GU10-Forrest Girls Win 1st Place at Apricot Jam

Girls Under-10 Team Forrest, the Santa Monica Saints Over-Here, swept the table May 1 at the Apricot Jam (Silver Division) to take home the winner's trophy. This is a team that came within a point of playing in the medal bracket at Locomotion earlier in the season, and which has earned a reputation of "bringing it" to tournament play. This includes the 10-game Palos Verdes league, where despite the challenge of playing first-pick teams in the Gold Division every week, they never quit on a game and thrived on adversity.

Now among genuine peers at Moorpark, the girls opened with a 5-0 win against a Malibu team that played much better in the afternoon. Aliya Lerner-Sinsheimer scored in the first minute, and the girls ran away with the game. They followed that with a hard fought win against a Van Nuys team 4-3, in which they never trailed but were often tied. Conditions were very tough - Santa Ana's blowing hard, hot sun and 30% humidity. The girls kept their focus, and notched the win. Aliya, Raquel Head, Bailey Flanders & Sabrina Kardashian put the ball in the net for the Saints during Saturday's games.
 
Next morning, Coaches Forrest & Jerry DiRienzo were looking at a booked place in the trophy game. Conditions were hot and windy again, and the team stepped out early to meet a Camarillo team for the last round of pool play. This was a tough opponent, and an excellent set-up for the later game. After falling behind 0-1, the girls pulled it back to 1-1, and settled matters at 2-1 late in play. Once again, tough defence from Lucy Sherman, Isabel Flanders & Sabrina Kardashian left few openings to an opponent that threw everything at them. The game was played in a spirit of great sportsmanship, reflected in warm compliments from the Camarillo players after the game.

And so to the Championship game where a super-fast pitch combined with hot, windy & dry conditions. The girls faced an athletic and physical Newberry Park