The Berks Ajax FC Gunners U14 girls soccer team went 3-0-1 over the weekend before falling in sudden death overtime, 2-1, to tournament champion Radnor Black Pack to finish second in the EPYSA Indoor Challenge Cup at the Wyoming Valley Sports Dome in Wilkes-Barre Township.

In their first tournament together as a team, the Gunners advanced out of pool play after a 0-0 draw to the Lionville Leopards, before picking up back-to-back shutout victories over the VE Velocity (1-0) and Keystone Athletic (1-0).

Kylie Erb and Taylor Landis each had a goal and an assist in the wins to put Berks Ajax into the tournament semifinals, where they knocked off Group B first-place finisher the Souderton Inferno.  Tied 1-1 with under a minute to play in regulation, Sammi Brensinger scored the eventual game-winner to make it a 2-1 game as time expired.

In the final against Radnor, which hadn’t given up a goal the entire tournament, Berks Ajax took a 1-0 lead off an Erb goal, which was assisted by Landis.  The Black Pack then knotted the score at 1-1 to send the game into sudden death overtime.  In overtime, goalkeepers are not allowed to use their hands, and Radnor took advantage of this, scoring the game-winner with a high shot from range that Gunners goalkeeper Sarafina Valenti just couldn’t come up with to win the title.

Valenti finished the tournament with three clean sheets. 

Representing the Gunners at indoor state cup were: Sarafina Valenti, Darian Ruyak, Kyle Graver, Sammi Brensinger, Erin Reitmeyer, Kylie Erb, Taylor Landis, Lauren Stiles, Sarah Kurczewski, Madison Cooprider.  The team is coached by Bill Goddard and assisted by Scott Reitmeyer.