A near flawless season is taking Richmond FC to where no local senior women’s soccer team has gone in 30 years.
They put the finishing touch on a remarkable campaign with a dominating 4-0 victory over the North Shore Renegades in the Provincial Premier Cup final played on Sunday in Langford. The result sends the girls to the Canadian Championships in St. John’s Newfoundland in October — marking the first time a Richmond team has reached the national stage since 1986.
Richmond FC has also completed the prestigious treble, earlier winning the Metro Women’s Soccer League’s regular season and league cup titles.
Since September, Richmond’s combined record is 20-1-1, including three wins in the Provincial Cup playdowns that produced a 10-0 aggregate score.
The only team to give them trouble this season was the defending provincial champion Renegades.
The rivals split three earlier meetings (1-1-1), with Richmond winning the league cup final 2-1 back in early April. Head coach Jim Caldwell was confident his team’s younger legs would be the difference again, especially on field turf at Westhills Stadium. He couldn’t have been more accurate.
Striker Caitlin Davie was no doubt the Renegades’ greatest concern entering the cup final.
The former UBC standout was the runaway MWSL Golden Boot winner with 18 regular season goals and added four more in the two provincial playoff games. With Davie getting extra attention and playing on a tender ankle, Richmond F.C. promptly showcased their other weapons — namely Jenna Richardson.
The 23-year-old Oregon State University product produced a pair of clinical finishes to put her team in control.
After a cautious start to the game that saw North Shore carrying the early play, Richmond FC found its footing and began to take over.
Shanay Sangha ran down a loose ball in the corner and found Richardson about 10 yards out. She made a quick turn and neatly deposited her shot into the bottom corner.
The locals doubled their lead just two minutes into the second half when Julie-Anne Toda made a terrific run down the left side and sent a low ball to the near post where Richardson slipped past her check and one-timed the cross home.
For good measure, Jaclyn Dunnett made it 3-0 when she got hold of a flick-on by Kelly Cook after a cross into the penalty area.
Just to showcase their speed one last time, Hayley Flower-Ainge, who came on for Davie, sent a terrific ball over the top to a streaking Sangha and she neatly chipped the ball over the on rushing North Shore goalkeeper.
At the other end of the pitch, goalkeeper Margaret Cicozzi earned her third consecutive shutout that was highlighted by a point blank save off of Renegades standout Rheanne Sleiman with the outcome still in doubt.
Richmond’s backline was superb, also displaying its quickness by consistently being first to the ball.
“Our players have worked so hard and I am so happy for each one of them,” said Caldwell. “Player for player, we had the extra speed, better skill set and good work ethic.”
