After traveling nearly 400 miles and battling through three days of play, two Riverhounds Development Academy teams closed the weekend with a match that would’ve been a perfect fit for Connellsville or Highmark Stadium.
The 06 Girls and the 06 East Girls each navigated their way to the championship match of the top division, setting up an all-RDA final to highlight the final day of play Tuesday, June 22 at the US Club Soccer Southeast Regional in Bermuda Run, N.C.
The match went the way of the Pittsburgh-based side, 1-0, as Jadyn Coy scored the only goal with seven minutes remaining in a game otherwise dictated by organized defensive play from both sides. The goal was Coy’s fifth of the tournament, while Sophia DeJesus netted three for the 06 Girls. Robin Reilly scored two in the event for the 06 East Girls, and both RDA sides allowed just three goals total.
While the win capped off a 4-0-0 tournament and automatically qualified the 06 Girls for the US Club Soccer National Cup XX next month in Commerce City, Colo., the 06 East Girls also qualified for the National Cup with their 2-0-1 pool play record and finals appearance.
The 07 Girls also reached the championship game, slipping through with a 1-1 draw against Roswell Santos (Ga.) on a Maddie Marcotte goal to close pool play 2-0-1. They were tripped up in the final by NC Fusion, 2-0, preventing them from nabbing an automatic spot in Colorado. Isabella Costa scored a hat trick in the opening match for the 07s, while Emma Schupansky had two goals and Sierra Dupre had a goal and three assists for the tournament.
Also taking a runner-up finish were the 04 Boys, as their 2-1-1 record placed them behind only champions Somers (N.Y.) in their five-team round-robin division. Caden Carpenter posted a four-goal game on the final day, giving him five for the tournament.
The 08 Boys placed third on goal difference at 2-2-0 in another round-robin division, and they had a shot at the top going into their final match, but the champion Charlotte Eagles were too good and beat the Hounds to sweep the group with a 4-0-0 mark.
Full results for all six teams that made the trip to North Carolina can be found on the Live Results page, and postseason action will pick up again in the middle of next week when the ECNL Girls postseason begins.
