BUSA Teams Excel at USYS Southern Regionals

BUSA proudly sent 8 teams to the USYS Southern Regional Tournament in Baton Rouge, LA in mid June. The club was very pleased with the results of our teams, and especially proud of our 94 and 96 Elite girls teams for reaching the quarter-finals. Congrats to these teams for making it out of group play and once again proving that our teams can play with anyone in the country! (See article below for details of the BUSA 94 Elite trip)

BUSA 94 Elite Girls Make Region III Quarterfinals

The BUSA 94 Elite (now ECNL) Girls played well in the heat of Baton Rogue and advanced out of their group to the Quarter finals of the annual Region III tournament. Coaches Jason Lockhart and Andrew Brower showed their creativity by subbing the players from the short roster frequently and playing them in different positions to overcome the extreme heat and humidity.

In group play, the 94s got off to a good start by beating Gulf Coast, the Mississippi state champion, 4-0 with two goals by forward Nini Rabsatt-Smith and one goal each by forwards Bailee Harnett and Julia Ferguson. Goalkeeper Rachel Ames made several impressive saves, backing up a stingy defense.

In the second game of the group phase, the team faced the Georgia State Champion, ASA. Despite a gritty performance in intense heat, the girls found themselves on the losing end of a 2-0 score. Advancement out of the group required a draw or better in the third match.

The 94's were up to the task as they wore down Little Rock, the Arkansas state champions, with a 3-0 shut out anchored by the solid defense and precise midfield play. Forward Julia Ferguson turned the hat trick with goals in the 16^th, 70^th, and 77^th minutes.

The win placed the team second in their bracket; in the quarterfinal game they faced North Texas Champion, Solar Red from Dallas. The BUSA girls gave it their all but came up short, 0-1. This was Solar’s toughest game as they went on to win the entire tournament and the right to play for the USYS National Title.

Important contributions were made by all members of the team including goal keeper Rachel Ames; defenders Chandler Dunn, Jasmine Goldman, Alicia Hereford, Noelle Honeycutt, and Caroline Minor; midfielders Haley Gerken, Erin Katz, Andi Larese, Sarah Lombardi and Avery Newcomb; and forwards Julia Ferguson, Karmen Gaines, Bailee Harnett, and Nini Rabsatt-Smith.

The final event of the 2009-2010 campaign will be the ECNL Championship in Seattle, July 14-18, 2010.