RVC Red Storm off to national soccer tourney

The Rockville Centre Red Storm Girls’ Under 16 Soccer Club has arrived at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, Florida, to compete against three of the top 16 teams in the country for a shot at the United States Youth Soccer National Championship crown.

The competition marks a full-circle moment for this talented group of young athletes, who displayed determination and grit through several ranked competitions at both the state and regional levels in the spring.

“As the team’s spring season came to a close, as the runner-up in the New York State Cup, the team has continued to train a few times per week through July to prepare for the tough competition and warm weather ahead,” RVC Red Storm Coach Ciaran Barry said. “Players have committed to the process to showcase their talents in front of family, friends and even some college coaches. We look forward to competing at the national championships.”

Red Storm’s journey to Orlando began in February at the US Youth Soccer National League P.R.O. tournament in Tampa, Florida, where the team secured a coveted spot in the 2024 national championships, which is sponsored by New York Life Insurance. The championship round of the competition will consist of roughly 185,000 boys and girls from 10,000 teams across 54 state associations, who are all competing for a national title in their respective age groups.

The P.R.O tournament, which emphasizes the focus on players, recruitment and opportunities, the team from Rockville Centre racked up three consecutive victories to clinch the top spot in the 16U silver pool. The team’s dedication and skills were put to the test as they triumphed, 2-1, over the Steel City FC from Pennsylvania.

In the Red Storm’s semifinal match against Sporting PA, the two teams were knotted at 1-1 after the full 80 minutes of regulation. The Red Storm would go on to thwart the competition via penalty kicks to advance to the final round against the Ohio Galaxies FC.

Thanks to a masterful performance from Gabriella Caminiti, who scored the game-winning goal off an assist from Viviana Haley, and the tremendous goaltending effort from Abby Gruner, who secured the shutout, the Red Storm defeated the Ohio Galaxies FC 1-0, and secured their spot to compete in Florida against three of the top teams in the country.

“I am so proud of our accomplishments so far and for all the hard work we have put in to get here,” Gruner said. “We are excited to represent our club and compete at the national championships in Orlando.”

With the full support of the Rockville Centre community behind them, the RVC Red Storm have been preparing for the first match of the national championships on Tuesday, July 23, after press time, when they will go head-to-head with FW United from Indiana.

The second match will take place on Wednesday, July 24, against Ambassador FC of Ohio, and game three will be played on Thursday, July 25, against Cook Inlet FC of Alaska. Only the top teams from each group will advance to the semifinal round on Saturday, July 27, with the championship match set to take place the following day.

In addition to Caminiti, Haley and Gruner, the RVC Red Storm 16U roster includes rising soccer stars Molly Barry, Makaela Brennan, Ella Faranda, Julie Faranda, Carsyn Goetz, Kate Koluch, Maeve Ledwith, Katori Martin, Emily Quezada, Julia Quinn, Molly Reardon, Annie Schiller, Maddie Woo and Ryann Zydor, who will be competing in the National Championships. 

Supported by a dedicated coaching staff, including trainer Nic Vacarro and coaches Barry, Janet Gruner and Sean Curtis, the players on the team have honed their skills under the expert guidance of mentors who are committed to their development both on and off the field.

For updates on the competition, visit USYouthSoccer.org, and for more on the RVC Red Storm, visit the RVC Soccer Club online or via Facebook.