Players Mentioned
D
/ Women's Soccer
F/D
/ Women's Soccer
GK
/ Women's Soccer
MF
/ Women's Soccer
D
/ Women's Soccer
F/D
/ Women's Soccer
MF
/ Women's Soccer
F
/ Women's Soccer
MF
/ Women's Soccer
MF
/ Women's Soccer
USC Women's Soccer Travels to France for 2019 World Cup
May 30, 2019 | Women's Soccer, Features
LOS ANGELES – The USC women's soccer team will embark on the trip of a lifetime as they head to Europe for the opening round of the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup.
Â
The Trojans leave on Saturday, June 1, and return on Wednesday, June 12, getting the chance to sightsee, train, compete and watch several World Cup matches along the way.
Â
USC will spend the first five days in London (June 1-5) where they will see the sights, train and play a friendly against a local squad, and also have the opportunity to tour Arsenal's Emirates Stadium. The Trojans then travel to Paris, where they will spend the next five days (June 6-10). In the French capital, the USC squad will again see the major sights, train and play a local friendly, as well as get the chance to attend two World Cup matches. The team then heads to Reims, France for the final leg of their journey, where they will watch their third World Cup match of the trip, featuring the U.S. Women's National Team, on June 11, before heading home on June 12.
Â
The USC women's soccer program invites everyone to follow along with their trip through their social media platforms, which can be found below, and through the hashtag #SCFrance19. Fans can also come back to this page for periodic blog posts from different student-athletes following each leg of the trip.
Â
Instagram - @uscwsoccer
Twitter - @USC_WSoccer
Facebook - USC Women's Soccer
Â
Blog (hear about the Trojans' trip in their own words):
June 1-2 - Julia Bingham (JR, D, Ontario, Calif./St. Lucy's Priory HS)
On June 1, the team arrived on campus at 11:30 for a lunch in the women's lounge. We all ate a great meal before we were headed to LAX. We had some time before we left for the airport to pack some snacks and our uniforms in our suitcase. We then loaded the bus and headed to LAX for our flight at 4:15 p.m. As we arrived at the airport we checked into our flight and went to our gate. Many girls bought snacks for the plane ride and downloaded some movies and shows to watch. The gate began boarding for our flight around 3:15 p.m. After all of these activities, we were ready for takeoff. Time to get a goodnight sleep and our adventure begins. LONDON AND PARIS HERE WE COME!!!
Â
On June 2, after a long 10 hour plane ride, we had officially arrived in London around 10:15 a.m. We got off the plane and we all went through customs and then to go get our bags. Our first stop in London was to get lunch. We went to the Kings Mall and ate at Nandos. The meal included chicken, spicy rice, and French fries. Then, we would all head over to the hotel. We took a bus ride which was about an hour long. After that, we checked into the hotel and began to get all settled for our trip. We then took the bus to practice. After training, we came back to the hotel to get ready for dinner at Bills restaurant. We all ate a burger and fries. After our dinner we walked back to the hotel. We had a long day and were all ready to go to sleep, but the adventure continues tomorrow!
Â
June 3 - Natalie Jacobs (R-JR, F/D, Coto de Caza, Calif./Tesoro HS/Notre Dame)
Today was our first day to tour around London. The day started out with morning breakfast where I got to see what a crumpet looked like. We then met outside the hotel to take a bus to the famous British Museum where we were able to spend two hours exploring. I was able to get up close and take a look at the Rosetta Stone. It was nice to see different artifacts from various cultures. I spent a lot of time in the Egypt section and then had some lunch from one of the restaurants in the museum.
Then, we met back as a team to travel to our next tour spot. We pulled up to the next location and saw the London Bridge and the Tower of London. We took a tour all around the Tower of London. This was an incredible tour where we got to get a close look at the Crown Jewels, a beautiful display of crowns that belonged to different rulers in English history. It was amazing to be that close. We also walked into a different section of the castle and saw the torture chamber room where we read about the different machines that were used during the torturing that occurred there. That was definitely scary to see. Next, we headed toward the "Bloody Tower" where we climbed the stairs to reach the rooms where prisoners were kept. We finished the tour by seeing a section of the Tower where different people lived. We saw a bedroom and a throne. It was so crazy walking into the exact spot where so much happened so long ago. When we reached the top of the stairs we got a great view of the London Bridge where we spent some time taking photos.
After the tour we headed to dinner where we had fish and chips. It was a cozy place where we could watch cricket and listen to a train go by above the restaurant. Â Overall the day was very exciting and educational. The experience at the Tower of London was my favorite part. It was interesting being so close to important places and artifacts in history. Thanks for reading and stay tuned for more exciting days ahead!
