This year has been all about development and growth for Whitecaps FC.
The MLS side continues to make major strides this season, and currently sit in a Western Conference playoff spot.
The women’s program didn’t necessarily always get the results they were looking for, however a number of the younger players were integrated into the lineup and did not look out of place.
The Residency program made huge steps during their first year in the USSDA. As both the U-16 and U-18 squads won their divisions and made the playoffs in Frisco, Texas. In fact, the U-18 team made it all the way to the championship match in Houston, Texas.
Now it's time for the Girls Elite program to take centre stage. After finishing atop the Pacific Coast Soccer League (PCSL) table with a record of 10-2-2 and 32 points. The Girls Elite team will be looking to capture the club’s third PCSL Dave Fryatt Challenge Cup this weekend in Chilliwack.
The squad is primed for the Challenge Cup after last weekend's McAdams Memorial Cup tournament in Bellingham, Washington, which featured the best girl's U-18 squads from around the Pacific Northwest. After beating Oregon’s Tulatin Hills United FC in the semifinal, The Blue and White quickly turned their attention to Sunday's final against hometown favourites Whatcom County Rapids, in which WFC lost a 1-0 heartbreaker in overtime.
"It has been another great season for us in the PCSL," said Whitecaps FC Girls Elite head coach Jesse Symons. “It has been a great way for the girl's to compete against top level competition. We’re looking to rebound from last weekend and finish our season off on a high note."
One 'Caps player to keep an eye on is forward Lucille Kozlov, who is a goal scoring threat whenever she is on the pitch. Kozlov will be looking to finish off her season on a high, before she moves east to play her first season with National Collegiate Athletic Association side Dartmouth.
The Challenge Cup, which takes place at Townsend Park and Exhibition Field in Chilliwack, BC, will feature the top four teams from the PCSL standings in a final four tournament. In the second semifinal match, the 'Caps battle Coquitlam Metro Ford on Saturday, July 28, at 4 p.m. PT at Townsend park. The final will take place on Sunday, July 29, at 4 p.m. PT at Exhibition Field.
