Team Liberty, Girls U11, 2nd in New York State Cup Finals

Yorkown Heights, NY - Yorktown’s Team Liberty, girls U11 travel soccer team, placed second last weekend in the New York State Cup finals, which took place on Long Island. 

The team, part of the Yorktown Youth Soccer Club’s travel program, played a tough match against Manhattan’s Asphalt Green Surge which resulted in double overtime and ended in a penalty kick situation, team officials said.

“The team played with a lot of grit today. To go into overtime and then penalty kicks at this level of play really demonstrates the girls’ strong work ethic and ability to play as a team,” said Mark Boccia, Liberty’s Head Coach.

The NY State Cup is run through the New York Club Soccer League and based on format modeled after the UEFA Champions League. NY Cup matches begin in the fall and culminate in elimination rounds in the spring. Yorktown’s Liberty advanced to the finals with a 5-0 record, suffering their only loss at the final match.

"This was a tremendous accomplishment by Team Liberty,” said Rick Romanski, President of the Yorktown Youth Soccer Club, “the team played hard and played skillfully to get to this point and finishing the State Cup in second place for their division is really exciting.  The level of competition at these playoff matches is impressive and Team Liberty earned every win.”

This past fall, Liberty ranked No.1 in the Westchester Youth Soccer League’s top division and will finish out the season this weekend with a chance at another first place finish.

PHOTO: From left to right – top, Iva Chee, Emily Ward, Mark Boccia (Head Coach), Sophia Morello, Julianna Vano, Charlotte Constatine, Riley Tiberi, Daniela Meilman, Jennifer Ward (Assistant Coach), Lucia Carucci. From left to right – bottom, Nicole Boccia, Ella Chee, Rachel Gevanthor, Alyssa Lassen, Sabbia Gale-Donnelly/ contributed