GIRLS NATIONAL LEAGUE WRAP PLAY IN FLORIDA

US Youth Soccer National League Girls Wrap 3 Days of Play in Florida

2017-18 US Youth Soccer National League Girls wrap up play in Bradenton, Fla.

Day 3 of 3 complete.

Soccer News: The US Youth Soccer National League Girls teams competing this week wrapped up their 2017-18 seasons on Monday at the IMG Academy for the US Youth Soccer Winter Showcase in Bradenton, Fla. The 72 remaining girls teams will finish their seasons and solidify the league standings March 16-18alongside the Players College Showcase in Las Vegas, Nev.

Monday’s games in Bradenton also saw the 36 US Youth Soccer Regional League teams wrap up their Winter Showcase, as they competed alongside the National League at IMG Academy.

National League teams earn their place in the league based on a proven track record of success in US Youth Soccer regional and national competitions and are among the nation’s best. Competing for a league title and a spot in the US Youth Soccer National Championships, each and every game plays into who represents the National League this summer in Frisco, Texas.

Two more teams punched their tickets to the National Championships on Monday. CSA Impact United 03 Black (OH-N) secured a top-two finish in the 15U Red Division, while BC United 01 (NY-W) became the second girls team to win a division title — emerging from a winner-take-all game to take the 17U Red Division crown.

Regional League teams at the Winter Showcase

“This is our second season in the National League, and we know what the competition stands as,” BC United coach Taylor Schram said.

“To have the final game determine first place is exactly what this league is about. It comes down to every single result. You have to show up and play. It’s great competition, and we’re really fortunate and lucky to be part of this league,” said Schram.

2018 US Youth Soccer National Championship Qualifiers via the National League
*qualified Monday

The National League is an extension of the highly successful US Youth Soccer Regional Leagues (US Youth Soccer Eastern Regional League, Midwest Regional League, Southern Regional Premier League and Far West Regional League). The National League provides an avenue for teams to play in meaningful matches against top competition from across the country for continued development and opportunities for exposure at the national team, collegiate and professional levels.

Complete standings, scores and schedules, including goal scorers and match information, can be found at the results page here. Click on the score of each game for more information.

Some highlights from Monday’s matches:

15U

While a win on Monday would have clinched a berth to the National Championships for PDA Shore Freedom (NJ), a tie against BC United 2003 (NY-W) has the New Jersey side in good position to finish in the top two of the 15U Blue Division. Neither team managed to get on the score sheet, as they finished in a scoreless tie. PDA pressured the BC United goal for a good portion of the match, and it came close to scoring a winner early in the second half when Taylor Pape sent a free kick just wide of the near post.

The scoreless draw marked the seventh clean sheet for PDA, as it became just the third girls team in National League history to complete a season without conceding a single goal. Still, it will need to wait until the remaining teams play in Las Vegas to see if it holds on to a top-two finish.

Claiming a top-two spot in the 15U Red Division, CSA Impact United 03 Black (OH-N) punched a ticket to the National Championships with its 1-0 win over Midwest United FC Royal (MI). Midwest United did not make it easy for CSA as the team earned the first testing shot of the game. CSA maintained the possession against a solid Midwest United defense, yet the first half did not produce any dangerous opportunities, ending in a scoreless draw.

In the second half, CSA broke its opponent down as Mackenzie Muir put the ball in the back of the net in the 50th minute. CSA was able to hold the lead despite a late offensive push from Midwest United that included three corner kicks. CSA finished the National League season with a 5-0-2 record, scoring 14 goals and allowing just four.

Nationals Union 02 Black (MI) entered Monday with a chance to extend its lead at the top of the 16U Blue Division, but it had to settle for one point in a 1-1 draw against FC United 02 Pre Academy (IL). The Michigan side enjoyed extended periods of possession in its attacking half, but couldn’t get an early breakthrough. Nationals came close midway through the first half when Zoe Bessert cut into the box, but FC United keeper Elizabeth Scott smothered the shot.

Scott came up big moments later, when she pushed Megan Sidaway’s curling shot just wide of the right post. FC United took advantage of withstanding the Nationals pressure, as the Illinois side grabbed a 50th-minute lead on a Meredith Phillips strike. However, Nationals Union finally broke through to equalize when Alexia Czerwien got on the end of a cross to the back post and lofted a header into the far corner.

