Xavier College Preparatory - Varsity Soccer 2007-2008 Season
XCP Parents' Game Highlights
2/5/08 XCP vs. Gilbert; Score: 0-1.At Mesa Community College. The Gators suffered a bitter loss tonight in the Class 5A State Semifinals. Xavier had the run of the play for nearly the entire game, and had shot after shot in the first half alone, but the one-sided refereeing that Xavier has had to get used to in the state playoffs and simple bad luck thwarted their efforts to get to the state championship game. Sophomore Samantha Cummings hit the post early in the first half, and the Gators failed to finish numerous other opportunities right in front of Gilbert’s goal as, for one reason or another, the Gators simply could not get the ball to go in. Sophomore goalkeeper Annie Graham was as solid as a rock, coming up with a brilliant save early in the second half, and saving 6 shots as the game went on. With 6 minutes to play, however, a series of deflections and a mad scramble in front of the Xavier goalmouth resulted in a goal against the run of play for Gilbert, and, despite Xavier’s valiant efforts over the last 5 minutes, they could not equalize. Xavier finishes the season with an impressive 23-2 record, and the girls plan on improving on that record (and on their second straight 3rd place finish) next year. Congratulations to Coach Barb Chura, Coach Rafael Rios, and the entire Gators team on an outstanding year. Best of luck to seniors Chelsea Canepa and Kasey Fung as they head off to college to continue their athletic and academic careers.
2/2/08 XCP vs. Hamilton; Score: 2-0. At Tempe Sports Complex. Xavier advanced to the semifinals of the Arizona 5A-1 State Championships today, with a convincing 2-0 win over Chandler Hamilton. The Gators were sharp early, as they attacked the Husky goal in waves, and they were rewarded for their effort with a goal in the first 5 minutes. Sophomore Kaitlin King once again opened the scoring with one of her typical “hustle” goals. After Senior Chelsea Canepa split two defenders and hit a rocket towards goal, which the Hamilton goalkeeper could only parry, King followed the shot, and volleyed the rebound high into the net, to put the Gators into the lead. Ten minutes later, Canepa herself would add to the lead, as she received a long throw-in from sophomore Alex Partida, controlled the ball on her thigh, spun around a defender, and then volleyed a ball with the outside of her right foot over the goalkeeper, into the far corner of the net. Another spectacular goal from a candidate for Arizona player of the year. Xavier settled in after that, and kept the ball largely in the Hamilton half for the remainder of the game. Despite being down by two goals, Hamilton continued to defend with all 11 players until the end of the game, which gives some indication of the pressure that the Gators kept them under all game. Sophomore Annie Graham went the distance in goal, and was credited with 3 saves, but was never seriously challenged, thanks to the hard work of her back line. Xavier picked up its school record 18th shutout of the season in the process, and has also set an all-time record for wins (23) in a season. On to the semifinals against Gilbert High School!
1/30/08 XCP vs. Desert Mountain; Score: 5-0. At BCP. In the first round of the 5A-1 state playoffs, Xavier faced region foe Desert Mountain, who always gives the Gators a tough match. Tonight, however, the Gators were not to be denied as they march towards the state championship. Sophomore Kaitlin King got the party started 10 minutes into the game, as she followed up on a strong shot that had been taken by sophomore Samantha Cummings and blocked by the Wolves’ goalkeeper. King beat everyone to the rebound and drove the ball high into the net, to electrify the crowd. Senior striker (and Desert Valley Region player of the year) Chelsea Canepa then doubled the lead, as she took a pass from junior Samantha Bidwell, cut across the face of the goal past two defenders, and then cut back the other way, past two more defenders, before placing a hard shot into the far corner of the goal – a terrific individual effort. Xavier made it 3-0 due largely to the hard work of sophomore Jessica Fitzgerald, who used her speed to chase down a long ball that had been served into the box, beat the goalkeeper to the ball, and then dropped the ball back to a waiting teammate, sophomore Alex Partida. As the Wolves’ goalkeeper scrambled to get back into her goal, Partida calmly chipped the ball into the net from about 25 yards out, over the heads of two Desert Mountain defenders who were desperately trying to cover the empty net. Shortly before halftime, sophomore Samantha Cummings took a pass from Partida, danced past two or three defenders, and unleashed a left footed blast into the upper right corner, past the hapless Wolves goalkeeper. With a 4-0 lead, Xavier was able to rest a few key players in the second half, and everyone, including players recently promoted from the junior varsity team, was able to play. Xavier eventually increased the score to 5-0 after Chelsea Canepa took a pass from junior Molly Quigley, beat two defenders, and smoked a shot from 20 yards out that flew past the goalkeeper, high into the net. Sophomores Annie Graham and Tayler Renshaw split time in the net, saved one shot apiece, and shared (with the outstanding defense) the honor of garnering the team's 17th shutout of the season – putting the 2007-2008 team as the all-time leader in shutouts in Xavier soccer history. Congratulations to the back line, led by juniors Jessica Petznick and Cassidy Osborne, and sophomores Carmen Abella, Carson Morris and Alex Partida, and to our two young goalkeepers for setting this impressive mark. It should stand for quite a while – or at least until next year! With tonight’s win, the Gators advance to the quarterfinals of the state championships, where they will face the Chandler Hamilton Huskies. Good luck, Gators!
1/25/08 XCP vs. Desert Mountain; Score: 2-0. At Desert Mountain. Xavier improved to 21-1 and 6-0 in region play tonight, beating the Desert Mountain Wolves on their home field on “Senior Night.” Egged on by a vocal crowd, the Wolves played an extremely physical game, with plenty of elbows, hard slide tackles and shoves in the back, which went largely unnoticed by the refereeing crew. Like a true champion, however, the Gators took Desert Mountain’s best shots and did not back down, showing the class and technical ability that has them going into the state playoffs as the #1 seed in the state. Sophomore Kaitlin King opened the scoring for Xavier in the first half with a laser from the top of the 18 yard box, after receiving a pass from junior Molly Quigley. The Gators then settled in and kept the ball largely in the Wolves’ half for the remainder of the first half. The second half was much of the same – Xavier controlling the play, Xavier playing most of the game in front of Desert Mountain’s goal, and Xavier taking shot after shot - over the goal, just by the goal, or into the goalkeeper’s hands. Finally, with about 5 minutes to play, sophomore Samantha Cummings salted the game away, taking a pass from Kaitlin King and letting loose with a blast from 25 yards out that sailed over the goalkeeper’s head and dipped down into the goal, just below the crossbar. Game over. Sophomore Annie Graham manned the goal and saved 4 shots. Together with her terrific back line, she recorded the team's 16th shutout of the season - an all-time Xavier record! With the win, the Gators captured the Desert Valley Region title. On to state!
