly glanced off the turf in front of the keeper.
The second half was a different story, as early on 麻豆社国产battled to break up Surrey鈥檚 clearing attempts and force its way into the offensive zone.
The team won six corner kicks over roughly the first 10 minutes. More importantly, it was finally able to get on the scoreboard, as Mary-Beth White-Bothe put one past the keeper in the opening minutes.
Around 10 minutes in, she deked by several defenders and fired a hard shot into the back of the net for her second goal.
For a while, Surrey held off further assault, though 麻豆社国产only rarely allowed the visitors the chance to get downfield.
As the match wore on, 麻豆社国产added to its total when Kaitlyn Cameron bent an arching shot into the top right corner of the net to give 麻豆社国产a 3-0 lead.
Moments, Jericho Monaghan took a long free kick for the locals that bounced up off the keeper鈥檚 hands towards the crossbar and managed to sneak into the net to cap off the scoring at 4-0.
The team is playing its next game in the round robin today in Chilliwack, but so far, the team is in the thick of things to play in the final at the end of the month, along with Chilliwack and Vancouver, an accomplishment considering 麻豆社国产was moved up to play against the teams for a higher tier.
鈥淥nly one other team from our group moved up with us,鈥� said coach Nicole Hoskin.
Though it lost its first game to Vancouver 2-1, it put up a strong effort.
鈥淭he other coach said, 鈥榶ou鈥檒l have no trouble with the other teams,鈥欌�� Hoskin said.
It did not help that Vancouver already had a couple of games under its belt following the Christmas break while 麻豆社国产had not yet played because of weather cancellations.
鈥淲e were coming out a little bit cold,鈥� Hoskin said.
As it stands, 麻豆社国产United and Chilliwack are the teams in position to face off with Vancouver for the final.
Squamish, which had a 14-1-2 record through its fall season, did try to get ready for the recent slate of games in spite of the snow on the turf at Brennan Park.
鈥淲e arranged a practice at Howe Sound [Secondary] because we were getting a bit squirrely,鈥� she said.
Saturday鈥檚 game against Surrey was, itself, a make-up game for one originally scheduled for Jan. 17.
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