SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. - The Maui United 94 girls under-15 team lost 3-2 in overtime to Chelsea (Calif.) 93 in the championship match for their division at the U.S. Club Soccer San Bernardino Regional on Tuesday.
MUSC was down 2-0 after 22 minutes of play before Amber-Lei Madriaga and Maya Palaroan each scored goals to send the match to overtime, the final goal coming with six minutes to play.
''It was a tough loss,'' MUSC coach Fred Guzman said. ''We were down 2-0, came back and had a few chances, but they put one away when it counted.''
MUSC pulled within a goal in the 24th minute when Madriaga scored off a cross from Palaroan. In the 74th minute, Palaroan scored after Makana Pundyke touched Madriaga's cross forward to Palaroan.
After a scoreless 10-minute overtime, Chelsea scored with five minutes left in the second OT before the match would have gone to a penalty-kick shootout.
''It was on a free kick that landed in the middle of the penalty area,'' Guzman said. ''It came off the thigh of one of their girls and dribbled in. Our girls were extremely disappointed, but they really gave a very fine account of themselves the whole tournament.
''You don't get credit for making chances, and a trip to Virginia was on the line, so it was a tough loss for the girls. Many of these girls played very well in the (Maui Interscholastic League) as freshmen and a lot more of them will join those ranks this fall. They all have a lot to be proud of. This experience was not only good for our club, but also for high school soccer on Maui.''
The MUSC 94 girls finished 3-1-0 in the tournament.
The win sends Chelsea (4-0-0) to the U.S. Club Soccer National Cup VIII tournament, July 31-Aug. 3 in Virginia Beach, Va.
