By Alan Douglas/whitecapsfc.com
Vancouver Whitecaps Prospects Women kept their momentum going with a big 5-0 win over defending Pacific Coast Soccer League (PCSL) regular season champions Fraser Valley Action at Simon Fraser University (SFU) Field #4 on Tuesday evening. The win takes the Prospects record to 5W-0L-0D in the PCSL Premier Division, with the Whitecaps having outscored their opponents 36-0.
Whitecaps coach Jesse Symons fielded an aggressive 3-4-3 formation, with Katie Turney and Jenna Di Nunzio on the wings in addition to the three frontrunners.
The home side struck early, as just three minutes in, Abigail Raymer picked up the ball at the top of the box and drilled a hard shot into the bottom right corner past Fraser Valley goalkeeper Veronika Rogna.
The in-form Whitecaps kept the pressure on the visitors, who had only recently started their season, and seemed to have trouble adjusting to the pace of the match. Jenna Richardson and Nicole Setterlund both sent shots just off the mark before the clock hit double digits. Then on 17 minutes, a quick opportunistic shot by Raymer from 15 yards out was well stopped by Rogna.
The keeper could do little about the next challenge she faced, though. On 22 minutes, Natalie Boyd played a nice give-and-go with Richardson on the edge of the area to make room for a shot, then hit a hard high strike over the keeper from 18 yards out to make it 2-0.
While the Action were without their three-time scoring leader Daniela Gerig, they still had a good squad with some dangerous players, among them former Whitecaps first-team striker Melissa Mobilio and former Prospects star Alicia Tesan. It was Mobilio who had their first good chance, as she hit a hard low shot from 28 yards on 28 minutes following a free kick, which took a couple of deflections before 'Caps keeper Gurveen Clair made the grab.
At the other end, Rogna stopped a deflected shot from Jaclyn Sawicki just past the half-hour mark. A minute later, the keeper made a good diving save to deny Richardson after some nice approach play from Raymer. From the ensuing corner, the ball bounced around dangerously in front with neither Richardson nor Setterlund able to get a positive touch before Rogna claimed it.
On 35 minutes, Maryse Reichgeld, who had just subbed into the game, made a good run down the right and crossed for Setterlund. The ball deflected to Richardson right in front, and she did well to turn past her marker and fire it past the keeper from close range.
Minutes later, Richardson left her marker for dead with a quick turn before slipping it to Di Nunzio, whose shot produced a spectacular one-handed save from Rogna. Setterlund followed up on the rebound, but slammed it into the side-netting from an angle in close.
The onslaught continued. On 42 minutes, Di Nunzio danced past two defenders at the top of the box with a sensational-looking Zidane roulette "spin-o-rama" before slipping it ahead to Setterlund, who overpowered the keeper from 10 yards out.
A very impressive first-half performance from the Prospects ended with the score at 4-0.
The visitors had more of the play in the second half, which meant there was some work to do for Vancouver substitute goalkeeper Ally Williamson to extend the Whitecaps shutout streak. To that end, she made an early save to stop a low effort from Mobilio.
At the other end, Rogna did very well to palm wide a nice chip shot from Jaclyn Sawicki near the hour mark.
On 66 minutes, Mobilio headed wide from a good position, in what was Fraser Valley's best chance of the match to that point.
With twenty minutes remaining, Raymer made it 5-0 with another well taken shot, as she made a quick move before drilling a 22-yard blast into the bottom corner. It was the eighth goal of the season for the 17-year-old, as she moves into the PCSL scoring lead ahead of Victoria's Liz Hansen.
Substitute Kendra Williams had a couple of chances to add to the lead in the closing minutes. Her header in front was saved by the keeper, while moments later, she fired a hard shot just wide after a nice turn in the box.
There was one final moment of drama before the closing whistle. In time added on, the Action's Jess Fillion sent in a good diagonal cross, which was headed on goal. The ball looked to be destined for the top corner to end the 'Caps shutout streak, but Williamson's reactions were equal to the challenge. The keeper managed to get a hand to it, pushing the ball against the inside of the post, where it bounced back across the face of goal and stayed out.
It finished 5-0, as the Prospects keep their record perfect at 5W-0L-0D, while Fraser Valley suffer their first blemish and drop to 2W-1L-0D.
Next up is what looks to be the toughest game of the season for the Prospects, as they face a top-of-the-table clash with Victoria Highlanders FC (3W-0L-0D) on Vancouver Island on Saturday afternoon. Kickoff from Bear Mountain Stadium in Langford, BC, is set for 4 p.m. PT.
Scoring summary:
3' VAN - Abigail Raymer
22' VAN - Natalie Boyd
35' VAN - Jenna Richardson
42' VAN - Nicole Setterlund
70' VAN - Abigail Raymer
Whitecaps Prospects Women
1.Gurveen Clair (2.Ally Williamson 45'); 5.Jen Castillo, 7.Erin Uchacz, 3.Nikki Ambrose; 12.Jenna Di Nunzio (16.Vanessa Kovacs 45'), 4.Natalie Boyd (10.Sydney Morrison 79'), 13.Nicole Setterlund (29.Tessa Meyer 45'), 18.Katie Turney (19.Maryse Reichgeld 35'); 14.Jaclyn Sawicki (11.Kendra Williams 69'), 21.Abigail Raymer, 22.Jenna Richardson
