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ORLANDO, Fla. -- Recent Kingsford High School graduate Brooke Bittinger and her club team North Shore United of Cedarburg, Wisconsin, recently competed in the USYS National Championships at the Disney World ESPN Sports Complex.
After three matches, North Shore United finished shy of advancing to the semifinal round.
The top 16 teams in the country were split into four groups of four teams for group play. The top team in each group advanced to the semifinals.
Bittinger's North Shore United club went undefeated in the National P.R.O. League in the winter to qualify for the national championships.
"The teams were so evenly matched," said Bittinger, a starting central defender for the club, of the national championship field. "All three of our games were decided by one goal with most of the goals coming late in the second halves when the Florida heat was wearing both teams defenses down.
"When the games ended I know I had absolutely nothing left for energy. The hard part was I had to quickly recoup and play again the next day. I am definitely sore after these three games."
The highlight of the tournament for Bittinger came when she earned her first assist with North Shore United. The assist came off a set play in which Bittinger placed a 35-yard kick directly to the feet of a teammate, who turned and beat the defender and the keeper for the goal.
"I saw my teammate … in a good position on her defender near the penalty box right before I took the free kick, and I was able to get a solid clean strike on the ball and it went right where I aimed it," said Bittinger, who signed to play Division 1 soccer with Central Michigan University in the spring. "It felt great."
Bittinger said she was a bit disappointed that her club didn't advance to the semifinals but treasured the experience nonetheless.
"This whole experience and playing against the top teams and players in the country was something I will never forget," she said. "It was such a fun experience. I loved it."
Report compiled by staff writer Jerry DeRoche.