The Michigan side continued its attacking pressure for the final 20 minutes of the match, but it couldn’t find a winner. With the draw, Nationals Union now has a two-point lead in the standings over idle Fullerton Rangers 02 White (CA-S).

CDA Premier 02 (KY) increased its advantage at the top of the 16U Red Division after a last-minute 1-0 win against Loudoun 02 Red (VA). After a scoreless first half, the second half displayed the same atmosphere of steady play. CDA strung together quite a few passes early in the second half, especially close to Loudoun’s goal, as the ball fiddled in the middle of the 18-yard box.

Loudoun soon began to take its own chances with several of them involving Elizabeth Hogan as she continuously drove the ball down, running all over the field. Increasing its pressure, Loudoun nearly took the lead when Brooke Kirstein ran onto a square pass in front of the goal, but a CDA defender came sliding in to block her shot.

However, Loudoun’s momentum was snatched away when CDA’s Sydney Bacher earned a goal in the 80th minute, giving CDA the victory. CDA finished the season with 18 points, while idle SJEB Rush 02 Academy Blue (NJ), who has 12 points, will attempt to catch CDA when the National League continues in March.

17U

FCKC Academy Blues Elite (MO) put itself in a good position at the top of the 17U Blue Division standings after defeating Michigan Jaguars 01 Green (MI), 4-0. The win made it FCKC’s third clean sheet of the weekend, and the team finished the National League season with a 6-1-0 record. FCKC opened up the scoring spree in the 12th minute as Madilyn Hamline netted a goal.

Lily Farkas added two goals within three minutes of each other to increase FCKC’s lead. Farkas put the ball in the back of the net one more time before the half, making it her 11th goal of the season. In the second half, FCKC continued to hold control of the game, knocking the ball around the field. Farkas played a consistent role in feeding the ball off to create more chances for FCKC, but the team stuck to its 4-0 advantage. FCKC tallied a total of 25 goals and allowed six on the season.

Needing a win or tie to clinch the 17U Red Division title, BC United 01 (NY-W) overcame an early two-goal deficit to earn a 2-2 draw against second-place Nationals Union 01 Red (MI) — giving the New York West side the division crown. Nicole Fiantaco gave Nationals a third-minute lead, and an own goal in the 19th minute doubled the Michigan side’s advantage.

Early in the second half, Angelina Fahrenkrug managed to break through the stingy Nationals defense and sent a shot from the top of the box into the back of the net — cutting the lead to 2-1. Fahrenkrug struck again in the 56th minute when she ran in behind the defense and watched the ball get around the charging keeper. After the ball rang off the left post, Fahrenkrug finished it into the back of the net before a closing Nationals defender could intervene.

With the tie it needed in hand, BC United did well to see out the game in the final 30 minutes. The 2-2 result allowed BC United to secure its place atop the standings and book its place at Nationals as the Red Division winners.

18U

With a 3-0 win over Syracuse Development Academy (NY-W), Princeton SA (NJ) extended its lead on top of the 18U Blue Division and finished its season with 18 points. Princeton worked the ball around for the first 30 minutes of the match to eventually convert a goal thanks to Mary Clare Langan.

Princeton came out of halftime with determination to gain another as the team continued to string passes together, constantly targeting Leanna Rebimbas up top. In the 60th minute, Rebimbas capitalized on one of her many opportunities when she received a square pass in front of the goal and slid to find the opening in the right upper net. Princeton’s offensive plays were rewarded once more as Langan notched her second goal of the game in the 74th minute.

The remaining minutes consisted of Syracuse pressing high and not allowing the score affect its game. Syracuse kept possession and came close several times to pulling a goal back, but Princeton kept the ball out to take the shutout.

In the 18U Red Division, New Jersey Stallions Academy-Stampede (NJ) had a chance to keep its spot at the top of the standings, but a 1-0 loss to Arlington SA 2000 Red (VA) allowed Sporting Omaha FC Elite 2000 (NE) to jump to the top of the group.

Nicole Alderman scored a late winner for Arlington to end New Jersey’s hopes at the title, while Lindsey Prokop scored twice to fuel Sporting’s win on Monday. Sporting is now in first place with 14 points, but three teams with games to play in Vegas are within striking distance.