1/23/08 XCP vs. St. Mary's; Score: 12-0. At BCP. It was “Senior Night,” and the seniors led the way as Xavier won its 5th straight region game against Catholic rival St. Mary’s, and improved to 20-1 overall and 5-0 in region play. The Gators were simply too much for the Knights, and scored goal after goal to the delight of the largest crowd of the season. Credit must be given to the St. Mary’s players for hanging in there and never quitting, and for playing fairly and cleanly despite the score. Goalscorers on the night were: senior Chelsea Canepa (5 goals), sophomore Samantha Cummings (4 goals), and senior Kaysey Fung, sophomore Jessica Fitzgerald and sophomore Samantha Bidwell (1 goal each). Credited with assists were: junior Cassidy Osborne (3 assists), freshman Crystal Holland (2 assists), and junior Jessica Petznick, sophomore Carmen Abella, sophomore Kaitlin King, sophomore Alex Partida, Kaysey Fung, Samantha Bidwell and Samantha Cummings (1 assist each). Sophomores Annie Graham and Tayler Renshaw split time in goal for the team’s 15th shutout of the season – 1 shutout away from tying the all-time Xavier record of 16 shutouts. Xavier now has one region game remaining (at Desert Mountain), and then the quest for a state championship begins.
1/21/08 XCP vs. Cactus Shadows - Championship game for Horizon Tournament; Score: 5-0. In the championship game of the Horizon Huskies Tournament of Champions, Xavier took on a determined Cactus Shadows squad that had only lost once all year. The Gators proved to be too much for the Lady Falcons, however, as they scored early and often and managed to rest many of their starters with one week to go before state playoffs begin. Sophomore Alex Partida opened the scoring in the first 5 minutes as she tucked a low shot just inside the post after receiving a pass from senior Chelsea Canepa. Canepa then made it 2-0, after a nice build-up found the senior striker in front of the goal. Junior Jessica Petznick started the play with a nice pass to freshman Crystal Holland, who then found junior Lizzie Philbin, who sent the ball on to sophomore Jessica Fitzgerald, who then passed to Canepa in front of the goal. Canepa did the rest, beating her defender and slotting the ball home. Canepa quickly made it 3-0, as she received a pass from sophomore Alex Partida, whirled around her defender, and went in alone on goal, beating the hapless goalkeeper. Xavier then played keep-away for the rest of the half, preserving their 3-0 lead. When the second half started, Xavier continued to pour it on. Sophomore Carmen Abella split two defenders with a pass to sophomore Samantha Cummings, who took a touch and then blasted a 20-yard shot into the upper corner, past the Falcons’ goalkeeper. Canepa then made it 5-0, receiving a pass from junior Samantha Bidwill and hitting a laser into the Cactus Shadows net. This was Canepa’s fifth hat trick of the season. Sophomores Annie Graham (2 saves) and Tayler Renshaw (1 save) split time in goal for the Gators, recording the team’s 19th win and 14th shutout of the season. CONGRATULATIONS TO THE GATORS – Champions of the Huskies Tournament of Champions.
1/19/08 XCP. vs. Dobson; Score: 3-2. At BCP. After several postponements due to weather, the Gators took on a feisty Dobson squad in a non-region match held at Brophy Prep. Xavier found itself on the scoreboard midway through the first half as junior Molly Quigley found sophomore Carmen Abella with a nice pass on the right wing, and Abella did the rest, driving a high twisting shot over the goalkeeper and into the net at the far post. Xavier quickly scored a second goal, as senior sharpshooter Chelsea Canepa collected a rebound off of a shot from freshman Crystal Holland and calmly finished, leading the Gators into halftime with a comfortable 2-0 lead. Sophomore goalkeeper Annie Graham was not tested in the first half, facing no shots, and she gave way to sophomore goalkeeper Tayler Renshaw for the second half. In the second half, Dobson cut Xavier’s lead to 2-1 on a freakish wind-aided ball that bounced over Renshaw into the net. The Gators proved that they were equal to the task, however, as they immediately roared back to take a 3-1 lead. Junior midfielder Samantha Bidwill did the honors this time, as she took a pass from Quigley out on the right flank, and drove a high ball over the goalkeeper’s head into the far corner of the net – almost an identical goal to Abella’s first half strike. Dobson managed to score a second goal late in the half, and Xavier hung on for a 3-2 win.
1/16/08 XCP vs. Desert Mountain; Score: 3-0. At BCP. Xavier improved to 4-0 in region play and 17-1 overall with a grind-it-out victory over Desert Mountain tonight. The Gators welcomed back sophomore defender Carmen Abella from injury, and Abella combined with junior defenders Cassidy Osborn and Jessica Petznick, and sophomore goalkeeper Annie Graham (4 saves), for the team’s 13th shutout of the season, (possibly on track for an all-time school record.) Plus, the team’s goals-against average is a very low 0.39 per game. On the offensive end, the first half proved difficult for the Gator forwards, as Desert Mountain packed in 10 players behind the ball, and kept the penalty area very congested. Xavier managed to take a number of shots on goal, but could not put the ball into the net, and the first half ended 0-0. The second half, however, was a different story. Within the first minute of the second half, before many fans had even returned to their seats, sophomore Kaitlin King put the Gators ahead, finishing a nice pass from senior Chelsea Canepa in front of the goal. Xavier continued to step up the pressure, and was awarded 15 minutes later with another goal, as sophomore Chelsea Kelly intercepted a goal kick near the midfield, played the ball to Canepa, and watched as Canepa cut towards the middle and unleashed a left footed drive from 20 yards out that found the corner of the net. Junior Molly Quigley finished the scoring for the Gators on the night, as she followed a shot that had been taken by junior Elizabeth Philbin and parried by the Wolves’ goalkeeper, and calmly slotted the ball into the net – which led to one of Molly’s infamous goal dances. Xavier now has 2 region games and 2 non-region games left before the State playoffs begin, and the team is rounding nicely into shape.
