Courtesy: Saipan Tribune


MP United vs Paire in A league finals

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

by Roselyn Monroyo

It will be MP United and Paire in the championship game in the A division of the 2010 NMIFA Women's Futsal Fall League.

These two teams arranged their title duel in the A league after notching separate wins at the start of the playoff round last Saturday at the Marianas High School Gymnasium. Paire played in the first semis game in the A league division and crushed Independents Football Club A2, 8-0. Paire, which ruled the regular season with an unbeaten record to gain the top seeding in the single-elimination playoffs, scored three goals in the first half and then played even better in the second half, tallying five more goals.

MP United booked the second finals berth after edging the depleted IFC A1, 3-1.

Carrie Schuler scored the first goal for MP United in the seventh minute, as she kicked the ball toward the center of IFC A1's goal. Goalie Anna Manibusan dove for the ball and it looked like she was up for a save, but butterfingers cost her to lose the leather, giving Schuler and MP United a goal.

MP United got its second goal 10 minutes later off another Manibusan' fumble, as the IFC A1 goalie rushed to stop the ball from rolling to the net. At first, she was successfully, but again she lost grip on the ball, and MP United went up, 2-0. Manibusan had problems with her shoes, as she often slid on the floor.

IFC A1 finally made it to the scoreboard in the 36th minute with Lindsay Davis threading MP United's defense and the ball rolling in between the legs of goalie Rachel Masga.

A few minutes after Davis scored off Masga, Melody Matson took the latter's spot. It was a wise move on the part of MP United, as IFC A1 became more aggressive in the second half.

Manibusan, who was replaced by Cathy Anderson in the second half, borrowed her teammate's shoes in the second half and then tried to help Davis attack MP United's defense. She made three attempts, but each time the ball just hit the right post and Matson quickly stepped in to pick it up. Davis also made several tries, however Matson did a great job in denying IFC from scoring.

On offense, MP United drew one more goal in the second half with Natalie Hill scoring on a breakaway in the 40th minute.

The MP United-Paire title game will be played at 12pm this Saturday at the MHS Gymnasium.


B league semis cast complete

Meanwhile, the semifinals cast in the B league divisions was completed last Saturday.

Making up the Final Four were Paire, Matansa U18, Tan Holdings FC, and Shirley's Coffee Shop.

Shirley's advanced to the next round after a 4-2 win over Matansa; Matansa U18 prevailed over MHS U18, 2-1; Paire downed MPU 2, 4-2; and Tan Holdings edged MPU 1, 3-2.

Shirley's and Matansa U18 will battle in the first semis game this Saturday at 8am, while Tan Holdings FC and Paire will duel in the second semis tiff at 9am. Winners of these semis games will slug it out in the B league finals at 1pm.


Posted by Luca Ranocchiari --> luca.ranocchiari@futsalplanet.com