After three rounds of the best U18/19 teams battling it out in Seattle, San Diego Surf and Concorde Fire Platinum were the last two teams standing for the U18/19 National Championship.
Surf struck first in the opening half when Coco Dorfman made a run past the Concorde Fire defense and slotted home a shot in the lower corner to make it 1-0.
Nearly ten minutes later, Surf doubled their lead when Ines Derrien launched a left-footed shot from the top of the box and into the back of the net to put Surf up 2-0. Surf then added onto their lead minutes later when Fernanda Rodriguez stole a pass and worked her way around the goalkeeper to put Surf up 3-0 going into the half.
In the second half, Surf tacked on two more goals to secure their National Championship title. Ella Emri put in the game’s fourth goal for Surf, before Kennedy Roesch, who was outstanding all day, earned a penalty kick in the final minutes. Roesch buried the kick for Surf’s fifth goal and solidified their National Championship.
After the game, Roesch, who was named the Player of the Match, said ending her Surf career with a National Championship was a dream finish, especially after losing in a final three years ago.
“It feels really good. To get it in my last game is the best possible scenario,” Roesch said. “We were here three years ago and it was really gut wrenching. We’ve had so much adversity, but we just grinded it out.”
In their final game together, Roesch said Surf’s mindset was to win for each other, and that all the memories she made with Surf throughout her career will be ones she carries with her for the rest of her life.
“We wanted to just fight for each other and do it for each other. Luckily, we got the job done and I couldn’t be more excited,” Roesch said. “These are the memories you are going to cherish. The hardware and trophy is great, but these are the people I have grown up with the last ten years. They were my childhood and these memories will last my whole life.”