1/14/08 XCP vs. Mountain Ridge; Score: 6-0. At BCP. The Gators were in complete control tonight, from the opening whistle to the final whistle, as they dominated region foe Mountain Ridge in a 6-0 home victory. Xavier opened the scoring after a nice sequence of 7 consecutive passes that went from the back line, through the midfield, and eventually out to sophomore winger Alex Partida on the right flank. Partida swung a cross into the middle of the penalty box area, where it was met by sophomore Kaitlin King, who leaped and sent a flying header past the goalkeeper into the goal. It was definitely one of the prettier goals of the season. Xavier doubled its lead shortly thereafter, as sophomore Chelsea Kelly drove a long ball into the box, where it was chest-trapped by senior Chelsea Canepa and then volleyed into the back of the net. Canepa scored her second goal of the game shortly thereafter, receiving a pass from sophomore Keeley Hayward, turning and racing in alone on goal, and slipping the ball past the sliding goalkeeper. Sophomore Annie Graham manned the goal in the first half and faced no shots. Halftime score: 3-0. The second half, like the first half, was played largely in Mountain Ridge’s end, as Xavier sent shot after shot towards the Mountain Lions’ goal. Sophomore Samantha Cummings scored the Gators’ fourth goal on a sharp header into the upper right corner of the goal off of a perfect corner kick that was served in by junior Jessica Petznick. Senior Chelsea Canepa then secured her fourth hat trick of the season with a workmanlike goal midway through the second half. Junior Molly Quigley dug a ball out of the corner and found Canepa alone in front of the goal, and Canepa made no mistake in drilling it home. The final goal of the night was a beauty. Junior Elizabeth Philbin, whose work rate and attacking play were terrific all night, drew two defenders and then calmly passed the ball across the 18 yard box to a waiting Alex Partida. Partida had time to settle the ball, pick her spot, and drive the ball into the net over the outstretched arms of the Mountain Lions’ goalkeeper. Sophomore Tayler Renshaw tended the goal in the second half, facing (and saving) one shot. Together, goalkeepers Graham and Renshaw contributed to the team’s 12th shutout of the season. Overall, another complete team performance by a Gators squad who was just too much for Mountain Ridge tonight.
1/11/08 XCP vs. St. Mary's; Score: 16-0. At BCP/St. Mary's as Home Team. At times it felt like a slugfest, as the St. Mary's Knights were clearly the underdogs. The score at the half was 11-0; with 5 more goals added in the second half. With 16 goals and 16 assists, there was plenty of credit to spread around. Top scorers were: senior Chelsea Canepa, with 4 goals and 1 assist; and sophomore Kaitlin King with 4 goals. New to the goal scoring list for this season included: senior Kaysey Fung, with 1 goal and an assist; sophomore Keeley Hayward with 1 goal and 2 assists; sophomore Carson Morris, with 1 goal; and junior Jessica Petznick, with 1 goal. Goals were also scored by sophomore Samantha Cummings, with 1 goal and 2 assists; sophomore Jessica Fitzgerald, with 1 goal and 2 assists; frosh Crystal Holland, who picked up 1 goal and 3 assists; and junior Molly Quigley who had 1 goal and 1 assist. Additional assists were provided by junior Samantha Bidwill; sophomore Alex Partida; and junior Lizzie Philbin. Whew! That's quite a list! Everyone played great tonight and a lot of our players had the chance to show their skill and abilities. Sophomore Annie Graham played goalkeeper, but was not seriously challenged this evening. It was, however, the gator's 11th shut-out of the season, now standing at 15-1.
1/9/08 XCP vs. Mountain Ridge; Score: 4-0.Without the services of a few injured players, and a little rusty after the holiday break, the Gators went on the road tonight to take on region opponent Mountain Ridge. After the two teams tested each other early with some creative attacking play, Xavier finally broke through at the quarter hour mark to take a 1-0 lead. The goal was a brilliant one, as sophomore Kaitlin King received a pass on the right flank and back-heeled the ball to senior Chelsea Canepa, who was cutting towards the middle of the field. Canepa took a couple of touches and then unleashed a powerful left-footed shot from 20 yards out that flew past the diving Mountain Ridge goalkeeper into the goal. Xavier doubled its lead five minutes later, again through Canepa, as junior Samantha Bidwill drove a cross in from the right wing, which Canepa first took out of the air on her thigh, and then volleyed into the net from about five yards out. Canepa claimed her second hat trick of the year ten minutes later, as she calmly finished a nice pass from junior Elizabeth Philbin for her third goal of the half. Canepa was literally unstoppable in the first half, and coach Barb Chura pulled Canepa out with plenty of time remaining in the half to rest her and (perhaps) show some mercy to the Mountain Lions. In the second half, Xavier remained dominant, and the game was largely played in Mountain Ridge’s end. Xavier created chance after chance, and finally put a fourth goal into the back of the net when freshman Crystal Holland swung a ball across the face of the goal to junior Elizabeth Philbin, who patiently controlled the pass, and then chipped the ball back over the goalkeeper into the far side of the net. Sophomore Annie Graham went the distance in goal, and was credited with 10 saves, but she was never really tested, thanks to a solid back line consisting of junior Jessica Petznick, sophomore Alex Partida, and sophomore Carson Morris. With the win, Xavier moved to 1-0 in the Desert Valley Region, and 14-1 overall.
As of 1/2/08: studentsportsoccer.com rankings of high schools that play soccer as a winter sport, has it's rankings out.
Xavier College Prep is #3 in our Region (CA, AZ, HI); and Xavier is #8 Nationally! Go Gators!
