The Blue Devil United U11 girls soccer team started their season in commanding fashion, defeating Medina 4-1 in a Division 3 contest at home. The opening match, held at 11 am, set the tone for what promises to be an exciting season ahead.

The first half saw Blue Devil United dominate the scoreboard early, jumping out to a decisive 4-0 lead by halftime. Claire Brandt ignited the scoring early, finding the net with a precise finish from an assist by Charlie Merker. Brandt soon doubled her tally, converting confidently from the penalty spot after Medina committed a handball in the box.

Continuing their momentum, Claire Suchan netted the team's third goal, again assisted by Merker, who demonstrated excellent vision and distribution throughout the game. Capping off a thrilling first-half performance, Jordan Glass celebrated a personal milestone by scoring her very first travel soccer goal, assisted by Suchan.

Blue Devil United showcased depth and versatility with multiple goalkeepers contributing. Whitney Phillips made her travel soccer debut as a starting goalkeeper, alongside Claire Brandt sharing duties in the first half. Ava Vourliotis stepped in goal at the beginning of the second half, with Emma Barwacz completing the goalkeeping duties for the match.

Throughout the contest, Blue Devil United maintained impressive possession, consistently creating quality scoring opportunities. Medina’s goalkeeper rose to the occasion in the second half, denying further goals with outstanding saves.

Charlie Merker earned Player of the Game honors, credited with two crucial assists and exceptional playmaking abilities. Additional standout performances included Claire Brandt with her two goals, Claire Suchan contributing both offensively and defensively, and Jordan Glass marking her milestone first goal in travel soccer.

Blue Devil United U11 will next take the field against Perry (Stark) on April 27th in Massillon, Ohio, looking to build upon their strong opening performance.

In their final game of the regular season, the Blue Devil United U11 Girls made the trip to Ashland for a thrilling matchup. The first half was dominated by defense, with standout goalkeeping from Audrey VanDyke, who kept Ashland off the scoreboard. Despite BDU’s strong effort, Ashland also held their ground, leaving the score tied at 0-0 going into halftime.

The second half saw more defensive grit from both teams, but as the game neared its end, Charlie Merker found Claire Brandt for a crucial goal, breaking the deadlock and putting BDU ahead 1-0. Minutes later, Merker struck again after collecting a deep shot from Claire Suchan, driving the ball past the keeper to extend the lead to 2-0. The final whistle blew shortly after, securing the victory and a clean sheet for the team. Emma Barwacz’s solid performance helped seal the shutout.

Players of the Game:

• Emma Barwacz and Audrey VanDyke for combining efforts to secure the shutout

• JoJo Rollins and Hannah Bechlem for their outstanding defensive work

• Charlie Merker for a key assist and a goal to extend the lead

• Claire Brandt for scoring the game-winning goal

BDU finishes the season with an impressive 5-1-2 record in Division 3. Next, the girls will compete in the Spooktacular tournament, where they will face tough competition, including teams like Cardinal, Chagrin Falls, Brunswick (rematch), and the Pittsburgh Football Club.

The Blue Devil United (BDU) U11 Girls traveled to Brunswick for a competitive matchup against Brunswick TBOH. The first half was a defensive showcase, with standout performances from BDU’s entire back line. Outside defenders JoJo Rollins and Isabelle Budzowski were particularly impressive, locking down their opponents.

Midway through the half, BDU began to push forward. Whitney Phillips received a pass near the corner, delivering a perfect cross that found Ava Vourliotis, who one-timed it into the net—her second consecutive game with a goal—giving BDU a 1-0 lead.

The second half saw more defensive intensity, but BDU struggled to capitalize on scoring opportunities. With just two minutes remaining, Brunswick equalized, making it 1-1. BDU earned a free kick in the final moments but couldn’t convert, and time expired with the score tied.

Player of the Game honors were shared by JoJo Rollins and Isabelle Budzowski for their outstanding defensive efforts in the outside back positions. Josie DiGeronimo also earned Player of the Game recognition for her crucial role in setting up multiple scoring opportunities and delivering her best performance of the season.

BDU’s record now stands at 4-1-2 with one game remaining against Ashland on Sunday.

In an exciting Wednesday evening matchup, Blue Devil United U11 Girls faced off against North Royalton 15P. Claire Suchan gave BDU an early 1-0 lead with a stunning long-range shot. However, North Royalton quickly responded with a well-executed play to tie the game 1-1. Before the half ended, North Royalton capitalized on a penalty kick to take a 2-1 advantage.

The second half saw North Royalton take control, scoring three unanswered goals to secure a 5-1 victory. Despite the defeat, BDU still holds an impressive 3-1-1 record, maintaining second place in the standings.

Clare Brandt earned Player of the Game honors for her grit, playing through a fresh pinky injury. Emma Barwacz also stood out, playing the entire game and stepping in as goalkeeper. BDU looks to bounce back in their next game against Avon, scheduled for Thursday, October 3rd, at 6:15 PM.

The Independence Blue Devil United U11 Girls hit the road on a scorching Sunday afternoon, looking for redemption after a narrow 1-0 defeat to Parma in their previous matchup.

Parma struck first, capitalizing on an early opportunity to take a 1-0 lead. But Whitney Phillips breathed life into BDU, netting the equalizer to make it 1-1. However, a bit of misfortune struck when a hard clearance ricocheted into BDU’s goal, allowing Parma to regain a 2-1 advantage. The challenges mounted as Parma added a third goal, heading into halftime with a 3-1 lead.

The second half saw a rejuvenated BDU squad apply relentless pressure. Claire Brandt started the comeback, blasting a shot past Parma’s goalkeeper to cut the deficit to 3-2. A strong defensive effort from Hannah Bechlem set up Brandt for her second goal, tying the game at 3-3.

