The Davis Legacy U9 Girls Strikers captured the NorCal State Cup crown in the Premiere 2 Division with a comeback win in penalty kicks over the Empire SC Blue Lightning. The Strikers earned their way into the championship game with a 1-0  quarterfinal victory over the Pleasanton Rage in a match played in Davis on November 5th, followed by 3-0 trouncing of the Manteca Benfica in the semifinal game played in Manteca on November 19th.  The quarter final game against Pleasanton was a scoreless, evenly fought battle until the final minutes of extra time when Dolores Arias delivered a bending corner kick that bounced across the face of the goal. Kate Speakman was perfectly positioned outside the far post where she collected the ball, turned, and and rifled in a bullet just below the cross bar. Earlier in the match, goalkeeper Ali Nickum preserved the draw with a key diving save to give the Strikers the chance for the victory. In the semi final game, the Strikers dominated Manteca once the attacking quartet of Arias, Lindsay Soloaga, Franchesca Bolivar, and Peja Balanon found their form. Solaga put the Strikers on the board midway in the first half when she muscled past the the central defender with a determined run and buried a low drive past the keeper. Soloaga made it 2-0 Strikers before half when she collected a centering ball from Arias and beat the keeper at the far post. Davis kept up the pressure on the Manteca goal in the second half. Arias completed the scoring with a low blast to make it 3-0 after receiving a pass from Bolivar set up by a through-ball from Speakman.
In the championship game, the Strikers where on their heels much of the first half and fell behind 1-0 early in the second half when the Lighting found a wide open player on the far post with a diagonal pass. The goal served as a wake-up call for the Strikers and they began to create some pressure on the gaol. With the game winding down, the Strikers finally broke through the Empire defense when Arias delivered a corner kick that deflected off an Lightning defender to Soloaga who finished with a low shot past a scrambling keeper.  The back line of Emily Wells, Antonia Zaragosa-Smith, Jillian Geist, and Jocelyn Rodriguez held off the the Empire attack through two extra periods to force the penalty kick finish.  In the penalty kick phase, goalkeeper Nickum came up huge, saving three consecutive tries by the Blue Lighting. The key save came on the third Empire kick when Nickum reached high to deflect a strong blast.  Speakman, Soloaga, and Arias all converted their kicks for the Strikers. Nickum easily smothered the final try by the Lightning, sealing the championship for the Strikers. Midfielders Megan Looney and Shea Sorrentino also contributed with strong play in the midfields throughout the tournament.

Class of 1995

College: CSUS Stanislaus

-Team captain, MVP

Coaching History: coached in number of clubs including

-Placer United

-San Juan

-AJAX of Modesto

-BOCA

-Davis

American River College Women’s Team Head Coach

USSF National “A” License

NSCAA Advanced Regional
CYSA “E” Coaching License
CYSA “F” Coaching License
NFHS Coach’s Association Certificate

Coaching Experince:

2008-2011 CA Jacobs JHS Head Coach
2009-Present Dixon HS Boys JV Head Coach
2011- Present Dixon HS Girls Varsity Head Coach
2011- Present Dixon HS Boys Varsity Head Coach

Playing experience 1994- Present

Vacaville United
Sacramento United
Davis Legacy
High School: Dixon High School (2001-2005)
College: Napa Valley Men’s Soccer (2006-2008)
CCSL: C.D. Lobos (2005-2008)
Dixon Leon (2009)

Accomplishments:

Dixon High School -as player:
4-time League Champions
Section Champions (2002)
CVC All-Legue Selection (2004-2005)
DHS Block “D” Award Winner

Coaching History

2011- Real sacramento jrs u15 boys head coach.
2010-2011 Elk Grove Everton u14 boys.
2009-2010 EGEFC U13 boys Head Coach and u 14 girls Head Coach.
2008-2009 Assistant  Coach for u10 girls and Assistant Coach for u14 boys.
2007-2008 Everton Academy Coach , Assistant Coach u 9 girls.

Coaching Licenses

National youth diploma an cysa E D.
Coaching licesnse national youth diploma an cysa E D.

Played Comp Soccer for River City, Capital Valley and Sac United, played

for Cruz Azul CCSL for six yrs.

Licenses:
Advance National Diploma (B)
Advance Fiorentina

Coaching Exp:
Coaching Division 1 in NorCal for the last 5 years, & PDP for the last 2 years.

Playing Exp:  High School Varsity 3 years, Sr year Captain.  U-17, U-20 and Open State and National Cup participant (Guerrero, Mexico)

Newcastle Upon Tyne Polytechnic (now Northumbria University) 1990

Coaching Education

NSCAA Advanced National
UEFA/FAW B License
UEFA/FAW C Licence
English FA Teachers Award
FAW Leaders Award
UEFA/FAW First Aid and Prevention of Injuries Course
Soccer Education Company – Speed and Agility Trainers Course
Cal South E License
Cal South D License

Coaching Education

Fram Soccer Club, Palos Verdes, CA,  Staff Coach 2006-2011
Fram Soccer Club, Boys U8-U11 Teams Development Coordinator 2008-2010
L.A. Galaxy, Carson, CA,  Head Coach Youth Fantasy Camps Program, Home Depot Center 2006-2007
Club Chivas Project Coordinator 2006
MLS Camps and Club Chivas 2005-2006
Soccer Education Company, Oklahoma City, Little Rock and Seattle: Team Camps and Development Coach, Summer 1999
Mid Wales Soccer Development, Program Coordinator, Area Staff Coach and Tournament Teams Coordinator 1992-1998
Guilsfield JFC-Shropshire League Club Coach 1995-1997
Camp Robin Hood Head Coach – Summer Soccer Camp Program Summer 1989 and 1990

Playing Experience

County and Regional Youth Player
Cymru Alliance (2nd tier of Welsh Football) and Mid Wales League Player 1986-2002