Boca Js 91 Girls Finalist at President's Day Tournament

PHOENIX, AZ -- The Capital Athletic Boca Jrs 91 girls finished second at the President's Day Tournament in Arizona this past weekend.  PDT is considered one of the top girls soccer tournaments in the country.

Boca Juniors opened the tournament on Saturday against the Iowa ODP State Team.  After a scoreless first half the team broke the game open with three goals to win 3-0.  Rachel Mercik scored the first goal on an assist from Lisa Corona. Mercik struck again on the second goal when she bent a corner kick directly into the net.  The final goal was scored by Timery Mueller on an assist from Mallory Creamer.

In the Saturday afternoon game Boca took on the Arizona Storm.  Creamer opened the scoring when right forward Lisa Corona crossed a ball to the back post which midfielder Danielle Lovato headed on goal.  The Storm goalkeeper made a great save but Creamer blasted a header into the back of the net.  Boca took a 1-0 lead into halftime.  In the second half Mueller gave Boca a 2-0 lead when she ran onto a ball by Corona.  Her first shot blasted off the post but she followed the shot and converted the rebound. Mercik tucked away a great cross by Mueller for the 3-0 victory.  Midfielders Jen Ericson, Courtney Strombeck, Teagan Seman, Katie Furtado, and Lovato controlled the game.

Boca entered Sunday morning's match needing a tie to win the group. T he team came out playing tremendous possession soccer and scored two first half goals against the Arizona Blackhawks.  The first was by Natalie Perez on an assist from Rachel Mercik.  Perez took a great pass from Merick and ripped a shot to the back post at almost no angle to give Boca the lead.  The second goal was a long blast from Strombeck on an assist from Furtado. With the win Boca advanced to the Quarterfinals as the top seed in the group.

The New Mexico Rush was waitin for Boca in the Quarterfinals. The Rush had gone through its group undefeated as well. While Boca created a number of chances, and one goal was called back for offside, the game went to the half tied 0-0. Mercik opened the scoring early in the second half when she bent the ball just inside the back post from 25 yards away. Creamer then struck for Boca with a blast from 40 yards which caught the Rush goalkeeper off her line. Mercik scored again a few minutes later when she made a creative run through the defensive and Creamer found her with the ball to give Boca the 3-0 victory and advance the team to the Semi-Finals.

In the Semi-Finals Boca would face the Utah Avalanche, the top team in the state of Utah. For the fifth game in a row the Boca defense came up big. The team did not allow a goal until the finals. Goalkeeper Erin Rost, and back Alli Kelly, Alex Del Agua, Rachel Rodman, Nicole Wilson, and Brianne Levinson dominated the tournament defensively. Avalanche was unable to penetrate the Boca backs and in the second half Corona scored a goal on an assist from Creamer to give Boca the 1-0 victory and send the team to the finals.

Boca battled Sereno in the finals but fell 2-0. Capital Athletic was one of only two clubs in the tournament to have multiple girls teams in the championship games.

Next the team will head to Las Vegas for the prestigious Las Vegas College Showcase in March.