The momentum continued to swing in BDU’s favor as Brandt, feeling confident, completed her hat trick after a precise assist from Audrey VanDyke. BDU now led 4-3. With Jordan Glass applying intense pressure, she set up yet another scoring opportunity for Brandt, who netted her fourth goal of the game, capping an unbelievable performance.

Phillips sealed the victory with a final goal, assisted by Brandt, bringing the score to 6-3. The final whistle blew, and BDU completed a stunning comeback, exacting revenge on Parma with a decisive victory.

Player of the Game honors go to Claire Brandt for her phenomenal four-goal performance, while Hannah Bechlem and Ella Magana were pivotal in their defensive efforts, allowing their offensive teammates the room to excel. Jordan Glass contributed high pressure throughout the match, earning her a well-deserved assist. Whitney Phillips capped 2 goals, adding to the team’s dominant offensive display. Special mention goes to goalkeeper Emma Barwacz, who shut out Parma in the second half and made key saves, continuing her stellar form with only one goal conceded this season.

BDU improves their record to 3-0-1 and will face North Royalton 15P this Wednesday at 6:30 PM at home.

On a beautiful, sunny afternoon, Independence Blue Devil United (BDU) hosted the league-leading North Royalton 14P in an exciting contest.

North Royalton wasted no time, catching BDU off guard early to net the first goal of the match. However, the Blue Devils responded swiftly. Their goalkeeper launched a pinpoint punt, which was skillfully tracked down by Charlie Merker. Merker’s sharp finish brought the game level at 1-1.

As the first half wore on, Ava Vurliotis showcased her determination and grit, setting up Whitney Phillips to give BDU the lead heading into halftime.

The second half continued as a back-and-forth battle, with both teams displaying strong defensive performances. That stalemate was broken when Hannah Bechlem connected with Claire Brandt, who rifled a shot past the keeper to extend BDU’s lead to 3-1.

With just six minutes remaining, North Royalton pressed hard and managed to pull one back, reducing the deficit to 3-2. However, their comeback attempt fell short as the final whistle blew, securing the victory for BDU and propelling them to the top of the division with a 2-0-1 record.

Player of the Game Honors

• Ava Vurliotis: Notched her first assist of the season while continuously applying pressure and creating opportunities for her teammates.

• Isabelle Budzowski: Played lockdown defense, making key stops in crucial moments to preserve the lead.

• Ella Magana: Excelled defensively, consistently positioning herself perfectly to thwart North Royalton’s attacks.

A special mention goes to Claire Brandt, who not only delivered the game-winning goal but also added an assist from her goalkeeper position, highlighting her all-around performance.

The entire team showed tremendous effort, with every player contributing to a relentless, aggressive performance that ultimately secured the hard-fought win.

Next Match: BDU takes on Parma next Sunday at 1 PM in Parma.

The Blue Devil United Girls U11 team traveled to Medina for an early 10 a.m. match. The first half was marked by a fast-paced and physical game, setting the tone for the entire contest. Just before the halftime whistle, Evie Peters connected with Charlie Merker, who found the back of the net to give BDU a 1-0 lead. Emma Barwacz, who has yet to concede a goal this season, secured the first-half shutout.

As the second half kicked off, Medina quickly capitalized on their momentum, scoring twice to take a 2-1 lead. However, this only ignited BDU's determination. Claire Suchan unleashed a powerful shot to equalize, with Merker providing the assist, leveling the game at 2-2.

With renewed energy, Suchan continued to press, and Whitney Phillips, positioned perfectly, tapped in the go-ahead goal, putting BDU up 3-2. Evie Peters, relentless throughout the match, powered through the defense to extend the lead to 4-2.

Medina clawed back into the game with a goal after a misplayed ball, narrowing the score to 4-3. As time wound down, a controversial call awarded Medina a free kick, which they converted to tie the game at 4-4. The match ended in a draw.

Players of the Game honors were shared among three standout performers:

• Hannah Bechlem: Her defensive tenacity inspired her teammates, repeatedly tracking down the opposition in crucial moments.

• Evie Peters: Displayed grit throughout the game, contributing both an assist and a goal.

• Claire Suchan: Energized her team with a goal and two assists.

Special recognition was given by Coach Glass to Mara Buntura for her outstanding defensive play, which kept the team in an offensive position throughout the match.

Next game BDU takes on North Royalton at home Sept 8th at 1

The sun was shining after it had mostly rained in Independence as the U11 Blue Devil United Girls team opened at home against Ashland for their first game in Division 3 West.

After a back-and-forth affair at the beginning of the game, Audrey VanDyke found Charlie Merker for the opening goal of the season, putting BDU ahead 1-0.

BDU kept pressing and earned a corner. VanDyke ricocheted it off an Ashland defender, increasing the tally to 2-0.

Whitney Phillips was pressing hard and passed the ball to Claire Brandt, who nailed a left-footed finish, making it 3-0.

BDU took a 3-0 lead into halftime.

As the second half began, defensive specialist Emma Barwacz reminded everyone that defense can also score goals. With excellent positioning, Emma netted a goal to extend the lead to 4-0.

Ashland's spirits were low, but not broken. They made a run with three unanswered goals, narrowing the lead to 4-3.

Emery Osyko, who had been making great passes all day, knew she needed to change the momentum. She found a streaking Phillips, who made an excellent strike on goal to create some breathing room.

With time expiring, Ashland narrowed the score to 5-4, but the game ended shortly after.

Players of the game honors go to Whitney Phillips and Emery Osyko for their excellent play and teamwork on the field.

Next week, BDU plays on the road in Medina at 10 a.m.