Mountainside FC U13 Girls Cap Hard-Fought Season With Championship Game Appearance

Down two goals in the second half. Playing older competition. In a flight they'd never faced before.

Mountainside FC's U13 girls weren't done.

With about 10 minutes left in the semifinal, Emily McSharry pulled the team within one. Then, on the final play of regulation, Emily crossed, Lia Perkins touched it back, and Kalli Georgiou took a touch, controlled it, and scored to tie the game. Union County Life is sharing their story because it's exactly the kind of season worth knowing about.

Overtime stayed level. Penalty kicks looked inevitable.

Then Arianna Kadakia cleared from the backfield. The ball sailed over the defense. Emily broke away, beat the goalkeeper one-on-one, and sent Mountainside FC back to the championship game.

What Made It Harder — and More Meaningful

After winning the championship last year, Mountainside moved up a flight. They faced teams built primarily around 13-year-olds. Mountainside's roster included players as young as 11.

They made it back to the last game of the season anyway.

The championship game didn't end the way the team hoped. But the coaches knew what the season actually meant before the final whistle ever blew.

"This really was a team effort," the coaches said after the semifinal. "Every player participated. The defense hustled and played so well. Everyone had great touches. This is such a fun team to coach and watch grow."

For these girls, the season wasn't measured by the final score. It was measured by the comeback, the competition they chose to take on, and the way they kept believing in each other when games got hard.

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FAQ

How did Mountainside FC U13 girls do this season?
After winning the championship the prior year, the team moved up a flight and reached the championship game again — erasing a 2-0 semifinal deficit before winning in overtime.

Who scored the key goals in the semifinal comeback?
Emily McSharry scored the pull-within-one goal and the overtime winner. Kalli Georgiou tied the game on the final play of regulation off a cross from McSharry and a touch from Lia Perkins. Arianna Kadakia's backfield clearance set up the overtime winner.

Did Mountainside FC U13 win the championship?
No. The team reached the championship game but did not win. The coaches noted that competing at a higher level and returning to the final was a significant achievement on its own.