Braelyn Reis’s 14th birthday was a day she, her team and her club won’t soon forget.
The Reading Rage 09 Pugh goalkeeper pitched a shutout and helped her team to a USYS Eastern Regional Championship on Thursday to cap off a week where they won all six games and outscored opponents 23-5 en route to a regional title.
The regional title was a first for Reading Rage as a club.
“It was pretty amazing celebrating with my teammates and having a shutout on my birthday,” Reis said.
Moments after the full time whistle blew to end the game, Braelyn’s teammates huddled around her and started singing happy birthday.
“I’m pretty proud of my team, I’m pretty proud of what we did and how far we got,” she said.
Head coach Sean Murphy said he was pleased with how the group improved as the week went on and noted that his keeper played a key role in that.
“She gives us so much confidence and keeps us in games maybe we shouldn’t be in,” Murphy said. “She allows us to get through tough moments and we can turn around and get a goal.”
Reading Rage had two teams - both state cup champions - competing at regionals.
“It’s great for the club,” Murphy said of Thursday's win.
Reading Rage 07 Press won four straight games before being knocked out by eventual regional champions Penn FC Youth 07 and outscored opponents 15-3 across the five games. Between the two teams they posted a record of 10-1-0.