For the week of July 23 - 29, 2003

Boise makes it
easy as A-B-C

Ketchum #1 settles for second in
Laurent Perrier soccer

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Winning four games, the last two by shutouts, Boise ABC captured the first-place magnum of champagne for taking the championship of the annual Laurent Perrier women’s soccer tournament Sunday at Atkinson Park.

Boise ABC made it as easy as 1-2-3 in defeating the #1-seeded Laurent Perrier team from Ketchum by a score of 3-0 Sunday. Earlier in Sunday’s semi-final, #2-seeded Boise ABC blanked Strikers Futbol Posse from Salt Lake City 5-0.

Laurent Perrier top scorer Farrell Swain, who played college soccer at the University of New Hampshire, pushes the ball upfield during last weekend’s Laurent Perrier women’s tournament at Ketchum’s Atkinson Park. Her team went 2-1 and earned runner-up honors. Swain didn’t find much running room against the tough defense of Boise ABC in the title game. Express photo by Willy Cook

The outcome was a disappointment for Ketchum #1, which won its two preliminary games Saturday 8-2 and 4-1 as former University of New Hampshire college soccer player Farrell Swain (5 of the 12 goals) was nearly unstoppable.

But, in Sunday’s championship contest, Boise ABC comprised of players from Accolade, Blast and Contenders in the capital city kept Swain’s scoring opportunities to a bare minimum with quick defense.

Earning a big advantage in corner kicks, Boise made the most of its chances. Midway through the first half, Becky Morgan headed home Kristi Handley’s corner for a 1-0 Boise lead. That was all goalkeeper Stephanie Melvy needed.

Katy Derby provided Boise ABC with insurance six minutes into the second half when she blasted a shot that hit the crossbar and bounced right back out to her. She punched it home. Then Alyssa Daley gave Tiffany Holtz a nice lead pass and Holtz made the score 3-0 at the 68-minute mark.

Ketchum coach Rob Butterfield, acknowledging his team couldn’t free up Farrell Swain to do her thing in the finale, added, "Boise was quicker and a little faster. We had our chances. It just wasn’t to be. But our team did really well for the weekend."

Actually, both Ketchum teams in the five-team midsummer tilt did well. Ketchum #2 went 1-1-1 and earned third place with a hard-fought 2-1 overtime triumph Sunday morning. Jody Zarkos scored the game winner.

Here are Saturday’s results: Ketchum #1 8-2 over Strikers Futbol Posse; Ketchum #2 played to a 2-2 tie with Tom Grainey’s of Boise; Boise ABC 4-2 over Ketchum #2; Ketchum #1 4-1 over Tom Grainey’s; and Boise ABC 5-3 over Strikers Futbol.

On Sunday, Boise ABC whitewashed Strikers Futbol Posse 5-0 and Ketchum #2 bounced Tom Grainey’s 2-1 in sudden-death overtime. Then, in the championship game, Boise ABC defeated Ketchum #1 3-0.

Ketchum #1 takes second

Ketchum #1 built a 5-1 halftime lead against Strikers Futbol Posse on goals by captain Lia Johnson (assist by Katherine Rixon), Swain, Vicky Johnston (Molly Peppo), Swain and Casey Mills (Becky Cron).

Swain added two goals in the second half, the first assisted by Kelly Feldman. Carolina Stevens also scored in the 8-2 rout.

Unfortunately, halfback Molly Peppo suffered a knee injury in Saturday’s 8-2 win over Strikers. And Ketchum was playing without Lara Stone, who injured her knee in practice last week.

Saturday’s second game was lopsided as well. Ketchum #1 won 4-1 over Tom Grainey’s on goals by Kelli Kerns, Cron (assist by goalkeeper Kelly Haisley), Johnson and Swain.

Also on Ketchum #1 were Margo Ros, Jenni Conrad, sweeper Siobhan Sutton, Annie Stout and Lynette Kerns. Coach Butterfield gave particular credit to stopper Jenni Conrad. "Jenni was very aggressive and showed a lot of heart," he said.

OT win for Ketchum #2

The fact that Laurent Perrier could field two strong teams for last weekend’s tournament was a testament to the growth of women’s soccer here, said Jody Zarkos of Ketchum #2.

It took a little while for Ketchum #2 players to get to know each other, captain Tizz Strachan Miller said. Once they did, however, they jelled as a team, had fun and played good soccer last weekend, Zarkos added.

Saturday’s 2-2 tie against Tom Grainey’s was a come-from-behind effort for Ketchum #2. They trailed 1-0 and tied it 1-1 on a goal by Casey Hanrahan. Tom Grainey’s pushed home a goal just before half for a 2-1 lead. Then, in the second half, stopper Ashley Brown launched a 40-yard free kick that striker Langely McNeal bicycle-kicked into the net.

Playing against eventual champion Boise ABC in the 90-degree heat Saturday afternoon, Ketchum #2 fell behind 2-0 after only 10 minutes.

Ketchum #2 manufactured a very nice scoring play to make it 2-1. From midfield, Pauli Ochi gave the ball to Zarkos, who connected with Liv Jensen on the right wing. Jensen crossed the ball to Cassie Abel in the box. Abel drilled a good shot, but it ricocheted off the far post and back out.

Amy Olson made no mistake with the rebound and hit the corner, 2-1.

Zarkos added a goal in the second half as Boise ABC prevailed 4-2.

For much of Sunday’s rematch against Tom Grainey’s, Ketchum #1 led the Boise women 1-0 on a first-half goal by Abel, from 40 yards out.

But left back Jessica Lopour gave Tom Grainey’s new life when she bounced a long kick from midfield over the head of Ketchum keeper Christine Gould for a 1-1 tie. That’s the way it stayed after regulation.

Ketchum #2, with eight substitutes, convinced Tom Grainey’s, with one substitute, to play a sudden-death overtime period and settle the issue of which team would claim third place.

Four minutes into OT, midfielder Liv Jensen made a throw-in to captain Tizz Miller, who one-timed a long 35-yard kick into the box in front of the Boise goal. The keeper juggled it, and Zarkos punched the winner home.

Miller gave a lot of credit to sweeper Sam Wilson, stopper Ashley Brown and first-time goalie Gould for backstopping the winning effort.

Other Ketchum #2 players included Katie Diest, Liz Morbeck, Jeannie Kiel, Cristina Anderson, Julie Siegel, Jen Copeland Embree, Joanie Fox, Kari Houck, Kate Mahoney, Erika Connelly and Andrea Palm. The coach for the weekend was Mike Stevens.

Although the team’s annual tournament is over, practices continue Mondays at 6 p.m. at the Ketchum park, coach Butterfield said.

 

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