NANAIMO, BC – It was another statement victory from Vancouver Whitecaps FC Girls Elite Academy as they swept five past Harbourside FC in Nanaimo BC to win 5-0 on a warm, spring afternoon.
Harbourside FC kicked off, and threatened the ‘Caps’ goal early on. Former Whitecaps FC Girls Elite forward, and current Harbourside FC player, Jazmine Wilkinson ran through the middle and fired off a shot, only for it to be pushed wide by Sidney Vanier. Whitecaps FC would not be outdone and would reply with a goal not a minute later, as Kaylee Hunter tucked in a cross from Jaime Perrault on the right side to open the scoring.
Hunter then got her second of the match in the 23rd minute, after being played in by Kierra Blundell. Hunter flicked it over her marker in the box and volleyed it past Emily Rowbotham to double the ‘Caps’ advantage. Jeneva Hernandez-Gray then added to the goals in the 39th minute, after doing well to dispossess Rebekah Van Dort in Harbourside’s own box and tucking it into an empty net to make it 3-0 in the first half.
Kierra Blundell almost made it four just a few minutes later, after getting on the end of a flicked pass in behind by Joy Kimwemwe. Now inside the box, Blundell tried to curl a shot past Rowbotham but was denied by the frame of the goal. That would be the last chance of the half as the ‘Caps went into the half with a healthy 3-0 lead.
Wilkinson nearly got one back for Harbourside five minutes into the second half, as she drove down the left and fired off a shot from a narrow angle, forcing Kylie Sandulak into her first save after coming in. It did not take long, however, for Whitecaps FC to continue their dominance by scoring a fourth goal in the 55th minute. Mia Guterres, off the bench, picked up a loose ball just outside the Harbourside box and lasered a shot into the bottom right corner to put the Caps’ four goals to the good.
Hernandez-Gray made it 5-0 just five minutes later after being sent in behind by Emma Yee, dinking past the onrushing Rowbotham and tapping it into the empty net once again. Harbourside tried to get a consolation goal through Jensa Napier-Ganley shot in 78th, but it flew high and wide. Ava Alexander had a near identical chance with five minutes to play, but her shot too went wide of the mark.
Guterres nearly got her second of the match with two minutes to play after being found alone in the box, but Rowbotham did well to drop down to her right and palm Guterres’ shot away. Whitecaps FC then saw out the game all the way to the end to secure their third-straight win of the season.
Whitecaps FC are back in action facing Burnaby FC in Burnaby on Wednesday, May 15 at 8 p.m. PT.
MATCH DETAILS
Referee: Rodrigo Zadunaisky
Scoring Summary
4’ – VAN – Kaylee Hunter (Jaime Perrault)
23’ – VAN – Kaylee Hunter (Kierra Blundell)
39’ – VAN – Jeneva Hernandez-Gray
55’ – VAN – Mia Guterres
60’ – VAN – Jeneva Hernandez-Gray (Emma Yee)
Harbourside FC
23.Emily Rowbotham ©; 20.Kate Reynolds (11.Mya Creed 62’), 6.Taiya Scorey, 5.Rebekah Van Dort, 10.Ruby Nichols; 24.Sophie Fingarson, 7.Taylor Kinley (16.Elle Gignac HT), 2.Sophie Murphy (18.Jensa Napier-Ganley HT); 21.Tanis McKay (15.Meghan Linegar 72’), 19.Jazmine Wilkinson (12.Maddy Dawson 69’), 17.Erin Jensen (8.Ava Alexander 62’)
Substitutes not used
1.Brooke Ingram
Vancouver Whitecaps FC Girls Elite Academy
1.Sidney Venier (30.Kylie Sandulak HT); 8.Jaime Perrault, 14.Tea Mayson, 12.Keira Martin, 3.Iba Oching (13.Sammy Reimer HT); 7.Noelle Sather, 10.Jeneva Hernandez Gray (15.Ashley Roberts 62’), 20.Chloe Taylor; 2.Joy Kimwemwe (25.Mia Guterres HT), 9.Kierra Blundell © (26.Abigail Anderson 62’), 11.Kaylee Hunter (17.Emma Yee HT)
Substitutes not used
4.Emily Wong
