WC Eagles Earn 11th Consecutive Title at 2023 U-14 Girls NCC

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. – Twenty-four U-14 club teams traveled to the Virginia Beach Regional Training Center and Princess Anne Athletic Complex in Virginia Beach, Va. to battle for the title to be named the best in the nation at the 2023 U-14 Girls National Club Championship (NCC), presented by YOLO Sportswear. A series of weather delays over the three-day event tested the teams' perseverance, but could not put a damper on the competition and skill that shone through.

This year, in a brand-new format, eight additional teams were sent to Virginia Beach in a play-in bracket with a chance to make their way into the top-16.

In the bronze medal game, two familiar foes – Central Penn Field Hockey (CPFH) and Spirit of USA – battled it out on Sunday evening. CPFH struck first just 6 minutes into the first quarter, when Liberty Olivetti (Mechanicsburg, Pa.) dribbled through the defense and drove the ball into the back of the cage. A second goal for CPFH came with less than a minute left in the first half, as Abbie Roush (Liverpool, Pa.) snagged the ball off a rebounded shot and snuck it in. CPFH took home the bronze medal with the 2-0 victory.  

In the championship match, WC Eagles faced North East Elite, who had defeated CPFH in a tight 4-3 match to make it to the final. WC Eagles got on the board 1-minute in, which opened up the floodgates for the team – scoring ten more goals – after going 35-0 in goals for the tournament leading up to this game. Reese D'Ariano (West Chester, Pa.) put up an impressive five goals for WC Eagles. North East Elite got on the board toward the end of the first half on a penalty corner play that was tipped into the cage by Addie Blood (Uxbridge, Mass.).

After one half of play, a weather delay unfortunately took the chance to play a second half from the two teams. The decision was made to call the game as complete, and WC Eagles took home their 11th consecutive U-14 Girls NCC title with a commanding 11-1 victory.

USA Field Hockey would like to congratulate all of this year's U-14 Girls National Club Championship teams, athletes and coaches who participated! As well as thank the umpires, technical staff, umpire managers and volunteers who continue to make NCC a success.

Play in Virginia Beach continues this week with the U-16 and U-19 Girls age divisions.

Head Coach: Richard Kentwell

In Alphabetical Order: Harper Bruder, Jenna Butler, Reese D’Ariano, Estelle Donald, Sunday Draper, Elanna Duff, Peyton Esposito, Cheyenne Greene, Sonny Groce, Ella Horner, Lucy Jones, Georgiana Kondrath, Gabriella Lee, Kendall Longenberger, Camilla Lutte, Kitt Neel, Naomi Niewinski, Riley Povilaitis, Elise Reagan, Jack Shaw, Payton Smith, Claire Turner, Samantha Wolfgang, Taylor Zee

Head Coach: Chelsey Bettencourt

In Alphabetical Order: Addison Aufiero, Addie Blood, Aubrey Bouchard, Samantha Cacace, Madison Cammuso, Regan Driscoll, Meghan Hourihan, Brooklyn Kaferlein, Emmerson MacNeil, Jocelyn Mariani, Victoria Masucci, Ava Rosborough, Kara Russell, Irie Weinstein, Shiloh Weinstein

Head Coach: Belinda Heltzel

In Alphabetical Order: Adalyn Anstine, Madison Bell, Molly Guarente, Sara Gunning, Courtney Heltzel, Isabella Hockenberry, Macey Hoffman, Sophia Hunter, Anna Keim, Laurel Minnich, Liberty Olivetti, Mary Olivetti, Gabrielle Ott, Violet Oyler, Abbie Roush, Lauren Savidge, Zoe Steppe, Carly Valentino, Kayla Weldon

#NCC2023

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