Small, but tough

Photos

COSTA MESA — The St. Joachim Elementary girls had something to prove being a private school with limited girls to play on their third-and fourth-grade Silver Division team. However, this did not seem to affect the team from competing against the much larger Andersen Sunday in the title game of the ninth annual Daily Pilot Cup.

In true championship form the girls’ third- and fourth-grade Silver Division final came down to the wire at Costa Mesa Farm Complex. St. Joachim needed all of the effort that each of the girls delivered. Sianna Siemonsma scored two goals to lead St. Joachim to a 3-2 victory over Andersen.

But it was Andersen that got ahead early with a goal by standout forward Emma Scott. After beating two defenders she put it in the back of the net and put Andersen up 1-0 early in the game.

The frontlines for each team had amazing athletes attacking the goal every chance they had. Scott had the support of a very talented Leah Givant that was all over the field for Andersen.

But on the other side, Siemonsma was flashing by the opposition with a lot of help from Brandi White in the midfield.

Toward the middle of the first half, Siemonsma scored her first goal of the game and tied it up, 1-1. The intensity of the game reached a new level as both sides increased the pace and pushed as hard as possible before the first half came to a close.

However, it was in the second half where St. Joachim started to pull away. White opened the second half for St. Joachim by scoring a huge goal from outside the 18-yard box that was just outside the reach of the Andersen goalkeeper.

Not long after, Siemonsma put in her second goal by one timing a loose ball inside the Andersen 18, putting St. Joachim up, 3-1.

“It was fun and my team played amazing,” Siemonsma said of her performance.

As the second half unfolden into the last 10 minutes of play, the Andersen girls got hit by another big blow. The team’s most energetic and spunky player, Givant, had sustained a game ending injury.

She courageously left the field and left it up to her teammates to get back into the game.

They did not disappoint.

As the end of the game neared, Scott gave the crowd a thrill as she scored a fantastic breakaway goal to bring Andersen within one. With two minutes left the score was, 3-2.

But it was St. Joachim that stayed strong throughout and held on to the victory to win the championship.

“They played like a team and every girl competed,” St. Joachim Coach Bill Lyon said. “I told them it’s not about conquering but about competing.”

Lyon left impressed with Siemonsma’s performance.

“Sianna played at the highest level,” he said.