The Placer United 2007 Girls NPL1 team had a huge showing in the Prestigious San Diego Surf Cup Tournament this past weekend. Competing in Super Black division (second bracket), the team won the group with three wins going 3-0 and earning a birth to the semifinals. Beating impressive teams like Pateadores Academy, Rebels ECNL and Crossfire United ECNL, the girls battled in the semifinals but fell short 1-0 in the final few minutes to ISC Gunners GA. The Gunners would win the final 3-0. The girls came so close. What an impressive showing in an elite tournament in a very high and difficult bracket. Congrats to Todd DeCarlo and the entire Placer United 07 girls team!

Manteca/Ripon Bulletin
by: Jonamar Jacinto
Published: May 18, 2021

Ripon High senior Ariana Scholten fantasized about her future as she participated in a soccer camp at the scenic campus of University of San Diego during her sophomore year.

“Well, if you’ve ever seen the campus it’s gorgeous,” she said. “I thought, ‘I’d like to play here one day.’”

She’ll soon get the chance.

The Indians’ attacking midfielder/forward has signed with the Toreros of the West Coast Conference, where she is sure to see some top NCAA Division I competition including national power Santa Clara. Although her role is not yet set in stone, Scholten envisions herself as a striker. Fourth-year coach Louise Lieberman could use a player with a nose for the goal after USD scored just three goals while finishing 1-7-1 this past season.

Scholten looks forward to working for a coach who has served as an assistant for the U.S. Soccer Under-23 women’s team and UCLA. San Diego won eight games in each of its first three seasons under Lieberman.

Scholten hasn’t had a chance to visit the campus since that camp two years ago, but it wasn’t necessary to convince her to commit.

“It’s a beautiful school, but the one thing that really attracted me the most was Lou and her coaching staff,” she said. “They’re very supportive people. They obviously want good soccer players but they look for people first. They want you to bring light to their squad and leave the school as a better player and as a better person.

“They really care about your school, your values and your soccer life. I really appreciate that about them.”

Her plan is to major in pre-health science and further her studies in occupational or physical therapy. She’ll also minor in marine biology.

Since college coaches have been unable to scout prospects in person, Scholten worked with her club coach, Ron Benjamin of Placer United, to film training videos and send them out.

“Coach Lou reached out to me and said, ‘I’d like to talk to you about a future at San Diego,’” Scholten said. “At the time I was talking to another college but I was real happy when the opportunity with USD came up because that had been my dream school since my sophomore year.”

San Diego gets a proven winner at the club and high school levels in Scholten, who tallied 54 goals and 60 assists in her first three years at Ripon. A three-time All-Trans-Valley League selection, she led the Indians to two Sac-Joaquin Section Division V championships, two league titles and their first California Interscholastic Federation NorCal Regional final.

Scholten proved herself to be deadly on set pieces and in the run of play with powerful and laser-accurate striking on either foot. Her junior year, she focused on playmaking and racked up a team-high 26 assists.

This season, Ripon is playing an abbreviated schedule in the competitive Valley Oak League because of the coronavirus pandemic. With no postseason or league titles on the line, Scholten is glad to just have fun with her friends on the pitch.

“It’s nice to take a break from all the seriousness of comp and just enjoy yourself on the field while continuing to work on little things and perfect my play before I go to college,” Scholten said.

 

Major League Soccer (MLS) – San Jose Earthquakes News Release
May 16, 2021

SAN JOSE, Calif. – The San Jose Earthquakes fell to the Portland Timbers 2-0 on Saturday night at PayPal Park. The match saw the MLS debut of Quakes forward Benji Kikanovic and the season debut of Quakes midfielder Jack Skahan.

Portland took the lead in the fifth minute when Eryk Williamson sent a through ball to Yimmi Chara, who would chip the ball up and over an onrushing JT Marcinkowski.

San Jose would come close to the equalizer in the second half when a penalty was given to the Quakes in the 61st minute, but Chris Wondolowski’s low shot was saved by the outstretched arms of goalkeeper Logan Ketterer. Portland later doubled their lead in the 74th minute when Williamson’s cross to Marvin Loria was headed home.

