The Colorado Rush Nike was only one of three defending girls champions to advance to the finals at the U.S. Youth Soccer National Championships in Lancaster, Mass. The Dallas Texans U-17 and U-16 teams both failed to advance out of their groups.
The Rush got two goals from Nevada’s Erin Smith to beat the Birmingham United SA, 2-0, and overtake the Alabama team for second place behind Eclipse Select in the U-19 division.
Florida’s Ponte Vedra Storm, featuring three players headed to next week’s U.S. under-17 girls national team camp in New York, beat the Texans, 2-0, to finish first in the six-team under-16 group.
California North’s De Anza Force earned a 2-2 tie with New York’s Syosset Rough Riders and advanced to Sunday’s final against the Storm.
Despite a 5-0 victory over Ohio’s Internationals, the Texans could not overtake the PDA Fire and Eclipse Select, who will play for the under-17 girls championship.
Eclipse Select is the only girls club with two teams in the finals. Its under-14 team’s 1-0 to CASL Spartan Elite Black knocked it out of contention.