Kendall SC’s U12G Blue Crowned Green Champions at Orange Classic

January 2, 2008 – Kendall SC’s U12G Blue captured their first tournament title ever, emerging undefeated after five matches in the Green flight at the Orange Classic Tournament. After tying Orlando’s FSA Krush Academy Blue 0-0 in their first match, the girls never looked back. Key defensive plays by Isamar Duran and McKenzie Van-Heussen kept a storming Krush away from the goal to preserve the tie and earn a point. Kendall then went on to score wins over Miami Premier Soccer (3-2) and Jupiter Sting (3-1) to finish atop their group in the preliminary round.

In the second match, Miami Premier held a comfortable 2-0 lead at the half, but a strong and determined Kendall SC team turned the game around with outstanding performances by Natalie Diaz, who scored twice and assisted on Alexis D'Acevedo's last-second winning goal.

In the 3rd game versus Jupiter Sting, Kendall SC put the pedal to the metal and wrapped-up the game early with goals by Jade Diaz and Isamar Duran. Jupiter scored to halve the lead, but great plays by midfielders Jade Diaz and Hansine Vexlund, and an extraordinary header by Bania Duran put the sting on Jupiter and propelled Kendall SC into the Semifinals.

The semifinal featured another tough match against FSA Krush, but this time Kendall SC would emerge the winner by a score of 3-2 on penalty kicks to advance to the Final. The game was a nail-biter, with both teams producing great offensive opportunities, but a superb job by keeper Elena Sanchez kept the game tied 2-2 after regulation and sent the match into penalty kicks where the Kendall SC would prevail.

In the Final they would face the Boynton Beach Knights, the team that had eliminated the U12G Blue’s hopes for a championship in the Plantation Thanksgiving tournament. The game showed a paused and composed Kendall SC team led by Bania Duran and Jade Diaz, who each scored a goal, but it was the determination and explosiveness of Betsy Zambrana, who scored the third goal, that claimed the title for Kendall SC.