Day 1 Recap | Day 2 Recap

Mother Nature and the Soccer Gods finally came to an agreement on the final day of games at the adidas Blue Chip Showcase on Sunday.  After a weekend of wet, cold and windy conditions the sun finally came out and brought warmer temperatures to Oxford, Ohio. 

The first game of the U15 age group paired Centennial SC Cougars of Minnesota against Everest SC from Ohio North. Rachel Boyer started up top for Centennial and showed impressive speed, getting behind Everest SC’s backline multiple times. Boyer also displayed great poise on the ball and came close to netting a goal for Centennial many times throughout the match.

Samantha Riga

Despite Boyer’s dominating performance, the Cougars' goal came from midfielder Nan Glinsek who displayed impressive speed on the ball and sliced through three Everest SC players to score.

The game ended with Centennial SC Cougars on top, 1-0.

The U16 age group saw two MRL teams face off when Twin Cities Fire SC 97 took on Tri-State Futbol Alliance (TFA) Elite 96. The two teams played an even first half, ending the first 45 minutes with a 0-0 tie. Jordan Staggs of TFA Elite came out of halftime ready to change that though. Playing in the target center forward slot, Staggs showed great speed in getting behind Twin Cities’ defense and finished off two goals for TFA Elite. She was assisted by Samantha Duwel who played excellent combinations through the midfield the entire second half.

Alley Schmidt also added a goal for TFA Elite as they defeated Twin Cities Fire 4-0.

ZYSA Select I of Indiana faced off against Cleveland Impact in the U17 age group. The afternoon game proved to be a very evenly skilled match. ZYSA Select I was able to secure a majority of the chances in the first half but Cleveland Impact keeper Amanda Pratt was equal to the task, cleaning up through balls and crosses. Cleveland State commit Payton Lewis anchored the midfield for the Impact, going strong into tackles and attempting to get the ball forward. For ZYSA Cassidy Blacha showed some technical ability by carrying the ball up the left side and finding her forwards.

ZYSA Select I would go on to score in the second half and beat Cleveland Impact, 1-0.

One of the feature matchups of the showcase happened this morning when ECNL side Michigan Hawks faced off against New Mexico’s Rio SC 97 in the U16 age group. The two teams battled through a scoreless first half but the Hawks came out of the break ready to push forward.

“I think our movement off the ball really helped us in the second half. We weren’t really moving for each other or anticipating where the next pass was going during the first half, so that was something we wanted to do in the second,” Michigan Hawks midfielder Shannon Magnan said.

That movement off the ball helped Hawks forward Samantha Riga break the tie, as she slotted a low cornered shot past Rio SC’s keeper. Rio SC’s center back Cassie Boren did her best to quiet the Hawks’ overpowering pressure in the second half, sliding in for multiple shot stopping tackles.

Unfortunately for Rios, the Hawks continued to push for a second goal, and it finally came off a free kick that was finished by midfielder Courtney Petersen. An overall quiet half from Rios SC’s forwards allowed Michigan Hawks to secure the 2-0 win and head home happy.

Despite a few cold and blustery days, Hammer FC again displayed why the adidas Blue Chip Showcase continues to be a staple tournament for Midwest soccer. The ground crews worked tirelessly to pump water from multiple fields throughout the weekend and the hospitality shown by the club was second to none. Next up for the crew will be surviving a forecast of rain all week and preparing the pitches for the men’s adidas Blue Chip Showcase, which is set to be played next weekend. 

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