12/31/07 XCP vs. Corona Del Sol; Score: 1-3. Dobson Tournament Finals. Playing their sixth game in 5 days, without two key players and without their head coach, the Gators had their work cut out today against #2 Corona del Sol in the championship game of the Mustang Classic Soccer Tournament. While both teams looked tired, Corona seemed to have the fresher legs all game long, and despite Sophomore goalkeeper Annie Graham's superb effort (7 saves), Corona scored with 30 seconds left in the first half to take a 1-0 lead going into halftime. Xavier created several great chances in the first half, but were thwarted by the post and by a bit of bad luck. The Gators showed their heart in the second half, fighting back to tie up the game, 1-1, on a great individual effort by Senior Chelsea Canepa, who controlled a long pass from Junior Jessica Petznick, dribbled around two defenders and the goalkeeper, and tapped the ball into the open net. The game seesawed back and forth after that, with Xavier's forwards struggling to crack the Corona defense, and Sophomore goalkeeper Tayler Renshaw coming up with a couple of spectacular saves to keep the Gators in the game. With about 15 minutes to go, however, Corona finally broke through to take a 2-1 lead on a disputed goal, and in the closing seconds, Corona added another goal as Xavier pressed everyone into the attack to try to get the equalizer. The season series between these teams now stands at 1-1, and no one would be surprised if the two met again in February.
12/29/07 XCP vs. Mountain Pointe; Score: 4-0. Dobson Tournament. It was all Gators this afternoon, as Xavier scored early and often and coasted to a relatively easy win over an overmatched Mountain Pointe side. Sophomore Alex Partida opened the scoring with a thunderous first-time volley into the net off of a bending cross from Sophomore Kaitlin King. Senior Chelsea Canepa doubled the lead after controlling a beautiful cross from Junior Cassidy Osborne and finding the net from close range. Sophomore Keeley Hayward then made a brilliant run down the sideline and crossed the ball to Kaitlin King, who made the score 3-0 on a sheer hustle play, beating the goalkeeper to Hayward's cross and slotting the ball into the open net. Sophomore Samantha Cummings finished off the scoring with a twisting free kick from the corner of the 18 yard box, which cleared the goalkeeper and swung inside the far post for a very pretty unassisted goal. Sophomore Tayler Renshaw was a rock in the goal, making 5 saves and controlling the box. The Gators put on a show in the second half, with sharp passing and pretty one- and two-touch play. Special recognition goes to Junior Elizabeth Philbin, Senior Kasey Fung, and Sophomore Carson Morris for providing the Gators with fresh legs and a nice spark off the bench in the second half. On to the finals against Corona del Sol!
12/29/07 XCP vs. Desert Vista; Score: 1-0. Dobson Tournament. Today's Mustang Classic quarterfinal saw a physical Desert Vista team push the resilient Gator defense to their limits. Junior center back Jessica Petznick, Junior defender Cassidy Osborn, and Sophomore defender Carmen Abella worked tirelessly to keep the ball out of the Xavier net, and were rewarded with yet another shutout. After 80 minutes of scoreless play in regulation, and 20 minutes of scoreless play in overtime, the game was decided in penalty kicks. Sophomore goalkeeper Annie Graham was outstanding, saving 11 shots during the game, and she was up to the task when it came to penalty kicks, saving one kick and watching another bounce off the post. For their part, the Xavier penalty shooters were cool and composed from the spot, as Sophomore Chelsea Kelly, Sophomore Samantha Cummings, Junior Samantha Bidwell and Sophomore Jessica Fitzgerald all converted their penalty kicks, sending the Gators on to the semifinals in style.
12/28/07 XCP vs. Gilbert; Score: 2-1. Dobson Tournament. The game against Gilbert High School started off slowly. Xavier needed a win in order to win the bracket, as both Xavier and Gilbert had won both of their other two games in the bracket. Junior and Co-Captain, Jessica Petznick, Sophomore Cassidy Osborne, and Sophomore Carmen Abella kept an impenetrable defense, while late in the first half Senior Chelsea Canepa was finally able to put it in the net with an assist from Sophomore Chelsea Kelly. In the second half, Chelsea Canepa fed Junior Molly Quigley the ball just outside the top of the box. Molly booted it in the goal. Molly’s jubilation was what made this the most entertaining goal so far in the tournament. Gilbert was able to score a goal in the second half, but that was it. Jessica Petznick had a fantastic second half defensive save and Sophomore Goalkeeper Annie Graham was able to keep 10 goal attempts by Gilbert out of the net.
12/27/07 XCP vs. Seton Catholic; Score: 2-0. Dobson Tournament. Clearly Seton was worried about our offense, as they put nearly everyone except the goalie and one striker on defense. And it did present a human wall for Xavier to get around to score; and it did work for the first half. We had several great on-goal shots (by 13 different players!) that were deflected by the defense. In the second half we had what we thought was our first goal, only to have it not called (several nonpartisan bystanders also thought it was a goal.) This seemed to fire the team up and we promptly scored with a shot by Junior Samantha Bidwill, assisted by Senior Chelsea Canepa. A short while later, Sophomore Chelsea Kelly placed another long, beautiful shot into the net, assisted by a pass from Sophomore Jessica Fitzgerald. Gator sophomore goalkeepers Annie Graham and Tayler Renshaw shared the game, and added another shutout to our record.
12/26/07 XCP vs. Basha; Score: 4 - 0. Dobson Tournament. The girls started out a little sluggish and then ramped it up as the 1st half went on. Freshman Crystal Holland scored her first goal as a Xavier Gator from an assist by Sophomore Jessica Fitzgerald off of a corner kick. Then, after a hard deflection off of a Basha player, Sophomore Samantha Cummings scored a powerful shot over the Basha goalie for the second goal of the half. Xavier defense shut out Basha for the half with the score 2-0. In the second half, Sophomore Carmen Abella took an unassisted beautiful shot from the right side into the upper left corner of the goal for the third goal of the game. Junior Cassidy Osborne then passed to Sophomore Jessica Fitzgerald who, through sheer persistence, fought through two defenders and scored for the final goal of the game. Sophomore Goalkeepers Annie Graham (1st half) and Tayler Renshaw (2nd Half) combined for another Xavier shutout with Tayler recording two saves.
Here are recent links to articles about Xavier Varsity Soccer. Go Gators!
