This summer when the 17th annual USA Cup soccer tournament was held at the National Sports Center in Minneapolis, MN, the team representing the Division One trophy flight from New York was our own 16-year-old girls' Manhasset Bullets squad. From July 15 - 21 the Bullets joined 800 teams from 38 states and 16 countries that played more than 2,000 games over six days on 52 fields.

Our bold, beautiful, blazing Bullets qualified for the Division One trophy flight and were selected by the USA Cup to compete based on the team's outstanding record for many years in the Long Island Junior League and successful regional play. When the 15 players, trainers, and coach departed from JFK at 6 a.m. they knew this premier event would include their first international competition since the Bullets Division One trophy bracket consisted of 32 outstanding D1 teams, including teams from Ireland, Mexico, Canada, Colorado, Ohio and others. The Bullets players and each of the participating teams had conditioned themselves both physically and tactically by competing through regional tournaments and were ready to square off on some of the most beautiful fields in the world with an international three man referee system for the games.

The USA Cup competition is played in a World Cup format with each team playing three qualifying rounds to determine a seed in the playoffs with single elimination thereafter. The week of competition kicked off with Olympic-style opening ceremonies. When the Bullets team paraded into the National Sports Center stadium carrying the New York banner with 20,000 players, fans, and families watching and cheering the players knew they had arrived and were ready! The next morning, the excitement of the team's first international match against the Lifford Ladies of Ireland, and the awesome size and ceremony of the USA Cup, created nervous anticipation for all. When the first game got under way the Bullets knew immediately they were being tested at the highest level ever. The match was battled intensely with physical play, blistering speed, and smart tactical overlapping attacking drives. At the final whistle the Bullets came out on the short end with a 0-2 score. After the contest when the players were exchanging patches and travel stories, the Bullets learned that the Irish team had three national team players and one Olympic development player on its squad and that it was the team's second year at the USA Cup. When the Bullets, trainers, and coach left the field they knew this was going to be a week of excellent soccer against experienced teams which would require every player to bring their "fear none" attitude and best game forward for the Bullets to establish their Rock 'N' Roll rhythm!

After the next two qualifying games the Bullets found themselves with a record of 1-1-1 as their team defense stepped up, midfield possession was obtained, and the strikers found the net for a 2-0 win and a 1-1 tie. Based upon this record, the Bullets were seeded in the middle of the 32 Division One trophy teams for the playoffs. The first opponent in the round of 16 was from Minnesota. With a late afternoon start and a temperature of 104 degrees, the two teams stretched the field and dueled each other through regulation time to a 0-0 deadlock. Due to the extreme weather conditions and near exhaustion for all players, the officials declared the game would proceed directly to a shootout rather than overtime. As the coaches selected the players to compete in the shootout from those on the field at the end of regulation time, the crowd of teams surrounding the field from Columbia, California, Kansas, and South Dakota came closer to the touchlines to watch one of soccer's finest moments: a shootout after brilliant field competition.

The Bullets won the coin toss and both teams waited at midfield as the drama unfolded. The first Bullets player's shot went just wide and the first Minnesota player stepped up and found the net for a 1-0 lead. Shooting second for the Bullets was Sabrina Fitzig who tied the score 1-1 when the Minnesota team missed their second shot. Coming into the third round, Lauren Taylor's blast was just deflected by the keeper and the Minnesota player scored for a 2-1 lead. In the fourth round Lexi Maruca stepped up and found the corner for a 2-2 tie as the Minnesota player's shot was brilliantly saved by Bullets keeper Jen Goebel. The fifth and deciding round arrived with the teams still deadlocked at 2-2. Bullets Captain Katie Donoghue walked up to the penalty spot to face the Minnesota keeper for the fifth Bullets shot as the crowd surrounding the field fell silent. When the Bullets striker buried the ball in the upper ninety for a 3-2 lead the Bullets teammates jumped, shouted, hugged and then waited to see the outcome of the Minnesota player's fifth and final shot. Bullets keeper Jen Goebel stared down the Minnesota player as she approached the penalty kick spot and when the Minnesota shot went wide the Bullets teammates raced to the goal to embrace their keeper and each other as they knew they were in the quarterfinals!

The next morning the Bullets squared off in the quarterfinals against the St. Croix Fury at 7:50 a.m. The Bullets knew that St. Croix had bested the Mexican team sponsored by Coca-Cola in the round of 16 and they were matched against one of the favorites to win the cup. The players looked at each other and knew it would take all they had to stop St. Croix but they believed in each other and said, "Let's go for it!" The air was thick and hot with 100 percent humidity and a fiery sun at game time. After a scoreless first half, the seasoned players of the Bullets looked at each other soaked with sweat and tired from the heat but each girl knew that there are no quitters on this team and if they played their game, they would find a way to win. With a determined look and ice in their veins they took the field and established their Rock 'N' Roll rhythm with midfield possession, smothering defense, and attacking them offense. In the 58th minute Katie Donoghue stepped up between two defenders inside the 18-yard box and drilled the ball to the far post for a 1-0 Bullets to win the quarterfinals!

The semifinal match of the USA Cup featuring the final four teams of the Division One trophy flight was played later that same day under torrid heat and humid conditions. The Bullets were matched against the Bismarck Extreme from North Dakota. The North Dakota team scored at the 22nd minute mark on a superbly executed cross which was countered at the 26th minute by Bullets striker Katie Donoghue who placed a 30-yard rocket from near the corner flag into the far corner of the net. The entire Bullets team gave 110 percent against the physically taller, faster North Dakota squad. After North Dakota scored the go ahead goal the Bullets teammates pressured intensely; however, when time ran out North Dakota had prevailed 2-1.

While the Bullets were disappointed at the loss they looked at each other and knew they had realized a dream. Although the Disney ending was not perfect they had achieved their dream of going to the USA Cup and making it to the final four out of 32 of the best Division One teams in the country.

The next morning the Bullets watched as the North Dakota team went on to win the championship which made the Bullets the third best 16-year-old girls team in the USA Cup. The players, coach, and trainers looked at each other and knew as they headed off to the Mall of the Americas for a well-deserved day of fun, shopping, and a team dinner that they were ready for any team that came their way! As the team was leaving the National Sports Center the players asked their coach, "If we can win this, can we come back next year?" The coach responded to his players, "Same as this year. We have to earn it but the way we played I bet this isn't the last time we see national competition."

The Bullets would like to thank all of their friends, family, and merchants who supported them in their fund-raising efforts with ESPN to enable the girls to go for the gold at the USA Cup. This fall the Bullets compete in the 17-year-old Division One of the Long Island Junior Soccer League. Congratulations, girls, on a great USA Cup!