The Mercer Island FC Maroon girls soccer team claimed the top spot in its GU16 division at the Kent Cornucopia tournament, which was held July 8-10 in Kent.

The Maroon started the tournament on a low note losing its first game 4-3 after leading 3-1 at the half. Given the five-team round-robin format, with the top two teams playing in the final, the loss left the team with a very thin margin of error.

In their second game of the day, the Maroon won a solid 5-2 victory over the host Kent team. The Maroon kept momentum winning 2-0 over a Spokane team Saturday morning. Heading into its early afternoon game, the Maroon needed a third-straight win and to score three goals in doing so to guarantee a spot in the final. The team won 5-0 with a final flurry of goals in the second half, advancing to the final on Sunday.

The final was a rematch against Kent. Kent scored first on a PK midway through the first half but the Maroon equalized just before halftime on a well-placed cross and a one touch shot rolling just under the goalkeeper. The second half became a very physical battle as the Mercer Island team went ahead 2-1 after 10 minutes and then 3-1 with just over 10 minutes left to play and held on for a well-earned win in the championship game.

In the tournament, MIFC Maroon won four games, lost one and scored 18 goals while giving up only seven.

“The loss on Friday morning gave the Maroon a renewed focus, making the following wins and the championship title that much more special,” said coach Tom Hill. “Congratulations to the girls; they certainly earned their medals and are a great group to coach.”

The Maroon has had a good summer tournament season so far. The team was also the runner-up in the Starfire Spring Classic in early June. After taking first place in bracket play with three straight wins, they lost in the final 3-1 to a Crossfire team they had beaten the previous day in group play.