Diablo FC 95 U14 girls win Cal Cup championship
Frustrating run of 2nd place finishes comes to end

Posted: 6/29/2009 
Updated: 7/28/2009

June 29, 2009

With four shutouts in five games, including a 3-0 victory over highly-ranked Cal Odyssey Red in the championship game of the three-day tournament, the Diablo FC 95 girls won the U14 gold division at the 17th annual Cal Cup tournament last weekend in Sacramento.

Coach Sissi’s girls broke out the offense in the championship game as Kendall Stuscavage scored a pair of goals and Francesca Panella added the third against a team which had allowed only one goal in the entire tournament before the finale.

Last year Diablo FC 95 earned second-place finishes in four tournaments so it was a welcome change of pace to earn the winner’s medals in the prestigious Cal Cup, which traditionally kicks off the summer tournament scene in Northern California. During the 2008 season, the team was runner-up in Placer United Prestige Cup, Walnut Creek Summerfest, North vs. South Summer Classic in San Luis Obispo and our own Diablo FC Summer Classic.

Mikayla Wightman is the Diablo FC 95 goalkeeper and she accumulated four Cal Cup shutouts and 20 saves. Her strong defensive shell included Sarah Toelkes, Desiree Martinez, Haley Cappa, Desiree Martinez, Stephanie Macaluso and Mary Stammers.

Hannah Harris scored the only goal in the fourth game against the Rocklin Strikers, which put Sissi’s team into the championship. In the prior game Saturday the team also won 1-0 over We Ball Demolition.

The team opened Cal Cup play on Friday with its first shutout in a 1-0 verdict over Sagebrush Acceleration, a top Nevada team. Diablo FC hit the crossbar multiple times in the hard fought contest. Diablo FC 95 returned to the field early Friday afternoon to meet El Dorado United Eclipse 96. Diablo FC scored first but then gave up three straight goals to El Dorado, which was playing its first game of the day. Back came the 95 girls with a pair of goals to knot the score at three. El Dorado won the game 4-3 with a goal in the final minute as Diablo FC fought off fatigue in the 100 degree heat against their fresher opponents.

Over the weekend, Stuscavage and Panella (aka Chooch) each scored three goals while Lauren Bradley dished out four assists in addition to scoring a goal. Harris and Kylee Smith rounded out the goalscorers.

Diablo FC 95 celebrate their Cal Cup championship. Coach Sissi, Desiree Martinez, Kimberly Fiori, Lauren Bradley, Dalene Corey (acting Team Manager), Taylor Mangini, Hannah Harris, Kendall Stuscavage (kneeling), Sarah Toelkes, Francesca Panella (kneeling), Stephanie Macaluso, Caroline Lamoureux (kneeling), Mikayla Wightman, Breanna Gonzalez, Mary Stammers, Haley Cappa, Kylee Smith. Not pictured, Jane Mitchell.
 

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