Surf, Slammers take inaugural Red Bull titles

Written by Diane Gantenhammer May 27, 2008

From: http://www.topdrawersoccer.com/index.php?option=com_topdrawer&Itemid=251&nid=3060

Championship matches were played in sunny but breezy conditions here at the PDA facility Monday, and after the matches were complete a pair of Southern California teams, Surf SC in the U16 division and Slammers in the U15 age group, had won the inaugural championships awarded in the Red Bull National League. Following are match details. 

U16 Girls Championship: San Diego Surf 2,  Eclipse Select 1

After a series of three weekend-long tournaments this season, the U16 Girls final match came down to San Diego Surf and Chicago-area side Eclipse Select.  From the start of the game, Surf came out strong, including 2 corner kicks in the first minute followed by an open net chance by Kylie Facinelli that went just wide. Just 6 minutes into the match, midfielder Facinelli passed wide to Sarah Gangstad who took the space and crossed the ball in to forward Shelby Murphy to tap into the net, giving Surf an early lead.

But that was not enough for Surf.  Just 4 minutes later, Gangstad added to the score when she received a through ball on the right side of the field and fired it far post past the Eclipse goalkeeper.  Only 10 minutes into the game, the score was already 2-0.

Eclipse then rebounded.  A series of corner kicks and free kicks soon followed that kept the Surf on their toes.  Eclipse’s center midfielder, Vanessa Laxgang, led the team in the attack producing several near scoring opportunities with her great field vision and first touch.

The game continued back and forth into the second half.  Eclipse started playing high pressure by pushing marking backs up and playing high with the midfield.  Surf responded by playing more defensively.

 “I played a little more defensive than aggressive after the first two goals because there was too much on the line,” said Surf coach Ada Greenwood. “Going against the wind in the second half made it tough for me to want to go for a third goal.  If it came, it came, but I was not going to force it.”

In the 49th minute of the game a corner kick for the Eclipse resulted in a fumble around the box and a near goal, but the Surf defense was able to clear it out.  The 73rd minute marked another near scoring chance when Eclipse midfielder Kayla Paoulos dribbled around a Surf defender and sent a cross directly to the head of Alexandra Heller, who hit the crossbar.  With 3 minutes to go, confusion in the box left Eclipse forward Kelly Kalkofen open at the top of the 6-yard box to place the ball in the lower left hand corner of the net, putting Eclipse on the scoreboard.

Both teams battled until the final minute, but Surf managed to remain on top becoming the first Red Bull National League U16 Girls champions by a score of 2-1.

“It’s one of the toughest things to win in the country," Greenwood said. "That’s why it means a lot to us.”

U15 Championship: FC Slammers 1,  Real So Cal 0

Southern California is a very competitive region for girls soccer, so it was not a surprise that Slammers faced Real So Cal in the U15 final.  Having played each other in tight games in the past and just one week prior in the semi-finals of the State Cup, each team knew what they had in store.

Slammers coach, George Larsen, said he believed that both teams “proved over the last three events that they were the best teams” and the game went on to prove that.  

In a closely-fought battle, Slammers went on to beat Real So Cal 1-0.  A penalty shot given to the Slammers and saved by the Real So Cal goalkeeper (name?) just 8 minutes into the game made the match exciting from the very beginning.

The only goal of the game was scored 20 minutes into the match off a corner kick by Slammers' Francesca Coxe that was knocked about in the box before landing on the feet of Renee Mendiola, who placed it in the back of the net.  Larsen explained how the Slammers kept the same formation throughout the match and played “very composed in the first half and first 20 minutes of the second half.”

An opportunity for So Cal to tie up the score came in the second half when Alyson Birgel hit the crossbar with a floater from 30 yards out.

According to Larsen, the Red Bull League has been a success.

 “It puts the best teams in the nation against each other," he said. "The quality of the games is fantastic and the facilities holding the events are phenomenal.”