Boca U23 Women Capture MSSL Cup – Toms River Times
August 5, 2009
Toms River Times
August 5, 2009
Eye on Sports
Boca U23 Women Capture MSSL Cup
NEW JERSEY – In only their third season together, the Jersey Shore Boca U23 women’s team notched themselves a place in the record books at the Friendship Field Complex in Bordentown as the ladies of the “blue and gold” topped off a strong summer together which culminated with a 1-0 win over the Middlepath Soccer Club from New York and the capture of the 2009 Mid-Atlantic Summer Showcase League (MSSL) Cup.
It is the first time during the club’s six seasons of MSSL competition that a Boca team, either men or women, has captured the MSSL Cup and the first time in club history that a women’s team of any age has captured a championship.
Because of their overall first place finish in the regular MSSL standings this summer, the Boca U23 women were seeded directly into the semifi nals for the cup against the Jersey Knights of New Brunswick.
In the semi-final match, the Boca women easily dispatched the Knights 3-0 with goals from Trystin Fiegel (Middlesex – Kutztown University), Jennifer Pyne (Wall – Kutztown University) and soon to be freshman Claudia Vasquez (Middle town North – Monmouth University).
Marissa Zayac (Jackson Memorial), another freshman at Montclair State University in September, picked up the shutout between the pipes in her debut with the Boca women.
In the MSSL Cup championship, Boca squaredoff against a strong Middlepath side that defeated the Boca women 1-0 in the 2007 MSSL Cup Championship two years ago.
After a see-saw battle throughout most of the match, Boca tallied the cup winner in the middle of the second half with a nice combination from yet another pair of soon-to-be college freshman.
From about 25 yards out, Brandi Johnson (Jackson Memorial – College of New Jersey) played a nice pass inside the box to Kyra Janeczek (Wall – College of New Jersey) who collected the ball, turned to the right and buried the MSSL Cup winner beyond the out-stretched hands of Middlepath keeper.
Both Johnson and Janeczek will add their talents to an already powerful TCNJ Lions squad this fall.
Zayac picked up her second shutout in as many games for the Boca women.
The Boca U23 women are coached by longtime women’s soccer advocate Charlie Cunliffe, who has been at the helm of the team since their inception.
“I have always believed that some of the finest soccer talent can be found here at the Jersey Shore. Our club provides a venue for the elite shore area player to sharpen their skills during the spring and summer,” mentioned Cunliffe.
“I felt a special connection with this year’s team, not only were they a very skilled squad but they are truly an outstanding group of young women. I had told them throughout the season that they had the ability to win every game because of the depth of their talent. They took first place in the league and won the cup because of the depth of their spirit,” Cunliffe continued.
“The ladies and I also want to express our sincere thanks to Surf Taco for their support throughout the season,” he finished.
In addition to reaching the MSSL Cup finals in 2007, the Boca U23 women finished in first place during MSSL completion in 2008 and also advanced to the USASA U23 Women’s Regional Semi-Finals last summer.
Jersey Shore Boca participated in MSSL for the sixth consecutive year this summer as one of the league’s inaugural founding members.
MSSL is a regional summer soccer league, which is specifically designed for collegiate players under the age of 23 and is fully sanctioned by the United States Adult Soccer Association (USASA), the national governing body for adult amateur soccer.
The Jersey Shore Boca summer soccer program is officially sponsored by Surf Taco, a popular Mexican themed restaurant chain with eight locations throughout the Jersey Shore.
Boca has been a fixture in the soccer community since 1978 and is one of the most respected soccer clubs on the East Coast. The club is celebrating their 31-year anniversary in 2009.
For more information about the Boca U23 teams and all other the Jersey Shore Boca programs, logon to the club’s official Web site at www. jerseyshoreboca.com.