An outstanding first half of the season has the Richmond Strikers closing in on a Provincial Cup berth.
The U14 Metro girls soccer team enters the holiday break with just one loss in 15 games (12-2-1) and a six-point cushion on second-place Fraser Valley Selects. The first-place finisher in the Metro Selects League automatically advances to the Provincial “A” Cup Championships in July. Richmond happens to be hosting next year’s event.
The impressive run comes with the Strikers playing with limited player availability throughout the season.
“For the whole time we have not had a full roster other than one game,” said Richmond coach Mandhir Punia. “They are just getting to that age where there are injuries from doing many other things as well. These are busy girls.”
The Strikers’ emergence into a league powerhouse is part of the process according to Punia.
The team has always been sound defensively and plays with composure under pressure. Now it has made significant progress in the final third of the field with more scoring chances and goals.
Richmond leads the league with 37 goals for and has surrendered just four — easily the best in both categories.
It’s the contribution from everyone that has the coaching staff pleased — even more so than the win/loss record. It reflects the Richmond Girls Soccer Association’s overall development model of providing a depth of talent at each age group.
The Strikers will be looking to hold off Fraser Valley and their longtime nemesis Central City Breakers who currently sit in third place — eight points back. Richmond defeated its Surrey rival twice this season, including a 1-0 triumph early.
With all the success on the field, the girls are thriving off of it as well — in the classroom and community.
“They are volunteering their time at a variety of events and we have always stressed how important academics are, even more so than soccer,” added Punia. “These girls are in French Immersion, the IB program at Boyd and other specialized programs. All of them are excelling.”
Corner kicks…
Defending U16 Coastal and Provincial Cup champion Richmond F.C. are off to a solid start at the U17 level this season. The girls enter the break in second place with a 6-3-2 record — eight points back of the Port Coquitlam Castillians but with two games in hand.
