The Penn FC 04 Lightning girls traveled to Florida mid December to start the 7 game National P.R.O. league games. The top 2 teams from each of the 5 groups of 8 plus 2 overall wildcard teams get an automatic bid to the National Championships in July 2022. The weekend ended with 2 ties and a loss against some of the tougher teams in their group of 8. Playing teams that have been in full 'club' season form, the girls from the Lightning are just coming off of their High School season and now back together. Thus, the overall result was impressive, yet not what was hoped for by the group.

 

Game 1 against Galaxy SC out of Illinois saw a goal given up right before half and proved to be the game winner. The 1-0 score could have gone either way but the Lightning was unable to finish multiple opportunities inside the 18 yard box.

 

Game 2 against St Louis Scott Gallagher ended in a 1-1 tie. Kate Econ put the girls up by finishing a shot near the top of the box to the far left corner in the second half. All seemed to be on track but a counter off of a cross was finished by the squad from Missouri to tie the game 1-1 with a few minutes left.

 

The final game saw the Lightning again go up 1-0 on a fine finish by Liza Suydam against an exceptional Texas team DKSC. Once again, a counter was had in the second half that knotted the game at 1-1.Of special note, Kayla Proch had an excellent game in the net and stopped a PK as well. The team will play 3 more of the 4 games left in this league in February in Tampa. This is one avenue to reach the National Finals. The US National League, State and Regional Cup games will begin in March 2022. For further details on the next tournament, click here: https://system.gotsport.com/org_event/events/4632/schedules?team=207933