From 12/17 on the Xavier/Corona game: http://www.azcentral.com/sports/preps/articles/1217gsoc/html
From 12/21, a follow-up article that interviewed Senior Chelsea Canepa: http://www.azcentral.com/sports/preps/articles/1220phxcanepa.html
12/17/07 XCP vs. Corona Del Sol; Score: 2-1. At Tempe Sports Complex. This was a great game between the top two teams in the state, both undefeated so far in the season. So it's no surprise there was no score in the first half. However, in the second half, the Gators managed to score twice in the first 15 minutes. The first goal was a long, strong shot by Sophomore Chelsea Kelly, assisted by Sophomore Jessica Fitzgerald. The second goal was off a header by Senior Chelsea Canepa, assisted by Sophomore Carmen Abella. The midfield and defense played strong and held the game to 2-0 until the last few minutes, when Corona scored off a penalty kick. Sophomore Goalkeeper Annie Graham did a fantastic job, racking up 7 saves throughout the game, to ensure a win.
12/14/07 XCP vs. Mountain Pointe; Score: 2-1. At Mtn.Pt. The Gators dominated the game most of the time, with eight different players taking shots on goal. The first one to find the net was by Senior Chelsea Canepa, assisted by Junior Cassidy Osborne's corner shot. Then with a little less than 15 minutes left to play, Mountain Pointe tied it up off a corner shot of their own. XCP answered this with another goal, this time by Sophomore Jessica Fitzgerald, assisted by Sophomore Samantha Cummings. That goal gave Jessica Fitzgerald her 15th career point and adds her to Xavier's All-Time-Points List! Sophomore Goalkeeper Annie Graham was credited with 2 saves. And while it's not an official "save" Cassidy Osborne's quick clearing of the ball also helped to keep the win for the team.
12/12/07 XCP vs. Desert Vista; Score: 2-0. At BCP. Well, the local papers must have old information, as this morning showed Desert Vista ranked 2, followed by Xavier.... perhaps they didn't check the score from the Wednesday game. Not only did the Gators beat the #2 ranked team, but it was also our fifth shut-out in a row! Both of the Gator goals were scored in the 1st half, with the first goal coming within the first two minutes; a powerful kick from Junior Cassidy Osborne, assisted by Junior Samantha Bidwill. The second goal, also assisted by Samantha Bidwill, was drilled in by Sophomore Kaitlin King. Sophomore Goalkeeper Annie Graham was credited with 4 saves, preserving the shut-out. Once again, we had seven different shooters, so you never know where the next goal will come from! So many consecutive shut-outs really speaks volumes about the strength of our midfield and defenders as well! And we have another addition to the All-Time-Points List: Sophomore Kaitlin King!
12/10/07 XCP vs. Salpointe; Score: 2-0. At BCP. The field was slippery and muddy in spots from all the rain, and there were a few showers during the game, making the game more challenging. However, the Gators managed two goals, one each half. The first goal by Senior Chelsea Canepa, was a header, assisted by Sophomore Jessica Fitzgerald's cross from the far right. The second half goal was a strong shot from Sophomore Samantha Cummings, assisted by a long pass from Junior Samantha Bidwill. Sophomore Goalkeeper Annie Graham made three dynamic saves and maintained the shut-out, our fourth in a row!
Horizon Tournament Final Game Update: The playoff for 1st and 2nd place in the Horizon Tournament between Xavier and Cactus Shadows has been postponed. The Friday 6 p.m. game was called due to rain; and the rescheduled Saturday 10 a.m. was called due to excessive water on the field. Plans are to reschedule sometime in January.
12/5/07 XCP s. Flowing Wells; Score 1-0. At Mofford Fields, 5:00p.m./Horizon Tournament. The Xavier Gators gave the Flowing Wells goalkeeper plenty of work with 18 shots on goal from 10 different shooters! (10 shots in the 1st half and 8 in the second) But only one made it into the net. That was Senior Chelsea Canepa's goal, from a great assist by Sophomore Jessica Fitzgerald, who got a great pass from Junior defender Jessica Petznick, after she took it half way up the field. The game was all over the field and everyone's talents were needed as this was a really strong opponent. Sophomore Goalkeeper Tayler Renshaw covered the team with 3 great saves, and another shutout! Hey! It's early, but so far we have the lowest "goals against/game", at 0.25 since the 1994-95 XCP season! That's really great teamwork!
12/4/07 XCP vs. Chaparral; Score 3-0. At Mofford Fields, 6:30 p.m./Horizon Tournament. The first goal was scored just a few minutes into the game, by Junior Samantha Bidwill from a free kick (due to tripping - something we saw more of in the game.) The midfield and defense had to work to maintain the 1-0 lead throughout the first half. The second half was equally rough, but Sophomore Jessica Fitzgerald put two more into the net, the first assisted by Sophomore Alexandria Partida, and the second assisted by Sophomore Chelsea Kelly. Sophomore Goalkeepers Annie Graham (two saves) and Tayler Renshaw (one save) shared duties to preserve the shutout, our second this season!
12/3/07 XCP vs. Westview: Score 6-0. At Mofford Field 3:30 p.m./Horizon Tournament: For the first 20 minutes, each team attacked and retreated, until Xavier stuck with it's first goal by Senior Chelsea Canepa, assisted by Sophomore Kaitlin King. The first half saw three other XCP goals; Kaitlin King scored, assisted by Sophomore Jessica Fitzgerald; Chelsea Canepa scored again (no assist); and one more by Kaitlin King, assisted by Sophomore Carmen Abella. Sophomore Goalkeeper Annie Graham was also credited with 2 saves. In the second half, Xavier scored two more goals; the first by Chelsea Canepa for a hattrick, assisted by Sophomore Samantha Cummings; and the second by Jessica Fitzgerald, assisted by a beautiful long pass by Freshwoman Crystal Holland. Sophomore Goalkeeper Tayler Renshaw had two saves as well to secure the first shut-out of the season for the gators! We also have a new addition to the All-Time-Points List: Sophomore Samantha Cummings, with 15 points!
Upcoming potential adds to this list: (points-to-date; all years) Sophomore Kaitlin King (14); Junior Molly Quigley (12); Sophomore Jessica Fitzgerald (10); Junior Cassidy Osborne (8); Sophomore Samantha Bidwell (5); and Sophomore Carmen Abella (4).
FYI: Friday's 11/30/07 6 p.m. game against Dobson was postponed due to rain. Tentative reschedule is for Jan 7th.
