On May 2nd, FIERCE's 09G NL team departed for Oceanside, CA with a daunting task ahead of them: win four straight games at NL P.R.O. to reach Nationals.
NL P.R.O. kicked off with a dominant 2-0 FIERCE performance against a strong Valor Soccer side. The following day, 09G NL met a familiar opponent in Lonestar. In an exciting match of back and forth, FIERCE came out on top 3-2. The third match against CDA Slammers proved to be a thriller with regular time concluding in a 1-1 stalemate. After 9 rounds of penalties, FIERCE came out on top and advanced to the finals. On the final matchday, FIERCE battled also-undefeated opponent Cook Inlet S.C. to a 2-2 draw in regulation. In penalties, goalkeeper Elyse Osborn came up with a huge save and all five players converted from the spot. With this, 09G NL secured FIERCE's perfect 4-for-4 run in Oceanside.
Manager of Soccer Operations, Sara Asbeck, had the following to say about 09G NL's performance:
It was an absolute joy to join the staff for this trip and witness in-person how special this group is. To see the way they battled together, supported one another, and fought through a grueling schedule was inspiring. You could see the team's futsal training inspire the beautiful way they played, but the sense of community truly carried them through this event. Overall, their success was a testament to the FIERCE culture.
With their undefeated run in Oceanside, NL P.R.O. marks the second NL event this season the team has come away without a single loss. This Nationals berth has 09G NL taking FIERCE further than any team before, and all eyes are now turned to the USYS National Championships in Orlando, FL taking place July 23rd-28th.