BOCA RATON, Fla. -- Olivia Garcia (Las Vegas, NV) called playing for the 2003 West team on the opening day of play in the US Youth Soccer ODP Girls Thanksgiving Interregional “a dream come true.”

 

The 14-year-old from Las Vegas, Nevada scored in the 17th and 70th minute to lift the West past the Midwest regional team, 2-0 as play kicked off on Sunday at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, Florida with four exciting matches.

 

“It took me twice to make the team and it is like a dream come true,” said Garcia, who rebounded from being cut her first time trying out to making the regional team this year and having a starring role in her team’s opening win.

 

“I was both mad and sad,” Garcia said. “That just kind of motivated me to ‘don’t stop there.’ When you think like you are about to quit, you think, ‘why did you start?’ So I just kept working and the next year I was chosen.”

 

Garcia has her sights set even higher.