Â
June 4 - Taylor McMorrow (JR, F, Newport Coast, Calif./Corona del Mar HS)
On June 4th we spent the day touring Windsor Castle. Windsor Castle is the oldest castle in the world and is occupied by the Queen various times throughout the year. Here we were able to learn a lot of facts about the royal family and see a part of their home. After a few hours of touring the castle, we had lunch across the street at a placed called Harte & Garter. We enjoyed some yummy chicken with potatoes. We discussed all the parts of the Castle we found interesting and little tidbits we had learned.
Â
From there we returned to the hotel by bus. We had free time for the remainder of the evening. So for dinner a few of us went into Soho. We ate at an Italian restaurant and tried various pasta dishes. It was absolutely delicious! From there we walked around a few stores where we ran into some of our other teammates! We then decided to get some gelato and call it a night. Overall, today was a great day exploring London!
June 5 - Ashleigh Plumptre (JR, MF, Nottinghamshire, England/The Becket School)
It's Wednesday, June 5th. We started the day like every other so far with a fantastic full English breakfast in the hotel. After breakfast, we left on the bus to the Emirates Stadium, the home of Arsenal Football Club. As a supporter myself, it was great to hear about the history of the club and, more importantly, learn more about my favorite player, Thierry Henry. We got to go inside the changing rooms, sit in the home dugout and visit the director's lounge where we heard more about "the invincibles" and their 49-game unbeaten streak back in the 2003-2004 season when they were managed by Arsene Wenger. I even got a sneaky picture with the Leicester shirt in the away changing rooms... I have dual alliances ;) After the tour, we had a chance to look inside the Arsenal museum and follow the team's success over the years.
Â
After the tour, we hopped back on the bus and drove down to South Bank, which is where the London Eye, the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben are all situated. The weather was great and we were given a few hours to roam around the area. A group of us decided to walk beside the River Thames to Borough Market. Borough Market is home to a variety of cultural vendors serving various international dishes, sweets and snacks. Here there were many opportunities to try out these foods, one of which included cricket crackers! We then walked back up the River Thames on the opposite side of the river this time, past the beautiful St Paul's Cathedral and Somerset House.
Â
We all regrouped at an Italian restaurant called Zizzis before driving over to our game against Baldon Ladies in Eltham, Bromley. We played in a small town outside of the city. It reminded me so much of the games I would play growing up on the local fields. It was great to have the freshmen play in a game with the rest of us for the first time. A lot of them got some goals too!
Â
My turn on the blog brings our part of the trip in England to a close before we head to Paris tomorrow. These past few days have and always will be very memorable for me. Not only have I been able to experience some landmarks that I had never been to before, but I got to experience all of this with some of my closest friends. Although England is very different to America, especially Southern California, it has made me so happy to hear some of my friends talk about how much they appreciate certain parts of England that they would never experience in America. Everyone is having a fantastic time and I'm so grateful for this opportunity!
Â
June 6-7 - Jalen Woodward (JR, MF, Seattle, Wash./Seattle Prep)
On June 6th, a 7:30 a.m. wake up call after a long day of touring emirates stadium, walking through London, and playing a game made for quite the morning. After eating breakfast and checking out of our hotel, we set out for the train station where we traveled from London to Paris. The train ride consisted of sleeping, eating, music, some card games, and games on the phone, particularly Flippy race (it's a good one if you need a new game). The ride was about two hours and upon arrival we were met by another program tour host who then directed us to our bus, or coach—which is apparently the same thing over here? Not to be confused with our coaches as in Keidane, Jason, and Sammy of course. Anyways, as we arrived at our hotel we were given our keys and instructed to go up to our rooms, change, and report down for practice. After practice we walked to the hotel and got showered for dinner. At dinner my table enjoyed a nice game of contact. It was quite the laugh. After our lovely meal we headed up to bed to get a good night's rest for what tomorrow will bring!Â
Â
On June 7th, we awoke and attended breakfast where many of us had our first French croissant! It was everything we had ever dreamed of and more. After that, we ventured out on a bus tour of the city of Paris and saw a number of famous and historical monuments and places. The selfie stick made a special appearance at a number of locations. One of which in particular was the Notre Dame cathedral that had recently partially burned down. After a bus tour to gather our surroundings followed by a walk throughout the city to relax different parts, we went to dinner at hippopotamus where we ate chicken, rice, and got ready to attend the opening game of the women's World Cup. Crowds were piled up and we maneuvered our way into the line and through security. We found our seats just in time to watch the opening ceremonies. The music, dancing, and atmosphere was unreal. We watched France defeated South Korea 4-0 and we watched a number of unbelievable goals. After the game we made the walk back to the restaurant where the bus picked us up and headed back to the hotel after a long day of activities.
