MICHIGAN SOCCER NETWORK: MSN NEWS: www.michigansoccernetwork.com/msnnews
(Editor’s Note: The Michigan Soccer Network will continue its series about an assortment of Michigan-based youth club teams that competed in various age groups at various regional and national tournaments and playoffs during the months of June, July and August for all levels of the youth soccer pyramid. Send all pertinent information including results, stats, photos, and coach’s contact information to MSN Web and Content Editor / Director of News Dan Stickradt at stickradt@michigansoccernetwork.com and dstickradt@thepremiermediagrp.com or call the news department at 248-525-2349.)
BY DAN STICKRADT
WEB AND CONTENT EDITOR / DIRECTOR OF NEWS
BUSINESS LINE: (248) 525-2349
TW/X: @msn_stickradt @MiSoccerNetwork
RICHMOND, Va. – It’s safe to say that in the sport of soccer, one thing can turn out to be the Achillies heel of a team.
That turned out to be true for one Michigan-based club team this summer.
Despite putting together a dominating effort over the last 10-plus months, the Nationals SC 09G Girls Academy-Blue came up just short of its ultimate goal, falling 2-1 to FC United Soccer Club 09G Girls Academy in the Girls Academy Finals U14 Division. That setback happened in the national tournament championship match – and it came on penalty kicks by a 4-2 decision to break the 1-1 tie after regulation.
“That’s what is so disappointing because we practiced penalties at the end of almost every training session,” offered Ellie Matthews, a talented midfielder on the team and a sophomore-to-be at Macomb Lutheran North High School. “We played really well in the tournament to get to the finals. But for whatever the reason, we didn’t do so well (in the shootout). We did everything else right.”
A quick glance at the Nationals SC 09G Girls Academy-Blue’s resume does support that this team did do everything right except one minor detail during a stellar 19-2-4 campaign (2023-24 season).
In the Girls Academy Mid-America U15 Division during the regular season, the side compiled 37 points to win by six points over its nearest competitor. Nationals finished 12-1-1 in the league, outscoring the opposition 72-9 with eight shutouts all while averaging 5.14 goals a game while yielding only 0.64 goals per contest. The only blemishes in league play were an early 3-2 defeat to FC United Soccer Club 09G Girls Academy (3-2) and a 1-1 tie to inner-state rival Michigan Jaguars 09G Girls Academy (1-1).
At the Girls Academy Playoffs Showcase U15 event, held June 19-25 at Silver Lakes Sports Complex in Norco, California, the league champions went 3-0-0 behind another dominating effort. Nationals-Blue outscored the opposition 14-1 for nine points and with a plus-13 differential to easily advance to the Girls Academy Finals in July.
Nationals comfortably defeated LA Surf Soccer Club 09G Girls Academy (7-1), Wasatch Soccer Club 09G Girls Academy (3-0) and SC Wave 09G Girls Academy (4-0) to advance to the Girls Academy Finals with three convincing victories.
Held July 11-14 at the River City Sportsplex near Richmond, Virginia, the Nationals SC 09G Girls Academy-Blue shut out its first two opponents at the Girls Academy Finals, topping the Philadelphia Ukrainian Nations 09G Girls Academy (1-0) in the quarterfinals before blanking TopHat 09G Girls Academy-Gold (4-0) in the national semifinals to set the stage for the finals.
Deadlocked at 1-1 entering the shootout, luck was not on the side of the Nationals SC. The team came up short in the shootout tiebreaker, eventually falling to the FC United Soccer Club 09G Girls Academy.
To make matters worse, it marked not only the second loss of the entire season to FC United Soccer Club 09G Girls Academy, including the early-season league loss, while it was only the second defeat for the team the entire season. It also came on the grand stage.
“That is soccer, unfortunately,” sighed Nationals SC 09G Girls Academy-Blue coach Jermey Harkins. “I know the girls were disappointed. I was disappointed. Not in the way they played or the way we played all season. To go (19-2-4) with only a couple of losses is impressive. We dominated most of the teams we faced. We even, I thought dominated at times in the (national finals) against FC United, but we only could finish one scoring chance. I thought we outshot them and had some great chances. We just couldn’t finish. And we eventually lost on PKs.
Sometimes the game of soccer can be downright cruel, and it often goes down to finishing opportunities – no matter how many you have through the course of a game, tournament or season.
“I was proud of us making it all the way to the finals. We had a great run,” added Harkins. “I know the girls really wanted to win it. They played well enough to win it. We only gave up (three) goals in the entire playoffs run and only allowed one goal (in California) and just the (goals) here in the finals (in Virginia.
“We won some tournaments, won our league, got all the way to the finals. Sure, it’s disappointing that we didn’t come out on top, but we had a great season,” added Harkins.
Members of the team included the aforementioned Elizabeth ‘Ellie’ Matthews, Regan Angle, Evianna D’Angelo, Andie Jones, Kendel Krywko, Emiliana Manzo, Sienna Musachio, Cate Scicluna, Emma Wong, Maggie Baginski, Sophie Farley, Emma Kessler, Jorja Lewis, Leah Nalichowski and Elianna Simion.
(Have a story suggestion for the Premier Media Group and the Michigan Soccer Network regarding club soccer, high school varsity, amateur soccer, collegiate soccer or professional soccer involving teams, players or coaches with Michigan ties, contact Communications Specialist/Web and Content Editor/Director of News Dan Stickradt via email at stickradt@michigansoccernetwork.com or dstickradt@thepremiermediagrp.com, or call 248-884-1051 or 248-525-2349. Dan Stickradt is a 31-year veteran of the Michigan Media circles and recently joined the staff full time in March of 2024. Want to schedule a broadcast game or live show, contact PMG/MSN Director of Broadcasting Jonathan Turner for availability and pricing at jonathan@michigansoccernetwork.com and jonathan@thepremeiermediagrp.com.)
To schedule a game or to consult team members of our broadcast, reach out to the following persons in the PMG family of networks: Broadcast Director Jonathan Turner, 248-525-2083, jonathan@thepremeiermediagrp.com or new Director of Scheduling / Office Manager Alaina Gagnon, at agagnon@thepremiermediagrp.com and inquire about the broadcast options, packages, special packages and more.
For news on the soccer scene in Michigan, check out the MSN website at www.michigansoccernetwork.com for daily updates, game recaps, feature stories, previews and more for teams, players and coaches from a wide variety schools, amateur teams, colleges and youth club teams.
The PMG and MSN staff will continue to reach for its goal of providing quality broadcast on any network and in-depth coverage and content on it website.
INTERNSHIPS AVAILABLE
Interested in internships in broadcasting, communications, journalism, public relations or sales and marketing in the sports world? The Premier Media Group is seeking applications for current college students or students entering their senior or junior years of high school that have a career interest in working in different capacity of a constantly-evolving media world.
Contact both Broadcast Director Jonathan Turner at 248-525-2083 or jonathan@thepremeiermediagrp.com and Web and Content Editor / Director of News Dan Stickradt at (248) 525-2349 and dstickradt@thepremeiermediagrp.com.
Comments