Defending national women’s football champs, Gentle Touch of Esperanza, struggled to a 2-2 draw with the Delille Pumas in Game 1 of the 2009 national women’s football championships in Esperanza on Saturday afternoon.

The Esperanza strikers Kimberly “Brazilian” Perez and Abby Halliday took the game to the Griga dang girls from the getgo, as Abby Halliday beat Pumas’ defender Carmita Swaso in an aerial battle for the ball to head a forward pass from Marsha “Ninja” Stevens. Kimberly Perez caught up to the ball and ran the legs off the Griga defenders Jackiva Murillo, Patricia Marin and Carmita Swaso for a one-on one with the Pumas’ goalie Shereen Vasquez. Perez won that confrontation, sending the ball into the back of the net to lead 1-zip.

 Gentle Touch’s Indira Spain, Shanone Harris and Dina Bennett were also breaking up the Griga dang girls’ plays at midfield and when Spain found Abby Halliday with a forward pass, Abby made Vasquez pay the maximum penalty with a grass burner shot into the net, as the ‘Ranza girls seized a 2-zip lead.

Nykemah Kuylen, Sharlen Nunez and Florence Sue Cayetano were also trying to get the Griga dang squad on the scoreboard, but Kuylen’s and Nunez’s first tries posed no problem for the ‘Ranza keeper Eden Gentle.  The 2-zip lead caused the ‘Ranza defense to get sloppy, and Kuylen made them pay as she penetrated on the left flank. Eden Gentle came out to meet the play and Kuylen beat both the keeper and sweeper “Peaches” Gentle to send the ball bouncing into the empty net, narrowing the deficit to 2-1 before the half time break.

Dorita Ramos equalized the score for the Graig dang visitors in the 2^nd half when the ‘Ranza girls’ defense goofed into giving up a penalty when Tanesha Tillett brought down Nataki Alvarez inside the 18-yard box. Ramos converted to tie the ball game at 2-2.

Gentle Touch introduced Joleen Gentle for Vashne Gentle, and Christy Tillett for Shannone Harris in the 2^nd half, the Pumas’ offensive gathered fresh energy when Iris Centeno entered the ball game for Sharlen Nunez, and Cindy Flores relieved Florence Sue Cayetano. Nataki Alvarez fell back to help her defense against Ranza’s speedy strikers, but even so Halliday almost scored with a shot that mercifully hit the crossbar. Her 2^nd try on the rebound went over the bar and the final whistle sounded to a 2-2 draw.

Game 2 of the series comes up at the Carl Ramos Stadium on Saturday, August 15.

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