One Riverhounds Development Academy team is stretching their season as long as possible.
The 2005 Girls brought home the championship from U.S. Club Soccer’s Southeast Regional at BB&T Park in Bermuda Run, N.C., qualifying themselves for the National Cup which begins July 19 in Commerce City, Colo.
They were one of seven RDA teams to compete in the US Club Soccer event that ran June 22-25, while two other girls teams were set to compete beginning June 27 in the ECNL playoffs in San Diego.
The 05 Girls left no doubt they were the class of their group, outscoring opponents by a 23-1 margin — including a hat trick by Sophia Spatafore and a four-goal game by team newcomer Ava Boyd — in three wins to top the table and reach the final.
But once they were in the championship game, the team showed it could win the close ones, too. Alexis Tylenda‘s first-half goal stood up until the end, and the Hounds celebrated a 1-0 win over Gwinett Soccer Academy (Ga.). Like their younger counterparts, the 04 Girls also marched to their age group’s final with a 3-0 record in group play, but their championship game turned out to be a rematch with Catawba Valley (N.C.), who the Hounds beat 2-1 in their opening game.
That goal in the opening match would be the only one the 04 Girls conceded during the tournament but the Hounds couldn’t break down a compact defense in the final despite controlling possession, and the match headed to penalty kicks after a 0-0 draw. Catawba Valley came out on top in the shootout, 3-0, and the Hounds settled for the runner-up spot.
Also advancing out of their division’s group stage were the 04 Boys, who won their final group stage game 5-2 over Global Premier Soccer Charleston (S.C.) and qualified on the third tiebreaker — most goals scored (10) — as their 1-1-1 record and +2 goal difference were tied. The Hounds faced top-seeded GPS Upstate (S.C.) in their semifinal, but they couldn’t find the net in a 2-0 defeat.
Tuesday, June 25
At the US Club Soccer Southeast Regional in Bermuda Run, North Carolina:
• The 05 Girls are the US Club Soccer U-14 Southeast Regional champions after defeating Gwinett Soccer Academy (Ga.), 1-0. Alexis Tylenda scored the lone goal in the first half of the match, a physical contest that was closely contested throughout. Next up for the RDA girls is the National Cup next month.
• Goals were not to be found in the 04 Girls final, as the Hounds and Catawba Valley (N.C.) went the distance in a scoreless draw. It was the Carolinians who took home the trophy, however, as Catawba Valley triumphed on penalties, 3-0.
Monday, June 24
At the US Club Soccer Southeast Regional in Bermuda Run, North Carolina:
• Make it 2-for-2 for the RDA girls teams winning their group, as the 04 Girls clinched a title game spot with seven players scoring in a lopsided 9-0 win over Jordan Lake FC (N.C.). Tomorrow’s final will be a rematch against Catawba Valley, who the 04 Girls beat 2-1 on the opening day of the tournament.
• The 05 Girls emphatically prepped for their spot in tomorrow’s final with a 10-0 win over Imago Dei (N.C.) to go 3-0 and top their group. Sophia Spatafore had a hat trick for the RDA girls, who will face Gwinett Soccer Academy (Ga.) in the championship game.
• The 04 Boys worked their way into their division’s semifinals as a second-place team with a 5-2 win over GPS Charleston(S.C.) during the morning. Their +2 goal difference and 10 goals scored ranked them the highest of four teams with 1-1-1 records, advancing the Hounds to face top-seeded GPS Upstate (S.C.) in the evening semifinals. The RDA boys battled in their second match Monday, but Upstate kept their perfect defensive record for the tournament intact and advanced, 2-0.
• The 03 Boys saw their shot at advancing to the final vanish with a 2-0 loss to GPS Charleston, while the 05 Boys closed out play with a narrow, 3-2 loss to Dynamo Juniors (La.). The 06 Boys also fell by a 3-2 score to Wake FC, and the 02 Boys suffered their third straight one-goal defeat, 1-0, to old Hounds Pro Team nemesis Charlotte Eagles.
Sunday, June 23
At the US Club Soccer Southeast Regional in Bermuda Run, North Carolina:
• The first RDA team to clinch a spot in a final are the 05 Girls, who romped to an 8-0 win over Carolina Rapids Select (N.C.) behind four goals by Ava Boyd. With head-to-head wins over both teams on 3 points, the Hounds will advance to Tuesday’s title game regardless of Monday’s results.
• The 04 Girls won their second straight with a 3-0 victory over GSA North Elite (Ga.). Mary Kate Lape, Audrey Bianco and Kendall Walton scored goals, and Emma Van Meter and Maggie Pappas combined for the clean sheet in net for the RDA. The win means the 04 Girls need only a draw in their final match Monday to win their group and reach the final.
• Liam Donohue scored for the second straight day, and Oliver Daboo also found the net to give the 05 Boys a 2-0 win over Barça Academy Charlotte in their second game of the day. Earlier, Alex Hauskrecht had the lone goal in a 1-1 draw against GPS Carolina Elite Charlotte, bringing the team’s record on the weekend to 1-1-1 and giving them a chance to take the top spot with a win Monday and favorable results in the last day’s other matches.
• Gabe Norris and Sean Ahia scored to help the 03 Boys bounce back from an opening loss with a 2-1 win over GPS Carolina Elite (N.C.). The team can still reach the final with a win Monday, a loss by North Carolina’s Wake FC and overturning a five-goal margin in goal difference.
• The 06 Boys defended well and worked through a 0-0 stalemate with N.C. side FC Athletico, keeping alive the possibility of a second-place finish in their group.
• The 04 Boys suffered a 4-3 setback in their second match against the S.C. United Bantams. Bubby Towns, Johnny Dragisich and Cayden Carpenter netted the goals for the Hounds.
• It was a second narrow loss in as many days for the 02 Boys, who fell 2-0 to Premier UK Elite (N.C.).
Saturday, June 22
At the US Club Soccer Southeast Regional in Bermuda Run, North Carolina:
• Kendall Walton and Leah Kern scored for the 04 Girls in a 2-1 afternoon win over Catawba Valley (N.C.).
• Ava Boyd scored twice in her first match for the RDA, Alexis Tylenda had two goals, and Fiona Mahan also scored for the 05 Girls, who raced to a 5-1 win over GPS Eastern N.C. with a dominant second half after leading just 1-0 at the break.
• Ben Feinstein and Marshall Richter scored for the 04 Boys, who opened their campaign with a 2-2 draw against USA Mt. Pleasant (S.C.).
• Liam Donohue scored for the 05 Boys, but it wasn’t enough in a 2-1 loss to Wake FC (N.C.) in the first match of the day.
• The 02 Boys suffered a 3-2 setback at the feet of Global Premier Soccer Charleston (S.C.), while the 06 Boys got goals from JJ Simms and JJ Vozar but still fell 4-2 against another GPS Charleston side.