The Earthquakes will now prepare to play their third and final match of a three-game homestand next Saturday, May 22 vs. Sporting Kansas City, presented by Coca-Cola. The match kicks off from PayPal Park at 7:00 p.m. and will be broadcast live on NBC Sports Bay Area, KNBR 1050 and 1370 KZSF.

GAME NOTES

The Earthquakes now hold a 3-3-0 record (9 pts.) during the 2021 MLS regular season and are currently in fourth place in the Western Conference.

San Jose earned 12 corner kicks, their most in a single match since July 15, 2020 (22).

The Quakes took 20 shots, their most in a single match since July 15, 2020 (30).

San Jose committed just five fouls, their fewest in a match since Sept. 25, 2019 (5).

Forward Benji Kikanovic made his MLS debut, entering as a substitute in the 63rd minute.

Midfielder Jack Skahan made his first appearance of the season and second of his MLS career, entering as a substitute in the 66th minute.

MLS Regular Season

San Jose Earthquakes 0 – 2 Portland Timbers

May 15, 2021 – PayPal Park in San Jose, Calif.

Scoring Summary: POR – Yimmi Chara (Eryk Williamson) 5; POR – Marvin Loria (Eryk Williamson, Felipe Mora) 74.

Misconduct Summary: POR – Bill Tuiloma (caution) 25; POR – Dario Zuparic (caution) 42; SJ – Chris Wondolowski (caution) 45+3.

SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES: JT Marcinkowski; Paul Marie (Shea Salinas 58), Oswaldo Alanis, Florian Jungwirth (Chris Wondolowski 58), Luciano Abecasis; Carlos Fierro, Eric Remedi, Jackson Yueill; Carlos Fierro (Benji Kikanovic 63), Cristian Espinoza (Chofis 58), Andres Rios (Jack Skahan 66); Cade Cowell.

Substitutes not used: Tanner Beason, Judson, Tommy Thompson, Daniel Vega.

SHOTS: 20; SHOTS ON GOAL: 4; FOULS: 5; CORNER KICKS: 12.

PORTLAND TIMBERS: Logan Ketterer; Claudio Bravo, Dario Zuparic, Bill Tuiloma, Pablo Bonilla (Josecarlos Van Rankin 82); Andy Polo (Renzo Zambrano 72), Eryk Williamson, Yimmi Chara, Marvin Loria (Zachery McGraw 82); Felipe Mora (Diego Valeri 82), Jeremy Ebobisse (Dairon Asprilla 69).

Substitutes not used: Blake Bodily, Hunter Sulte.

SHOTS: 18, SHOTS ON GOAL: 5; FOULS: 10; CORNER KICKS: 5.

SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES HEAD COACH MATIAS ALMEYDA

On improving the team’s offense:

“I think football is simple. If you score goals and they don’t, you win. If you concede and they don’t, you lose. Today’s match was similar to our previous match. We were able to create opportunities from headers, a penalty and rebounds we could not get to. The opponents had created two dangerous chances and they converted, and we cannot afford mistakes against these teams. We will keep working to capitalize on the chances we are getting.”

On giving minutes to younger players:

“It brings me pleasure to allow young players to make their debut. It’s not easy to come on in these types of games. Sometimes because of nerves and trying to be perfect, not everything goes right. This is the team we have, with many young players. The day they all have 40 appearances in the first division, and they remain in this league, with this system and style of play, we will become more competitive.”

On the team’s approach to penalty kicks:

“We practice them. I think if anyone had to be selected to take penalties, it would be the league and this club’s all-time leader in goals. The penalty was well taken. The goalkeeper stretched his arm and got to the post. I won’t just take away this penalty, I will take away the chances we created. Apart from the penalty, we were missing the finishing touches.”

SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES MIDFIELDER CRISTIAN ESPINOZA

On the team’s finishing:

“We need to be more attentive in the final stretch where we really need to make a difference. The goals result from our ability to finish them. We have been great in that sense but in our last two matches, we were unlucky in our finishing. Other times, we cannot capitalize because of the virtues in the opponent. We will keep working and move forward. We have important upcoming matches and now is not the time to give up.”

