Maya Reeves took the ball at the top of the box with four minutes left in overtime, faked left, and buried a shot into the lower right corner to give Mueller FC's U-14 girls team a 3-2 victory over Cedar Park United in the District 15 championship Saturday at the Mueller athletic fields.
The win caps an undefeated season for Mueller FC (14-0-2) and sends the team to the Region III tournament in San Antonio on March 15. It's the first district title for Mueller's youth soccer program, which was founded in 2019 with 40 players and has grown to 220 across eight age groups.
Game Highlights
Mueller FC fell behind early when Cedar Park's Lily Tran converted a free kick from 25 yards in the 12th minute. Mueller equalized in the 28th minute on a header by center back Sofia Vasquez off a corner kick — her first goal of the season.
The second half was tightly contested. Mueller took a 2-1 lead in the 58th minute when midfielder Priya Patel played a through ball to forward Jade Mitchell, who finished from close range. Cedar Park responded immediately, equalizing in the 63rd minute through a penalty kick after a handball in the box.
With the score 2-2 at full time, the match went to two 10-minute overtime periods. Mueller dominated possession in overtime, creating five chances before Reeves's winner in the 84th minute.
By the Numbers
Mueller FC outshot Cedar Park 18-9 overall and held 58 percent possession. Goalkeeper Anika Johansson made four saves, including a diving stop on a Cedar Park breakaway in the 72nd minute that kept the score level. Patel led Mueller with 3 assists in the playoff run (12 for the season).
"These kids have worked for this since August," said head coach Carlos Mendoza. "They believed they could win every game, and then they went out and did it."
Mueller FC's next match is the Region III quarterfinal on March 15 at Morgan's Wonderland Field in San Antonio. The opponent will be determined by the District 16 championship result next weekend.