VANCOUVER, BC – Vancouver Whitecaps FC’s Girls Elite squad will take a trip down to Southern California this weekend to participate in the prestigious 2013 soccerloco Surf College Cup in San Diego.
After finishing runners-up in the 2009 summer's U-19 Super division at San Diego Surf Cup XXIX and becoming the first Canadian female side to reach a Surf Cup final, the ‘Caps will look to build on that successful run and become the first Canadian team to win a Surf Cup title.
Although winning the tournament is part of the motivation, Girls Elite head coach Jesse Symons said that results aren’t necessarily the focus at such an event.
“It is a prestigious event that we are excited to return to as a club to match up against top level opposition,” Symons told whitecapsfc.com. “The focus for the event is to have the players experience and participate against top American teams and also be given the opportunity to perform in front of many NCAA University coaches.
The San Diego Surf College Cup was created in 2007 at the request of many college scouts and coaches from all over the United States, and one that has now become the premier fall season college showcase. The event attracted over 300 scouts and coaches in 2012.
Symons will be taking a strong squad to Del Mar, California, with three of his players fresh off an encouraging showing with the Canadian squad at the 2013 CONCACAF Women's U-17 Championship in Jamaica just a few weeks back.
Girls Elite midfielder Jenna Baxter, and defenders Simmrin Dhaliwal and Rachel Jones all played a part for the Canadian squad that earned Canada a birth in the 2014 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Costa Rica.
The Blue and White will head into the Surf Cup with a head of steam, as they have enjoyed a perfect start to the season in Vancouver’s Metro Women’s Soccer League. They currently lead the Premier Division with an unblemished 9W-0L-0D record and have outscored their opponents by a 45-5 margin in those matches.
“The Girls Elite players have been tremendous through the first half of the MWSL season,” Symons said. “The players have shown maturity beyond their years and are playing a tremendous brand of possession based soccer with an exciting flare to create goal chances when they become available.”
The girls will play in Bracket C at the Surf Cup and start their tournament campaign in the U-17 Super division on Friday, with matches against Southern California outfits West Coast FC ECNL and San Diego Surf SC ECNL Academy. They will then meet Colorado’s Pride SC Predators on Saturday, with the potential playoff semifinals and finals taking place on Sunday.
