After recently closing out Frontier Conference play with a tie against Legacy 2011G, 11-12G NL took a trip to North Texas to compete in U90C's Veteran Heroes Cup.
The tournament consisted of three preliminary pool games, with the top team in each bracket advancing to the finals. 11-12G NL opened the tournament with two close matches on Saturday against DKSC and HPSA Scots. To secure the top of their bracket, the team needed to pull out a strong result in their final pool match. 11-12G NL stepped up to the challenge Sunday morning, pulling out a decisive 3-0 victory over Solar SW.
With the top seed in their bracket secured, FIERCE earned their place in the final. 11-12G NL faced a tough opponent in East Texas FC, who had gone undefeated in their preliminary matches. After a hard-fought bout in regulation time, FIERCE was in a 0-0 stalemate against East TX FC. So, the teams headed into a golden-goal overtime.
In the first overtime period, East TX FC collected the ball in the middle of the field and ripped an upper-90 backside shot, securing the win. Although 11-12G NL ultimately fell to their opponent in overtime, Coach Rachelle said the team "battled until the very end. It was incredible to see their game IQ in action. They switched between formations and positions with ease, keeping opponents guessing on FIERCE tactics. These young ladies are fast, intelligent, and full of heart. They embody everything that makes FIERCE unique. I can't wait to see them continue to grow and succeed."
11-12G NL has come a long way since the start of their first ever NL campaign in August. The team's success in the Veteran's Cup was a celebration of the players' growth and development up to this point, and an exciting glimpse of what is to come.