Mariners socks it to Rea
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Though all teams are issued the same monochromatic T-shirt jerseys, a wide disparity in shorts, socks and even decorative alterations to said T-shirts can make stylistic conformity among Daily Pilot Cup teams sporadic at best.
But the fifth- and sixth-grade girls’ Gold Division team from Mariners Elementary has a leg up in the uniformity department this year.
Each player for Mariners, with three returning players from last year’s fifth- and sixth-grade girls’ Gold Division champions, wore matching socks in Tuesday’s 4-0 triumph over Rea at the Jack Hammett Sports Complex.
“It’s a corporate sponsor,” Mariners Coach Chris Pullis said of the blue-black-and-white patterned socks that kept his players aesthetically congruous. “The goal is to get everybody to be a school, first and foremost. This is the only opportunity for kids who never ever play together to play together.”
Sixth-grader Samantha Wallis, one of those who contributed to the 2015 title, helped insure winning was yet another symbol of symmetry for Mariners.
Wallace, who scored the overtime game-winner in last year’s final, scored both first-half goals for the winners. She set up both scores with her own deft dribbling, then fired left-footed drives across the cage and tucked them inside the right post.
Wallace’s first score came in the fourth minute. She doubled the lead by dribbling from the right wing across the middle to the left side, then finishing into the upper right corner of the net in the 22nd minute of the 25-minute first half.
Melia Berkenfield, another of the three championship returners, set up the third goal by tossing a throw-in onto the foot of Chloe Leclerc, who finished in the 30th minute.
Forward Laine Briggs finalized the scoring for Mariners, directing a shot at a sharp angle from just outside the left post, into the right portion of the net in the 39th minute.
Mariners fired 17 shots, while Rea, which began the game with nine players (two below the typical lineup of 11), and had a maximum of 10 players on the field, finished with three shots, none in the second half.
Rea received strong defensive play from Kimberly Lazaro and Laura Madariaga, while goalkeepers Samantha Lopez (five) and Suli Alvarez combined to make nine saves.
Rea Coach Dallana Salinas also praised the play of forwards Lily Figueroa and Alvarez.
Mariners goalkeeper Caroline Williams made two saves, one from point-blank range by reaching high with her right hand to bat a ball away while retreating toward her own goal line.
Additional standouts for Mariners included Angelina Fercano, Auna Baum, Piper Brosnan and Brielle Benedict, the third championship returner.
Izzy Pullis, Lauren Robert, Drew Fitzpatrick, Caroline Close, Lana Burns, Kendall Soloman and Rowdy Farmer also contributed for Mariners, which continues pool play Wednesday at 6:30 against Andersen.
“We got past a couple early tournament jitters and the girls settled down and started playing,” Chris Pullis said. “I just send them out there and they play. They know how to play the game and it’s fun to get them out there together.”
Additional contributors for Rea were Jessica Perez, Jocelyn Rios, Alondra Flores, Yessica Luna and Estephanie Quintara.
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Twitter: @BarryFaulkner5
