ORLANDO, FL (July 23, 2004) –The final round of preliminary play at the US Youth Soccer National Championships began today with a flourish of goals as teams secured spots in Sunday’s Championship round at Disney’s Wide World of Sports Complex.

It was an early morning for the Under-17 division with a 7:30 a.m. wake up call. The Windy City Pride (Illinois) Girls found themselves down 1-0 early in the first half to the Dallas Texans 87 Red, but scored five unanswered goals in the second half to advance to Sunday’s Championship game. Windy City’s Brittany Bock put an exclamation point on the victory scoring three of her teams five goals in an 18-minute, second half span. The Pride will play So Cal United for the Under-17 Championship match on Sunday at 9:45 a.m.

In the Under-17 Boys division, ISC Strikers (California South) and Weston, from host state Florida, played to a 2-2 tie while Missouri’s Scott Gallagher beat the Albertson Red Storm Clash (Eastern New York), 1-0. Weston will face Scott Gallagher in Sunday’s final game at 9:30 a.m.

The ESC 90 Black (Oklahoma) took the Under-14 Girls Championship preview match against the Eagles (California South) 3-0. The teams face-off again on Sunday at 11:30 am, for the US Youth Soccer National Championship.

In the Under-19 Boys group, the HSC Bulls ’86 have made the 4,735 mile trip from Hawaii to compete in Hawaii’s first-ever US Youth Soccer National Championship. The Bulls scored three goals to extend their trip to Orlando and are set to face the CASL Elite (North Carolina) on Sunday. The CASL Elite beat the Baltimore Bays (Maryland) 2-0 today earning their spot in the Championship game.

Maryland’s Casa Mia Bays defeated the Chicago Magic 2-1 in Under-16 Boys action, and return to Sunday’s Championship game to defend their 2003 US Youth Soccer National Championship. The Bays will face the FC United 87 (Washington) for the second time this week. In their previous match, the United prevailed by a score of 3-1.

Play resumes tonight with action in the Under-15 and Under-14 divisions at 6pm and the Under-18 group at 8:00 pm.

The 2004 US Youth Soccer National Championship Series, providing approximately 124,000 players on 7,200 teams from US Youth Soccer’s 55 State Associations the opportunity to showcase their soccer skills against the best competition in the nation while emphasizing teamwork, discipline and fair play, is the country’s most prestigious national youth soccer tournament. The US Youth Soccer National Championships cap a yearlong series of competitions for boys and girls teams in multiple age brackets.

About US Youth Soccer - US Youth Soccer-The Game for ALL Kids!® is the largest member of the United States Soccer Federation, the governing body of soccer in the United States. US Youth Soccer registers more than 3.2 million players annually, ages 5 to 19, in 55 member state associations. US Youth Soccer programs provide a fun, safe and healthy environment for players at every level of the game.

US Youth Soccer National Championships
Day 4 Morning Match Results - Preliminary Round

Under-14 Girls
Michigan Hawks (Michigan) 2, Mt Laurel United Strikers (New Jersey) 1
Goal Scorers: Alicia Borstad (Michigan) 4:00, 39, Jackie Bishop (Mt Laurel) 6:00
ESC 90 Black (Oklahoma) 3, Eagles (California South) 0
Goal Scorers: Melinda Mercado (ESC) 14:00, Kyndall Treadwell (ESC) 28:00, Alexandria Hampton (ESC) 61:00

Under-14 Boys
Celtic Harps (California South) 2, Hockessin Blizzard (Delaware) 1
Goal Scorers: Matthew Margiotta (Hockessin) 10:00, Peter Fitschen (Celtic) 11:00, Magdaleno Isiordia (Celtic) 70:00

Under-16 Girls
Eclipse Select (Illinois) 1, PDA Wildcats (New Jersey) 0
Goal Scorers: Jackie Santacaterina (Eclipse) 60:00
Slammers FC (California South) 4, Renegades (Florida) 0
Goal Scorers: Whitney Engen (Slammers) 11:00, (2) Lisa Kevorkian (Slammers) 14:00, 68:00, Jamie Alvis (Slammers) 68:00

