(PRESS RELEASE) — Pago Youth edged Utulei Youth in a shootout 3-2 to take the title of the women’s 2011 FFAS National League on Saturday, December 17, 2011 at Pago Park Soccer Stadium.

The win makes it a double for Pago Youth soccer club as their men’s A team also won the championship for their division (read separate story).

In the battle for third place, Tafuna Jets beat a short-handed Ilaoa & To’omata 6-1.

“Congratulates to all the ladies for their participation in this year’s competition,” said Vice-President and FFAS Women’s Head of Football (soccer), Sandra Herrera.

Herrera handed out the championship trophy and other prizes, including the MVP award to Pago Youth’s Lynn Tualaulelei, on behalf of FFAS President Iuli Alex Godinet. Godinet sent his congratulations to Pago Youth for winning the women’s National League title.

“This year was a good one for women’s soccer because there were 14 teams competing in the competition, the most for FFAS so far,” said CEO Tavita Taumua. “I hope we have the same numbers joining us again next year.”

Pago Youth dominated the first half, going up 2-0 on scores from Lynn Tualaulelei.

But then they hurt themselves in the second half leading 2-1 with an own-goal that saw the game tied 2-2.

Faale Vaoga scored the first goal for Utulei Youth in that second period.

After two overtime periods of 10 minutes each, the game went to a shootout that sawTualaulelei put in the winning score with the shootout tied at 2-2.

“We don’t have a lot of very good players on our team so I knew we were going to have a hard battle against Utulei Youth,” said their coach Ailao Tualaulelei Jr., uncle to Lynn Tualaulelei.

“But I told our players in order to play this game you have to be fit so I asked them to come out to training every day,” he said. “They do not have a lot of skill but were prettyfit in playing two full halves plus two more overtime periods to give us the championship. “Our hats go off to them for a job well done,” he added.

“They played well and I’m proud of what they did,” said their President Silasila Samuelu.

The win denies Utulei Youth for a second straight year in the title match. Last year they lost out to Black Roses in the final.

“I want to thank everybody that has helped donate to our team,” Samuelu said. “First we would like to thank our Senator, Paramount Chief Mauga Asuega and Senator Asuega Fa’amamata Lauvai and all of our supporters in Pago Pago.

“Our thanks also go out to FFAS, our President Iuli Alex Godinet, the executive committee and the CEO (Tavita Taumua) and staff for their great work,” he added.