In their first tournament after the recently completed high school season, LAFC Black GU16 traveled to Temecula for the Arsenal Winter Showcase and returned champions. Incorporating several new players, and under the guidance of coach Teddy Chronopoulos, the team dropped its first game 1-0 to Eastside Chelsea, state ranked 3rd in Oregon.

In their second game LAFC Black found their footing against Temecula United and scored a convincing 3-0 victory behind a crisp header from Alyssa Conti, a strike from distance by Michelle Gonzales and a slotted goal by Marissa Manzano.

In the semi-final match against host Arsenal Red, LAFC scored in less than a minute when Katie Gancedo let one fly from 30 yards out and dropped it in deftly under the crossbar. Not to be outdone, Edith Dominguez followed with an unassisted left-footed Olympic goal from a corner kick. Michelle Gonzales scored her second goal of the tournament on a penalty kick after Daisy Cabrera was fouled in the box. Celina Valencia capped off the scoring in the 5-3 victory with two goals in less than five minutes on opportunistic runs down the middle, one being fed by a sublime pass from Daisy Cabrera.

In the finals LAFC Black once again faced Eastside Chelsea for the championship. With the benefit of the team having played a few games together, LAFC Black’s back line of Taylor French, Savannah DeSousa, Sam Whitehead, Lori Cuerington and Allison Hill shut down Eastside Chelsea’s attack to lead LAFC Black to a 1-0 championship victory on Alyssa Conti’s second goal of the tournament.

Well done girls!

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