The Faga’itua Vikings’ varsity squad is a force to reckon with thanks to a 4-1 win over the Leone Lions as the ASHSAA Girls 2017-18 soccer season kicked off on Monday, Feb. 5, 2018 at Pago Park Soccer Stadium.
The junior varsity (J-V) game that was supposed to have taken place between the two schools ended in a double forfeit, as both teams failed to complete DOE Athletics’ requirements for coaches and players.
Despite the score, Faga’itua had a hard time scoring in the first half against the Lions. They kept the pressure on but could not score until the final three minutes of the half.
Tulima Mauga blasted a shot from inside the penalty area to finally break the 0-0 score into a 1-0, Vikings lead.
Benefitting from having three youth internationals on their varsity team, Faga’itua took over in the second half with Princess Fegauia’i scoring a hat trick to put the game out of reach. Fegauia’i, Mauga and goalkeeper Rayxena Fomai represented American Samoa at the OFC Women’s U-16 tournament in Samoa last year, and their experience helped Faga’itua dominate the game against Leone.
Two of Fegauia’i’s goals were penalty kicks in the second half.
Rosie Faleao scored a consolation goal for Leone late in the game on a PK to complete the game’s final tally, 4-1.
There are seven schools competing in the varsity division — the Vikings, Lions, defending champions Tafuna Warriors, South Pacific Academy Dolphins, Samoana Sharks and the Fa’asao-Marist Cougars.
In the J-V division, there are five schools participating — defending champions Fa’asao-Marist, the Lions, Sharks, Vikings and Warriors.
All games will be played at Pago Park Soccer Stadium and the competition consists of a double round-robin, followed by a top three postseason for the varsity division only. The team that completes the competition with the best record in the J-V bracket will be crowned champions.
