With Martha’s Vineyard United travel soccer on break for the holiday weekend, MVU sent four recreational teams (third and fourth grade) and six travel teams (fifth through seventh grade) to the annual Bridgewater Memorial Day Tournament.
Teams played in blistering heat on Saturday, then chilly rain on Sunday. Turns out that weather didn’t matter, and the Vineyard travel teams made the finals in their division, recording four first-place and two second-place finishes. The recreational teams also tasted success with multiple wins, and an experience they will not soon forget.
The MV United Under-13 girls played up in the U-14 division, and came away with the first-place trophy. They opened the tournament with a 3-1 win over Portsmouth, and followed up by defeating Norwell United, 1-0, to qualify for the playoffs. The Vineyard handled Canton, 4-0, in the first playoff match, and finished off Attleboro, 2-1, to win the U-14 girls crown.
The U-12 girls team played the whole tournament without subs, playing their hearts out through sun and rain to finish in second place. They handed host Bridgewater a 4-2 loss, then topped Mach 1 FC 4-1. United started the playoffs with a 4-2 win over Mariner, but lost a 1-0 heartbreaker to the same Mariner squad in the finals rematch.
The U-11 girls, playing up in the U-12 division, also took second place. The Vineyard team, playing in its first year together, split the first two matches, losing to Portsmouth, 7-0, and thumping Nantucket, 6-1. In the finals, MV battled Portsmouth in a rematch, but fell short, 3-0.
On the boys side, the U-13s moved up a division and walked off the pitch with the U-14 title. MV beat Wareham, 8-0, in the opener, then played a tough 1-1 draw with St. Michael FC. After qualifying for the playoffs, United beat Noreaster FC, 2-0, in the semis, setting up a rematch with St. Michael FC for the crown. The Vineyard boys found a way to beat them this time, winning 1-0.
The U-12 boys ran the table in their division. With a 2-1 win over Nantucket followed by a 7-1 win over Portsmouth, United blanked Freetown Lakeville in the semis, 5-0. The Vineyard boys met Nantucket in the finals and beat the Whalers again, 4-3.
Who said age matters, as the U-11 boys also played up a division, ran the table, and claimed the crown. Westport fell first 4-3, then Mach 1 FC, 6-1. The winning ways continued as the U-11s boys beat Portsmouth, 8-0, and Westport again for the championship, 3-2.
The MV United travel teams finish up the regular season this weekend, with many of them fighting for playoff spots.
