MBS News Release
Sunday, December 15, 2013
CLEARWATER, Fla. – The champions were crowned at the 2013 Major Beach Soccer National Championships, presented by Nike, on Sunday afternoon on Clearwater Beach, Fla. as Lakeland Reality claimed the Women’s Open championship, and La ‘U’ won the Men’s Open Division to lead the champions across six divisions.
Lakeland overcame IABS in the championship game in a penalty shootout after the game ended in a 4-4 draw. IABS, which finished as runner-up for a second consecutive year, was led by a standout performance by Haley Klemczak, who had all four goals. Klemczak gave her side the lead three times, but each time Lakeland was able to get back on level terms as Eina Dorado scored twice and Megan Carey once.
Lakeland took its first lead of the game in the third period as a long-range shot by Kristen Bailey came back off the crossbar, and Lacey Chimienti was on hand to put home the rebound. Klemczak would find an equalizer for IABS to send the game to overtime, and when a winner couldn’t be found in the extra period, the game went to a sudden-death shootout. Dorado opened by scoring low in the left corner, and when Amy Maslyn saved from Klemczak, the championship was Lakeland’s.
“It feels good, because we’ve always got close, but we’ve never won the championship,” Dorado said. “We’re always out here to have fun, but it’s even better to win.”
La ‘U’ edged out a 1-0 victory against Great Lakes Beach Soccer as Eddison Cantor scored the only goal in the second period. La ‘U’ had gone closes to take the lead in the opening 10 minutes as Guillermo Echeverria hit the crossbar, but Cantor was able to fire a low shot into the left corner of the net midway through the second.
Great Lakes had a chance to tie the game, only for Nick Capidsciolto to send his shot over the bar in the third period, and a late missed penalty kick by La ‘U’s Adee Kirkconnell proved academic as his side held on for victory.
“We are like a family,” Cantor said. “We live together, we get together, we stay together all the time and we’ll celebrate this all the way into tomorrow, probably.”
2013 MBS NATIONAL CHAMPIONS
Men’s Open – La ‘U’
Women’s Open – Lakeland Reality
Co-Ed Open – Ocala Storm
Co-Ed Over-30 – Loxahatchee Road Prison
Men’s U18 – IABS-Orange
Men’s U16 – Razorbacks