HAMILTON, ON – Jessica De Filippo provided the scoring punch on Sunday as Vancouver Whitecaps FC Girls Elite defeated Calgary Blizzard 2-0 on a warm evening at Tim Hortons Field to move on to the Women’s Inter-Provincial Championship final.
The 'Caps will now face Ligue1 Quebec champions CS Mont-Royal Outremont this coming Sunday, August 11 at 12 p.m. PT, available to watch live through OneSoccer.
The match began with both sides jostling for control of the game. Jaime Perrault almost got a chance to open the scoring in the 31st minute, running down the right side and cutting inside, but her shot skewed wide of the mark. Jeneva Hernandez Gray got a header off for the first shot on target just a few minutes later. Aislin Phillips got Blizzard’s first look on goal from a free kick from distance.
Josie Longhurst struck the crossbar just before half, teeing up from just outside the box. Despite dominating most of the match, Whitecaps FC would go into the break with the match goalless.
The second half began with Whitecaps FC picking up where they left off, as De subbed into the match. The Canadian striker broke the deadlock in the 53rd minute, latching onto a ball from Josie Longhurst and pulling off an audacious chip from 25-yards out, catching Lauren Houghton off-guard and cascading into the net.
De Filippo made it a quick second in the 56th minute, getting released in behind by a long ball from Téa Mayson and slotting it past Houghton to double the ‘Caps’ advantage.
Hernandez Grey came close to making it three goals to the good in the 69th minute, getting on the end of a lofted ball, cutting inside off the right and smashing an effort off the crossbar. De Filippo got on the rebound and forced a big save from Houghton to deny her her hat-trick.
Chloe Taylor was the next player to smash the woodwork, hitting it from close range off a corner kick opportunity in the 72nd minute.
With the two-goal lead secured, Whitecaps FC saw out the rest of the game to reach the final of the Inter-Provincial Championship for a consecutive year.
MATCH DETAILS
Referee: Amanda Kwan
Scoring Summary
53’ – VAN – Jessica Di Filippo (Josie Longhurst)
56’ – VAN – Jessica Di Filippo (Téa Mayson)
Cautions
45’ – VAN – Jeneva Hernandez Gray
Vancouver Whitecaps FC
33.Morgan McAslan; 14.Téa Mayson, 28.Brianne Reed (c), 12.Keira Martin; 24.Bianca Patik (21.Jourdan Ziff 77’), 7.Jeneva Hernandez Gray, 4.Emily Wong (16.Bridget Mutipula 68’), 19.Josie Longhurst (20.Chloe Taylor 62’, 8.Jaime Perrault (13.Sammy Reimer 77’); 15.Jade Mitchell (22.Jessica De Filippo 45’), 11.Kaylee Hunter (25.Mia Guterres 77’)


Substitutes not used
30.Kylie Sandulak
Calgary Blizzard
1.Lauren Houghton; 3.Mykena Walker, 21.Julia Kittelson, 19.Rowyn James, 5.Aliya Coy (18.Kaleigh Major 74’); 8.Shaynne Hedges (11.Rehana Murani 60’), 12.Aislin Phillips, 4.Rachel Barlow; 13.Kelsie Macdonald (7.Grace Moore 60’),10.Bryn Mortensen (6.Addison White 60’), 9.Brooke Batty (2.Cailyn Cha-Yang 74’)
Substitutes not used
30.Katie French, 31.Kailin Roberts, 20.Danica Pullishy
