NMI women drop game, draws against Guam

The NMI women’s national football team players called up for the 2024 Marianas Friendlies tourney suffered a loss and a last-second draw against rival Guam last weekend at the NMI Soccer Training Center in Koblerville.

Guam blanked the NMI team, 3-0, last Saturday, and survived a defeat after a last-second goal tied up the game for a 2-2 draw last Sunday.

The NMI and Guam’s age-old rivalry spilled onto the pitch during those two days and it showed with the heart and passion that seeped through their plays.

Tough back-and-forth in the first half resulted in nothing but goose eggs on the scoreboard until the 22nd minute when Guam’s Anjelica Perez nipped the net for a 1-0 lead. Guam went on to attack the NMI’s defenses and it paid off just over 10 minutes later with a goal from Giselle Dahilig, and quickly, it was 2-0.

NMI’s chances at the goal slimmed with each passing minute, but they managed to hold them off at just two points at the end of the first half. The second half was quiet as NMI tried to catch Guam off guard, and as Guam tried to extend their lead.

However, toward the end, Guam added another goal to make it 3-0 as time passed without retaliation from NMI and they conceded the game.

In the final matchup on Sunday, the women had the pitch first in the late afternoon.

Both teams were fired up and NMI had nothing but vengeance on their mind. NMI put up good plays which they finally got to convert into goals, and by the second half, tied it up, 1-1 from a penalty kick by Jannah Casarino.

Victory and pride hung in the balance as both teams duked it out on the pitch, with screams of support enshrouding the soccer center. Then, victory was ever closer for NMI women as Pia Ngewakl shot past Guam’s goalie in the 85th minute for a 2-1 game.

In a nail-biter finale, three minutes of extra time provided both teams with extra leverage. Who took advantage and came out on top? It was Guam as India Sheppard kicked a clutch goal with mere seconds to spare, and the Guam bench and supporters exploded into cheers as they salvaged the game with a 2-2 draw.

With Ngewakl and Casarino on the NMI team were Deseha Mendiola, Christina Atalig, Dianne Pablo, Khristelle Itaas, Andrei Kaithlyn Chavez, Bernadette Horey, Sophia Quintos, Tamia Kileleman-Hix, Gabrielle Race, Julie Chavez, Aubrey Castro, Rizza Relucio, Raven Anderson, Toremy Diaz, Megan Elayda, Tyana Kileleman-Hix, Joselyn Atalig, Kelsey McClellan.

Guam’s roster, including Cruz, Dahilig, and Sheppard, were Ha’ani Byerly and Kiarra Hutcherson, Sarah Benavente, Marlena Connelley, Hannah Cruz, Kalle Damian, Erlissa Delfin, Maya Iriarte, Anna Jones, Monica Marquez, Analea Meno, Anjelica Perez, Loyola Phillip, Richelle Ragadio, Sophia San Agustin, Yae Kawauchi, and Dolores San Gil.

Head coach for Guam women’s team, Kristin Thompson said after the game that they were super excited to come out and compete. “It’s always such a rivalry, we love it. We love when Saipan comes and plays us, so yeah, we’re excited to come out.”

She said of her girls, “We’ve been preparing, the girls have been really hungry and wanting it, so we’ve been training hard for the last like two and a half months, so we’re happy with the results.”

With the clutch goal at the last second to end in a draw, Thompson said she always tells her girls to play until the last second. “That’s just heart and wanting to get it in the back of the net,” she said. She then thanked the Northern Mariana Islands Football Association for having them and for the beautiful accommodation.

As for the captain of the Guam women’s team, Ariya Cruz, she said they came out and got the result that they wanted. “We have a lot of new girls that have been playing with us and training with us, so it’s good to have this team out here—all homegrown and training leading up to this, and getting the result that we wanted,” she said. She added that they look forward to more competitions against the NMI in the future.

NMI head coach Mae Ito, for her part, said, “The intense competition between NMI and Guam offers players and teams a valuable opportunity to gauge their skills at an international level. This healthy rivalry serves as motivation for players to continuously strive for excellence and play with pride for NMI.”

She added that the NMI women’s team showed resilience and adaptability against Guam.

“While the results may not have been as desired, these games served as a valuable reminder that progress is not always linear and that competition is constantly evolving, as demonstrated by Guam’s performance. These friendlies serve as valuable opportunities to assess individual skills and tactical understanding within the team, essential for ongoing development. With a positive mindset and continued dedication, the team is poised to learn from these experiences and grow stronger as they prepare for upcoming tournaments and friendlies. The journey ahead is challenging, but the team remains focused on rising to the occasion,” she said.