MMC widens lead in futsal league

Marianas Medical Center strengthened its hold on the top spot in the 2008 NMIFA Women’s Futsal Fall League after crushing Hardt Eye Clinic Saturday at the Northern Marianas College Gymnasium.

MMC cruised to a 6-1 victory over Hardt Eye to improve to a 6-1 record, two wins ahead of its closest pursuers Aon Insurance and Wild Bill’s.

After seven games in the double-round robin regular season, the Elizabeth Henke-captained MMC now has 12 points. Joining Henke on MMC roster are Vanessa Pritchard, Tawny Barcinas, Becky Covarrubias, Gayle Martin, Marya, Oestreich, Amber Roberts, Patty Coleman, Katie Busenkell, and Ciara Ada.

Hardy Eye, which is composed of captain Natalie Hill, Melody Matson, Jen Backhaus, Jenny Linden, Sami Birmingham-Babauta, Joelyn Saures, Kathy Pagapular, Angie Mister, Carol Auther, and Briana Martin, is still winless in six games.

In the third game of the day, Wild Bill’s nailed its fourth win in seven games after slipping past Wild Bills, 3-2.

With the win, Wild Bill’s moved up from fourth to third place with eight points.

Jaime Beavis is Wild Bill’s team captain and the team is composed of Fedora Camacho, Mel Borja, Maria Ornes, Connie Camacho, Nola Hix, Veronica Saures, Catherine Anderson, Lindsay Davis, and Chirapan McGuire.

Despite the loss, Aon Insurance remained in the No. 2 spot in the team standings with a 4-2-1 win-loss-draw record. Aon has earned nine points in seven games. The team is headed by captain Laura Williams. Other members of the team are Brenda and Madison Schultz, Toi Smith, Becca Newman, Francine Sablan, Tomoko Kawakata, Rebekah Yost, Lisa Laniyo, and Anna Manibusan.

In the second game, Marine Tech Institute shut out Matt Smith’s Law Office, 4-0.

MTI improved to a 3-4 record and handed Matt Smith’s its second straight loss.

MTI, which is captained by Krista Hawley and has Reyna Saures, Amanda Armstrong, Nikki Gabaldon, Meaghan Hassel-Shearer, Toi Punperm, Noi Horey, Chantelle Voutilainen, Jocelyn Saures, and Carrie Knight as members, is at fourth place in the team standings with six points.

Matt Smith’s, which is composed of Janel Villegas, Jojie Vallo, Bayarmaa O’Connor, Omdi Marino, Lakell Villegas, Linda Anastacio, Divya Sharma, Zoe Jewell, Asia Michaleum, and Katie Peters, dropped to fifth place with a 2-3-1 record and five points.

Games in the futsal league are played every Saturday, from 8:30am to 11:30am. This is the first women’s futsal league in the CNMI. Futsal is an indoor football game with teams having five players each on the court. It demands quick reflexes, fast thinking, and accurate ball control. Games are played in a basketball-style court, with no walls and a low-bouncing ball, requiring players to use their skill rather than the ball’s bounce to propel it.