USA captures New Zealand U-17 girls tournament

USA captures New Zealand U-17 girls tournament

Monday, Feb 4, 2008 6:31 AM ET

[YOUTH] The United States won the the Future Stars Tournament for under-17 girls in New Zealand Saturday when it beat Germany, 3-2. Captain Kristen Mewis scored her second goal of the game to break a 2-2 tie in the 81st minute for the Americans, who had earlier in the week had beaten Australia, 6-0, and host New Zealand, 5-0, in Auckland. Mewis, who plays for Massachusetts club Scorpion SC, finished the tournament with a team-high four goals. Younger sister Samantha scored three goals. Tani Costa (Honolulu Bulls), Courtney Verloo (FC Portland) and Kealia Ohai (Utah Avalanche) had two apiece. Ohai's two goals against the host Young Ferns came on her 16th birthday. The Americans will hope to return to New Zealand next fall when FIFA holds its first Under-17 Women's World Cup, to be played Oct. 30-Nov. 16. CONCACAF qualifying will take place this summer. Future Stars Tournament: Jan. 29 in Auckland USA 6 Australia 0. Goals: K.Mewis 32, 69, DiMartino 40, S.Mewis 59, 67, Verloo 79. USA -- Vancil, Dunn (Harris, 89), Colohan, Roberts, Brooks, K.Mewis (Klei, 89), S.Mewis, Richmond (Tymrak 83), Bywaters (Wagner, 63), DiMartino (Verloo, 69), Costa (Ohai, 74). Australia -- Dumont, Hogben (Andrews, 87), O'Neill, Kerr (Allen, 82), Mastrantonio, Tabain, Kingsley (Bolger, 74), Simon (Wallace, 41), Popovic (Wynne, 76), van Egmond, Clifford. Att.: 150. Jan. 31 in Auckland New Zealand 0 USA 5. Goals: Verloo 10, Ohai 24, 30, S.Mewis 56, Costa 86. New Zealand -- Wood, Brown, Gallie (Fullerton, 83), Fisher, Armstrong (Curtis, 83), Campbell (Mathis, 66), Wall, Longo, White (Pearl, 22), Rollings (Memanu-Gray, 66), McLaughlin (Murray, 66). USA -- Wys, Dunn, Colohan, Roberts (K.Mewis, 59), Harris, Klei, Tymrak, Richmond (S.Mewis, 46), Wagner (Costa, 70), Verloo, Ohai. Att.: 300. Feb. 2 in Auckland USA 3 Germany 2. Goals: Costa 47, K.Mewis 52, 81; Kemme 16, Kleiner 76. USA -- Vancil, Dunn, Colohan, Roberts, Brooks, K.Mewis, S.Mewis, Richmond (Klei, 44), Bywaters (Wagner, 84), DiMartino (Verloo, 60), Costa. Germany -- Schmitz, Bujna, Wesely, Kleiner, Simon, Bagehorn (Zumbuelt, 75), Knaak (Linden, 46), Huth, Kemme, Popp, Pietsch (Mester, 65). Att.: n/a. Final Standings: USA 9 points; Germany 6; Australia 3; New Zealand 0.