DES MOINES, IOWA — LSU soccer freshman Michelle Makasini and her Dallas Texans Red 88 North club team captured the United States Youth Soccer national championship in the Under-18 girls division Sunday with a thrilling 3-1 win over the PDA Wildcats of New Jersey.
The Texans trailed the Wildcats by the score of 1-0 with less than 15 minutes to play in regulation but scored goals in the 78th, 86th and 90th minutes to seal the 3-1 victory and claim the Francis J. “Frank” Kelly Cup as the nation’s No. 1 club team for 2006.
“It’s such an amazing feeling (to win the national championship) and know that all of our hard work has paid off,” Makasini said. “It’s been our goal since this team first came together on July 1 to win a national championship, and I’m so proud that we were able to do that. I’m just proud to have been a part of this team and accomplish everything that we have.”
The Texans, who won the USYS Southern Regional Championship on July 5, competed in the week-long event against champions from the three other USYS regions across the country. They finished round-robin competition with a 1-1-1 record and advanced to the tournament finals by defeating back-to-back national champion Eclipse Select of Illinois in penalty kicks.
“I know it’s exciting for Michelle to be a part of something like this, and I couldn’t be happier for her and her team,” said LSU head coach Brian Lee. “She comes from the premier club program with the best coaches in the country, and we look forward to having a student-athlete of her caliber competing with the Tigers in the fall.”
The soccer team reports to campus Aug. 8 and will hold its first organized practices of fall camp the following day. Makasini said she looks forward to competing with her new team in the fall and the many challenges that come with being a collegiate student-athlete.
“I’m excited to be a Tiger and can’t wait to get to campus and start practicing with the team,” Makasini said. “It’ll be a new experience being on my own and away from home for the first time but one I’m definitely looking forward to. I’ve got great teammates and coaches at LSU, and I can’t wait for the season to start.”