Congratulations to the ’99G Force Premier Squad for winning their Group and Advancing to the 2016 Kepner Cup Semi Finals!
Going into the tournament with 14 total players (2 Goalkeepers) on their roster and an assortment of nagging injuries to most, the girls were looking at a schedule of one game versus and tough TFCA Navy Squad on Saturday, then TUSA Red and GUSA Navy on Sunday.
Even though the state sanctioning body (NCYSA) does not allow for more than one 90 minute match to played on any given day during the regular season for quality of match and injury prevention reasons, in this event, a team could possibly play up to 4 matches in 48 hours, as did our ’00G Premier Team did last weekend in winning their group and having to compete in a Quarter Final later Sunday afternoon.
That was not the case this weekend, as there would be no quarter finals in this age group due to the bracket construct. For the ‘99’s it was finish in the top two and advance. That was the goal. Take care of business in two of the three games and we would be able to rest and move on to the Semi Finals next weekend.
The girls however had other things in mind. Starting on Saturday, as players went down and got back up, injuries occurred and were shaken off, and without the oversight of their head coach, the team held fast and secured a 1-1 tie vs. TFCA Navy. Although this was a good result going into Sunday, the consequences were a lot of aches and pains that they would have to overcome with a short turn around, and two 90 minute matches to come in less than 24 hours.
On Sunday, with the return of their head coach, and a new day, the ‘99’s got right back on track with a convincing 8-0 win vs. a depleted TUSA Red team that would have to pull out of the event early and not finish their last match of the tournament. This result, coupled with the TFCA vs. GUSA game ending in a 1-1 tie meant that whichever team came out on top in the last group game would advance.
With everything on the line, and facing a GUSA Navy team that went undefeated during the regular season (coming in 2nd overall in 1st Division West due to lack of points on ties), the girls came together and showed what they were made of taking the match 2-1 at the final whistle and continuing their hopes of bringing another Kepner Cup home to Fayetteville.
They will now face a SSL Lady Hurricane’s team that they lost to 0-1 just three weeks ago during league play for a chance to compete in the Kepner Cup Finals.
The game will be played at the Wilson Gillette Soccer Park on Field 2 at 1:00pm next Saturday, with hopes of playing in the final again in Wilson on Sunday at 10:30am.
Good Luck to the 99G Force Premier and their Coach Aaron Wood as they attempt to bring home the Cup!