The Riverhounds Development Academy's U-15 team features some of the top talent from across the WPIAL.

But after winning the U.S. Club Soccer National Cup XIV tournament, it also proved to have some of the best players in the country.

The U-15 team defeated Arsenal Football Club of Pennsylvania, 2-0, in the finals to win the tournament July 20 at Grand Park in Westfield, Ind. The goals were scored by South Park's Carly Pcholinsky and Norwin's Alexis Kendro.

“They are all super talented,” Academy coaching director Scott Gibson said. “We have some very fast and technically gifted players. They are a determined bunch.

“They are around the pro side of the Riverhounds so much and get to watch them. That helps when you watch them in a game.”

The Riverhounds defeated Toms River Everton (N.J.), 5-0; Libertyville (Ill.), 2-1; and tied defending U-14 U.S. Youth Soccer champions Northeast Football Club (Mass.), 1-1, to reach the championship game.

The U-15 squad won the Southeast Regional in Greensboro, N.C. — outscoring opponents 19-2 — to reach the National Cup tournament.

The U-15 team was filled with Norwin players, including defenders Emily Arnold and Natalie Durmis, midfielder Alyssa Victor, forward Emily Harrigan and goalkeeper Sam Wexell.

Penn-Trafford midfielder Hannah Nguyen was also on the team.

Other members of the U-15 team include South Park's Jordyn Minda, Abigail Petrosky, Krystyna Rytel and Carly Pcholinsky; Fox Chapel's Caelan Miller; Connellsville's Morgan Green; Peters Township's Breeanne Latsko; Upper St. Clair's Landy Mertz; East Allegheny's Amani Johnson; and The Ellis School's Leela Canuelas-Puri.

“We are putting the U-15 team on a platform for college coaches,” Gibson said. “When you get to these national showcases, college coaches are lined up and down the field. I would be astonished if 90 percent of the team didn't go on to major colleges.”

The U-15 girls will be honored at halftime of the game between the Riverhounds professional men's team and the Charlotte Independence on August 15 at Highmark Stadium.

With the high school season set to start in a couple of weeks, many of the players will rejoin their scholastic teams for the fall. But they will return in November and get back with the Academy squad. The team can go to between eight to 10 tournaments between November and July.

“There is a showcase at Disney around Christmas and New Year's,” said Gibson, a native of England who played at Duquesne before joining the Riverhounds. “We got to Las Vegas, New Jersey and North Carolina. We get the girls out there to get them placed with a college team.”

The U-15 team wasn't the only squad to find success at the National Cup Tournament. The U-17 squad fell to the West Coast Wild, 4-0, in the finals of its bracket.

The U-17 squad defeated the WSC Revolution, 5-0; the THUSC Reserves Iridium, 4-0; and tied the Princeton Premier, 2-2, to reach the finals.

“They just ran out of steam in the title game,” Gibson said. “The team lost two players to injury. Our main forward tore her ACL. The past three seasons, the team has played 68 games and lost around 10. The rest were ties.”

The U-17 squad featured Norwin players Paige Pristas, Jessica Boytim and Micayla Livingston. Boytim is committed to Virginia Tech, and Livingston is headed to Dayton.

Other members of the team include Bethel Park's Emma Bruno and Lauren Toth; Peters Township's Reilly McGlumphy and Maddie Santo; Pine-Richland's Megan Herr; New Brighton's Maya Watkins; South Fayette's Carlio Chiatto; Linsly's Leah Memmo and Kaitlyn Snyder; Yough's Mikayla Mance, Jessica Moore and Shawna Zaken; North Allegheny's Morgan Treser; Fox Chapel's Maggie Coulson; Kiski's Brittany Pala; Upper St. Clair's Elaina Walnoha; Hampton's Allison Nestor; and Seton-La Salle's Katie Banbury.

The U-17 team was the first Riverhounds development squad to capture a national title when they were the U-15 squad. Gibson said more than 90 percent of the team is set to continue playing soccer after high school.

“They have been awesome,” Gibson said. “They were the pilot Riverhounds team. They set the benchmark for years to come.”

The U-16 team reached the semifinals before falling to the Carolina Rapids, 3-1. The team had previously defeated Gallium, 2-0; Three Rivers Soccer Club, 2-0; and Maplebrook Rush, 4-0. The Carolina Rapids won the National Cup with a 4-3 win over NEFC Elite.

The U-16 team was made up of Greensburg Central Catholic's Abigail Skatell, Shannon Salley and Bailey Cartwright; Canon-McMillan's Allison Walker, Aideen O'Donoghue and Sabrina Bryan; Mt. Lebanon's Samantha DeFrancesso and Samantha Hoinville; Upper St. Clair's Breighan Szajnecki and Rachel Witte; Connellsville's Kenzie Grenell; Freedom's Alexa Schwab; Highlands' Alexis Bengel; Kiski's Jamie Frank; North Hills' Danielle McNally; Pine-Richland's Amanda Kalin; Shady Side Academy's Eliza Cochran; South Fayette's Jayna Fittipaldo; West Allegheny's Ciara Terabasso; and Yough's Marissa Dezorzi.

All three teams have come up through the Riverhounds system. Gibson said nearly all the players started working at the Academy as young as nine and 10 years old.

“We do offer tryouts once a year in May,” Gibson said. “But the majority of our players come from the Riverhounds Training Academy. It is difficult to join when a player might be 15 because of not training with the Riverhounds. Each club focuses on its own technical development and skill set.”

Nathan Smith is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. Reach him at nsmith@tribweb.com or via Twitter @NSmith_Trib.com.

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