Area players capture national title with Eclipse Select U-16 team

The following story is submitted content from the Eclipse Select Soccer Club. To submit your own stories, please email ppnpreps@pioneerlocal.com.

CHICAGO (July 21, 2014) – Eclipse Select Soccer Club’s two Elite Clubs National League teams had a stellar run at the 2013-14 ECNL National Finals in Richmond, Va. The event was highlighted by Eclipse Select’s U-16 group earning the national title with a 2-1 victory against the Dallas Texans last Thursday, marking back-to-back crowns for this age group. The Eclipse Select U-15s won the 2013 ECNL Final.

Additionally at this year’s event, the Eclipse Select U-17s took second place in the country after posting a 2-0-1 record in group play.

Eclipse Select U-16 ECNL roster

Eclipse Select U-17 ECNL roster

For the U-16s, the Lea Waddle (Lake Forest, Ill.) scored what proved to be the game-winning goal off of a Zoe Redei (Highland Park, Ill.) cross to take a 2-1 lead. Marissa Bosco (St. Charles, Ill.) added a first-time volley from 20 yards out to push the Eclipse Select lead to 3-1 in the 68th minute. Earlier in the game, Alia Martin (Carmel, Ind.) scored on a penalty kick in the 21st minute after Bosco had been taken down in the box. That gave Eclipse Select a 1-0 lead at the time.

On Wednesday, Eclipse Select’s U-16s fell short to Players Development Academy, 2-1, but the squad had already qualified for the title match.

Top Drawer Soccer: Eclipse, Sting, Surf capture ECNL titles

For the U-17s on Thursday, Eclipse Select fell 1-0 to the Dallas Sting, but the runner-up finish did not dampen what was a great postseason performance for this group. Eclipse Select advanced to the final with a 1-0 victory against Players Development Academy last Wednesday. Chelsea Burns (Jacksonville, Fla.) scored the game’s only goal off of an Ann Marie Niro (Barrington, Ill.) assist.

In seven postseason games, the Eclipse Select U-17 ECNL team allowed only two goals — one on a penalty kick and the other in the ECNL Final from a free kick, meaning the squad did not concede a goal in the run of play. That defensive group included Megan Kalkofen (Naperville, Ill.), Hannah Davison (Geneva, Ill.), Riley Sykes (Gurnee, Ill.),Kayla Sharples (Naperville, Ill.), Aspyn Repp (Lake Bluff, Ill.) and goalkeeperCaroline Brockmeier (Tallahassee, Fla.).

Redei Headed to U.S. U-18 WNT camp in Mexico: Fresh off Eclipse Select’s U-16 ECNL national championship, the busy soccer schedule for Eclipse Select forward Zoe Redei (Highland Park, Ill.) continues this week. She was named to the U.S. U-18 Women’s National Team for a camp that runs July 22-28 in Mexico City. The U-18 roster, led by April Heinrichs, includes 20 players. This marks Redei’s third national team call-up this year after starring for the U.S. U-17 during the 2013 CONCACAF Women’s U-17 Championship with five goals (tied for the team lead with Mallory Pugh).