5th Annual Soccer Tournament at LSI

On May 11^th, Whittier Narrows Regional Park played host to the 5^th Annual LSI Gold Cup Tournament.  LSI Torrance, LSI Orange County, LSI LA, and LSI Alhambra packed their cleats, shorts, and soccer balls and headed to the fields to do battle and compete for the Gold Cup. 

The opening round of the tournament pitted LA against last year’s champions, Torrance.  LA showed a slight edge in the beginning and jumped out to a 1-0 lead before the end of the first half.  Though Torrance fought hard in the second half, LA’s defense dominated, allowing LA to glide to victory.

In other first-round action, Orange County faced a formidable Alhambra team.  Unprepared for the explosive attack of the Alhambra forwards, Torrance watched their hopes to reach the finals get buried in an avalanche of goals.  The Alhambra sharp-shooters netted 4 unanswered.

As throngs of fans from LSI and Alhambra waited in anticipation for the Gold Cup game, veteran players and long-time fans exchanged stories of a past final game in which the two soccer powers met.  The 2010 Gold Cup game ended in a regulation tie which led to a tense shoot-out and an LA victory.  Would the Gold Cup land in familiar hands in 2012?  Or would Alhambra heal an old wound with victory?  These questions buzzed throughout the crowd as the two rivals lined up for the final game.

A strong defensive effort for LA kept the rush of the Alhambra offense in check for much of the first half.  Yet, Alhambra’s forwards were not to be turned away. Before the whistle to end the first half blew, Alhambra capitalized on a momentary defensive faux pas, which gave them a 1-0 lead going into the second half. 

Adjustments were made to the LA defense and midfield to compensate for their lack of attack, and though this provided LA with increased shots on net, Alhambra players retained their composure and repelled the offensive push.  The game ended with a score of 1-0.

But the real victors were the students who attended the event.  Players were treated to 2 great games; Fans were treated to top-notch play on the pitch; and everyone was treated to lunch, drinks and great fun in the California sun.  A big thank you goes to Karla, our Marketing Supervisor, Michelle, our Academic Director, and all the Program Coordinators and staff from the 4 campuses for making this day possible.  We’re all looking forward to the next one.

For more information about events and activities at LSI go to www.languagesystems.com