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SPORTS
Devine represents Marshall in tourney
Marshall womenÕs soccer player Kaitlin Devine, left, who plays for the Maryland Freestate Shooters, vies with FC Delco Fury II player Julie Lancos during the U-19 Girls Championship Tuesday, July 7, 2009, at the Barboursville Soccer Complex. The Fury went on to win 1-0.
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BARBOURSVILLE -- As the US Youth Soccer Region I Championships finished up Tuesday, a representative of the Marshall University women's soccer program was in the midst of the action.
Kaitlin Devine, a sophomore forward/midfielder for Marshall from Leonardtown, Md., played in the U-19 girls finals for Maryland's Freestate Shooters in a 1-0 overtime loss to East Pennsylvania's FC Delco Fury II, the defending Region I champion.
Even though the outcome didn't quite turn out how Devine wished, she said the experience of playing a title game in her college town was unique.
"I definitely enjoyed coming back to Huntington this summer to play in the tournament," Devine said. "We accomplished a lot, but unfortunately we didn't get the win. It was still great to be back here and hopefully represent Marshall well."
The game marked one of several between the Shooters and the Fury over the past few years as the teams have jockeyed for supremacy in their age group in Region I.
In 2006, the Shooters captured the Premier League title while during the 2007 summer Devine's team won the US Club Soccer National Championship.
As for the game, the Shooters dictated play throughout the second half, but could not find the back of the net despite several opportunities down the stretch.
The Fury did not have many opportunities, but cashed in during the first overtime period to score the game's only goal.
The outcome of the game did not end in a win for the Shooters, but Devine said she hopes it does for Marshall University.
She spent much of the week showing her teammates around town and answering questions about what Huntington has to offer -- a question which she said came frequently throughout the tournament.
"They definitely asked what there was around here," Devine said. "Pullman Square has a lot to offer and there are fun things in town. You just have to look for it. One of the girls even stayed at the campground and she loved it."
Devine committed to the Thundering Herd after her junior year of high school after taking an unofficial visit. She said everything that she wanted in a school just sort of blended together.
"I came on an unofficial visit and absolutely loved the campus and fell in love with the school," Devine said. "I love the atmosphere of the school, I love the coaches. It seemed like the total package."
With the tournament being held in the Huntington area, opportunities were plentiful for athletes such as Devine to take unofficial visits to check out Marshall University.
In an area that has been labeled a football town, Devine said she never thought she'd see soccer be the main event in any week, but hopefully there is more to come.
"I definitely didn't expect Region I to hold the tournament here, but it was done well and everything turned out great. I was impressed and it was a great tournament," Devine said. "Maybe a couple more tournaments like this and it'll be a soccer town."
