U17 Girls in Ireland

Region I U17 Girls ODP Players
Trip to Ireland

Region One under seventeens triumphed in Ireland with three wins in three games over national team opposition. The tournament comprised two groups of three teams with England, Ireland and Northern Ireland making up group A and Region One, Scotland and Holland making up group B.

Region One defeated Scotland 2-0 in the first game of the tournament. Meghan Klingenberg pounced on a rebound to put Region One ahead just before half time. Brooke Knowlton, assisted by Sinead Farrelly, scored the insurance goal late in the game. Region One struck the crossbar four times and saw a number of opportunities go close as well.

Holland was next and their man for man marking posed unusual problems for Region One. As in the Scotland game, One dominated but were unable to create the kind of chances created against the Scots. Samantha Drees calmly netted the only goal of the game mid way through the first half, but despite constant pressure on them, the Dutch did not concede another goal and Region One had to settle for a 1-0 win.

In group A, Ireland defeated Northern Ireland 4-0 and England matched them with a 4-1 win over the Northerners. England then hung on to defeat Ireland 2-1 to set up a rematch of last year's final, which ended in a penalty kicks victory for the English.

However, this time the story and the outcome would be different. Region One dominated the game from start to finish but, as against the Scots and the Dutch, were unable to turn their superiority into goals; that is until late in the game. England took the lead early in the second half but Sinead Farrelly's header from Lauren Ebert's free kick tied the game shortly afterwards. Katie Schoepfer then took charge. Coming into the game soon after England had gone ahead, Katie scored the go ahead goal mid way through the second half and the insurance goal with less than three minutes remaining.

Region One Squad:-

Alyssa Naeher (Connecticut), Brittany Henderson (ENY), Akila Dugan (ENY), Kelly Eagan (ENY), Kelly Henderson (ENY), Lauren Ebert (New Jersey), Sinead Farrelly (EPA), Teresa Rynier (EPA), Katie Schoepfer (Connecticut), Gina DiMartino (ENY), Samantha Drees (Virginia), Ashley Moore (ENY), Megan Klingenberg (PAW), Meghan Ashforth (Connecticut), Erin Byrnes (ENY), Brooke Knowlton (ENY), Colleen Flanagan (EPA), Kristen Bowers (VA),

Head Coach John Daly, Assistant Coach Hershey Strosberg.