The Spirit United Gaels U13 girls soccer team, out of Downingtown, Pa., on May 15 defeated the HMMS Eagles FC U13 girls team, from Mechanicsburg, Pa., by a score of 5-0 to win the Eastern Pennsylvania State Cup championship. With this victory, the suburban Philadelphia team advances to the US Youth Soccer Region I Championships in Barboursville, W.Va., July 1-6.

This will be the Gaels second trip to the Regional tournament. In 2009 they were the U12 Eastern Pa. State Cup and Region I champions.

With strong, consistent play from the opening whistle, the Gaels ended the first half with a 3-0 lead over the Eagles. Outside defender Marissa Sheva started the scoring session for Spirit with a lob from 20-yards outside the goal. The next goal came on a penalty kick by midfielder Cecilia Knaub. Forward Megan Giannopoulos closed out the half with a rifle shot from just outside the six.

In the second half, goals came from winger Haleigh Echard and forward Bryce Watts, who planted the ball to the far post after running onto a free kick from Knaub that dropped over the defense.

Overall, the Gaels won four games to advance through the single-elimination State Cup competition, recording 13 goals for and only 1 goal against, speaking to the consistent work of the team’s defense and goalkeeper Kaelyn Johns.

 

No.	Name		Position
13 16 22 32 14 2 11 5 10 17 8 40 27 9 18	Leah Becker Deirdre Bradley Maddie Dew Grace Dickey Haleigh Echard Megan Giannopoulos Kaelyn Johns Allison Kasacavage Cecilia Knaub Michaela Moore Devan Obendorfer Dominique Owad Marissa Sheva Amanda Treadway Bryce Watts		Center Midfielder Forward Defender Forward Outside Defender/Forward Forward Goalie Outside Defender Center Midfielder Defender/Forward Defender Center Midfielder Outside Defender Outside Defender Forward