Post by admin on Aug 15, 2008 6:00:43 GMT -5
www.app.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080815/NEWS01/808150414/1285/LOCAL09
The Freehold Lady Strikers U13 girls soccer team won a national championship and earned a bit of redemption all at the same time.
The Strikers defeated the Bridgewater SA Charge, 3-0, to win the U.S. Club Soccer National Cup Girls U13 Premier division championship in Virginia Beach, Va., last month.
"This is a team that's been working toward this goal since they were 8 years old," Strikers head coach Kevin McDermott said. "They played great."
The Strikers will play two more tournaments this month: the Upper Township Endless Summer Soccer Tournament this weekend, and the Spirit United Kick-Off Classic Aug. 23-24 in Downington, Pa. Freehold also will play in the 33rd annual Rael Vodicka Memorial WAGS Tournament in Washington, D.C., one of the top tournaments in the country, in October.
"It was a really great experience for our team to win" the national championship, Strikers center-midfielder and co-captain Marisa DeMonte said. "It's a great accomplishment for our team and we worked really hard for a long time to win it."
One month earlier, Freehold had lost to Bridgewater, 3-0, in the U.S. Club Soccer U13 Premier Region B final in Pittsgrove. The win gave Bridgewater an automatic berth to the National Cup tournament, while Freehold received a wild-card entry.
Freehold, which features players from all over Monmouth and Ocean counties, then played its best soccer at the National Cup. The Strikers opened with a 3-1 victory over New York's LaGrange SC Freedom, then defeated Florida Soccer Academy, 4-0, to secure a spot in the championship game.
"Even though we were the wild card, we knew we would be able to compete," Strikers associate head coach Matt Ritter said. "We definitely competed and played to the ultimate level that we can play at."
"I think it's better we were the wild card," McDermott said. "We didn't have the pressure, and we were more relaxed."
Part of the Freehold Soccer League, the Strikers are trained by the US Premier Soccer Academy in Oceanport.
"They're one of the top teams I've coached," McDermott said. "This team has a great future in front of it."
The Freehold Lady Strikers U13 girls soccer team won a national championship and earned a bit of redemption all at the same time.
The Strikers defeated the Bridgewater SA Charge, 3-0, to win the U.S. Club Soccer National Cup Girls U13 Premier division championship in Virginia Beach, Va., last month.
"This is a team that's been working toward this goal since they were 8 years old," Strikers head coach Kevin McDermott said. "They played great."
The Strikers will play two more tournaments this month: the Upper Township Endless Summer Soccer Tournament this weekend, and the Spirit United Kick-Off Classic Aug. 23-24 in Downington, Pa. Freehold also will play in the 33rd annual Rael Vodicka Memorial WAGS Tournament in Washington, D.C., one of the top tournaments in the country, in October.
"It was a really great experience for our team to win" the national championship, Strikers center-midfielder and co-captain Marisa DeMonte said. "It's a great accomplishment for our team and we worked really hard for a long time to win it."
One month earlier, Freehold had lost to Bridgewater, 3-0, in the U.S. Club Soccer U13 Premier Region B final in Pittsgrove. The win gave Bridgewater an automatic berth to the National Cup tournament, while Freehold received a wild-card entry.
Freehold, which features players from all over Monmouth and Ocean counties, then played its best soccer at the National Cup. The Strikers opened with a 3-1 victory over New York's LaGrange SC Freedom, then defeated Florida Soccer Academy, 4-0, to secure a spot in the championship game.
"Even though we were the wild card, we knew we would be able to compete," Strikers associate head coach Matt Ritter said. "We definitely competed and played to the ultimate level that we can play at."
"I think it's better we were the wild card," McDermott said. "We didn't have the pressure, and we were more relaxed."
Part of the Freehold Soccer League, the Strikers are trained by the US Premier Soccer Academy in Oceanport.
"They're one of the top teams I've coached," McDermott said. "This team has a great future in front of it."