Aug. 2, 2010
COLUMBIA, S.C. – Five current and former Gamecocks stayed in action during the summer and collected an impressive resume that included a W-League championship and runner-up finishes at the US Youth National Championships.
Kim Miller (2006-09) competed for the Buffalo Flash of the USL W-League and won the title Saturday night at Harry Welch Stadium in Santa Clarita, Calif. Miller started 12 games this season for the Flash, an expansion team in its second year of competition. The team capped an undefeated regular season (14-0-2) by defeating the Vancouver Whitecaps 3-1 in a game nationally televised by the Fox Soccer Channel.
Four current Gamecocks competed at the US Youth National Championships this summer with their club teams at the Overland Park Soccer Complex in Overland, Kansas. Following qualifying play in late spring that involves winning state and region championships, four teams throughout the country in each age group advance to the US Youth National Championships.
Redshirt freshman Alex Holland earned silver medal honors as starting goalkeeper for the U19 Eclipse Select (Illinois). Holland’s team went 2-0-1 in group play to advance to the final where the team dropped a 1-1 draw by virtue of penalty kicks. Holland was named the Golden Glove recipient for the U19 group as the top goalkeeper in the tournament. Despite taking silver medal honors, her team was the only team in the U19 bracket to go undefeated at the tournament.
Incoming freshman Kayla Paoulos competed for the U18 Eclipse Select (Illinois) team that also earned silver medal honors. Her team went 2-2 in group play before dropping the final by a 1-0 score. Classmates Kelsey Barr and Katrina Frost also advanced to group play in the U18 bracket as members of the AFC Lightning 92 White (Georgia). Their team went 1-2 in group play to place third overall.
The South Carolina women’s soccer team officially reports for the 2010 season Tuesday, Aug. 3 for two weeks of preseason training. The team opens the 2010 season on Aug. 20 when the team travels to Boston, Mass., to play the Terriers and Northeastern Huskies.
