MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (June 21, 2011) –  The winners of tomorrow’s games will qualify for the US Youth Soccer National Championships in Phoenix, Ariz., July 26-25, at the Reach 11 Sports Complex.
 
Three defending US Youth Soccer Region III Champions—Sting 96 (TX-N), Sting 95 (TX-N) and Alpharetta Ambush Elite Red (GA)—have the opportunity to win back-to-back titles tomorrow,. All three teams also made it to the National Championship game, with Sting 95 and Alpharetta Ambush both winning the title.
 
The U-15 girls started the semifinal day off with drama as Lonestars 96 Red (TX-S) and defending regional champion Sting 96 (TX-N) battled to a 2-2 tie. Lonestars tallied an early lead when Mikaela Harvey scored in the third minute, her fourth of the tournament. Sting leveled with Rachel Holden’s forty-seventh-minute goal. Fifteen minutes into the second half, Sting received a red card and was forced to play a man down for remainder of the game. The Lonestars were able to capitalize on the advantage and restored their one-goal lead in the seventy-seventh minute. Sting fought back and in the final minute of play, Allison Ganter scored to send the game into overtime. Sting was the eventual victor, out shooting Lonestars 4-1 on penalty kicks.

D’Feeters 96 (TX-N) set up an all-Texas final as they beat 95 CASL Spartan Elite (NC) 1-0. Hannah Alspach scored the only goal of the game with her twenty-seventh minute strike. Dallas-based D’Feeters will now face cross-town rival Sting for the chance to play in Phoenix.
 
Having lost in the National Championship final in 2009, Ponte Vedra Storm (FL) played motivated and left no doubt as they convincingly beat Lonestar 93 Red of South Texas 4-0. Havana Solaun opened the scoring in the thirteenth minute and US National Team Pool Player Morgan Brian added a goal of her own in the twenty-first. Two more goals in the second half sent Ponte Vedra back to the regional final for the third time in four years where they will meet its longtime rival Team Boca (FL).
 
In the second Texas-Florida matchup in the U-18 girls’ semifinals, Team Boca (FL) needed to come from behind to advance to the finals over D’Feeters 93 (TX-N). D’Feeters ended the first half on a forty-second-minute goal by Jacquelyn Andersen. That lead lasted nearly 30 minutes until Team Boca leveled in the seventy-first minute and took the lead in the eightieth off goals by Abby Carr and Ana Cuffia.

Gulf Coast United Dynamo (MS) followed up a dramatic shootout victory in the quarter-finals with a 1-0 win in the semis over 94 HFC Red (NC). Jon Moreno made the best of his chance in the fifty-third minute and scored the only goal of the game by Gulf Coast United.

The other U-16 Boys semi-final was decided by a 1-0 score line. CESA 94 Premier of South Carolina only needed Nicolas Poupore’s thirty-eighth-minute goal. His strike sent CESA through to the final and is the only South Carolina team to play on the final day of the Region III Championships.
 
A dynamic LAFC Houstonians (TX-S) fell today to GSA 96 Phoenix Red (GA). Houstonians had numerous early chances, including a penalty kick in the eleventh minute. GSA keeper Greyson Walldorff effectively turned the momentum of the half when he saved the spot kick and Christopher Morgan stole a goal for GSA before the half. The resilient Georgia team team came out with confidence to play in the second half and netted two late goals by Joseph Sandres and Gabriel Guerra to grab a seat in the finals.
 
After each team found the net once in the first 80 minutes of play, Dallas Texans Red 96 (TX-N) and Solar Chelsea (TX-N) exploded for four goals in overtime. Dallas Texans’ Ian Sadler scored two goals in overtime, his fifth and sixth of the tournament, to give his team a 3-1 lead. Solar Chelsea fought back with goals by Casey Eaton and Alan Winn to force a shootout. Solar’s Ever Estrada came up with big saves in penalty kicks to complete the dramatic semifinal win.

Complete scores from Tuesday's action are below.

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