11/28/07 XCP vs. Highland: Score 2-1; At Highland. For the first game of the season, the team really showed well, front to back, as a team and individually. It looks like we're in for another great soccer season! While we clearly dominated the first half, we didn't find the net. However, Highland got one in from a free kick / penalty call, so the score at the half was 0-1. The second half was all Gators, though. We had several great shots (a kudos to the Highland goalie) that were deflected, but two made their mark. Senior Chelsea Canepa had a pass just wide of the defender to Sophomore Samantha Cummings, who ran and shot it into the net for our first goal. The second (official) goal came from Chelsea Canepa, assisted by Samantha Cummings, for XCP to take the lead. It's a really good sign that throughout the game we had at least seven different girls taking shots on the net! Sophomore Goalkeeper Annie Graham had a few serious challenges and four saves to keep Xavier's first win for the season.
Varsity Soccer 2006-2007 Season
XCP Parents' Game Highlights (Chronological Order)
12/01/06 XCP vs. Corona Del Sol: Score: 3 - 2; At Tempe Sports Complex. The Xavier Gators beat last year's State Champions, Corona Del Sol. Once again the game was tied 1 - 1 at the end of regulation play. Senior Laura White made the first goal off an assist from Junior Katie McCarthy. Corona scored first in the overtime, which was answered with an XCP goal from Sophomore Cassidy Osborne's corner kick, forcing the game into a shoot-out situation. XCP goalie, Freshwoman Annie Graham, (with 7 saves during the game) did a great job in saving 1 (almost 2) of Corona's shootout shots; while 1 went wide. Four of XCP's shooters hit their mark for the win: Freshwoman Samantha Cummings, Senior Laura White, Senior Ashley Barkley, and Sophomore Cassidy Osborne.
12//04/06 XCP vs. Cactus Shadow: Score 4 - 1; At Rose Mofford Fields / Horizon Tournament. Two goals were scored in the first half, the first by Junior Chelsea Canepa, assisted by Freshwoman Jessica Fitzgerald. This was followed by a header by Senior Laura White, off of Sophomore Cassidy Osborne's corner kick. In the second half, Cactus Shadow made a goal with a high-and-in-the-corner shot. Xavier answered with another goal by Freshwoman Kaitlin King, with the assist from Senior Ellen Harris. The final goal of the evening was made by Senior Christina Dugan, assisted by Senior Laura White. Frosh Goalkeeper Annie Graham had 3 saves.
12/05/06 XCP vs. Pinnacle: Score 1 - 0; At Rose Mofford Fields / Horizon Tournament. This was a game mostly dominated by midfield play and good defense by both teams. Finally in the last part of the 2nd half, Junior Katie McCarthy headed in the ball for the only score; assisted by Freshwoman Samantha Cummings. Frosh Goalkeeper Annie Graham was credited with 3 saves.
12/06/06 XCP vs. Cactus: Score 9 - 0; At Rose Mofford Fields / Horizon Tournament. Six goals were scored in the first half, starting with Junior Chelsea Canepa, then two goals by Senior Laura White, followed by a goal from Sophomore Molly Quigley, and then a goal by Sophomore Samantha Bidwill. Senior Christina Dugan scored the next two in the second half, ending with another goal by Sophomore Samantha Bidwill. Eight assists were given by: Chelsea Canepa (1), Rachel Werner (2), Laura White (1), Christina Dugan (1), Ellen Harris (2), and Kaitlin King (1). Freshwoman Tayler Renshaw was the game's goalkeeper and had one official save.
12/08/06 XCP vs. Catalina Foothills: Score 1 - 3; At Horizon / Horizon Tournament. Catalina made the only goal in the first half. In the second half, Xavier scored their only goal from a corner kick by Freshwoman Samantha Cummings. Catalina quickly scored again, within a few minutes, and then finished the game with one more goal. Freshwoman Annie Graham played keeper and had 6 official saves.
12/09/06 XCP vs. Horizon: Score 2 - 0; At Horizon / Horizon Tournament. The only goal in the first half was scored by Freshwoman Jessica Fitzgerald, assisted by Sophomore Cassidy Osborne's corner kick. In the second half, Freshwoman Kaitlin King score, from an assist by Senior Ellen Harris. The gators held their own with strong defense and ten official saves by Freshwoman Goalkeeper Tayler Renshaw, to keep this game at a shutout.
12/11/06 XCP vs. Desert Vista: Score 2 - 1; At Desert Vista. This was a game in which both teams battled back and forth. Xavier's first goal was made in the first half by Junior Katie McCarthy, made off of a rebound shot by Ashleigh Barkley (who gets the assist.) Near the end of the second half a Penalty Kick was called against Xavier, along with a yellow card given to XCP Freshwoman Goalkeeper Annie Graham,(a call that most parents felt was very questionable,) allowing Desert Vista to tie the game at 1 - 1. This resulted in playing into overtime once again. In the the first overtime Junior Chelsea Canepa scored on a drive against the DV goal, assisted by Sophomore Molly Quigley, and then Xavier's midfield and defense were able to hold off any drives by Desert Vista to win the game. The end of the game tally had Fr Annie Graham with a total of 7 saves.
12/13/06 XCP vs. North Canyon: Score 8 - 0; At BCP. The first goal of the evening was a surprise to the kicker, Sophomore Cassidy Osborne. After a long kick to move the ball up to the forwards, she turned to move back on defense. So she didn't get to see the ball bounce up and over the goalie for the goal! The seven other goals were made by: (alphabetically) Jr Chelsea Canepa (2), Sr Kathleen Coltman (1), Fr Samantha Cummings (1), Fr Kaitlin King (2) and Sr Rachel Werner (1). There were 7 assists: Sr Ashleigh Barkley, So Samantha Bidwill, Jr Chelsea Canepa, Fr Kaitlin King, Jr Katie McCarthy, So Molly Quigley, and Sr Laura White. And while Fr Goalkeeper Tayler Renshaw was probably bored for parts of the game, she did manage to get one save and the shutout. And lastly, kudos to So Jessica Petznick, who does an excellent job on defense and may have been the only player to play the full game that evening!
