Another five-star performance for Whitecaps Girls Elite as they keep their unbeaten start to their League1 BC title defence

(Photo Credit: John May/AFTN)

Vancouver Whitecaps Girls Elite kept up their unbeaten start to the 2024 League1 BC women’s division season with another dominant performance in a 5-0 victory over Harbourside FC in Nanaimo on Saturday afternoon.

In what was always scheduled to be a tough match for the Harbourside women, it took less than four minutes for the Whitecaps to open the scoring with an attack down the right wing. The only player to get onto Jaime Perrault’s ball played across the area was Kaylee Hunter, who blasted her shot past Emily Rowbotham in the home goal.

Despite a fairly even midfield game, both the Whitecaps and Hunter doubled their tally in the 23rd minute. Iba Oching chased down a ball up the left wing, playing it inside to Kierra Blundell, who set up Hunter, who took a touch before blasting home from just inside the box.

Kaylee Hunter with the one touch control and finish for her second of the game 👏#VWFC | #L1BC pic.twitter.com/KtOA7PnMI1

— Whitecaps FC Girls Elite Academy (@WFCElite) May 11, 2024

With six minutes left in the half, the Whitecaps went three up.

Harbourside’s keeper played a short pass to her left, but a misscontrol by the defender allowed Jeneva Hernandez-Gray to nip in and snatch the ball away, comfortably sliding the ball into the net.

And that was how things stayed till the half.

Jeneva Hernandez Gray slots one in to make it 3️⃣!#VWFC | #L1BC pic.twitter.com/oWwDxaKdwi

— Whitecaps FC Girls Elite Academy (@WFCElite) May 11, 2024

Harbourside started the second half strong, however 10 minutes in the Whitecaps added to their tally.

Blundell had the ball at the edge of the box but a tackle knocked the ball away but straight into the path of Mia Gutteres. With only the keeper to beat she put the ball into the bottom right hand corner, out of reach from a diving Rowbotham.

Mia Guterres slots it into the bottom right corner from outside the box 🎯#VWFC | #L1BC pic.twitter.com/gTP4UCUDES

— Whitecaps FC Girls Elite Academy (@WFCElite) May 11, 2024

The Whitecaps went nap on the hour mark.

Noelle Sather power forward up the middle of the park, playing a perfectly weighted pass forward for a nimble Hernandez-Gray to take the ball around Rowbotham and fire home from an acute angle.

Noelle Sather feeds it to Jeneva Hernandez Gray, who nets the sharp angle shot 🤝#VWFC | #L1BC pic.twitter.com/cVv7OxFTSQ

— Whitecaps FC Girls Elite Academy (@WFCElite) May 11, 2024

Now on a high, the Whitecaps continued their attacks, but were denied a sixth goal by the hard work and quick hands of Rowbotham.

FINAL SCORE: Harbourside FC 0 – 5 Vancouver Whitecaps

HARBOURSIDE: Emily Rowbotham; Kate Reynolds (Mya Creed 62’), Taiya Scorey, Rebekah Van Dort, Ruby Nichols; Sophie Fingarson, Taylor Kinley (Elle Gignac 46′), Sophie Murphy (Jensa Napier-Ganley 46′); Tanis McKay (Meghan Linegar 72’), Jazmine Wilkinson (Maddy Dawson 69’), Erin Jensen (Ava Alexander 62’) [Substitutes not used: Brooke Ingram]

VANCOUVER WHITECAPS GIRLS ELITE: Sidney Venier (Kylie Sandulak 46′); Jaime Perrault, Tea Mayson, Keira Martin, Iba Oching (Sammy Reimer 46′); Noelle Sather, Jeneva Hernandez Gray (Ashley Roberts 62’), Chloe Taylor; Joy Kimwemwe (Mia Guterres 46′), Kierra Blundell (Abigail Anderson 62’), Kaylee Hunter (Emma Yee 46′) [Substitutes not used: Emily Wong]

REACTION:

VANCOUVER WHITECAPS

STAND IN HEAD COACH ESTEBAN MORE

You had multiple scorers, is this part of your structure, or do they have free rein?

“We do allow them to have a go. We are lucky to have skillful players who can score whenever needed.”

Did you feel that passing accuracy was the main difference between the two teams?

“It’s something we work on consistently. We knew they would match us one-to-one, but our girls were really good at creating angles and passing opportunities.”

HARBOURSIDE

HEAD COACH BOBBIE TAYLOR

What do you feel are the main takeaways from this game?:

“We knew what we were coming into. They are a team that practices every day, we made them earn everything they had. They were very good with their execution. We did well with our press could have finished a few opportunities.”

Do you think the ability to finish was the main divider?

“Absolutely. We’ve got to be better and that will be a priority on the training field.”

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Check out the AFTN Flickr account for John and Hazel May’s photos from the match and our other League1 BC photos.