US Youth Soccer National League 2019-20 Season Preview: 18U Girls

With the 2019-2020 US Youth Soccer National League season kicking off  this month, we take a look ahead at the competition with an in-depth preview of each age group.

In this edition, find out what’s in store for the 18U Girls.

Schedule, Scores and Standings | History and Results

The 18U Girls Black Division has several accomplished teams, highlighted by the defending US Youth Soccer National Champion, Cleveland FC 02 (OH-N). Cleveland qualified for Nationals by winning last year’s Black Division title, as the Ohio North side earned six wins and a draw during the National League season. It will look to replicate that success in 2019-20, as Cleveland looks to repeat its Black Division title and earn a chance to defend its National Championship.

Another team that is looking to earn a berth back to Nationals is Team Boca 2002 White (FL). The Florida side showed off its potential at the US Youth Soccer Southern Regional Championships, as it conceded just one goal while scoring 19 during the tournament in Baton Rouge, La. That performance helped Team Boca claim the Regional title, and it will look to continue that balanced play this year in the National League.

Solar (TX-N) is heading into the upcoming season after winning the US Youth Soccer Frontier Conference FPDL with a 10-2-1 record. The defense keyed Solar’s success, as it allowed just six goals in its 13 conference games. Fullerton Rangers G02 White (CA-S) had similar league format success while finishing on top of its group in the US Youth Soccer Pacific Conference.

Meanwhile, New Jersey Rush 02 Grey (NJ) is looking to finish on top of the Black Division after a couple of close calls in previous years. The New Jersey side has finished second in its National League division each of the last two seasons, and is also coming off a semifinal appearance at the 2019 US Youth Soccer Eastern Regional Championships.

With plenty of past National League triumphs within its club, Legends FC 02 Academy II (CA-S) is ready to compete for the 18U Girls Blue Division title this season. Legends is coming off a run to the semifinals of the 2019 National Championships and a title at the US Youth Soccer Far West Regional Championships. At the regional in Boise, Idaho, the Cal South side recorded four shutouts, and five of its six wins came by multiple goals.

Another Blue Division team looking to earn its way back to Nationals is HMMS Eagle FC 02 Impact (PA-E). HMMS strung together four wins and a draw in West Virginia to claim the Eastern Regional Championship. Prior to that, the Eastern PA side had a strong showing in its Conference, so it should be ready to test itself against top competition in a league format.

A few other teams with past league success will be among those aiming for the Blue Division title. Sparta FC 02 Elite (TX-N) won the Frontier Conference Premier I Division with a 5-0-2 record, and it followed that performance by making a run to the Southern Regional Championships final. Similarly, 02 CISC North (NC) was a Southern Regional quarterfinalist after winning the US Youth Soccer Piedmont Conference with 10 wins and a draw in its 11 matches. Meanwhile, STA 2002 USYS (NJ) went 7-0-1 to win a tight race in the Club vs. Club Division of the US Youth Soccer Mid Atlantic EDP Conference — making it one of several teams looking to replicate past league success during this year’s Blue Division action.

The smallest margins often separate the top teams in the National League. Should that be the case in the 18U Girls Red Division, Pipeline SC 02 Pre-Academy (MD) will be ready. Last season, the Maryland side won a tight Blue Division in which one point separated each of the top six spots in the standings. Pipeline carried the momentum of its National League title to the National Championships, where it advanced to the final match. With a first-place finish in the US Youth Soccer South Atlantic EDP Conference Club vs. Club Division also on its résumé, Pipeline has plenty of experience in league formats.

Plenty of other Red Division teams are coming off strong conference seasons, as well. CFC Tammany Tigers 02/03 (LA), Sunrise Prime FC 2002 X1 (FL) and WA Timbers 02 Red 1 (OR) each won their respective Conferences before advancing to the quarterfinals of their respective Regional Championships. Additionally, Beadling 02G Showcase (PA-W) finished first in the US Youth Soccer Great Lakes Conference Premier I Division, making it one of several teams with recent success in league formats.

Meanwhile, Nationals Union 02 Black (MI) is coming off a trip to the National Championships as the Midwest Regional representative. The Michigan side advanced to the semifinals of the tournament in Saginaw, Mich., and then earned a shutout victory in a play-in match to punch its ticket to the National Championships. Nationals Union will look to improve on its third-place finish in the National League from a season ago as it looks to earn a trip back to Nationals through the Red Division.

The 18U Girls White Division features several teams looking to take the next step after narrowly missing out on some first-place finishes a season ago. They’ll all need to overtake North Shore United 2002 Blue (WI), which is coming off a White Division title and a 2019 Midwest Regional Championship. The Wisconsin side compiled one of the largest goal differentials in National League history while going 6-0-1 last season. In addition to its triumphs in the league and at Regionals, North Shore also won the US Youth Soccer Midwest Conference Premier I Division with an 8-0-1 mark.

After a strong showing in the US Youth Soccer Mid South Conference, NUSA 02 Maroon (TN) made a run to the semifinals of the Southern Regional Championships — showing it can string together results in both league and tournament formats. It will look to improve on those results and add a first-place finish this season.

PSA National 02 Girls (NJ) came one point short of a National League division title last season, and it also finished one game out of first place in the Mid Atlantic EDP Conference Club vs. Club Division. With that experience and knowing the impact each result can have during league play, PSA should be locked in and ready to go when White Division action kicks off.

• Mae Sinclair (North Shore United) – Best XI at the National Championships
• Shelby Sallee (Cleveland FC) – Best XI at the National Championships; Leading scorer at the Midwest Regional Championships with six goals
• Maddison Baker (North Shore United) – Best XI at the National Championships
• Haley Anspach (Cleveland FC) – Best XI at the National Championships
• Julia Raich (HMMS Eagle) – Best XI at the National Championships
• Savanna Prado (Legends FC Academy) – Golden Glove, Best XI at the National Championships
• Jiselle Daniels (NJ Rush) – Leading scorer at the Eastern Regional Championships with five goals
• Jade Euell (Team Boca) – Leading scorer at the Southern Regional Championships with eight goals
• Caroline Stringfellow (USA Premier) – Golden Ball, Best XI and tied for leading scorer (four goals) at the National Championships (as 18U player with La Roca)

2019 US Youth Soccer ODP Girls Thanksgiving Interregional – 2003/2002 Roster
East Region – Megan Donnelly (Beadling), Ryan Parncutt (Coppermine), Julia Raich (HMMS)
Midwest Region – Anna Schroeder (North Shore United)
West Region – Hailey Povilus, Emilie Rupprecht, Makayla Wetsel (USA Premier)