LAS VEGAS - San Diego Surf coach Jesse Gonzalez couldn’t help but smile. He’d been waiting for his U16 team to show signs of its former self, and in the second half of their match with Albertson Fury on Saturday at the Las Vegas College Showcase, it all came rushing back.

The Surf unleashed three goals and rounded into form emphatically during a 3-0 victory over Albertson Fury at Kellogg Zaher Complex.

“The second half is the way my team always plays. That’s them,” Gonzalez said. “On the first day coming from high school they were just out there running around in circles. They lacked fitness, chemistry, all of that. You saw shades of them today in the first half, and then in the second it was them at their best.”

The Surf at their best means lots of ball movement, player movement and open shots. Even without forward top Kylie McCarthy, who is coming off a stint with the U17 National Team last week, the team found its highest gear.

Kiersten Miller ignited the scoring early in the first half. She took a pass to the middle of the field from Allison Ariniello and fired in a left-footed goal inside the right post.                         
Miller recently joined the group from her U17 team and marveled at the talent and chemistry.

“It’s a really great bunch of girls and they all play really well together,” she said. “Sometimes when you score it’s a relief for the team and then it gets the momentum going. We felt we were dominating so much and thought we should’ve been dominating already. So when we got that one we felt we could keep going.”

Brianna O’Leary kept things going when her nearest defender gambled on a pass and lost, leaving O’Leary alone with Albertson’s helpless goalie.

O’Leary, a regular goalie herself, is coming off a shoulder injury and showed good signs that she’s back on track.

The Fury played a strong first half and can certainly boast some scoring threats of their own.

Forward Lia Bellizzi showed her knack for using speed to get to the outside but couldn’t convert on crosses to teammates. Midfielder Deanna Murino is a powerful striker of the ball but received far too few looks at the goal.

In the end, the Surf were the more athletic group - and when Albertson was unable to get them back on their heels, the floodgates eventually opened.

National team player Miranda Cornejo controlled the game in the middle of the field and looked sharp following her time at the US National Training Facility in Carson, Calif.

A lot of the Surf players looked sharp, however, which proves that the team Gonzalez remembers is officially back.

“I feel like we have 10 players who can be in the national pool, but that’s just me, and I’m a little biased,” he said. “This team is so full of leaders. I’ve been coaching a really long time and you always try to identify the leaders, but I can’t on this team.”

 

Click here for more Las Vegas College Showcase coverage 

U16 San Diego Surf
GK: Stephanie Carlson
D: Jamie Schnieders, Taylor Sims, Meghan O’Rourke
M: Jacey Birtcher, Miranda Cornejo, Laura Aguilar, Nicole Pappalardo
F: Allison Ariniello, Katherine Trees
Substitutes: Chandler Hillen, Gabrielle Kelly, Kiersten Miller, Mariana Hardison, Brianna O’Leary, Brittini Beeman, Cori Deason, Madison Phillips.

U16 Albertson Fury
GK: Margherite Domicolo
D: Zoe Boyd, Kelly Secko, Isabelle Galantino, Alexia Shea
M: Isabella Neill, Deanna Murino, Merdith Speck, Megan Hunsberger
F: Karin Simonian, Shannon Farrell
Substitutes: Brittany Anghel, Jenna Zarou, Eve Muller, Taylor Katz, Emily Boge, Lia Belizzi, Kelsey Marchesano, Michelle Iannacchino, Amanda Moschella, Victoria Zacharuk