Solar SC to face LAFC Slammers in Girls DA U-18/19 Championship match
Final Kicks Off at 6:30 p.m. ET on ussoccerda.com, Development Academy Facebook Page and U.S. Soccer YouTube Channel
OCEANSIDE, Calif. (Via U.S. Soccer) – The U.S. Soccer Girls’ Development Academy will crown its first-ever national champion on Friday night when Solar Soccer Club takes on LAFC Slammers in the U-18/19 Academy Championship. After regular season play and the Academy Winter Showcase, the 16-team U-18/19 Playoffs kicked off June 23 to determine a champion for the country’s highest level of youth women’s soccer. Both Solar and LAFC have won four straight games to secure their spots in the Championship at SoCal Sports Complex in Oceanside, Calif.
Solar Soccer Club entered the postseason as the No. 2 overall seed. Drawn into Group B, the Frontier Division champs’ attack has caught fire in the Playoffs, scoring 18 goals in four games. Forward Trinity Byars has led the charge for Solar with nine goals, including two four-goal performances. In the semifinal, Alexis Missimo scored a brace while Riley Mattingly and Courntney Sebazco added goals to boost the Texas-based team past Boston Breakers Academy 4-0 to clinch a berth in the Championship. While both are eligible for the U-15 age group, Byars and Missimo are both playing up in the U-18/19 age group with players that are three to four years older.
They're going to the 'ship! ? pic.twitter.com/BpPIqmjaSE
— Development Academy (@ussoccer_da) June 28, 2018
The No. 6 overall seed LAFC Slammers arrived in Oceanside riding a 12-game unbeaten streak. After three victories to top Group A, the Southwest Division champs faced No. 1 seed Crossfire Premier in the semifinals. Jenna Nighswonger opened the scoring for Slammers and a second-half hat trick from U-17 Women’s National Team veteran Kate Wiesner propelled LAFC to the Championship.
The U-18/19 Academy final kicks off championship season for the first year of the Girls’ Development Academy. While the U-18/19 champion will be crowned in Oceanside on Friday night, the U-15 and U-16/17 age groups will contest their semifinals and finals at the Academy Championships from July 9-11 in Kansas City, Mo.
The Playoffs cap off a successful inaugural season for the Girls’ Development Academy. Launched in September, more than 6000 players have competed this season for 69 member clubs with the mission to develop world-class players through improving everyday club environments. The action-packed Playoffs has delivered on the Academy’s principle of providing meaningful competition as the best teams in the country battle for postseason glory.
Our U-18/19 final is set! @solar_soccer & @slammersfc are going for the ?! pic.twitter.com/fOviZjz0KU
— Development Academy (@ussoccer_da) June 28, 2018
