NORTH READING was well-represented on the Aztec 2008 girls’ soccer team who won a National Championship on July 20 in Denver. Pictured from left to right are North Reading’s Sydney Rech, Allie Lanciani and Reilly Tassinari. (Courtesy Photo)
Lanciani, Rech, Tassinari are National champs
DENVER, Co. — Eight soccer players from North Reading traveled to Denver, Colorado on July 16 to compete for the Aztec club soccer program in a national tournament.
Allie Lanciani, Sydney Rech and Reilly Tassinari helped lead the 2008 girls’ team to a 5-0 record and a National Championship as they defeated the Hawaii Rush 1-0 at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park in Denver on July 20. It was the first national championship in Aztec club history. The team was coached by Mo Keita.
Over five games, the team scored 13 goals and conceded just two with victories against teams from Oregon, Oklahoma, Colorado, Ohio and Hawaii. Lanciani and Tassinari played on a defense that only allowed two goals through the five games. Rech played forward and scored the game-winning goal in the National Championship.
THE 2008 AZTEC girls’ soccer team accepts their medals and trophy as National Champions in Denver on July 20. (Courtesy Photo)
Lanciani teamed up with North Reading’s Isabelle Lazure and Marisa Montana on the 2007 girls’ team. That team also made it to the Finals and lost a heartbreaker 2-1 to a team from Georgia. The ‘07 team went 4-1 at the tourney, beating opponents from Texas, Colorado, Minnesota and Ohio.
Three North Reading boys also played for the 2007 Aztec boys’ team in Denver: Kieran Miller, Finn Rodger and Jackson Wesley.
North Reading had the most players from one town across all three teams.
