ANKARA, Turkey – The Ankara Lady Trojans overcame a 1-0 halftime deficit Friday to down the International Gateway Academy 2-1 en route to the girls’ championship of the fourth annual Ankara Sports Association Invitational Soccer Tournament.

According to Ankara athletic director Tim Redden, goals in the first five minutes of the second half carried Ankara to victory.

“Co-Captain Liesl Sylvester dribbled the field and netted the equalizer,” Redden emailed on Monday. “Moments later, Isabella Pinerua scored the go-ahead goal. Co-Captain Briana Lane led the defense as they held off a persistent attack from IGA.”

Saturday, Sylvester scored again in a 1-1 tie against OASIS, an international school in the Turkish capital. The tie gave Ankara four points in the three-team round-robin. IGA, which pounded OASIS 7-0 in the tourney’s other game, finished second with three points.

In the five-team boys’ tournament, Redden reported, Incirlik’s co-ed team finished fourth at 1-2-1 and Ankara, the defending European D-III champion, fifth at 1-3-0.

Ankara’s lone victory came against Incirlik, 1-0 on Saturday on Bryan Kim’s goal. The Trojans otherwise endured shutouts at the hands of OASIS on Thursday, eventual champion Pakistan Embassy International Study Group on Friday and International Gateway Academy on Saturday.

Incirlik’s victory came Saturday against the Pakistan Embassy team, 4-1 behind three goals from Daniel Buffett and another by Ty Murphy. Incirlik tied IGA 2-2 on Friday on two goals by Buffett, for the point that lifted the Hodjas past Ankara in the final standings.

Next year, Redden reported, the ASA plans to expand the girls’ field to five teams and the boys' field to six.

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