The MTA 96 Girls (Coached by Andy Kaasa and Eric Singer) captured the U14 Chicago Regional to advance to the US Club National Finals in Virginia Beach, VA. The team won all three games at the tournament without giving up a single goal.
This team has a tremendous amount of mental toughness and the girls showed their resolve all weekend as they stifled their opponents attack and drove forward in waves. A large part of the team’s mental toughness has come from having to deal with injuries to different players through the year which has offered opportunities for many different players to step up in key roles. Three different players scored the game winning goals in the tournament.
Part of that mental toughness has come from playing with 10 players on the field for portions of almost all their league games this year. The challenge that comes with playing short handed, really helped the girls to capture the US Club Region title as they were able to draw on their abilities to work together as a team and showcase their high level of fitness. (The team was without 3 of their players this weekend.)
The team was well prepared for their final game versus last years Region Semi Finalist Eclipse Select due to the difficult schedule that the team has played this year. The group played in multiple events through the year that no other Minnesota Club can get their teams into at the Eclipse Challenge Cup and the Jr ECNL Events. The team has played a strong schedule versus the following teams
- Ohio Premier Eagles Green (OH S)
- Chicago Fire Jrs (IL)
- St Louis Scott Gallagher Utd (MO)
- Real So Cal (CA S)
- Eagles SC (CA S)
- FC Milwaukee (WI)
- KC Comets Select (KS)
- Carmel Utd (IN)
- Eclipse Select (IL)
In the teams first game in Chicago, versus Windy City Pride, Amber Greely netted a first half hat trick and the team played really well defensively to earn a 3-0 win. In the second game the team battled through the heat and a stomach virus to defeat FCX on Brittany Beckman’s 2nd half goal to advance to the final.
The championship game versus Eclipse would be the third meeting between the two teams of the year. Eclipse won an exciting game 2-3 back in the fall at the Eclipse Challenge Cup, and the MTA Girls pulled out a 1-0 victory in April at the first Jr ECNL Event.
The Thunder girls started the game out strong and they had a couple of close chances. 20 minutes in Maddie Gaffney scored on a through ball where she was able to head the ball past the Eclipse goalie into the open net. The half ended with MTA up 1-0. The second half saw the game get stretched as Eclipse pushed for the equalizing goal towards the end of the game. MTA’s goalie Alexis Joyce was called upon to make a great save in the last minute and the rebound was blocked by four MTA players to clear the ball out and give the U14’s their first Region Championship.
Team Members: Brittany B, Lauren B, Madison B, Jasmine C, Madison G, Makenzie G, Amber G, Alexis J, Jordan K, Lauren K, Rachel M, Carly P, Jennie S, Kari S, Hannah S, Bella S, Lydia S, Madeline V
Coaches: Andy Kaasa and Eric Singer
The girls will now travel to Virginia Beach for the US Club National Finals July 24th-27th. They will participate in the Super Group versus
U-14 Super Group:
SG - Connecticut FC Wolves (Conn.)
SG - Michigan Elite PDA (Mich.)
SG - So Cal Infinity ’95 (Calif.)
SG - Marin FC Blue ’96 (Calif.)
SG - BRYC SC ’95 Elite (Va.)
SG - Penn Fusion SA ’95 (Pa.)
SG - Oregon Rush ’95 Nike (Ore.)
SG - Minnesota Thunder Academy Elite ’96 Blue (Minn.)
