May 23, 2003

Comebacks and Fantastic Finishes Mark Friday's Quarterfinals

The intensity of Friday's quarterfinals matched the weather: both heated up under blue skies. Two matches ended on penalty kicks, and another was won with an overtime goal.

The under-12 UFC boys team continued its State Cup run with a nearly- golden goal to knock Cosmos out of the competition with a 3-2 victory (under State Cup rules, a goal in overtime does not immediately end the match). In the U15 girls division, kicks from the spot sent Avalanche Select past DC Devastation and into the semi-finals.

Penalty kicks also decided the U17 girls match between Utah Xtreme and Impact Black. Xtreme recovered from an early deficit to force the second session. Xtreme then dispatched Impact on penalties after Xtreme keeper, Holly Davis, blocked two shots. Xtreme began the spring season feeling aggrieved over the team's placement in the alignment. Now Xtreme has proven its mettle and enters the penultimate round as the hottest team in the U17 draw, having beaten Inter F.C. on Wednesday and Impact in the quarterfinals.

D.C. Raiders also earned a trip to the U17 girls semi-finals with a tense quarterfinal victory over the Firebirds. Raiders' striker Elaine Connolly repeatedly dashed behind the Firebirds' defense, but Firebirds' goalkeeper Amy Edman managed to keep the score knotted through the half.

Midway through the second half, Coach Michael Carbaugh's Raiders scored twice in three minutes, first on a low shot tucked into the near post and then on a strong header off a corner kick. For many foes, the Raiders' blitz would have sapped its will. But the Firebirds battled back into contention. The fire-and-ice coaching tandem of Tom Nicolaides and Rick Lien trained their team to raise its intensity without betraying its calm. The Firebirds drew within a goal during the last ten minutes, and then pressed the attack in search of an equalizer. Several well-orchestrated attacks held promise and Firebirds striker Sarah Butler just missed the upper ninety in the ninetieth minute.

But the Raiders managed to fend off the Firebirds' final forays into the final third. The Raiders next play Utah Xtreme in semi-final action on Field H at 2:30.