On creating more dangerous chances:

“I think today’s match was difficult for everyone, especially the attackers. The opponent just waited in their area, defended throughout the entire match and created counterattacks, and that is how they scored. Personally, I don’t feel that neither my teammates nor I performed badly. When you face an opponent with practically 11 players in their own half, it becomes difficult to find space. We have to find a way to generate attacking plays. In this match, the opponent stayed in their area and waited for our mistakes to launch a counter.”

 

At peace on the pitch: Nevada Union alumna Cayce Shaw balances pursuit of Ph.D. with new soccer opportunity

The Union
Sports | May 7, 2021
by Walter Ford  

When Cayce Shaw is playing soccer, everything else in her life fades into the background.

“I love playing,” said Shaw. “It’s something that when I step on the field, everything else goes away.”

For Shaw, a 2015 Nevada Union graduate, soccer is a sport she has dedicated herself to since she was a child. And, through the years, soccer has reciprocated with life lessons, opportunities and mental tranquility.

Shaw, 24, first started playing soccer when she was in second grade. At first it was just a fun way to spend time with her friends. She soon discovered she had a knack for the game and joined a club team, the Placer United. At the high school level, the talented footballer was a four-year varsity player for the Miners. She was a team captain in her junior and senior seasons, and was named to the All-Sierra Foothill League team twice.

“I just really grew to love it and wanted to pursue it in college,” she said. “Having leadership roles and being around such a good community really inspired my passion to keep playing.”

Shaw’s prowess on the pitch, as well as the classroom, landed her at the University of California, Santa Cruz, where she majored in bio chemistry and played four years on the women’s soccer team.

“It was a really good fit academically and athletically,” she said.

Shaw played center-forward for the Banana Slugs, and across her four years with the team she started 56 games, scored 18 goals and had eight assists. During her senior season, she led the team with eight goals and was named the 2018 Offensive Player of the Year  among Division III independent teams. The Banana Slugs reached the NCAA Division III playoffs in three of the four years Shaw was on the team.

ACADEMIA

After her time at UC Santa Cruz concluded, Shaw made the move to San Francisco to pursue a Ph.D. in neuroscience at the University of California, San Francisco. Shaw’s studies focus on Alzheimer’s disease, and more specifically the differences between how males and females are affected by the disease.

“I love teaching and would love to be in academia,” Shaw said of her career pursuits. “Hopefully, be a professor and do my own research. Have some kind of research lab and also teach courses.”

Shaw said she truly enjoys the work she’s doing at UC San Francisco, but it does come with its fair share of stress.

“I thought that I was done with soccer once I graduated (UC Santa Cruz), but I started grad school and was feeling a lot of pressure and needed a way to try and help me cope,” Shaw said. “I found this group, the Nighthawks, which is a bunch of former college players. It’s a really good community of other people in the city I can play soccer with, and I’ve found that it’s a really healthy way to manage my stress.”

Shaw signed with the San Francisco Nighthawks Women’s Soccer Club in January 2020, but COVID-19 forced the season to be canceled. The club plans to be back on the pitch for the 2021 summer season, though, and Shaw is looking forward to competing once again.

“I feel so lucky that I was able to find this group in San Francisco,” Shaw said. “When I finished in college I felt like something was missing in my life. It was such a big part of my identity. … So I feel pretty lucky that I found the Nighthawks and was able to make the team and get signed (to the roster).”

At its highest level, the Nighthawks compete in the Women’s Premier Soccer League, which is the second tier of women’s professional soccer in the United States and Canada. The club also has teams that compete in the Golden Gate Women’s Soccer League. Shaw is currently listed as a member of the club’s GGWSL First Division team.

As for handling the rigors of her academic pursuits while playing soccer at a high level, Shaw said it’s made easier when you love what you do.

“Finding something that brings you a lot of joy is helpful,” she said. “Whether it’s your career or the sport that you’re playing, it shouldn’t ever feel like it’s a task. I genuinely love the academics that I’m doing as well as playing soccer, so I feel like that joy has made me want to put in the extra hours.”

The summer season for the Nighthawks is set to start May 29, said Shaw.

“I’m excited for summer to really prove myself,” she said. “And, hopefully, get more time on the field.”