CSA & Whitecaps FC
Seven members of Team BC were named to the 2009 Canada Games women's soccer all-star team.
Five members of Jesse Symons' gold-medal winning squad were selected in the starting XI. They include the competition's Most Valuable Player in Team BC striker Jenna Richardson. The Vancouver Whitecaps Prospects Women's team forward helped British Columbia to a successful defence of their Canada Games title with six goals during last week's tournament in Summerside, Prince Edward Island.
Also included in the all-star starting XI were Team BC midfielders Natalie Boyd and Nicole Setterlund, with the pair finishing second and third respectively in MVP voting. Team BC defenders Nikki Ambrose and Erin Uchacz were also selected in the starting line-up.
A total of 18 players made up the women's soccer all-star team, with Team BC defender Melissa Bowen and striker Jenna Di Nunzio selected to the team's list of seven substitutes.
The all-star team was selected from names that were submitted by the head coaches of the 12 teams in last week's women's soccer tournament, as well as staff coaches from the Canadian Soccer Association (CSA). Selections made by the 12-team head coaches counted for 50 per cent of the all-star team voting, with coaches not allowed to select players from their own team. Selections made by CSA staff coaches counted for the other 50 per cent of voting.
Along with the selection of the all-star team and MVP, Quebec’s Cynthia Leblanc was named the tournament's top goalkeeper, while Ontario’s Adriana Leon was the competition's top scorer with seven goals.
Team BC's gold medal success was their fourth in women's soccer at the Canada Games. Quebec won silver in PEI, while Ontario won bronze.
2009 Canada Games women’s soccer all-star team (starting XI)
(Team BC players in bold)
GK – Cynthia Leblanc, QC
D – Shelina Zadorsky, ON
D – Vanessa Legault-Cordisco, QC
D – Erin Uchacz, BC
D – Nicole Ambrose, BC
M – Natalie Boyd, BC
M – Nicole Setterlund, BC
M – Catherine Charron-DelAge, QC
F – Julie Casselman, QC
F – Adriana Leon, ON
F – Jenna Richardson, BC
Substitutes
GK – Dayle Colpitts, NB
D – Megan Belafi, QC
D – Melissa Bowen, BC
M – Laura Chénard, QC
M – Danica Wu, AB
F – Jenna Di Nunzio, BC
F – Nkem Ezurike, NS