Under-16 Boys
Casa Mia Bays (Maryland) 2, Texans 87/88 (South Texas) 1
Goal Scorers: Anthony Tijero (Casa Mia) 38:00, Victor Faustino (Casa Mia) 54:00, Jonathan Yanez (Texans) 80:00
Chicago Magic (Illinois) 2, FC United '87 (Washington) 2
Goal Scorers: Jeffery Macaluso (FC United) 18:00, Nikolas Besagno (FC United) 23:00, Chris Schuler (Chicago) 57:00, Steve Kolzow (Chicago) 70:00

Under-17 Girls
So Cal United (California South) 2, Bethesda Excel (Maryland) 0
Goal Scorers: Kristina Loucks (So Cal) 38:00, Kathleen Oaks (So Cal) 49:00
Windy City Pride (Illinois) 5, Dallas Texans 87 Red (North Texas) 1
Goal Scorers: Kellye Roberston (Dallas Texans) 11:00, Johanna Johnson (Windy City) 47:00, Krysti Howser (Windy City) 53:00, (3) Jackie Jasper (Windy City) 57:00, 64:00, 75:00

Under-17 Boys
Scott Gallagher (Missouri) 1, Albertson Red Storm Clash (Eastern New York) 0
Goal Scorers: Joseph Sondag (Scott Gallagher) 64:00
ISC Strikers (California South) 2, Weston (Florida) 2
Goal Scorers: Marcos Flores (ISC Strikers) 6:00, Christian Jerome (Weston) 20:00, Bryant Pugmire (ISC Strikers) 56:00, Emanuel Chacon (Weston) 71:00

Under-19 Girls
Pleasanton Rage (California North) 3, HBC Fury (Eastern New York) 3
Goal Scorers: Julia Schnugg (Pleasanton) 10:00, Courtney Arikian (HBC) 19:00, Megan Farmer (HBC) 43:00, Whitney Temple (Pleasanton) 44:00, OG (HBC) 86:00, Darby Kroyer (Pleasanton) 88:00
Eclipse Select (Illinois) 3, GSA 85 Phoenix Red (Georgia) 1
Goal Scorers: Jessica Bayne (Eclipse) 4:00, Jen Buczkowski (Eclipse) 45:00, Elizabeth Guess (GSA) 46:00, OG (Eclipse) 51:00

Under-19 Boys
HSC Bulls '85 (Hawaii) 3, Scott Gallagher (Missouri) 0
Goal Scorers: Satoshi Mitsuda (HSC) 14:00, Justin Kim (HSC) 25:00, Duke Hashimoto (HSC) 54:00
84 CASL Elite (North Carolina) 2, Baltimore Bays (Maryland) 0
Goal Scorers: Steven Curfman (CASL) 29:00, David Boole (CASL) 62:00

US Youth Soccer National Championship Pairings
Games to be played Sunday, July 25th

Under-14 Girls
11:30 am Field A - Eagles (California South) vs. ESC '90 Black (Oklahoma)

Under-14 Boys
11:45 am Field B - Rockford Raptors (Illinois) vs. Celtic Harps (California South)

Under-16 Girls
7:45 am Field B - Eclipse Select (Illinois) vs. Slammers FC (California South)

Under-16 Boys
7:30 am Field A - Casa Mia Bays (Maryland) vs. FC United (WA)

Under-17 Girls
9:45 am Field B - So Cal United (California South) vs. Windy City Pride (Illinois)

Under-17 Boys
9: 30 Field A - Weston (Florida) vs. Scott Gallagher (Missouri)

Under-19 Girls
8:00 am Field C - Pleasanton Rage (California Rage) vs. GSA '85 Phoenix Red (Georgia)

Under-19 Boys
8:15 am Field D - '84 CASL Elite (North Carolina) vs. HSC Bulls (Hawaii)