With Election Day just behind us, it was fitting that the teams of the RDA made their way to the Washington, D.C. area last weekend.
Hounds teams took the field for the girls’ weekend at the Premier Cup in Bethesda, Md. and at the Nation’s Capital Cup in Fairfax, Va., and by Sunday, there was no shortage of teams topping their division and playing in finals.
The Premier Cup featured a round robin-only format in most divisions, and the 2002/03 Girls came out atop the most challenging bracket by the slimmest of margins.
Melissa Riggins scored what turned out to be a crucial goal in a 1-1 draw with Maryland United to open the weekend, and Tessa Dellarose put things away with a monster game Sunday, as she scored all four goals in a 4-0 win over Skyline Elite (Va.). That was enough for a 2-0-1 record and plus-8 goal difference on the weekend, two better than Maryland United for first place.
The 05 Girls didn’t need to count goals for their first-place finish, as they won all three matches on the weekend. Ava Boyd found the net in all three matches, a 5-1 win over the host club and 2-0 wins over Southwestern Youth (Va.) and Black Mountain (Pa.). Alexis Tylenda and Julia Lozowski also had three goals each for the 05s.
The 02/03 Composite Girls also finished atop their group with a little help, as Natalie Allen and Casey Breier scored Sunday for a 2-1 win over Minnesota’s Mid-City Lions. That completed a 2-1 tournament, no small achievement on its own, but the Hounds secured first place when Vereinigung Erzgebirge, the Pa. team that handed them their lone loss, dropped its final match on the same day.
Meanwhile, the 04 Girls were the only team that had a true head-to-head matchup to determine first place of its division, as they faced Bethesda SC knowing a win earned them first, while a loss or draw gave the hosts the top spot. Audrey Bianco scored twice in the final match, and Gabby Hill-Junke put the game out of reach in a 3-1 Hounds victory.
Meanwhile, barely an hour to the south, Hounds teams were enjoying finals soccer but not having much fortune at the Nation’s Capital Cup.
The 09 East Girls were mere kicks away from snagging their division’s trophy, but after playing out a scoreless final with fellow group winners Southwestern Youth, it was the Virginia club that took the trophy on penalties, 4-1. The Hounds ended their weekend with a 2-1-1 record overall.
Also reaching the finals were the 06 East Girls, who got an Ave Yurko goal for a 1-0 semifinal win over Arlington SA (Va.), but McLean (Va.) came out on top in the title game, 2-0. The 03 East Girls got a Tali Sizemore goal but fell 2-1 in their final to Fredericksburg (Va.), that after a 4-2 semifinal win over Penn Express FC.
And the 2010 RDA II Girls also were tripped up in their final, falling 1-0 to Maryland’s Xenezies Academy in a match where the Hounds were better in possession. That loss was the only blemish, as the RDA II side won its first three matches on the weekend.
There were plenty of other wins amidst the weekend’s action, and results can always be found on the Live Results page on www.riverhounds.com.
Sunday, Nov. 15
At the Bethesda (Md.) Premier Cup:
• The 05 Girls finished top of their bracket after closing with a 2-0 win over Black Mountain YSA. Ashley Vith recorded a clean sheet in her first start in goal, and goals by Ava Boyd and Julia Lozowski accounted for the winning margin.
• Tessa Dellarose had her striking boots on, scoring two goals on each side of halftime to give the 02/03 Girls a 4-0 win over Skyline Elite (Va.). The margin of victory was enough for the Hounds, who went 2-0-1 on the weekend, to secure the top spot on goal difference.
• The 02/03 Composite Girls picked up their second win of the weekend, 2-1 over the Mid-City Lions (Minn.). Natalie Allen and Casey Breier scored for the Hounds, who moved the ball with some excellent combination play across the field.
• Audrey Bianco’s two goals led the 04 Girls to a 3-1 win over Bethesda SC in a physical, high-level matchup that determined the top spot in the group. Gabby Hill-Junke added the third goal for the Hounds to clinch the result, and Emma Van Meter was stellar in goal behind a good defensive performance.
• The 06 Girls played evenly with Lower Merion, but errors at the back in the second half send the RDA side to a 2-0 defeat.
• The 04 Regional League Girls fell behind by a pair of goals against Yardley-Makefield. The team came out with a better second half and got a Sydney Gray goal from a corner kick, but the Hounds couldn’t get a tying goal and fell, 2-1. Gray nearly equalized from a free kick, but her effort hit the crossbar and stayed out.
At the Nation’s Capital Cup in Fairfax, Va.:
• The 09 East Girls were in it right to the final whistle, but they were beaten 4-1 on penalties by Southwestern YA (Va.) after the two group winners played out a 0-0 draw. To reach the final, the 09s closed out group play with a 3-0 win over Salisbury United (Md.) with goals scored by Rylee Leasher, Mikaela Bunovich and Ava Ruvalcava.
• Ave Yurko scored the lone goal to send the 06 East Girls to the final with a 1-0 semifinal win over Arlington SA (Va.), but it was another Northern Virginia side, McLean, that claimed first place by knocking off the Hounds in the championship game, 2-0.
• The 03 East Girls also picked up a semifinal win, 4-2, over Penn Express FC, but like their younger counterparts, they were stopped in the final by Fredericksburg FC (Va.), 2-1. Tali Sizemore had the goal in the final for the Hounds, who played well but wore down against a good opponent.
