Mountain United FC is off to the Canadian Soccer Association club nationals following a 3-2 shootout win over Coquitlam Metro-Ford in the under-16 girls’ Premier Cup final last week in Langley.
Both teams scored in extra time after finishing regulation time tied 1-1 at McLeod Park on June 30.
Mountain keeper Brooke Molby was solid in the penalty shootout, while Jenna Gurniak slotted home the game-winner with the Burnaby-based team’s fifth successful shot from the spot.
Emma Cunningham gave Mountain a 2-1 lead with a terrific volley in OT, but Coquitlam rallied to force penalty kicks.
Lauren Fuerderer opened the scoring for Mountain on a nice setup from Jordan Angus.
The Mountain teens will represent B.C. at the club nationals to be held in Newfoundland in October.
“Every game we’ve played with Metro-Ford has been tight, … so it wasn’t surprising the final was close as it was,” said Mountain United technical director Frank Ciaccia.
Mountain U also placed the u-14 girls and u-14 and -15 boys in the Premier Cup finals.
The regular season champion girls surrendered a lead in a 3-2 comeback win for steadily improving Fraser Valley in the u-14 final.
The u-14 boys lost 3-1 to Coastal FC, while the u-15 boys also dropped a 3-1 final to Surrey United in Cup play.
The u-13 and u-16 boys and u-15 girls lost in the semifinals to the eventual cup champions.
“We’re happy all our teams are competing in the top four. We’re happy across the board, … but the bigger picture is developing the kids,” said Ciaccia.
Recently, Mountain United placed 35 club members in Phase 2 of the B.C. Soccer provincial development program from July 3 to 27.
