By Davie Wong
The opening week of soccer is exciting for every team. But for the Douglas College Women’s Soccer team, opening weekend meant a chance to prove themselves to all those who may doubt their skill as a team. It was especially important for them as they played two of their all-time rivals to start the season.
The women kicked off their season against the Langara Falcons in a classic brawl between two of the Lower-Mainland’s best teams. Whenever these two rivals clash heads, it’s always a spectacle that no one wants to miss. This time round didn’t change any of that.
The match shaped out as a hard-nosed battle for air supremacy. Both teams traded possession as they tried to figure out the best way through the wet weather. It was a tight game until the end, and only one team needed to make a mistake to seal the game for the other. Unfortunately, it was the Royals who made that mistake. A misplayed ball near the net lead to a turnover and an easy goal for the Falcons.
Try as they might, the Royals could not recover from that mistake, despite having several good looks and near goals. They took the loss in their season opener and moved on to the next challenge. It would be none other than a gold medal rematch against the VIU Mariners waiting for them on Saturday.
It was a highly anticipated match for fans, spectators, players, and coaches. The Mariners were out for revenge, and the Royals looked to prove once again that the gold they earned last year was no fluke. The match lived up to most people’s expectations and probably a little more.
The Royals got things started early with a gorgeous move, capped off by a goal from first-year defender Sonali Dholliwar. However, only a few minutes later, the Mariners would strike back, grabbing a goal of their own. They would also add to that tally shortly after, bringing the score to 2-1 for the visitors. Both teams would take that score into half time, as the Royals looked to regroup, and the Mariners looked to buckle down.
Things couldn’t have looked more different in the second half. Right out of the gates, VIU managed to get the ball down the field and tuck a goal into the net, bringing the score to 3-1. However, the Royals would not be walked all over on their home turf. Chanelle Collins finished off a play for the Royals with a lovely shot from some distance that beat everyone on the play.
The goal brought them back within one, but it didn’t last. VIU took the ball on the ensuing play and made sure their lead stayed at two goals with a gritty goal. Being thrown into a sort of desperation, the home team came right back at the Mariners and came at them hard. A foul just outside the box gave Andrea Perrotta a free kick with a good look at the net. She showed her set piece expertise and found the perfect angle and location to put the free kick and beat the keeper, bringing the score a little closer.
Only a couple of plays later, a Royal was clattered in the penalty box. The home team looked to the referee and eagerly awaited the call. They were awarded a penalty shot, and once again, Perrotta’s expertise would be called upon. The home crowd that filled the bleachers went silent as she stepped up to the mark. If you listened closely, you could hear the wind blowing gently, and the sharp little breaths both Perrotta and the VIU goalkeeper were taking to prepare themselves. You could hear Perrotta’s footsteps as she began her movement. You could hear the impact of the ball as she made her shot. Then you could hear nothing. Nothing but the roar of the Royals on the field, on the bench, and in the stands, as Perrotta slammed home the game tying goal.
Having clawed their way back from being two goals down, the Royals felt as if they could see out the game and that the climax had passed. For the most part, it had. But the Mariners really wanted to win. So they brought the ball back into the Royals end and scored again.
With a little more than 5 minutes left, the Royals needed a miracle to even tie the game. Fortunately for them, Mikayla Hamilton was on the case. Having been quiet for most of the game, the Royals’ clinical striker made her mark in a huge way, scoring a gorgeous goal from way out near the top corner of the penalty box. Her goal brought the score line to 5 for both squads, and closed out the game.
After the game, Andrea Perrotta talked about what the game was like from her angle, and how it felt to score her two goals. “It feels good to get those two goals. It was a back and forth game. It’s refreshing to be back in the game, and to score more goals today than I scored all of last season”. Perrotta is coming back from a long-term injury which sidelined her for most of the 2015-2016 campaign.
With the game in the books, the Royals had one more left in the weekend. They played against the Quest Kermodes to finish off their home stand. It was the least anticipated game out of the three that week, but nonetheless, it was still a game, and an opportunity to secure three points. Both teams seemed quite evenly matched, going even in possession time and trading small chances back and forth for the first half. It wasn’t until the second half that the Royals found a way to make their presence known.
After a bad turnover by the Kermodes, Michelle Wessa scored her first of the season from some distance to cap off the Royals pressure tactic. With the lead, the Royals retreated into their zone to try and buckle down and defend. Quest came at them with everything they had, pretty much sitting in the Royals end for the last 20 minutes of the game. Things may have turned out very different, if it weren’t for goalkeeper Alexa Gazzola. Her stellar play slammed the door shut on the Kermodes and secured the win for the Royals.
What made her performance even more impressive was the fact that it was her first PACWEST start, and her first PACWEST win. The rookie goalkeeper was an offseason recruit, and looked like a natural under the pressure from the Kermodes. She shared her thoughts on the game, and what it was like starting in the PACWEST for the first time. “It was a bit scary at first, but the coaches have prepared me well, so I knew it was going to be okay going in. My first win and my first clean sheet feels really good. I can feel all the hard work starting to pay off. Of course, our defence has also been working really hard, so that made it much easier on me”.
With the first week of play wrapped up, the Royals can look forward to a much lighter schedule next week. They only play one game, and that’s when they visit the Capilano Blues. The players will have plenty of time to rest up and recover from what has undoubtedly been a tough weekend on their forms. They will also have the edge, as Capilano plays the VIU Mariners the day before they play the Royals. Whatever the result, the match will surely be exciting, as Capilano’s results from the first week put them on equal footing with the Royals. The women kick off the action on Sunday at Lillooet Field, at 12pm sharp. Go Royals!