12/15/06 XCP vs. Kofa: Score: 4 - 0; at BCP. The game against Kofa was a learning opportunity. While Xavier won by 4, it should've been at least 2 more. One goal was disallowed due to a foul by an XCP player just seconds before the goal, and another sucessful PK was disallowed because of a problem with the lineup. The goals that counted included: one by Sophomore Molly Quigley with an assist from Sophomore Cassidy Osborne's corner kick; one by Junior Chelsea Canepa, assisted by Senior Ellen Harris; another score from a corner, the goal by Senior Laura White, assisted by Freshwoman Samantha Cummings' corner kick; and one by Senior Christina Dugan, assisted by Senior Laura White. Fr Goalkeeper Annie Graham had 2 saves for her third shutout of the season.
Dobson Invitational Tournament; at Red Mountain Soccer Complex. 12/26-28/06.
XCP vs. Hamilton; Score: 2 - 1. Goals by: Fr Jessica Fitzgerald and Sr Ellen Harris; assists by Fr Samantha Cummings and Sr Ellen Harris. Fr Goalkeeper Annie Graham was credited with 4 saves as well.
XCP vs. Mesa; Score: 11 - 1. Goals: a hat-trick (3) by Sr Ashleigh Barkley, two by Sr Ellen Harris, plus Fr Jessica Fitzgerald, Fr Kaitlin King, Soph Molly Quigley, Sr Rachel Werner, Sr Laura White, Sr Erica Worthington all adding their own goal to the total. Assists were credited to: (2) Sr. Ellen Harris, (2) Soph Molly Quiigley, plus one each for Sr Ashleigh Barkley, Soph Samantha Cummings, Fr Jessica Fitzgerald, Sr Laura White and Sr Erica Worthington. Fr Goalkeeper Tayler Renshaw was also credited with 3 saves.
XCP vs. Ironwood; Score 4 - 0. Goals by: Sr Ashleigh Barkley, Soph Samantha Cummings, Fr Kaitlin King and Sr Laura White. Assists by: Soph Molly Quigley, Sr Ellen Harris and Soph Samantha Cummings. Fr Goalkeepers Annie Graham and Tayler Renshaw each had one save in the game.
XCP s. Desert Vista; Score: 1 - 2. Desert Vista scored first. Xavier followed with a score by Junior Chelsea Canepa in the second half. Unfortunately the same DV player scored a second time. Fr Goalkeeper Annie Graham had 3 saves.
XCP vs. Mountain Pointe; Score:1 -3. Mountain Pointe scored first. Xavier's only goal was by Junior Chelsea Canepa, leveraging a great assist from Junior Katie McCarthy. Unfortunately, MP scored twice more in the final 20 minutes. Fr Annie Graham was the game's goalkeeper.
FYI: Midway through the season, the Xavier Gators' record is 12 - 3; with 56 goals scored versus 16 goals against. Parents, don't forget to thank our student trainer, Senior Alexandra Rissi, and our team manager, Senior Vanessa Strachan. An additional thanks to a few of those players on our team that help so much on the field, yet don't get the publicity, namely Senior Deven McMorrow, Freshwoman Carmen Abella and Sophomore Jessica Petznick.
1/5/07 XCP vs. Red Mountain; Score: 5 - 2. At BCP. This was the game that had been scheduled for Wednesday, 1/3/07. Xavier came out strong against Red Mountain to set the tone for the game. Sr Laura White scored first, with an assist from Sr Ashleigh Barkley. This was followed by a goal from Jr Chelsea Canepa, assisted by Sr Ellen Harris. Fr Goalkeeper Annie Graham played the first 60 minutes of the game and had 2 (unofficial, because this is based on parent's notes, not the official book) saves. In the second half, Jr Chelsea Canepa scored again off a rebound from the Red Mountain goalie. This was followed by a goal from Sr Ellen Harris, also after a rebound from the RM goalie. Red Mountain got their first goal off of a corner kick; which Xavier answered with another goal, this time by Sr Ashleigh Barkley, and assisted by Sr Laura White. The last RM goal was in the final 30 seconds, again off of a corner kick. Fr Keeper Tayler Renshaw finished the game with (unofficial) 5 saves.
1/10/07 XCp vs. Paradise Valley; Score: 2 - 1. At BCP. The home team on the home field had a tough time getting started, but Paradise Valley did not. They scored off a great cross just a few minutes into the game. The next 60 minutes of play had some saves by Fr Keeper Annie Graham, and several potential assists as well as on-goal shots by the Gators, but nothing went into the nets. It wasn't until the last 25 minutes of the game that things meshed for Xavier, with Fr Samantha Cummings scoring off one of Sr Laura White's throw-ins. The second and final goal was off of Fr Samantha Cummings' corner kick.
Also.... A Very Special Thank You to Mr. Kevin McCarthy for the great Announcing, Music and Narrative during the home games! He adds so much to the game and enjoyment for parents, fans and the players! (FYI, some players from both teams were seen dancing before kickoffs!)
1/17/07 XCP vs. Horizon; Score: 6 - 0. At Horizon. While the game got off to a slow start, Xavier clearly dominated the Horizon Huskies. Sr Ellen Harris scored the first goal; followed by a goal from Fr Jessica Fitzgerald, assisted by Jr Chelsea Canepa's cross. The third goal of the first half was from an assist/cross from Fr Jessica Fitzgerald to Sr Christina Dugan, who put it in the net. Second half action started with a goal by Jr Chelsea Canepa; followed by a goal from Sr Ashleigh Barkley, assisted by Sr Ellen Harris. The final goal was great shot from outside the box by Jr Katie McCarthy. Fr Goalkeeper Annie Graham had three key saves and the shut-out. And kudos once again, to the Xavier defense and midfield who showed their strength by dominating their end of the field.
Current Record-to-date: 15-3! Go Gators!
Parents and Fans: don't forget that the last regular season home game is Wednesday, Jan. 24th and is Senior Night! We are encouraging a full house (with a reward)! So get everyone to come on out and cheer for our Varsity Soccer Team! Our graduating Seniors are: Ashleigh Barkley, Kathleen Coltman, Christina Dugan, Ellen Harris, Deven McMorrow, Alexandra Rissi (Trainer), Vanessa Strachan (Team Manager), Rachel Werner, Laura White and Erica Worthington.
CHANGE >>>: Friday's game, 1/19/07 against St. Mary's has been postponed. Current plan is for it to be played next Friday, at the park across from St. Mary's, approximately 3rd St. And (?) Sheridan.
