Tough matches open Impact girls soccer season

As was the case in May of 2014, the first regular season action of the year provided the GSSC Impact U14 Girls with a pair of tough games right out of the gate.

But where their first taste of CGSL (Central Girls Soccer League) play resulted in coach Marilyn Bodson and company having to overcome an 0-2 start to the campaign, the second time around provided the team with a split.

A pair of goals from Ariane Saumure lifted the Impact past Vaughan Azzurri 2-1 on Sunday, after dropping a tough 4-3 decision to the King City Royals on Saturday. Sofia Pontrelli scored the only goal of the game for Vaughan, which opened the scoring in the first half, only to see Saumure deadlock the contest two minutes later.

The game-winning goal came midway through the second half. The Sudbury-King City matchup produced a flurry of goals from start to finish, with both teams loaded with top-end offensive talent.

Antonella Rumeo opened the floodgates, getting the Royals on the board just a few minutes in, but the Impact responded nicely. In the 20th minute, Saumure pounced all over a loose ball in the box, drilling home a game-tying tally, before teammate Madison Laberge bounced one off the left post and in 12 minutes later.

Making a nice move to sidestep a Sudbury defender, Alessia Luciani caught the far right-hand corner, sending the teams to the half-time break tied at 2-2. The back and forth continued through the final 45 minutes, as a lengthy wind-aided punt by the Vaughan keeper allowed Sabrina Del Vasto to scamper free 70 yards downfield, making no mistake in regaining the lead for the visitors.

Again, Sudbury answered. Scoring her team's nicest goal of the game, Bianca Toppazzini turned on a ball played in from Kaitlyn Chevrier, spinning and catching a waist-high volley to perfection, well beyond the reach of the Royals' netminder.

But with just 15 minutes to play, Vaughan capitalized on a ball that wasn't cleared, with Rumeo drilling the third attempt for her team past Impact goaltender Korey Bodson.

"I think that we've really improved from last year," noted Toppazzini after the Saturday setback. "Our team has really good technique and speed. We can run up the line and get to the ball."

As for her goal, the 14-year-old acknowledged some luck, though not without some hard work added to the mix.

"I usually miss the net," smiled Toppazzini. "It's taken some practice for me to learn to volley it and hit the net."

"When it happens, I don't really think of it, because there's always people in front of me who are trying to get the ball. Once it comes to you, you do what you can to get it into the net."

The U14 Impact girls will now enjoy a one week break from CGSL play, taking their first road trip of the season on June 6 and 7 to face East York and Barrie.