Aug 16, 2012- 1:59 PM
Playing the same team on three consecutive occasions nearly cost the locals dearly. Back on July 21, just prior to participating in the local Impact Soccer Tournament, the U-15 ladies blanked the Aurora Stingers 3-0, improving to 6-2-2 in the process.
After capturing gold at the tournament on home turf, the Sudbury crew resumed Central Girls Soccer League (CGSL) action with a Cup game last Saturday, on the road, against none other than the Stingers.
The Impact looked strong, blasting Aurora 6-1 as Riley McEwen and Sophie Paradis scored two goals apiece, with Brianne Rodrigue and Megan Coutu adding singles.
The victory advanced the locals to the CGSL U-15 Cup semifinals, battling the winner of a showdown between Ajax FC White and the Oshawa Kicks scheduled for later this month.
In the meantime, the Impact were launched back into league play on Sunday against Aurora. But, things did not come easily the third time around.
"Playing with a very short bench, we were tested much more than the previous day," Sudbury head coach Dayna Corelli said.
McEwen opened the scoring with the only goal of the opening half, but the Stingers pulled even early in the second.
With reinforcements coming in the form of Sarah Istavandi, Kaitlyn Rocca and Alexis Belanger, all of whom bolted over immediately following their U-13 game in North York, the Impact were able to secure a second goal from McEwen, holding on over the final 15 minutes of play.
Sitting in first place with 23 points, the Sudbury crew hold their destiny in their own hands. If the U-15 girls can win out against Markham (3-7-0), Unionville (6-3-0) and North Toronto (0-9-0), they will finish atop the standings, earning a promotion to the CGSL Level 3 ranks.
No Sudbury youth team has accomplished this feat by winning their division, though the Sudbury Canadians turned the trick in the Ontario Women's Soccer League (OWSL).
The bonus for Corelli and company lies in the fact that their final three games are all on home turf, starting with this Saturday at 2 p.m. and Sunday at 10 a.m. at the James Jerome Sports Complex.
In other CGSL news of note, Tianna Faubert captured the scoring title in the U-18 Level 3 division. The graduate of Lasalle Secondary School finished the year with eight goals, helping her team to a fourth-place finish at 3-5-2.
