SANDPOINT — After narrowly missing the chance to qualify for the U.S. Club Soccer National Cup via Washington, the Sandpoint Strikers 2013 girls' team was left with one option to make history. 

On May 29, the team made the trip down to face the Idaho Inferno, the Idaho Premier League Champion, in Boise for a winner-take-all game. The stakes couldn't be higher, with a trip to Nationals on the line, but head coach Adam Tajan said his team didn't seem fazed by the pressure. 

"I didn't know how they would handle a high-pressure situation like that, which we were really excited to have that opportunity," Tajan said.  

Though the Strikers controlled much of the game, the game was scoreless heading into the half. Tajan said the team was generating good scoring chances, but the time continued to add up until 10 minutes remained in the game, and it was still scoreless. 

Tajan said he feared the game would go to overtime or a shootout and wanted his team to finish it off in regulation. Luckily for him, that's what they did.  

A perfectly placed pass from Keely Lett found the foot of Brooklyn Windju, who buried it in the back of the net for the lead-taking goal. 

"Definitely took the pressure off, everybody could kind of take a breath," Tajan said of how the first goal helped. "Then it was like, immediately, [the] pressures back on. We were not done, there's still some time on the clock, and we got to see this thing through." 

The Strikers did see it through. Another goal from Windju with under five minutes left gave them an insurance goal and clinched a 2-0 victory, qualifying the team for Nationals for the first time in the club's storied history. 

Tajan said the team is set to head to Denver, Colo., before their first game July 18. At the national tournament, the girls will play a game a day on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday in the group stages. If they make it out of the group stages, they'll play in the semi-finals on Thursday and the finals on Friday of that week. 

"Winning a championship at the state level is not an easy thing to do. The regional level, even harder," Tajan said. "So, to get to that opportunity to compete on a national stage is pretty cool, especially from a small town." 

Tajan said nearly every player on the team hails from Sandpoint and that they have all known each other for a long time. He added that the accomplishment speaks to the dedication shown by not only the players but their families, who have fully bought into helping the team. 

Sandpoint will be taking on teams from across the country, presenting a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for many of these kids. Tajan said the competition will be really unique and provide a fantastic chance for the girls to see how they stack up against some of the best teams in the nation.  

In order to get to Denver, the Strikers are planning to hold a series of fundraisers and are openly looking for sponsorships. Tajan said the donations will go toward offsetting all the costs associated with a team being on the road for a week, like flights and hotel rooms. 

"Strikers has been the local club for the last 45 years plus," Tajan said. "I don't think it's just these kids getting it done, it's other people kind of paving the way through the years to set the stage and the tone and help them realize what is possible." 

Those looking to support can Venmo the club at @sandpoint-soccer or send an email to [email protected]. 

    Keely Lett controls the midfield against Helena Arsenal during the Intermountain Champions Cup in Missoula, Montana. The Sandpoint Strikers 2013 Girls went 4-0 on the weekend, defeating Missoula Surf 3-2 in the championship game.