SAN JOSE, Calif. – San Jose Earthquakes Girls’ Academy defender Andrea Kitahata has been called up to the U.S. Under-15 Girls’ National Team as they travel to Germany for a training camp and two matches against the Germany U-15 GNT.
U.S. U-15 GNT head coach Tracey Kevins will coach her first international matches at the helm of this group. The U-15s will face Germany on Wednesday, Nov. 1, in Marburg, Germany for a match that is closed to the public. The teams will meet again on Friday, Nov. 3, at Stadion Wetzlar in Wetzlar, Germany (11 a.m. local time) in a match open to the public, ticketed and promoted by the DFB.
As part of U.S. Soccer’s ongoing mission to provide increased international programming for the Youth Girls’ and Women’s National Teams, these games mark the first international trip for this age group and the U-15s’ first international matches abroad. This team competes biennially in the CONCACAF U-15 Girls' Championship, but the one CONCACAF competition the team has played in (and won in 2016) was staged in the United States.
This age group of players is in the first year of a two-year cycle as U-15s before transitioning to U-17s in 2019 when they will form the core of the team that will attempt to qualify for the 2020 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.
U.S. U-15 GNT Roster by Position:
GOALKEEPERS (2): Haley Craig (Hawks-Wolves SC; Dexter, Mich.), Neeku Purcell (Seattle Reign FC; Seattle, Wash.)
DEFENDERS (6): Baleigh Bruster (Tophat SC; Smyrna, Ga.); Andrea Kitahata (San Jose Earthquakes; Hillsborough, Calif.), Phoenix Miranda (Leahi SC; Aiea, Hawaii); Ayo Oke (Gwinnett SA; Lawrenceville, Ga.), Kellie Pagador (Placer United; Roseville, Calif.), Lilly Reale (South Shore Select; Hingham, Mass.)
MIDFIELDERS (7): Colby Barnett (Strikers FC; Los Alamitos, Calif.), Summer Denigan (Cincinnati Development Academy; Union, Ky.), Emma Egizii (Beach FC; Downey, Calif.), Tatiana Fung (Arsenal FC; Fullerton, Calif.), Olivia Peña (Solar Chelsea; Irving, Texas), Isabella Piete (San Diego Surf; Alpine, Calif.), Ally Sentnor (South Shore Select; Hanson, Mass.)
FORWARDS (5): Simone Jackson (Slammers FC; Redondo Beach, Calif.); Arianna Manrique (Tophat SC; Bufort, Ga.), Alexis Missimo (Solar Chelsea; Southlake, Texas), Jillian Shimkin (Albertson SC; Rockville Centre, N.Y.), Amelia White (Fort Wayne United; Fort Wayne, Ind.)
