Sting Timbers girls fall just short
Photo courtesy TYLER RIEKEN The Sting Timbers 00/01 girls soccer team finished second Sunday at the US Youth Soccer National Presidents Cup in Westfield, Ind. In the front row from left are Eryn Ducote, Chloe Teets, Julieanna Stith, MacKenzie Mattis, Megan Drake, Erika Skindlov and Madyson Smith; and back row from left, Lexi Medina, Elizabeth Lehosit, Megan Corette, Courtney Cydell, Lily Foster, Bridget Rieken, Tianna Cydell, Sarah Swider, Charlotte Hennig and coach Julio Morales.
Photo courtesy TYLER RIEKEN Four members of the Sting Timbers 00/01 girls soccer team were named to the Top 11 in the 18U division at the US Youth Soccer National Presidents Cup in Westfield, Ind. From left are Megan Drake, Eryn Ducote, Lily Foster and Bridget Rieken.
WESTFIELD, Ind. — Many of the members of the Sting Timbers 00/01 girls soccer team have played for youth tournament championships.
Some have played for a state title.
A few have won a regional championship. Even fewer have played for a national title.
“We are extremely honored to say that we have,” Sting Timbers coach Julio Morales said.
But the Sting Timbers’ bid to win a national title came up short on Sunday morning, as they lost 1-0 to Green White SC of Illinois in the 18U championship game of the US Youth Soccer National Presidents Cup at Grand Park Sports Complex.
“Our 9-0 run, since State Cup, came to an end today at the pinnacle match of soccer that any team in our area has earned,” Morales said. “The energy and support of the entire community has been phenomenal. We played our hearts out for each and every one that has helped us achieve this.
“We represented arguably the toughest region in US Youth Soccer. Getting through six games in six days at regionals was an unprecedented feat of its own.”
Sunday’s final was a rematch of a Saturday group play game between the two teams, won by the Sting Timbers 1-0. Both teams had already secured berths in the title game prior to that game.
In the 68th minute on Sunday, Dylan Van Fleet of Green White SC scored her third goal of the tournament, and it turned out to be the game’s only goal. The Timbers pushed for an equalizer in the last 20 minutes of the game, as it pushed up players and played several balls into the Illinois side’s penalty area. However, Green White SC’s defense did not allow any clean looks at goal, as it held on for the victory.
“One of the toughest challenges in sports at any level is to play a team back to back,” Morales said. “Today we gave it our all and simply came up on the short side of the narrowest of margins to great competitors from Chicago.”
Four Sting Timbers players were named to the “Top 11” in their division at nationals — goalkeeper Lily Foster, forward Megan Drake and defenders Eryn Ducote and Bridget Rieken.
After finishing second at State Cup, the Sting Timbers went 6-0 at regionals, then won all three group-play games at nationals to advance to the title game.
“Personally I am extremely proud and honored to be involved with this group,” Morales said. “The road has been far from easy. The desire, growth and preparation over the past year or two has simply been phenomenal, but particularly the last six weeks.
“The Sting Timbers 00/01 girls are proud to have raised the bar for soccer in our community.”
In the third-place game of the four-team tournament, Vereinigung Erzgebirge United of Pennsylvania beat CUFC Gold of North Carolina 3-1.