ERSL Cup Final
Hornets U15 regional girls team wins second consecutive ERSL Cup
By Fred Sherwin
Orléans Online

Members of the Gloucester Hornets U15 girls regional team pose for a group photo after winning their ERSL Cup final on Sunday. Fred Sherwin/Photo

The Gloucester Hornets U15 regional girls team won their second consecutive ERSL Cup final on Sunday with a 3-1 upset over the regular season champion and previously unbeaten Nepean Hotspurs.

Carolyn "Big Red" Williams opened the scoring at the 13 minute mark of the first half with a well struck ball from in close that found the top corner.

The Hotspurs responded two minutes later when Stephanie Roberts scored while falling to the turf from just inside the penalt area.

The score remained tied the 17 minute mark of the first half when Williams scored her second of the game on a nice through ball which she drilled into the top corner,

The Hornets didn't have much time to celebrate, however, as it took the Hotspurs just five minutes to knot the score up at 2-2 on Roberts' second goal of the game.

The two teams played a much tighter game in the early going of the second half as neither wanted to concede the go ahead goal.

Kelsey Ellis finally broke the deadlock at the 15 minute mark of the second half on a perfectly executed chip shot over the head of the Nepean keeper who had come out of the net to challenge her.

Ellis very nearly put the game out of reach in the 27th minute of the second alf, but the Hotspurs keeper made a brilliant leaping save to deflect the ball off the crossbar.

The Hornets were able to hang on the rest of the way to gain the victory and earn their second ERSL Cup in as many years. The win was that much more satisfying given the fact that the Hotspurs had already beaten them twice this season, including a 3-0 win just two weeks ago.

In fact, the Hotspurs hadn't lost a game all season, amassing a 12-2-0 record in league play to go along their three previous wins in the ERSL Cup preliminary games. The Hornets had only lost two games themselves and weren't about to lose a third.

The Hornets dedicated the win to teammate Megan Foy who broke her collar bone during the team's first game. Despite the injury, Foy has been cheering her team on from the sidelines throughout the season.

Hornets coach George Papandreu called the result the teams biggest win of the season.

"We'vve been working for this for the past month and today the girls put it all together," said Papandreu."We stuck to our game plan, pushing the ball up from the back and the girls gave it 110 per cent."

Williams and Ellis combined for seven of the Hornets' 10 goals in the ERSL Cup tournament, while Alyssa Baker lead the Glloucester side in scoring during the regular season with 14 goals in 13 games including five multi-goal games.

The Hornets also got goals throughout the season from Brianna Thompson, Taylor Skinkle, Haley Bell, Brianca Breiding, Amanda Rogers, Katie Dodge, Emma Scullion and Lily-Anne Bentham.

Members of the Gloucester Hornets U15 girls regional team pose for a group photo after winning their ERSL Cup final on Sunday. Fred Sherwin/Photo

(Posted 9 a.m., Sept. 17)

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