The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

AFTER getting shut out 3-0 in their initial meeting in the Caribbean qualifying tournament on January 12, Team Bahamas avenged the loss in the CONCACAF Under-17 Women's Championships.

In their rematch Monday in Guatemala City, Guatemala, the Bahamas and Trinidad & Tobago played to a 0-0 draw and ended up with a point each after they failed to score a goal in the three matches they played in the tournament that served as the final qualifier for the World Cup Final.

Head coach Daria Adderley said going into the tournament, she knew that it was going to be a difficult trip for the youthful team but they played as well as they could under the circumstances.

"I was very proud of the girls. I think each game we got better and better," Adderley said. "So I was very proud of the way they turned things around."

She was referring to the fact that the Bahamas was blown out 10-0 by the United States last Thursday in their first game before they came back and were beaten 6-0 by Mexico on Saturday.

"With the US, with the weather conditions, I think we played as well as we could," Adderley said. "We were just a little too inexperienced and it showed in the way we played against them."

In that game, Summer Green scored five goals to get the Americans off to a fast start and the Bahamian team couldn't trim down the deficit in their debut in the CONCACAF tournament.

Against Mexico, the Bahamas gave up a pair of goals to Mariana Cadena and Jessica Morales and another one to Vivian Vega as they fell behind 5-0 at the half.

"We made some technical errors that allowed them to score some easy goals," Adderley said. "I think if we had stuck with our game plan, we would have played much better."

At half time of that game, Sheryl Evans stepped in and replaced Cori Strachan as the goalkeeper. Evans came back and played in that position against Trinidad & Tobago where she made several dramatic saves as both teams finished in a draw.

Adderley said Trinidad & Tobago actually changed their line-up since their initial meeting but the Bahamas was ready simply because of the fact that the team had already been shut out by the USA and Mexico.

In an interview on the tournament's website, Evans was quoted as saying: "I talk more than the other keeper and I progress and I'm more friendlier than the other keeper."

When asked if she feels the team can build on the experience gained, Evans said: "A lot." When pressed further, she added: "By keeping practicing and training and taking what we learn from this round, and using it again and again."

With the tournament complete, the team returned home last night. And Adderley said if the players take advantage of the experience gained, they should be able to play at a much higher level in the future.