The EMFC U16 Girl's team traveled to Portland, Maine on Sunday March 7th for a pair of preseason friendlies against the two top U16 teams in Maine. The round robin event featured last year's Maine State Cup Champions Odyssey Sport '97 as well as runner-up Black Bear United and was played at the new turf facility at Deering High School.

Black Bear and EMFC squared off in the first match and the Red Devils came out pretty rusty for the first game of the season, finding themselves down 2-nil early on.  However, the girls stormed back later on in the game to within one at 3-2 before Black Bear added a late goal to secure a 4-2 win.

Center midfielder Zarina Brune scored EMFC's first goal of the season, knocking home a rebound from a shot by striker Vicky Tondre.  Flank player Melissa darling scored the teams second goal on a great combination play that saw EFC debutante Stephanie Aliquo break free down the left sideline, slot the ball centrally into the feet of Tondre.  The striker turned and slid the ball to a cutting Darling inside the penalty-area at the far post who blasted a shot easily past the keeper.

In EMFC's second match, the Red Devils turned in a much better performance against Maine's State Champs Odyssey Sport and spent most of the game knotted at 1-1 until Odyssey scored late to take a 2-1 win.  Stephanie Atocha scored EMFC's lone goal of the contest when she ran onto a loose ball about 20-yards from goal and hit a curving chip shot that dipped just over the goalkeeper's hands and into the far corner of the net.

 In the other match on the day, Odyssey topped Black Bear in a rematch of last year's Maine State Cup final.