The Soo City United U13 Girls came back from Cambridge with the gold medal. Backed by stellar defensive play, the Sault girls went undefeated in the round-robin and played their hearts out Sunday to win the championship. Soo City United is the newly branded name for the previous rep soccer program known as Civics.
In Game one on Saturday, Soo City United defeated Cambridge United SWRSA by a score of 3-0. Samantha Mazzuca, Sydney Czop and Kassie Sartor scored for the Sault.
Game two was a tight show-down in the heat of the day and the Sault was able to secure a 0-0 tie with Waterloo United.
The third game in the day and the last game of the round robin in their pool, had the team on the pitch versus the previously undefeated Hamilton Sparta. The Sault girls once again, played solid soccer. Kassie Sartor opened up the scoring early in the game, while Amy Dodson scored on a free kick in the second half to help the Soo squad walk away with a 2-0 victory and their third straight shutout. The 2-0-1 record secured first place in Pool A for the girls and a date with the second-place finisher in Pool B.
The semi-final match had the Soo lined up against Woolwich. Once again, the Soo struck early as Bianca Spadafora opened up the scoring four minutes into the game to energize her club. Soo City United went on to score four more goals to secure a 5-0 victory and ensure a spot in the final. Samantha Mazzuca, Kassie Sartor and Paris Von Stach with two, rounded out the scoring.
The stage was then set for the final against a very disciplined Burlington Bayhawks club. Once again, the U13 Soo United Girls struck early. Amy Dodson, on a play where the opposing goalie was under pressure, was able to redirect the goalie’s clearance attempt into the net to take a 1-0 lead. That seemed to have rattled the Burlington club as Dodson struck again within three minutes, to put the Soo up 2-0 about 12 minutes into the game. That lead was enough for the Sault team to lock down the middle of the field and keep the Bayhawks at bay. The game ended as a 2-0 victory and was the team’s fifth straight shutout in the tournament. Goaltending duties for the tournament were shared between Jasmine Morton and Taelyn Dos Santos.
The Sault girls took home their first tournament championship in their very first tournament as a Soo City United group.
Other members of the club include Ava Evans, Remy Delorenzi, Megan Bassanello, Paige Gazankas, Brooke Brazeau, Madelyn Clement, Ally Nott, Carly Coccimiglio and Gabby Baril.
The U13 squad’s staff includes Coach Steve Mazzuca, Assistant coach's Leni Mazzuca and Carlo Spadafora, Trainer Carmen Coccimiglio and Manager Angela Marcello Evans.