Week 2 :Frantic Edge Out Stingers in a Tight 1-0 Battle

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Week 2 of the junior season saw Frantic play its first doubleheader of the season.  Coach Andrew Booth had his work cut out for hime with two key veterans Anna Jackson and Maggie Carreau not available.  This years Frantic team is a combination of very experienced players  and league rookies including newest and youngest member Emily Toews. With Frantic goalie Lisa Tournier on the long term injured list, goalie Mai Nguyen, back fresh from Ontario tryouts, stepped in backstop the team,.

First up was a Stingers team still finding their way and without the dynamic duo of Ashlyn Christian and Emily Kharyati who were recovering from a track meet.

In a thrilling showdown between two evenly matched squads, Frantic emerged victorious with a narrow 1-0 win over the Stingers, thanks to disciplined play, key midfield performances, and a crucial first-half goal.

The match kicked off with an early chance for the Stingers, who looked to strike fast and set the tone. But the opening minutes quickly turned into a tense, back-and-forth affair, with both sides trading possessions and pushing the tempo. Midfield dynamos Rameek Dhaliwal (Frantic) and Valerie Lokhonia (Stingers) took command in the center, orchestrating the pace and flow with poise and precision.

The breakthrough came when Charlotte Sanders capitalized on a perfectly timed pass across the top of the circle, slipping the ball past the keeper to put Frantic ahead. The Stingers immediately pushed back, generating pressure off a long corner, but couldn’t find the equalizer before halftime.

Stingers opened the second half with a penalty corner and nearly converted. Goal scorer Charlotte Sanders had another nice scoring opportunity firing a shot on goal that tested Stingers defense. But Stingers responded with sustained pressure of their own, flipping the momentum. A clever free hit taken by Rose St Pierre, who moved the ball the required five meters before earning a penalty corner, nearly gave Stingers a nice scoring change.

Later, Clara Tyman turned a midfield steal into a dangerous shot on net, continuing Frantic's relentless attack. The Stingers’ hopes took a hit when midfield engine Valerie went down injured, forcing them to finish the game a player down. Despite this setback, they showed grit and determination, holding firm defensively and launching late efforts in search of an equalizer.

In the end, Frantic's early goal held up, and their midfield control and disciplined defense sealed the win. The Stingers fought valiantly, especially under adversity, but couldn’t break through in what was a tightly contested and entertaining match.