FC Tucson Youth Soccer 2005G, a team mostly comprised of Southern Arizona high school soccer players, lost 4-3 in penalty kicks on Saturday to Santa Monica (Calif.) Surf 05G in a semifinal game of the Development Player League National Championships at Dallas.
The FC Tucson youth team will play Inter Atlanta FC Blues IAFC 05G in a third-place match Sunday at 8 a.m. Tucson time.
FC Tucson led 1-0 on a goal by Sam Wright (Sahuarita) by halftime and was ahead by that margin until 5 minutes remained in regulation. Wright scored again in the first overtime.
After the Surf scored twice in the second overtime to take a 3-2 lead with 30 seconds left, Kenna Kiefer (Cienega) dribbled down the left side, beat the defenders and served ball into the box that Mia Guzman (Sonoran Soccer Academy) scored in the last seconds.
The Surf went on to win 4-1 in penalty kicks.
“The girls are obviously disappointed, but they can play for third,” said FC Tucson co-coach Tony Torres, who coaches the team with his wife Sou. “They can proudly say they finished in the top four in a national league of 68 teams. They beat the No. 2 team in the nation in this league (CCV Stars 05 Girls Peoria in Arizona during the regular season).
“We are still super proud of them.”
FC TUCSON YOUTH SOCCER 2005 GIRLS BLACK ROSTER
- Lauren Fields – Cienega
- Ella Pearlman — Rincon/University
- Emma Danforth – Catalina Foothills
- Kristal Navarro – Tucson High
- Samantha Wright – Sahuarita
- Beatrice Johnson – Catalina Foothills
- Mia Guzman – Sonoran Science Academy
- Kenna Kiefer – Cienega
- Brooke Valencia – Sabino
- Megan Blatnick – Walden Grove
- Meredith Galus – Walden Grove
- Emma Neal – Catalina Foothills
- Gracie Oxnam – Catalina Foothills
- Jessica Garcia – Walden Grove
- Solaris Graves – Ironwood Ridge
- Karina Tapia- Sabino
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