Vancouver Whitecaps U-18 Girls Prospects recorded two wins and two draws at the 2009 Las Vegas College Showcase this past weekend.
Jesse Symons' side earned eight points from their four matches in the Women's U-19 Showcase division in Nevada. Those results were good enough for the Blue and White to finish in the top six of the 24-team competition.
Considered one of the top-ranked college showcase tournaments in the United States, this year's Las Vegas College Showcase saw the U-18 Prospects - who were made up of players born 1991 to 1993 - face top U-19 competition from the American states of California, Connecticut, Nevada, and New Mexico.
Vancouver's first match saw them draw 0-0 with New Mexico's Alameda Flash on Friday afternoon. The Whitecaps were unlucky not to have led at halftime, as they missed several chances before the break.
The second half proved a more open affair, with the Whitecaps hitting the crossbar from a free kick before Alicia Tesan squandered a major chance when she volleyed over the Alameda goal after being left unmarked at close range. 'Caps goalkeepers Gurveen Clair and Ariel Anderson shared the clean sheet in the draw.
Friday evening's second match was a carbon copy of the first result, as the Whitecaps played out another goalless draw with California's Real So Cal Blue U-18's. Despite having several chances, Vancouver failed to make their dominant first-half display turn into goals, as Real So Cal's defensive backline stood firm to the break.
The Whitecaps suffered more agony in the second half, as the post and crossbar denied the young Canadian travelers a chance to claim their first win of the weekend.
Better fortune was to come on Saturday afternoon, as Symons' side defeated the Las Vegas-based Neusport FC '91 Green 2-1.
It was Neusport that broke the deadlock midway through the first half on a 25-yard free kick. The goal sparked the Whitecaps to gain control of the match, with Vancouver having a distinct advantage in possession up until the break.
Early in the second half, the Whitecaps drew level when Jenna Dinunzio converted a corner kick to make it 1-1. Moments later, Janine Frazao was put clear through on the Neusport goal before finishing her breakaway chance to give Vancouver a 2-1 victory. The result was earned in front of many home supporters and college scouts.
In their final match on Sunday morning, the Whitecaps capped their tournament with an emphatic 6-0 win over Connecticut FC. A hat-trick from Jaclyn Sawicki helped the U-18 Girls to the convincing victory, with Carolyn Bell, Jenna Dinunzio, and Nicole Setterlund each getting the scoresheet.
Click here to view the final results and standings from the 2009 Las Vegas College Showcase.
