LAS VEGAS - It’s not the number of opportunities you get, it’s what you do with them.
                    
The Sereno SC U15 girls found this out the hard way Friday at the Las Vegas College Showcase played in Kellogg Zaher Complex.

Sereno experienced a second half full of “almosts” but “not quites,” and Connecticut FC walked away with a 1-0 victory despite being dominated in the match’s final half.

Connecticut forward Alexa Yow outran the Sereno defense and beat goalie Tess Rebich on a first-half breakaway that turned out to be the difference in the match.

“This was a game of two halves and we had to take our chances in the first half,” said Connecticut FC coach Scott McBride. “We had a similar game a week ago where we didn’t take any chances and we ended up losing. I thought we defended well in the second half of this one but still gave up a lot of chances. To beat a good team like this you have to get a little lucky.”

Calling Connecticut “lucky,” might be a bit of a stretch but it certainly was a little fortunate. It was fortunate in the way Sereno flippantly tossed away opportunities.

Sereno had five cornerkicks late that never made it into the field of play - and that doesn’t even account for the free kicks that similarly weren’t accurate enough to provide the team with any real opportunity .         

But there were good chances too.

Cadienne Naquin hit the crossbar on a late free kick, while Shelby Oelschlager took a header on a cornerkick that just angled wide right.

Both players had strong games, nevertheless, as did Danielle Leon - a tall striker who can make things happen in the open field.

Shining for Connecticut’s team was goalkeeper Monica Dahlgren, who was challenged often. She played well with her feet and showed quick reaction.

Forward Brianne Casey is a crafty player who got stronger as the game went along. She had a couple shots that lead to near goals for her teammates in the second half.

“This is the team’s first year together,” McBride said. “ It’s a combination of some top players from the club. It was their second tournament. I was really pleased with how we competed. I thought that everyone stepped up their play.”

 

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U15 Sereno SC
G: Tess Rebich
D: Maddy Bradshaw, Shelby Oelschlager, Courtney Chung, Cadienne Naquin
M: Lucy O’Leary, Alyissa deRonde, Ann Andrew
F: Emily Paxton, Olivia Villasenor, Kathryn Boyle

U15 Connecticut FC
G: Monica Dahlgren
D: Ashley Boyle, Karolyn Collins, Colleen Deardoff, Allyson Pasquariella
M: Kathryn Young, Emily Wieczorek, Jenny Hwang
F: Alexa Yow, Erica Primovic, Brianne Casey