The FC Salmon Creek Nemesis girls soccer team did not win any championships on its summer travels. But the team did land one significant prize.
The Nemesis — coached by former U.S. women’s national team defender Tina Ellertson — was selected to play in the 2015-16 U.S. Youth Soccer National League. The Nemesis, one of 16 teams chosen for the girls under-15 division, will play seven league matches during trips to North Carolina in December and to Las Vegas in March.
“We’re so honored to be part of this league,” Ellertson said. “We’re putting our girls to the test, and we’re ready for it.”
Only three teams from Washington and none from Oregon were selected for the National League. The Nemesis are the only girls team from the Pacific Northwest selected for the league.
This summer the Nemesis were tested at three significant tournaments: The U.S. Youth Soccer Far West Regionals in Boise, the U.S. Club Soccer National Championships in Indiana, and the invitational Surf Cup in San Diego.
At the Far West Regionals, the Nemesis lost in the quarterfinals 1-0 to Legends FC of Southern California. The Legends team wound up as U.S. Youth Soccer national champions this summer.
At the U.S. Club Soccer National Premier League Finals at Westfield, Ind. — a tournament the Nemesis won in 2014 at the under-13 age group — Nemesis lost 1-0 in the semifinals to Washington Rush Gold of Everett, which won the tournament.
Ellertson said her team played well in the semifinal, but wasn’t able to produce a goal.
“When you go play on that platform every game counts,” Ellertson said.
At the Surf Cup, the Nemesis won two of three games in a difficult pool but did not qualify for the elimination round.
“Playing in all these elite tournaments has allowed a lot of these girls to dream big,” Ellertson said.
Ellertson said the club applied for the National League not expecting to be selected. They are the only girls team from Washington selected for the National League, and will play four games in December at Wilson, N.C., and three in March at Las Vegas. The team will also play in the Northwest Division of the U.S. Youth Soccer Far West Regional League.
Most of the Nemesis players are entering high school this fall and will be playing for high school programs around Clark County and in Portland. Ellertson noted that her players aspire to play college soccer. Traveling to major tournaments and playing in the National League gets them exposed to college programs, she said.
Players for the FC Salmon Creek Nemesis are: Ava Benedetti, Hallie Byzewski, Jenna Efraimson, MacKenzie Ellertson, Avery Fairbrother, Madison Goss, Baylee Groom, Savannah Harshbarger, Payton Lindell, Jazzlyn Paulson, Malaika Quigley, Callie Rheaume, Isabella Serrano, Regan Smith, Ally Turkington and Sydney Weber and Brin Wolvert.
The Nemesis have been together for three years, though some of the players have been teammates since they were age 7.
