TAMPA, FL – (Tuesday, November 25, 2008) – The Richmond Kickers U-14 Super Y-League team made a Cinderella run to the USL Super Y-League National Championship game, falling to South Atlantic rivals Atlanta Silverbacks Jrs. by a 2-0 scoreline Tuesday morning.  The first-ever Kickers team to compete in a National Championship, the U-14 Girls concluded a historic season as Super Y-League Finalists. 

The title match was hard-fought between two tired teams, both of whom played four games in four days.  While the Kickers had a point blank chance by Dina Scott in the first minute that the goalkeeper stifled, the Silverbacks registered first, one minute later, off a beautiful cross and first-time finish. The Kickers pressured but could not equalize and the Silverbacks struck again on a cross and head finish in the 52nd minute.  Kickers goalkeeper Kirsten Hancock was able to tip the shot off the bar, but the ball slipped just over the line despite her heroic efforts. 

It was a remarkable journey for the young women from Richmond, who battled through a tough group stage that included the Washington Freedom, Washington Crossfire, and the Kalamazoo Kingdom with a 2-0-1 record.  In the Semifinal Round, the Kickers defeated national power, Quickstrike 1-0 on a beautiful lone goal from Allison Bortell. 

The USL Super Y-League is a professionalized system that is the first step for developing elite youth soccer players in North America. Affiliated with U.S. Soccer, the league is designed for talented youth players destined for professional or international careers. Through Olympic Development Program status events such as the North American Finals and ODP National Camps, the nation’s top players are identified for selection to U.S. National Team Programs. The 2008 campaign featured over 600 teams within the U13 – U17 boys and girls age groups competing within eight geographic divisions of the U.S. and Canada.