The U.S. under-18 girls national team fell to Ukraine on penalties in the final of the Albena Cup in Varna, Bulgaria, on April 7. The USA was the only youth national team in the tournament with all other nations sending their full nationals teams. The USA had beaten Ukraine, 2-1, in group play, but neither team could find the net in regulation in the championship game. After a scoreless 90 minutes, the young U.S. team could only make one of its three penalty kicks while the Ukrainians made all three of their kicks to claim the title. The USA had advanced to the final by winning a penalty kick shootout in the semifinals, 4-3, as the USA made its sixth kick and Bulgaria missed its crucial shot on April 5. The USA had won its group to earn a berth in the semifinals with a 2-0 victory over Scotland on April 1, the 2-1 win over Ukraine on April 2 and a 6-1 thrashing of Moldova on April 3. The Albena Cup was just the second international trip for the U-18 team in its short two-year history. Women’s national staff coach Jeff Pill led the U-18s to Bulgaria. Steve Swanson, still settling into his other new job, at the University of Virginia, couldn’t make the trip.