The team has had amazing success this past year. Some of our most recent successes include 2009 State Cup Finalists, 2009 League Champions Silver Alpha, and 2010 National Cup Semi-Finalists. In National Cup, the team has defeated some of Southern California’s top Silver Elite and Presidio Premier teams and had 3 shut-out wins along their way to get to the Semi-Finals. Building on the team’s strength and success, the team is planning to continue playing at a high level of competition for this next season with their new coach, Adolfo Perez. Adolfo Perez has 16 years of coaching experience and has coached national championship and premiere teams within the Real So Cal Soccer Club. He is also head coach for the Pierce College women’s soccer team, helping them to win 7 straight Western State Conference championships.
GU-15 Black National Cup Run
The Real So Cal Black GU-15 team is the first Real Black team in the club’s history to advance beyond the Round of 16 in National Cup, and they are now going to the Semi Finals of National Cup. Real So Cal Black started off this year as 2009 Coast Soccer League champions in Silver Alpha with a very strong record of 13W/0L/1T (50 goals for and 6 goals against) under the direction of Coach Tony Ortega. Having been finalists in the 2009 State Cup, the girls were looking forward to capitalizing on their successes and competing at a higher level in this year’s National Cup with Coach Adolfo Perez.
In pool play, the girls did very well. They had a 3-1 win vs. the Legends FC White Silver Elite team, and 1-1 tie vs. Attack G94 Green which gave them 4 points and tied them for first place with the #1 Presidio League Premiere team in their group, Attack G94 Green. The girls advanced out of pool play into the Round of 32 as the runner-up in their group, given the third tie breaker rule of least goals allowed (1 vs. 2).
In the Round of 32, the team faced one of the top team’s in their age bracket from the Presidio League, Surf White. The girls knew that it would be a tough road against such an excellent team, but each and every single girl went out strong and played extremely well. It was truly a team effort, both offensively and defensively. The game went back and forth very equally with each team having shots but none finding their way to the back of either net. At the end of the two, 40-minute halves, neither team had been able to score and the game went into overtime. Towards the end of the first overtime, the girls took advantage of a mistake made by Surf and scored. The Real girls had moved up the field and were on the offensive. The Surf goalie came out of the box and the defenders moved back to help her as Alexa Feuerman in the center passed the ball to Jackie Altschuld at forward who then crossed it to Alex Venegas at wing. At that moment, one of the Surf defenders collided with the Surf goalie and knocked the goalie down, leaving the goal open and allowing Alex Venegas to put it in for us. At the start of the 2nd overtime, the girls were up by one and played a very defensive game and were able to hang onto the 1-0 lead with the help of 2 brilliant saves made by Real goalie, Meg de Recat.
Advancing to the Round of 16, the girls met up with South Bay Force Black, a #1 Silver Elite team. At halftime, the game was again tied at 0. Coach Adolfo Perez must have given them an excellent pep talk at the half because the girl’s came out very determined and strong. Within the first few minutes, as we were on the offensive, Alexa Feuerman dribbled up the field, passed it to Abby Littleton, who then crossed it back to Alexa who put it in for us. After we scored, Force put the pressure on our girls throughout the rest of the game, but we were defensively able to hold our lead of 1-0 to advance to the next round.
In the Quarter Finals, the girls had to take on Wolfpack, a #2 Silver Elite team, who had beaten a very good Eagles Gold team in overtime in the Round of 16 to advance themselves. In the first half of regulation play, forward Jackie Altschuld dribbled the ball to the 18 and as it was bouncing from the strong winds, she chipped it over the Wolfpack goalie to score. For the rest of the game, the girls were able to hold onto their lead of 1-0 and advance to the Semi Finals of National Cup.
Maybe another first in Real So Cal history, the Real Black girls will meet up with their much respected sister team, Real White, on Saturday, May 15 for the Semi Finals of National Cup. This is not only a momentous event for the club and for all of the hardworking girls of the Real Black team and their coach, but also a win-win situation for the club either way.
