U14 Girls Group C
Match Fit Academy, the Chicago Magic, the Atlanta Silverbacks and Seacoast United
USL News Release
Thursday, October 2, 2008
TAMPA – The first of three U14 girls groups set for the 10th edition of the Super Y-League North American Finals spotlights Match Fit Academy of the Mid Atlantic, the Chicago Magic, who represent the Midwest, the Atlanta Silverbacks out of the South Atlantic and Seacoast United from New England.
The Super Y-League North American Finals kick off on Friday, November 21 with group play matches that run through Sunday, November 23. The semifinals are on Monday, November 24 and Championship Tuesday follows on November 25.
As has been the case the past several seasons, the girls’ tournament contains 12 regional qualifiers while the boys’ competition is played out between 14 teams. In the boys’ tournament, only the group winners advance to the knockout phase. On the girls side the three group winners and a fourth wild-card team advance to the semifinal stage.
Match Fit Academy
The Group B Champion of the Mid Atlantic, Match Fit Academy posted a record of 12-2-0. That mark tied this side with City Islanders Academy for the fourth best record in the humongous, 18-team Mid Atlantic Division. One of Match Fit’s losses came to the City Islanders, 3-1 on Saturday, June 7. The other was Match Fit’s only loss to a Group B opponent, a season-opening 3-1 loss to the New Jersey Junior Stallions.
This Chris Leahey coached side had both the third best defense and third best offense in the Mid Atlantic. They equaled the goal-scoring output of Princeton Soccer (46), who finished just behind them in Group B with a record of 9-4-1. They also drew City Islanders Academy in goals allowed with 13.
Match Fit will face the Chicago Magic on the first day of group play.
Chicago Magic
The Chicago Magic finished second in Group A of the Midwest Division with a record of 5-1-1. Coached by Scott Fonfara, the team boasted the second-best offense in the Midwest, scoring 2.57 goals per match. Their defense did not lag too far behind, allowing just a goal per match. That total tied the club for second best in the division with the Kalamazoo Kingdom.
The Magic started off the season with three wins, losing their fourth match on the road, 3-1 to Alliance Academy on Sunday, July 20. The teams broke for a late lunch, and then played again, resulting in a 2-2 draw, the only other non-win during the Magic’s season.
 Atlanta Silverbacks
The Atlanta Silverbacks Juniors won the 2008 South Atlantic Division, earning them a return visit to the Super Y-League North American Finals. This team is comprised of many of the same girls that earned the Silverbacks U13 team a spot at last year’s North American Finals. Those girls include: Mackenzie Bailey, Allyson Baron, Mary Bleekrode, Alexis Connors, Diana Getzewich, Anna Hilpertshauser, Meghan Hussey, Autum Matthews, Emily Sonnett, Emma Sonnett, Katlyn Stevens, Claire Sullivan and Gabrielle Toner.
This years’ team had a very strong Super Y-League season, scoring an average of five goals per game, for a total of sixty goals and allowing only two goals against for the entire season. This bettered last year’s impressive total of fifty goals for and nine against. The success of the team can be attributed to many factors, but is mainly due to a strong core of returning players. This talented group of girls coached by Iggy Moleka, is looking forward to returning to Tampa and another strong showing for this year’s 2008 Finals.
The Silverbacks will face off against New England Division representative, Seacoast United on the first day of group play.
Seacoast United
Coached by David Burgess, Seacoast United won the eight-team New England Division with a record of 11-1-2. Their stiffest competition throughout the regular season came from MPS Boston, who defeated Seacoast 3-2 on Thursday, May 15. Seacoast rebounded, and has not lost a match in their last 13 games. That record includes a retribution draw with MPS Boston, 1-1 on Tuesday, July 29.
Seacoast bypassed their rivals by picking up four wins when facing BW Rhode Island or the Ottawa Fury. Against those two teams, MPS Boston managed a record of 2-0-2. The fact that Seacoast pulled 12 points away from those four games (a record of 4-0-0 against BW Rhode Island and the Ottawa Fury) instead of eight, handed the division to Seacoast.
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