Holy Cross women won 2020 Newfoundland & Labrador playoff championship

Newfoundland & Labrador Soccer Association hold limited Provincial Championship in 2020

Holy Cross FC women of St. John’s won their fifth-consecutive Newfoundland and Labrador playoff championship on 12 October at King George V Park. Holy Cross won the 2020 playoff final 5:0 over rivals Feildians AA, also from St. John’s.

Jessie Noseworthy, Teri Murphy, Kate Hickey (two) and Malorie Harris were the goalscorers while Hannah Noseworthy posted the clean sheet. Centre back Nicole Torraville won the Sherry Morrissey Award as most valuable player of the provincial playoffs.

“Once we had the go ahead on the 2020 season, we prepared very well and focused on finishing first despite all the obstacles,” said coach Jake Stanford. “In the final, we wanted to make sure we got off to a good start and we were really motivated to have a good game.”

Coach Stanford noted that from before the Covid pandemic that suspended or canceled soccer seasons around the world, the Holy Cross women were determined to bounce back from a disappointing end to their 2019 campaign. After finishing third at the Toyota National Championships in 2017 and then fourth in 2018, Holy Cross finished seventh out of eight teams in 2019 on home field.

Across the shortened Newfoundland Labrador 2020 season, Holy Cross FC finished first in the standings with 12 wins, two draws and one loss across 15 matches. In the playoffs, Holy Cross FC won both the playoff opener (2:1 over Feildians) and the championship final (5:0 again over Feildians).

Newfoundland Labrador women’s playoff championship
12 October 2020 in St. John’s, NL, CAN at King George V Park, attendance 300

SCORING SUMMARY:
11′ Jessie Noseworthy
38′ Teri Murphy
57′ Kate Hickey
76′ Malorie Harris
80′ Kate Hickey

Holy Cross FC : 31 Hannah Noseworthy; 19 Alexe Morgan (17 Sarah Jones 70′), 6 Nicole Torraville, 4 Kristyn Lee (13 Spencer Wilkins 80′), 3 Keisha Younge Capt.; 12 Teri Murphy, 8 Kate Hickey (23 Noelle Stanford 80′), 16 Lauren Taylor (20 Anna AuCoin 75′), 10 Holly O’Neill, 18 Malorie Harris, 5 Jessie Noseworthy (9 Julia Crocker 80′).
DID NOT FEATURE: 1 Jamie Crocker.
HEAD COACH: Noel Jake Stanford.