Slammers reach national finals

After two games, the Newport Beach-based Slammers Futbol Club

under-14 girls team is tied with the FC Delco Fusion, from eastern

Pennsylvania, for first place in the division at the 2003 Snickers

U.S. youth soccer national championships at the Maryland SoccerPlex

in Germantown, Md.

Each team has two wins and no losses heading into their matchup

today at 8 a.m. eastern time in the final preliminary round, which is

actually a meaningless round-robin match, because both teams have

already clinched a spot in the finals and will meet for the title on

Sunday at 8 a.m.

The Slammers defeated Tophat ’07 Gold from Georgia, 3-0, Thursday

while edging the Eclipse (Libertyville, Ill.), 3-2, in their opener

Wednesday. Cynthia Mendoza broke a 2-2 tie with a goal in the 43rd

minute against the Eclipse.

The Slammers blanked Atlanta Tophat, 3-0, on Thursday, getting

goals by Taylor Fallon in the ninth minute, Leslie Grandy in the 50th

minute and Christina Murillo in the 52nd minute.