KINGSTON, Rhode Island – Looking for some solace after three discouraging losses in the United States Region 1 Soccer Tournament last week was difficult for the Samba U13 team but, as with most difficult situations in life, the eventual outcome can be very rewarding.

After all, the experience of Regional competition will leave a long-lasting impression with the young team and in its quest for “top play” it found that being the best in the state of Connecticut only leads to matches against another tier of talented players and teams that exist within the region.

Samba won the Connecticut Snickers State Cup Tournament and advanced into the Region 1 tournament held on the campus of the University of Rhode Island over the Fourth of July weekend.  The group would face three other top premier programs in the region – FC Delco (representing Eastern Pennsylvania), Nordic (Vermont) and Inter Boston SC of Massachusetts.

Although the Sambas could not net a ball in the competition, they did manage to hold on to three close matches. The locals lost 1-0 to FC Delco (a tournament semi-finalist) and 2-0 against both Nordic and Inter.

There were many near chances and maybe with a different bounce of the ball, the outcome of each of the matches could have gone the Samba way.

The Regional finish, although not filled with accolades, was a superb climax to an unbelievable season for the new group of players put together, in the fall of 2002, by the Samba coaching staff of Brian Neumeyer and Nick Booth.

It seems as if more great things are sure to come.