Eastside Football Club’s G98 Red premiere-level team took third place last weekend at the U.S. Youth Soccer National Championship series in Maryland.

The girls team was there to defend their national championship title.

After more than two hours of play, they fell, 0-1, in the semifinals with minutes left in the second half of overtime to a team from Jacksonville, Fla.

“I am very proud of the effort the girls put forth,” said Coach Tom Bialek.  “Every game was very demanding and required everything we had to give. We played our best game overall in the semifinals, and while we created many good chances and controlled play to a large degree, we never could break through with a goal, though we did hit the crossbar twice and the post once.”

They won nationals last year at the girls U-14 age group. Now in U-15s, in March, they qualified to return to the national championship by winning the GU-15 U.S. Youth Soccer National League. In May, they won the U.S. Youth Soccer Washington state championship.

The team, which includes girls from around the Eastside and Seattle area, and includes Natalie Weidenbach of North Bend, who also plays for the Mount Si varsity team.

The team recently donated more than 7,800 pounds of clothes and textiles to “Clothes of a Cause,” and also raised money for their trip. They ask fans to support them by visitng www.gofundme.com/EastsideFCG98Red. Follow the team on Facebook at www.facebook.com/efcg98red.