Surf City strikes quickly in New Year

The Surf City Strikers, the Gold All-Star Under-10 girls team out of AYSO Region 55 (North Huntington Beach), began the New Year with a

bang by winning the recent HI-5 Tournament.

Playing four games over the weekend in Fountain Valley, the Strikers

capped their successful tournament run with a thrilling 2-1 sudden death

victory over Region 117 (Fountain Valley). Kimberly Copenhaver’s hard

shot just inside the 18-yard box found the net with five minutes to play

in the first overtime period, giving Surf City the title.

Fountain Valley broke through a well-played defensive struggle by scoring

the match’s first goal in the fourth quarter and was looking to pad its

lead on a penalty shot later in the period. However, Striker goalkeeper

Mariah Noguiera rose to the occasion and came up with a key stop.

From their, the Strikers tied the score on a goal by left wing forward

Nicole Luby with just over five minutes remaining in regulation.

Surf City qualified for the championship game by steam rolling its first

three opponents, outscoring that trio, 11-0.

A Copenhaver goal with two minutes to play in regulation provided the

margin of victory in a 1-0 opening round victory over Whittier. The play

of Jennifer Goble, Sarah Foster, Kasey Flavin, Colleen Kustura, Katherine

Castillo, Ellie Nedry, Jessica Wade, and Samantha Gavin helped preserve

the shutout.

The Strikers’ offense had a field day in round two against Palmdale, as

both Allyson DeLuca and Katie Welsh scored two goals, and single goals

went to Luby, Flavin, Noguiera, and Copenhaver in an 8-0 triumph.

In the semifinal round, strong center passing set up first quarter goals

by DeLuca and Shima Noorydezah, which stood in a 2-0 win over Laguna

Hills.