By Alan Douglas/whitecapsfc.com
Vancouver Whitecaps Prospects Women romped to an impressive 11-0 victory over Semiahmoo SC at Simon Fraser University on Thursday night.
Most of the damage was done by the two Jennas up front, with Jenna Di Nunzio hitting a hat-trick, while Jenna Richardson netted four, giving her a league-leading 13 goals on the season.
Whitecaps first-team goalkeepers Jaclyn Dunnett and Stephanie Panozzo were brought in for the game, playing a half each to give them some action. Defensive standout Carolyn Bell, who had played every minute this season, sat this one out, which meant Erin Uchacz anchored the backline in a 3-4-3 formation. Natalie Boyd returned to the starting line-up in central midfield after missing three games, while fullback Mikyla Kay marked her return to the first eleven in five matches.
As might be expected from the scoreline, the Prospects found the net early and often. Just two minutes in, winger Katie Turney from the right-hand side went for goal with a hard shot from ten yards out which beat Rosemary Kelly. The Semiahmoo keeper was later injured in a collision with Richardson, and eventually limped off, to be replaced by Carlin Browne on 17 minutes.
Browne barely had a chance to get settled in the match when she was scored against on 19 minutes. Natalie Boyd netted her first goal of the season with a speculative 35-yard volley that dipped under the crossbar.
On 25 minutes, Di Nunzio scored the first of her three goals, as she put away a rebound from Turney's shot. A minute later, Boyd had two chances in a scramble in front, but was stopped by Browne, who did well to make the saves.
It was 4-0 just before the half-hour mark, as Richardson used her speed to get open on the right before centering for Janine Frazao to fire in her fourth goal of the season.
On 37 minutes, the young 'Caps scored from a neatly worked set play. Boyd faked a shot on a free kick 25 yards out, and instead deftly chipped it over the wall for Di Nunzio to run on to, go around keeper Browne, and score.
Three minutes later, Richardson received good service from fullback Melissa Bowen, chesting down a great diagonal ball at the edge of the Semiahmoo box before blasting it into the net.
It was 6-0 at halftime.
Richardson netted her second two minutes after the restart, as Jessica Hadden slipped a nicely weighted through ball for the striker to run on to and smash home.
On 51 minutes, the visitors had their first good sight of goal, as a shot from Marissa Dionne whistled just wide of the far post. Two minutes later, they came as close as they would to scoring, as Shannon Booth's free kick beat Panozzo, but hit the underside of the crossbar and stayed out.
However, Vancouver's attack was unrelenting, as head coach Jesse Symons wanted his players to maintain a high tempo for the full 90 minutes. Whitecaps had two shots cleared off the goal line by Semiahmoo defenders, who seemed determined to hold the score at 7-0. First, Alicia Tesan was denied, then minutes later, a superb diving block kept Hadden from netting her first of the season.
The pressure eventually proved too much for the visitors, however. Di Nunzio completed her hat-trick on 70 minutes, as she fired in from the left of goal. Two minutes later, a Di Nunzio effort was cleared off the goal line, but Hadden was on hand to put away the rebound.
Richardson then completed her hat-trick in fine style on 80 minutes. She cut in from the left wing to the top of the Semiahmoo box before hitting a hard shot to the bottom left corner of the goal to put the scoreline into double digits.
On 90 minutes came the prettiest goal of the night. Jaclyn Sawicki lobbed a high ball into the box, which Tesan neatly headed back blind to Richardson breaking in from the left. She first-timed a rocket of a volley, which left Browne no chance. It was another stellar example of finishing from Richardson, who is averaging a goal every 33 minutes!
The Whitecaps improve to 6-1-1 to remain third in the Pacific Coast Soccer League standings. The Prospects Women's match originally scheduled for this Sunday against CMFSC Xtreme has been pushed back a week, which means the next match for Vancouver is a home game against Surrey United next Thursday night at SFU's Terry Fox Field.
Whitecaps Prospects Women
12.Jaclyn Dunnett (27.Stephanie Panozzo 45'); 14.Sarah Pennington, 8.Erin Uchacz, 20.Mikyla Kay (7.Melissa Bowen 32'); 15.Nikki Ambrose (3.Maryse Reichgeld 37'), 19.Tessa Meyer (6.Jaclyn Sawicki 78'), 4.Natalie Boyd, 18.Katie Turney (2.Jessica Hadden 45'); 10.Jenna Di Nunzio (13.Michelle Godoy 78'), 22.Jenna Richardson, 9.Janine Frazao (5.Alicia Tesan 54')
