Club’s Trip to Europe Was Worth the Wait : Soccer: Mission Viejo 15-and-under girls’ team wins prestigious Dana Cup tournament in Denmark.

Maggie Terry waited four years. But in the end, it was worth it.

Terry was one of 16 girls on the Mission Viejo Goalstrikers, a youth team in the Mission Viejo Soccer Club that won the prestigious Dana Cup in July. It was a trip that Terry had been thinking about since joining the team in 1987.

“We never thought we’d get to Europe,” Terry said. “We’d been talking about it for so long, but we never thought the day would come. Then, to win it, was awesome.”

The tournament, the second-largest youth competition in the world, attracted more than 1,000 teams to compete in 12 divisions. The Goalstrikers dominated the 15-and-under division, not allowing a goal during the seven-day event in Hjorring, Denmark.

The Goalstrikers routed Avista, a team from Sweden, 4-0, in the finals.

“We thought this team could progress this far,” Coach Nick Xiros said. “They had the talent and the commitment.”

Xiros, who has worked for the Mission Viejo Soccer Club nine years, formed this team in 1987. A vice chairman for an insurance brokerage, he takes a new team every seven years, when the players are 10, and coaches them until they graduate from high school.

The club recruits players from American Youth Soccer Organization all-star teams and also holds tryouts. Several of the past players have played college soccer and Julie Foudy, who played for the club until 1990, is on the U.S. national team.

Xiros’ previous team, the Soccerettes, finished second in the Norway Cup in 1984.

“Coach Xiros always talked about that team,” Terry said. “He would tell us how dedicated they were and how they beat teams who had older players. He said if we got that good, he would take us to play in Europe.”

The Goalstrikers, whose season runs from Memorial Day to late August, did become that good. They won the Hawaii tournament last summer and were considered one of the top teams in the nation in their age division.

The team went through several changes, losing six players last year, three of whom returned. They also picked up two players from a club team that folded.

The Goalstrikers continued to improve and reached the semifinals of the California state tournament.

“It was amazing how well the team came together with the changes,” Xiros said. ‘It showed their dedication.”

Xiros, as he promised, applied to the Dana Cup and the team was accepted. The team was also entered in the London International Soccer Tournament.

“We needed some work before the Dana Cup,” Terry said.

They got it.

The Goalstrikers found the English style of soccer much more physical, which prepared them for the Dana Cup, Xiros said.

“There was one game where I was tackled from behind and the ref didn’t call anything,” Terry said. “They didn’t call anything.”

The Goalstrikers’ final day in the tournament was exhausting. They won a double-overtime game in the semifinals, 3-1. Because they had to catch a ferry to Denmark, the Goalstrikers played the championship game 20 minutes later, losing, 1-0.

“We had just enough time to collect our trophies and clap for the winning team,” Terry said. “Then we were rushed off the field to catch the bus.”

Despite the loss in the final, the tournament did prepare them for the Dana Cup.

“They knew they could play well against European teams,” Xiros said. “The girls told me not to worry, they would win the tournament.”

The Goalstrikers breezed through pool play. They had only one tough game, an 0-0 tie against a Norwegian team. Their only other close game was in the semifinals, where they beat a Danish team, 1-0.

During the tournament, they outscored their opponents, 33-0. Theresa Summa scored 10 goals and goalie Sumon Nicole had eight shutouts.

“It was awesome,” Terry said.