PCSL

Xtreme Suffer Shootout Heartbreak
Tri-Cities hopes of Cup repeat dashed by tough Victoria Stars

The penalty kick portion of the match was a shooting clinic, as the respective keepers were left little to no chance, despite their very best efforts. The Xtreme scored on four of their five, only a very narrow miss by Carlen Oates (West Vancouver) preventing the perfect score. But the Stars were able to hit on all five of their shots, despite Gwiazda's remarkable effort to get a hand on the final shot.

Head coach Scott Fletcher was disappointed for his players that they didn't get the win, because he felt they deserved better, "As a coach, I could not have asked for anything more from the players today. To a player, they each left everything they had on the pitch this weekend. Not only this weekend to be honest, but the past two weeks. There have been sacrifices made, both on and off the park, to get us to this point. There is certainly disappointment in the final result, but there is definitely no shame. None. All you can do is give it your best, and then hope the soccer gods choose to smile on you. It wasn't our turn today."

While Fletcher readily admits the play of his young core bodes well for the long term future, and more final appearances to come, he was very clear that much of the success on the weekend had to do with his veterans. "Phebe Trotman was the best player in this tournament. Liz Hansen scored one more goal, and obviously had a great couple of games, but Phebes did everything for us, she carried us. We were missing players, we had some playing hurt, but Phebe wasn't outworked by anyone."

Fletcher also commended the efforts of veterans Kristine Jack and Lindsay Sadgrove, both of whom were impact players on the weekend, and really stepped up after Sara Maglio was knocked out with an ankle injury in the first half of the semi-final game. "There's no doubt I think our younger players are starting to reach for the torch to be passed. But everytime I think that time is close, our group of veterans reach down and find a way to take their game, their leadership, their effort to a new level."

Other players turning in solid performances were a trio of Coquitlam Wild products: Melissa Mobilio (Coquitlam), Lauren Lachlan (Port Moody) and Diane Rizzardo (Vancouver).

Fletcher was also pleased to see the intensity of the match, from both sides, "That was another great advertisement for women's soccer and how it should and can be played. That match was like a heavyweight fight, with a level physicality that isn't associated often with women's soccer. Not only was it entertaining for the fans, but I think it once again reaffirmed that the Pacific Coast Soccer League is the top league in British Columbia, and that these players, and even the clubs themselves, can be competitive at the next level."

Throw Ins

For the second year in a row, the Xtreme heightened their rivalry with the Vancouver Whitecaps by crushing their Cup hopes. This year it was dominant 4-2 win on Saturday night. The Xtreme were led by Phebe Trotman who scored a hat trick, while Carlen Oates added a single. Keeper Kasia Gwiazda was once again outstanding, particularly in the first two-thirds of the match when the score was close. "I think we're starting to build a bit of a rivalry with Victoria," said Fletcher. "But this Whitcaps-Xtreme rivalry just keeps growing. I am sure we feel it more than they do, but it's alot of fun!"

Coquitlam, BC - Just over two weeks ago, the Tri-Cities Xtreme had five games remaining, and needed 15 points to make the final four Challenge Cup tournament, but in the face of daunting odds and adversity, the Xtreme rolled off a memorable run to edge past Fraser Valley for the final spot. Counting Saturday's semi-final victory, the Xtreme won six games in a row to make it to the Challenge Cup final on Sunday. Alas, seven wasn't to be their lucky number - even if it did take over 120 minutes and five rounds of penalties to end their remarkable streak.

In 2007, the Xtreme pulled off the mother of all upsets with a shock 1-0 extra time victory over the previously undefeated Whitecaps. It was a match that displayed everything that is good about women's soccer. In 2008, the upset storyline wasn't as much a factor - as only six points separated the League Champion Victoria Stars from the Xtreme, who tied for second place. Yet, Sunday's final was every bit as good and even more dramatic than last year's.

As expected - based on these teams previous two outings - the opening half was physical and cagey. Neither club appeared willing to open things up for fear of exposing themselves to a scoring chance. Nevertheless, a rare miscue by the Xtreme led to an opportune goal from Victoria's star striker Liz Hansen. The goal gave Victoria an added boost, but they were unable to extend their lead before half - thanks to some good defending by the Xtreme and some outstanding goalkeeping from Kasia Gwiazda (North Vancouver), who was quickly adding to the reputation she started with her heroics at last year's Challenge Cup.

In the second half, the Xtreme came out the stronger team, and really got all over the Stars. The pressure paid off and within the first ten minutes of the half the Xtreme had jumped to a 2-1 lead, with goals by Phebe Trotman (Coquitlam) and Lindsay Sadgrove (Burnaby). The Xtreme had a few other quality chances, but were unable to finish. And in the later stages of the half, the Stars would pull even with a second tally from Hansen.

The Xtreme appeared to go ahead very late in the game when Sarah Boulton (Pitt Meadows) tapped home a beautiful free kick service from Kristine Jack (New Westminster), but the officials ruled the goal offside, a call that didn't sit well with the Tri-Cities faithful in attendance. With the goal disallowed, both teams played tight through to the final whistle, and for the second straight year the PCSL Women's Final was headed to an extra 30 minutes of soccer. Given the skill, tempo and physcialness these two clubs displayed in the first 90, and extra half hour of soccer seemed fitting, and was appreciated by the throng of spectators that now surrounded the field.

Victoria looked to have gained control of the match in the first half of extra time when Liz Hansen completed her hat trick with a laser beam shot from a tight angle that somehow found it's way into the netting just underneath the crossbar. That 3-2 lead carried through the changeover, and well into the second extra time frame. Then in the waning minutes of the match, Kristine Jack unleashed a beautiful free kick from 35 yards, bending it like Beckham, over the wall, around the outstretched keeper and into the top corner of the Victoria goal.

It was the boost the Xtreme needed, and they followed it up with a flurry of chances but could not find the back of the net, although they found woodwork and stray bodies. Thus, with the score deadlocked at 3-3, the game proceeded to the harshest of tie-breakers: penalty kicks.