Michigan Hawks capture 2026 ECNL Girls U18/19 National Championship

On Saturday at Creve Coeur Park Soccer Complex in St. Louis, Missouri, Michigan Hawks and MVLA took the field looking to claim the most coveted trophy in the ECNL, the U18/19 National Championship.

Michigan Hawks made their way to the final with a 1-0 quarterfinal win over FC Dallas, before defeating FC Prime 4-0 in the semifinals, while MVLA defeated VDA 3-2 in the quarterfinals and then knocked off Slammers FC HB Køge 2-0 in the semifinals.

In the championship match, the Michigan Hawks quickly picked up right where they left off from their semifinal game where Addie Fife scored their first two goals. Fife quickly found her way past the MVLA defense and fired home the opening goal to make it 1-0 in the 10th minute.

Despite more pressure from the Hawks in the opening half, MVLA goalkeeper Anneliese Braun made some key first half saves to keep the deficit at just a goal as the two teams headed into the halftime break.

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In the second half, MVLA came out and generated a few chances to try to level the game, but the Hawks defense was able to fend off the early second half attack, before Fife took the game over.

In the 52nd minute, the University of Michigan commit, Fife took a ball from her own half of the field, dribbled in and out of three different defenders and slid home a shot under the goalkeeper to double the Hawks’ lead.

She wasn’t done there though. In the 73rd minute, Fife again got in behind the MVLA defense, cut back through two defenders inside the box and hit a left footed finish past the keeper to complete her hat trick.

The Addie Fife show wasn’t done after the hat trick either though, as just four minutes later she got out wide again and perfectly placed a shot in the side netting for her fourth goal of the game and six over the last two games.

In the 84th minute, Reese Canada, who had been outstanding throughout the game in the midfield, providing service to Fife, and nearly scored on a few chances of her own, dribbled into the box and eluded two defenders with some incredible footwork before firing in the Hawks’ fifth goal to secure their fourth U18/19 ECNL Girls National Championship in the club’s history.

“I can’t even put this into words,” said Fife after the game. “I have to give it all to my teammates. We come and work every single day and we knew we’d be back here. We fell short the last two years, but I knew we’d be back. It’s just so surreal. I’m on cloud nine right now. I’m just so proud of my team.”

Despite the incredible four goal effort that saw her named the Player of the Match, Fife was incredibly humble when it was announced after the game she would be receiving the award and continued to praise her teammates.

“Being named player of the game is such an honor, but I couldn’t have done it without my teammates,” Fife said. “This team deserves it so much. When the trophy came onto the field, we said that’s ours. We came into the game and believed in ourselves.”

Before heading off to Michigan to don the maize and blue, Fife still has one year remaining next season with Michigan Hawks, but she also took a moment after the game to reflect on her journey so far throughout the club, and how much her coaches have developed her and her teammates into the players and people they are today.

“For all the years I’ve played for Hawks my coaches have dedicated their lives to us. They always put the players first and care the most about us and our success,” Fife said. “The back of our practice jerseys say “young amazing woman” and that’s what our coaches make us to be. Coach Michele and Coach Doug are such strong leaders and they shape us into that too.”