BOISE - After a day off Thursday, the Coeur d'Alene Sting under-18 girls soccer team jumps back into the heat today.

The Sting, which won its group with a 2-0-1 record to advance to the quarterfinals of the US Youth Soccer Far West Regionals, faces La Roca FC from Layton, Utah, today at 9 a.m. PDT at Simplot Soccer Complex.

The predicted high temperature in Boise today is ONLY 100 degrees. If the Sting win and advance to the semifinals, Saturday's predicted high is 108. The championship game is Sunday, where the predicted high is 109.

Sting coach Dan Hogan said his team is playing better than when it won the State Cup title last month, also in Boise.

"I'm a big believer in peaking at the right time," said Hogan, who is also the North Idaho College women's soccer coach. "I try to continue to find ways to challenge the girls - even during our State Cup games reminding them our goal was to perform well at regionals. I think these girls have done a great job into buying into the idea of improving every time they step onto the field whether it's practice or a game."

The Sting U18 girls outscored its opponents 6-2 in group play, led by Megan Lowery and Maggie Vietri with two goals each.

"I also think part of our success is because these girls have fun playing," Hogan said. "We've worked on having intensity, but not taking ourselves too seriously. There are times when we're training when someone does something silly and we laugh about it and then get back to work. We also try to play a fun style of soccer where everyone gets involved and players have freedom to try different things."

La Roca hasn't played since Tuesday. The Utah team was in a three-team group, and played games Monday and Tuesday. La Roca beat the Inland Empire Surf of southern California 2-0 on Monday, and lost 3-0 to Rio Rapids of New Mexico on Tuesday.

"We aren't going to face anyone too much better than who we've already played," Hogan said. "Then taking some risks, being aggressive, and having fun doing it will be the keys to our success."

Regional champions advance to nationals July 21-26 in Tulsa, Okla.

Upon further review, this year's girls team is the second Sting squad to win its group at regionals. In 2001, the Sting U19 boys, comprised of players from Coeur d'Alene, Sandpoint and Moscow, as well as from southern and eastern Idaho, went 1-0-2 and won its group, before losing in the quarterfinals.