U15 Strikers Advance In Ontario Cup
The Chatham Strikers U15 soccer team has advanced to the final 8 of the Ontario Cup – Contributed Photo
The girls competed in the Ontario Soccer Associations’ Ontario Cup Championship Tournament this past weekend in St Catharines. The Ontario Cup pits the best 40 best teams in the province in a summer long tournament that will eventually crown the Ontario Champs September 9 in Vaughan.
This past weekend, the U15 Chatham Strikers moved on the to the round of 8, after winning 3 games and beating power house soccer clubs the North Toronto Nitros and King City Royals.
Friday night the Strikers battled North Toronto to begin the tournament and after having many chances to score couldn’t find a first half goal. After giving up a quick goal to North Toronto in the opening minutes of the second half, the team battled back to win 2-1. Goal scorers were Carly Belanger, and winner scored by Jillian Hyatt.
Chatham’s second game against King City Royals was a tight contest right from the opening whistle. Both teams had excellent chances to score but superb goalkeeping kept it scoreless at the break. Chatham put one on the scoreboard midway through the second half from a free kick that was poked in at the line. The final 20 minutes were a nervous affair as King City threw all they had at Chatham to try to equalize but the Chatham defense came up big and timely saves preserved the 1-0 shutout. Sophie Maine scored the lone goal.
Chatham cruised to a comfortable victory over Strathroy 3-0 in the final game of the weekend. Goal scorers were Jessie McPherson with two, and Brooke MacLeod with the third.
The Strikers’ 3 wins advance them out of the group stage of the competition and into the round of 8, single elimination knockout.
Chatham faces another powerhouse opponent-Kingston United on August 12 in Chatham with hopes of advancing to the Ontario Cup Semifinals in Guelph later this month.
The Chatham U15 Strikers are Sophie Maine, Camille Blain, Brooke MacLeod, Jessie McPherson, Erica Anderson, Kirby MacKinnon, Olivia Lozon, Carly Belanger, Jocelyn Maryschak, Courtney Legere, Michaela Legue, Lexie Jennings, Olivia Hunter, Sam St. Croix, Abby Mahu, Jaiden Rollings, Jillian Hyatt.