1/22/07 XCP vs. Desert Mountain; Score: 7 - 0. At BCP. Any hope Desert Mountain had of a second upset of the Xavier Gators was put to rest in the first seven minutes of the game. Junior Chelsea Canepa put the first ball in the net in the first minute of play. She followed that up with another goal two minutes later. One minute after that, Senior Laura White slid the ball past the goalie. Then in the seventh minute, Senior Ashleigh Barkley scored the fourth goal. Desert Mountain did have two chances back-to-back, with the goalie out of the box, but Sophomore Jessica Petznick headed the first ball out of the goal, and when they returned it, Junior Katie McCarthy managed to run back and clear their shot out of the goal at the last second. The last goal of the half was scored by Junior Chelsea Canepa. Players with assists in the first half included: 2 by Senior Laura White, 2 by Senior Ellen Harris, and 1 by Sophomore Molly Quigley. The second half saw two more goals, one by Senior Rachel Werner, off a corner kick from Freshwoman Carmen Abella; and the final one by Freshwoman Kaitlin King, assisted by Junior Chelsea Canepa. Goalkeeping duties were shared between Freshwomen Annie Graham and Tayler Renshaw, both doing their part to ensure the shutout.
1/24/07 XCP vs. Shadow Mountain; Score: 10 - 0. At BCP. Senior Night was a HUGE success! We haven't ever seen that many Gator fans at a Xavier Soccer game on the home field. Each senior and their families were introduced and the senior's accomplishments announced, 10 different prizes were awarded, including the grand prize of $500 (which went to a Xavier student) and plenty of hot chocolate was consumed! Thank you so much to all the parents who made this possible! Now on to the game. By the score you can tell it was a great day to be a gator! The first goal was Junior Chelsea Canepa's, followed by two goals from Junior Katie McCarthy, then the seniors did the rest! Ashleigh Barkley had 2 goals and 1 assist; Christina Dugan had 3 goals (hat-trick!) and 1 assist, and Ellen Harris had 2 goals and 2 assists. Senior Laura White also contributed with 3 assists. Single assists were also recorded for Sophomore Samantha Bidwill and Junior Chelsea Canepa. And Freshwomen goalkeepers Annie Graham and Tayler Renshaw (1 official save) shared the job of keeping the shutout.
1/26/07 XCP vs. St. Mary's: Score: 7 - 0. At St. Mary's. This was our last game of the regular season, and it was great to end with another shutout! The Frosh Goalkeepers shared duties during the game, but the only real challenge was a PK that was saved by Tayler Renshaw. We had six players scoring the seven goals; 2 for Junior Chelsea Canepa, and 1 each for Senior Laura White, Senior Christina Dugan, Sophomore Samantha Bidwill, Sophomore Jessica Petznick, and Freshwoman Carmen Abella. We also had five players assisting six of those goals, 2 for Senior Ellen Harris, and 1 each for Senior Christina Dugan, Senior Ashleigh Barkley, Junior Chelsea Canepa, and Freshwoman Carmen Abella. On to the state playoffs!
FYI, the link to the Girls 5A State Tournament Bracket is: http://www.aiaonline.org/story/uploads/Soccer___5A_Div_I_Girls_Bracket_2007_1170009279.pdf
NOTICE: Wednesday's playoff game against Horizon has been POSTPONED until tomorrow at 6:30 p.m. Still at BCP.
PLAYOFF: 2/1/07 XCP vs. Horizon: Score 2 - 0. At BCP. Since the game had been delayed a day due to rain, it was not surprising that the field was a mess. It was more a slip-and-slide game than soccer. So, the fact that the ball bounced between midfields, and defense to defense, was not surprising. But what was amazing was the 0 - 0 tie at the end of regulation. However, the Xavier Gators resolved that quandary in overtime, with a goal by Senior Ellen Harris in the 1st overtime period, assisted by Junior Chelsea Canepa; followed by a goal in the 2nd overtime period by Junior Chelsea Canepa, assisted by Senior Ellen Harris. Several key saves were recorded by Frosh Goalkeeper Annie Graham, to keep the Gators at 5 shut-outs in a row!
PLAYOFF: 2/3/07 XCP vs. Hamilton: Score 4 - 0. At Tempe Sports Complex. The first goal in the first half was a tap-in by Junior Chelsea Canepa, off a throw-in by Senior Laura White. This was followed by a goal from Senior Ellen Harris, who was assisted by Sophomore Molly Quigley. Both goals in the second half were by Junior Chelsea Canepa (for a hat-trick), the first was a hard left-footer off another throw-in by Senior Laura White, and the second was a header off a long pass from Sophomore Cassidy Osborne. The gator defenders and goalkeepers (both Freshwomen Annie Graham, 4 saves, and Tayler Renshaw, 1 save) were major forces contributing to yet another shutout!
How about a BIG Shout Out and THANK YOU to our Team Mom, Liz White!!! She keeps us posted, signed up and organized - no small task with this big of a group! And all with a smile! Thank You THANK YOU Thank You LIZ!
Did you see where Xavier was listed in the Top 50 Girl's Soccer Teams in the U.S.? This was per studentsportssoccer.com. Four teams in Arizona made the list: Xavier, Mountain Pointe, Corona Del Sol, and Catalina Foothills (in Tucson.) Yea Gators!
PLAYOFF: 2/7/07 XCP vs. Corona Del Sol, Score: 3 - 4. This was the second time we played Corona this year, and once again it came down to a shootout. Senior Laura White scored the first goal of the game, assisted by Sophomore Cassidy Osborne. The gators led 1 - 0 at the half. In the second half, Corona scored their first goal from a PK, and their second from a corner shot. Shortly after that, Freshwoman Samantha Cummings passed the ball forward and Junior Chelsea Canepa headed the ball in to tie the game at 2 - 2. In the first overtime, Freshwoman Samantha Cummings scored off a direct kick, to put the gators up 3 - 2. Throughout the game, the defense and midfield did a great job, limiting Corona to only one goal during play (their other scores were both on PKs.) Frosh goalkeeper Annie Graham also had several great saves as well. The girls played strong and with a lot of heart and almost had the game, but the ref gave Corona a PK with eleven seconds left in the second overtime, forcing the shootout. Only this time we did not prevail. And so our season ends with an overall record of 20 -4.