Hot Salsa, Femme Fatales still perfect

The Northern Mariana Islands Football Association’s women’s league provided some of the most exciting competition of the weekend as the top teams managed to maintain their pristine records despite challenges from worthy competitors.

UMDA Hot Salsa improved to 2-0 on the season after eking past the Marianas Eye Institute Eye Ballers by one score, at the American Memorial Park, 4-3. Hot Salsa took a commanding 4-0 lead in a fierce first half led by star Emily Gries, but they were unable to muster the same charge in the second half as the Eye Ballers rallied for three goals off the leg of Becca Rath.

Last time out Gries recorded all of the Salsa goals but this time she spread the wealth to Patricia Coleman, Francine Sablan, and Elisa “No Fear” Long.

After the game, Hot Salsa head coach Jaime Saiki awarded Gries the player of the game award because of her hard word on the muddy field.

“She was covered in mud and still played so well. She is all around valuable. She always sacrifices to feed others the ball so they can score,” he said.

While the coach said that his whole team deserved a sportsmanship award for their positive and professional performance on the pitch, Saiki recognized Coleman with the Team Spirit award because she maintained her intensity throughout the game.

Head coach Solomon Gazi of the Marianas Eye Ballers praised youngster Camryn Mosely for her efforts on the field by recognizing her as the Eye Ballers’ ‘most valuable player and said that his team gets better every week.

“I am so happy with all of my players. Our team is really improving. I really missed Allison Livingston who is off island right now. We are going to keep practicing and improving. Everyone is positive and getting better all the time.

The Fiesta Spa and Resort Femme Fatales were on fire as they scored the highest single-game total thus far in the season with a dominating 10-1 performance over the Saipan Grand Hotel Mamma Mia’s in the second game.

Morgan Rose demonstrated command and control over the ball and the contest as she scored a hat trick and used her playmaking skills to get her teammates into the game and onto the score sheet.

Roxie LaMar also scored three goals for Fiesta, while teammates Brenda Schultz put up a pair, and Cathy Perry Anderson netted one for the Femme Fatales. Mamma Mia’s also helped out to start the game as one of them scored the first goal on their own net.

After the game, Fiesta head coach MD Rokibul named captain Rose as his most valuable player because of her overall team play.

“I picked Morgan as the player of the game but it was between her and Roxie Lamar. They both had three goals but Morgan had many assists as well,” he said.

On the other side of the ball, last year’s star player Sarah Helbert was injured but fought to stay in the game and scored her team’s only tally while speedy Tomoko Kawakata stopped the Fiesta rushes on several occasions.

Goaltender TeMary Gramlich had her hands full between the pipes and stopped a number of shots, while Grace “Roast Beef” Villagracia tore up the turf at both ends of the field in the loss.

The make-up games from last week take place this Wednesday evening at Garapan Elementary School as the Fiesta Resort and Spa Femme Fatales play UMDA Hot Salsa at 5pm.

The battle of the two undefeated teams will be huge, as the absence of Morgan Rose will be for Fiesta’s star Morgan Rose, who will be unable to attend the contest. The regular slate resumes this Saturday, Oct. 28, when the Saipan Grand Hotel Mamma Mia’s take the pitch against the UMDA Hot Salsa at 9am, and continues on Wednesday, Nov.1 when the Grand squad returns to face the Marianas Eye Ballers at 5pm.