BY ASHLEY TEATUM, Times-Shamrock Writer
Amelia DiPhillips of Montrose uses her head to control the ball in front of Corinne Glassman during the Ninth Annual UNICO Soccer Cup on Friday night at Fitzpatrick Field. TIMES-SHAMROCK PHOTO/BUTCH COMEGYS
When the first game of the UNICO Soccer Cup kicked off, the temperature hovered around 97 degrees.
The girls North team turned up the heat on the field behind a goal and an assist from game MVP Erika Symons of Mid Valley to defeat the South all-stars, 4-2, on Friday at the University of Scranton’s Fitzpatrick Field.
Symons’ goal in the first half evened the score at 1, and her pass toForestCity’s Alysa Borick with eight minutes left in the game was the go-ahead goal for the North.
“Honestly I was just so excited to be able to be with the best of the best people, the all-stars,” said Symons, who will attend LackawannaCollege. “That was the best part of this game.”
Hayley Rupakus ofBlue Ridgealso had a goal and an assist for the North, adding a helper on Megan Walker’s goal with3:25left to play that made it 4-2.
Valley View’s Katie Iyoob got the South team on the board first, when her shot bounced off the top bar and in past the goalkeeper.
She added another goal with nearly 11 minutes left in the game to tie it at 2.
“It was nice to play with all the seniors again,” said Iyoob, who will attend Indiana University of Pennsylvania. “Those are the best kind of games – when you have the rivals either with you or against you. It’s the off season and it’s just for fun.”
Both South coach Chris Stahl and North coach Donnel Leiva-Vazquez constantly substituted players to keep them hydrated and out of the heat.
The UNICO organizers also had the players take breaks every 15 minutes during the game, including a 10-minute halftime.
“None of the girls were selfish: They all decided, ‘I’m tired, I’ll come out and let another girl do their thing,’ ” Leiva-Vazquez said. “The girls were extremely receptive and coachable. We sat them all down, said it’s an all-star game, that we all have to have fun.
“Work your butts off for each other, and we’ll get you good rest – you let them each shine.”
Hayley Rupakus ofBlue Ridgescored for the North at15:17
Alysa Borick ofForestCityscored from Symonds for the North at 51:52
N – Megan Walker ofMountain Viewscored from Rupakus for the North at 56:35.
Saves: North: Katelyn Spellman of Montrose 3.
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