MVLA teams off to fast start

• by Paul Kennedy  @pkedit, Nov 3, 2012

[ECNL SPOTLIGHT] MVLA, the Northern California youth club in its first year of play in the Elite Clubs National League, has two teams -- its U-17s and U-16s -- in first place in the Northwest Conference. Both teams are unbeaten in conference play and overall. MVLA's director of coaching is Albertin Montoya, who led FC Gold Pride to the 2010 WPS title and coached the USA at the 2012 Under-17 Women's World Cup.

MLVA U-17S. The U-17s are 3-0-0 in conference play and won all three games (by an 11-1 margin) at the recent National Event Series in Phoenix.They won the 2010 U.S. Youth Soccer national championship in the under-14 age group and finished second in 2012 as U-16s.

Star Sarah Robinson has played only one game so far. She was expected to start for the USA at the Under-17 Women's World Cup but a medical issue kept her out of the tournament and has curtailed her cross country season at Gunn High School.

Zoe Pacalin, who joined MVLA this season from PSV Union FC, leads the U-17s with four goals.

MVLA U-16S. The U-16s have swept all four games in conference play and are 5-0-2 overall.

Michelle Maemone leads them with four goals and two assists.
Tegan McGrady, who has three goals and one assist, was recently invited to the U-15/U-14 girls national team megacamp in North Carolina.