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Second half run leads Riots to Championship

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SAN JOSE, CA – Behind a stellar performance by SPL Championship MVP Katie “Bugs Bunny” Knopp, the Riots dominated the second half, winning the first-ever Spartan Premier League Championship 8-4 in front of a sellout crowd on Spartan Field Friday afternoon.

 

                “I am so happy I am going to Disneyland!!” screamed a jubilant Knopp after being named the game’s Most Valuable Player.  “This is like a dream come true.  I think I might have taken a wrong turn at Albequerque.”

 

                The first half was a see-saw battle for control as both teams seemed nervous and just feeling each other out.  Lauren “Road Runner” Ng-Pinkerton opened the scoring on the day on a feed from Roxy “Hassan the Sultan” Kamal just 2:18 into the contest.  SPL Golden Boot Award winner (leading scorer) Emmy “Speedy Gonzales” Belding knotted things at 1-1 as she buried a feed from Knopp.  The Riots then took a 2-1 advantage when Knopp added her first goal of the afternoon on an assist from Jessica “Foghorn Leghorn” Ingram.

 

                The Dropkixx were not to be denied, however, as Kamal scored midway through the first half when Angela “Spike” Nunez found her open.  Knopp would single handedly have a response scoring two goals in a 41 second span off passes from Liz “Granny” Behlen to open up a 4-2 Riots lead.  Kamal once again chipped into the lead scoring on an assist from Katie “Daffy Duck” Bonadies to cut her team’s deficit to 4-3 going into the half.

 

                “We were not going to let those orange-wearing losers run away with our trophy,” Kamal said. 

 

                With an exciting first half out of the way, and the Riots clinging to a one-goal advantage, it was time for a team to make its move for the Championship.  It was the team in orange that did it.

 

                Knopp, who already had a hat trick, scored her fourth of the day just 2:13 into the second frame to give the Riots a two-goal lead once again.  Both teams threatened the opponent’s net constantly, but each keeper was up to the task.  Dropkixx goalkeeper Sarah “Pepe’ Le Pew” Wisotsky made several sensational diving saves to keep her team within reach of a dream.

 

                “I just had to do my job out there,” said Wisotsky.  “Our defending was a bit shaky, but luckily I was able to thwart some of their chances.”

 

                Wisotsky was indeed spectacular, but her luck would soon run out.  With just over five minutes remaining in the game, Belding scored on a feed from Kim “Tweety Bird” Johnston to cement the Riots lead.  Mandy “Marvin the Martian” Martin took a pass from Knopp under a minute later to add to the Riots lead and then just minutes from time, Behlen sealed the victory as Martin assisted her.  Michelle “Sylvester” Haughey scored from Lauren “Tazmanian Devil” Sanchez for the Dropkixx, but it was too little too late.

 

                “I am so proud of this franchise,” Riots owner Nina “Yosemite Sam” Butera said.  “When the chips were down we never gave up.  This championship is for all the Riots believers out their screaming and wearing orange.”

 

                “We are incredibly disappointed,” Wisotsky said somberly in the locker room after the game.  “I think we just peaked too soon as a team.  We were a championship team mid-season, but we didn’t rise to the occasion in the end.  We will have to look back, look at what happened, and assess.  I can tell you that there will be changes this off-season.”

 

                Katie “Bugs Bunny” Knopp was named SPL Championship MVP for her performance in the final match, scoring 4 goals and adding 2 assists.  Emmy “Speedy Gonzales” Belding was honored as the Golden Boot Award winner for being the leading scorer in the SPL this season, tallying 28 goals and 5 assists.

 

 

 

                Match Statistics

Scoring

1.     Lauren Ng-Pinkerton                          (Kamal)                             Dropkixx                               2:18

2.     Emmy Belding                                     (Knopp)                             Riots                                       5:35

3.     Katie Knopp                                         (Ingram)                            Riots                                       11:04

4.     Roxy Kamal                                         (Nunez)                              Dropkixx                               18:55

5.     Katie Knopp (2)                                   (Behlen)                             Riots                                       20:11

6.     Katie Knopp (3)                                   (Behlen)                             Riots                                       20:52

7.     Roxy Kamal (2)                                   (Bonadies)                        Dropkixx                               23:32

8.     Katie Knopp (4)                                   (unassisted)                       Riots                                       32:13

9.     Emmy Belding (2)                               (Johnston)                         Riots                                       54:52

10.  Mandy Martin                                     (Knopp)                             Riots                                       55:36

11.  Liz Behlen                                             (Martin)                             Riots                                       57:35

12.  Michelle Haughey                               (Sanchez)                          Dropkixx                               58:35

 

 

Score                                 1st            2nd               Final

Dropkixx                           3              1                  4

Riots                                   4              4                  8

 

Shots                                  1st            2nd               Total

Dropkixx                           14           11               25

Riots                                   18           18               36

 

Transactions:      Riots win first ever SPL Championship.  Katie Knopp was named SPL Championship MVP after scoring 4 goals and 2 assists in the final.

 

Scorekeeper:       Angela “Wile E. Coyote” Santoro

 

SPL Logo    

Jeff “Elmer Fudd” Leightman
Commissioner
SPL
Spartan Premier League

http://www.sjsu.edu/faculty/jeff.leightman/SPL.htm
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