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Badin star back from Spanish soccer adventure

Posted at 4:25 PM, Mar 31, 2016
and last updated 2016-03-31 16:25:05-04

Badin soccer standout Malia Berkely enjoyed her time competing with the U.S. Under-18 Women’s National Team in Spain earlier this month.

“It was one of the most educational experiences in soccer she’s had,” said her father, Badin coach Todd Berkely.

Malia Berkely, Ohio’s Ms. Soccer and the Gatorade Ohio Soccer Player of the Year this past season, accompanied the U.S. Under-18 team to La Manga, Spain against U-19 European teams. The U.S. team went 2-0-1; it didn’t concede a goal.

Todd said the team from Norway played the most interesting brand of soccer with its attacking style. Some of the players were older than the U.S. team members and that proved to be helpful.

Malia is age-eligible for the team will participate in the 2016 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in New Guinea. There will be another U.S. training camp in April in California.

Berkely, a Florida State signee, is scheduled to report to Tallahassee by late July as of now.

Berkely had 15 goals and four assists last season for Badin (14-4-2), which made it to the Elite 8 of the Division III state tournament.

She had 66 goals and 33 assists in her high school career. She was a two-time member of the Division III state championship teams in 2013 and '14.