• Milan Pennetti, Larkin Carroll and Gabby Bunyak all scored for the 10 RDA II Girls, who seemed to save their best on the weekend for the knockout rounds with a 3-0 semifinal win over McLean (Va.). The team was slow to get going in the final, however, but settled in against a physical Xenezies Academy (Md.) side that was happy to clear their lines with a big ball out of the back. The Hounds had chances, but it was the Marylanders who got the lone goal with four minutes remaining.
Saturday, Nov. 14
At the Bethesda (Md.) Premier Cup:
• Melissa Riggins, Tessa Dellarose, Jordyn Kowalkowski and Honora Armfield scored to get 02/03 Girls in the win column, 4-0 over York’s FC Ballyhoo. Angelina King was a standout defensively for the Hounds, who controlled play for much of the game.
• The 02/03 Composite Girls battled well, but some small mistakes along the back line proved costly in a 4-2 loss to Vereinigung Erzgebirge.
• The 04 Girls were beaten by a set piece goal from Eagle FC, 1-0. The Hounds had chances to pull ahead early and to pull level after the goal, but they were unable to find the net.
• The 05 Girls were tested by a dangerous Southwestern Youth (Va.) side, but the Hounds came out on top, 2-0. Ava Boyd scored the first goal and turned provider on the second, setting up Alexis Tylenda for the goal that put the game out of reach.
• The 04 Regional League Girls were convincing 4-0 winners over Calvert SA (Md.). Abby Weis scored a pair of goals, and Sydney Gray and Daniela Garner also found the net for the Hounds.
• The 05 Regional League Girls struck the crossbar three times but couldn’t get one under it, as they had to settle for a 0-0 draw with Keystone Athletic. Jillian Blake recorded the clean sheet in goal for the Hounds.
• The 06 Girls were second-best in their tournament opener, as they fell to Bethesda SC, 6-0. The team was much better in their second match of the day but couldn’t come away with a point in a 2-1 loss to Loudoun Soccer (Va.). Kristi Gorman got her first RDA goal in the loss, circling the keeper to score after latching onto a Sophia DeJesus through ball.
At the Nation’s Capital Cup in Fairfax, Va.:
• A big win started out the 07 East Girls’ day, as they toppled West Virginia FC, 5-0. Leah Paugh had a hat trick as the Hounds were very good moving the ball around on a sloppy field, and Jaden Kantorick and Adi Belanger also scored. The side followed up the win with a 2-2 draw against Maryland United. Carmella Simco had both goals in the second match, in which the team continued to move the ball well but weren’t as clinical in front of goal.
• The 09 East Girls got things rolling with a 3-1 win over North Chesapeake (Md.). Coaches hailed a complete team effort, which included goals by Cam Kapr, Lauren Paugh and Rylee Leasher. The team’s second match was a tough one, as they fell to Loudoun Soccer (Va.), 2-1.
• The 08 East Girls ran out of steam late against ECNL side McLean (Va.), as they fell 3-1 in a match that was tied with nine minutes remaining. Jiana Patterson scored in the defeat. The team bounced back to take a point from their second match, a 1-1 draw with Loudoun Soccer that saw Annalyse Bauer notch the Hounds goal.
• Milan Pennetti scored from a free kick and on the end of a corner kick as part of a 4-2 win by the 10 RDA II Girls over Vienna Youth Soccer (Va.). Ashleigh Mitrik and Gabby Buynak also scored, as the Hounds moved the ball well from midfield to attack. The team won again, 3-1, when they faced Calvert SA (Md.). Alexa Peeler, Mitrik and Pennetti scored for the Hounds, who played very well out of the back from goal kicks and transitioned well by playing the ball wide through the midfield.
• The 10 East Girls had a pair of disappointing results, falling 1-0 to Maryland United and 2-1 against Loudoun Soccer. Gloria Kovscek had the goal for the Hounds, who played well enough to win in both matches but were hurt by small mistakes on both ends of the field.
Friday, Nov. 13
At the Bethesda (Md.) Premier Cup:
• The 02/03 Girls kicked off their weekend with a hard-fought 1-1 draw against Maryland United in a battle of ECNL clubs. The Hounds trailed in the game until 20 minutes remained, when Melissa Riggins finished by getting on the end of a Tessa Dellarose free kick. As a whole, the team showed plenty of encouraging signs for their first outing and had chances to win.
• The 02/03 Composite Girls side were comeback kids, scoring twice in the final five minutes to swipe a 2-1 win over Salisbury United (Md.). Casey Breier and Mikaela Small scored for the Hounds, who can improve on the performance but showed a lot of heart to get the result late.
• Ella Dinwiddie scored on her club debut by finishing a pass cut back to her by Mary Kate Lape, and that was all the 04 Girls needed to take a 1-0 win over Philadelphia SC. The Hounds had chances to finish four or five goals, and the team was excellent defensively, pressuring the ball and not conceding a single shot on goal.
• The biggest win of the day belonged to the 05 Girls, who knocked off homestanding Bethesda SC, 5-1. Alexis Tylenda and Julia Lozowski scored two goals apiece, and Ava Boyd added one of her own. Fiona Mahan and Kate Friday commanded the midfield, a big reason for the Hounds’ dominance in the match.
• The 04 Regional League Girls controlled much of play but ended up with a disappointing 1-0 defeat against Virginia Legacy. Despite the loss, Aleah Parison played a strong game in goal, and Alena Taladay stood out at center back.
• The 05 Regional League Girls did well for their first outing as a group, but a late first-half corner kick scored by Skyline Elite (Va.) ended up deciding the match, as the Hounds fell 1-0. Marianna Dorsch and Halle Rager anchored a good performance by the backline.
