CONTACT
Steve Lengen
General Manager
New Jersey Copa FC
Steve.Lengen@fccopa.com
(732) 662-5202
2018 New Jersey Copa FC tickets are on sale now!
Single game tickets, as well as season passes,
are available for purchase here on our website- www.njcopafc.com
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NJCFC WOMEN CROWNED US FUTSAL REGIONAL CHAMPIONS
METUCHEN, NJ - The New Jersey Copa FC Women have captured the US Futsal Northeast Regional Championship.
“Our teams made history this weekend,” started Head Coach Roberto Aguas. “In only our second year of existence as a professional futsal franchise, we went into this tournament as the new kids on the block going up against long-established regional powerhouses. We proved to everyone exactly what we are capable of, with our Men finishing as Regional Finalists and our Women winning the Regional Championship.
The annual US Futsal Northeast Regional Championships, which was held at the Atlantic City Convention Center, took place over President’s Day weekend. NJCFC represented the top of the FC Copa Academy player development pyramid, bringing the total of teams representing the club at Regionals up to 23.
The NJCFC Women played first, kicking off the weekend with an 8:00am match against the Metropolitan Ballers on Saturday morning, which ended in a 4-4 tie. Next up in group play was a 7-1 win over Coastal Futsal on Saturday afternoon. After their first two results, the NJCFC Women needed to win by 7 goals in their final group game to make it through to the Finals.
Going up against Brazuca Futsal, the NJCFC Women found themselves tied 1-1 with about ten minutes left in the game. Knowing what they needed to achieve for the goal differential, the NJCFC erupted to score 7 straight unanswered goals in the waning minutes of the game, securing their spot in the Regional Finals.
The Regional Finals, which kicked off on Monday afternoon against SUSA Futsal, was a hotly contested match-up from the start. The game was tied for a large majority of the match, first at 3-3, then finishing at 4-4 after a PK goal by #2 Jeanine Nunez sent the game into overtime. After two OT periods finished in a tie, the Regional Championship went into penalty kicks.
What followed was a crazy flurry of clutch goals and saves by both teams, lasting for what felt like forever in a penalty kick shootout like none other that any player or coach had ever seen before. NJCFC’s goalkeeper, #1 Kristyn Shea, came up huge with four saves throughout the PK’s, while #14 Monique Goncalves, #2 Jeanine Nunez and #7 Camille Bowen all converted multiple shots. In the end, it was Bowen who scored the winning penalty kick following Shea’s fourth save, securing the 11-10 PK shootout win and the NJCFC Regional Championship.
“In my three decades of coaching, I’ve never seen a performance quite like that one,” said Aguas. “Words cannot describe how proud of these women I am. They never gave up, and never lost their belief that they would get it done in the end for each other. They’re a very special group of players, and we’re so excited to see what they can accomplish this summer in the UWS.”
“I'm so proud of my team for staying as a unit and completing what we came here for,” said Bowen. “Each girl played a huge role in our success. I wouldn't have wanted to win with any other team!”
"Winning the Regional Championship was an unforgettable experience,” said Goalkeeper #1 Kristyn Shea. “It says a lot about COPA as a club and how it continues to grow & succeed at every level. There isn't any other group of girls I would have wanted to accomplish this with, and I am very proud of the effort we put forth collectively as a team.”
“Words cannot describe how proud I am of these women,” Aguas continued. “This team ultimately play for each other - they never give up on their teammates, which is the crucial ingredient for teams to be as successful as they have been. We are beyond excited to carry this energy over into our UWS season this summer.”
ABOUT NJCFC
In their first season in the NPSL, New Jersey Copa FC Men finished with an 8-5-2 record in the Summer of 2016. Following their successes, they qualified for the playoffs, and advanced to be one of the final eight teams out of 85 total teams throughout the NPSL league in the National Championship Tournament.
New Jersey Copa FC Women had a storybook run in their first season competing in the UWS, where they were 2016 UWS Eastern Conference Champions. They eventually lost in the final minutes of overtime to Santa Clarita, the UWS Western Champions, in the inaugural National Final.
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For more information, please feel free to contact Steve Lengen, New Jersey Copa FC General Manager, at steve.lengen@fccopa.com or (732) 662-5202.
33 Bridge Street
Metuchen, New Jersey
08840