Â
June 8Â - Savannah DeMelo (R-SO, MF, Bellflower, Calif./St. Joseph HS)
Today we had a pretty early start to the day with breakfast at 8 a.m. After finishing up breakfast, we boarded our bus and headed to the soccer field to partake in a voluntary coaching clinic with a local soccer club called Athletic Club de Boulogne-Billancourt. Here we were able to coach girls from the ages of 5-12. We did some passing and dribbling drills, and then ended with playing to goal. At the end we took a big group picture and some individual ones with the kids. At around 11 a.m. we boarded our bus and headed to the city of Versailles. We had lunch at around 12:30 p.m. at a banderillas restaurant in Versailles. After lunch we headed over to the Palace of Versailles and walked in and around it until 6:30 p.m. We learned a lot about French history while walking through the state apartments and beautiful art galleries in the palace. My personal favorite, though, was walking/wheeling around the gardens. The famous Versailles gardens stretched for miles with beautiful statues, flowers, and lakes. At 6:30 p.m. we headed back to our hotel to have dinner and get an early night's rest! Au revoir!!
Â
June 9 - Samantha Bruder (R-SO, MF, Bell Canyon, Calif./Oaks Christian HS)
Today, we woke up bright and early to get a head start on the day. We ate a wonderful French breakfast and were off to our second friendly match. After a 3-1 win versus the Owls, we shook hands and made our way back to the hotel. Showers were a must as we smelled like cleats and sweat. Don't worry, we cleaned up nicely. Then, we took a coach (bus) to the Eiffel Tower. As we ascended up, some of us were more scared than others. However, the view from the top was like no other. But the best part was being able to share these memories with the best teammates and staff. After we made it back to the ground, we went to dinner at Le Petit Caillou, where we had the best meal. There was not a single thing on anyone's plate when we were finished. After dinner, we drove back towards the Eiffel Tower to explore. Many of us got ice cream and crepes and others got berets. Finally at 10 p.m. the Eiffel Tower lit up and we were all amazed. By the time we arrived back at the hotel, we were all ready for bed.Â
Â
June 10 - Jessica Haidet (SO, D, Atlanta, Ga./Pace Academy)
On Monday, June 10th, we began our day with an 8 a.m. breakfast. After eating some more yummy croissants, we headed to the Louvre! Once we got through the line, we first walked towards the Mona Lisa. On the way, we saw the Nike sculpture, which we were told was the inspiration behind the Nike brand. There was a big line & crowd for the Mona Lisa, but we waited until we got to the front to take some great pictures. We also saw the Coronation of Napoleon, a sculpture of Venus, and many other works of art.Â
Â
After this, we headed to Zebulon for a yummy lunch of chicken and potatoes. We were then allowed to either explore around the Eiffel Tower or go on a boat tour on the Seine River. Both groups were very pleased with their free time! Many shopped around Champs Elysees, one of the most famous shopping streets in Paris, and others enjoyed beautiful views of the Eiffel Tower and other landmarks aboard the boat.Â
Â
Finally, at the end of the day, we went to our second World Cup game in Paris. Argentina and Japan were playing and we had some pretty great seats. The game ended up being an interesting match, even with no goals scored, due to the very different styles of soccer played by the two teams. Argentina was physical and aggressive in their defending, while Japan was crafty and quick, but neither was able to produce. After a number of good chances for Japan, the game ended in a 0-0 draw.Â
Â
At the end of this long but amazing day, we all returned to the hotel, ready for dinner and some sleep.Â
Â
June 11 - Arlie Jones (SO, MF, Las Vegas, Nev./Bishop Gorman HS)
Day 11! As the trip is coming to an end, there is still one experience that everyone is extremely excited for, the USA vs Thailand World Cup game. The game is in Reims, France, which is about a two hour drive to the east of Paris. This morning we ate breakfast at the hotel, then headed to Reims on our bus. Upon arrival, we had lunch at a local restaurant and then we were given a few hours of free time to spend roaming the city. Some girls went off to see the Notre Dame of Reims, some went to the center of the city to shop, and others sat at a cafe and relaxed. After enjoying our own time in the city, we checked into our new hotel and ate a nice, big dinner around 6 pm.
With food in our bellies and a lot of USA spirit among us, we set off on foot to the game. During our walk, we were accompanied by hundreds of other U.S. team supporters and began to really feel the excitement. We arrived an hour early to watch the warm ups and buy last minute fan gear. The game was sold out, with around 22,000 fans attending, most of which were from the states. The atmosphere was absolutely insane and the result of the game was even better. We witnessed history! The U.S. scored 13 goals, breaking the record for the greatest amount of goals scored in a single world cup. It was an experience we will never forget!
Â
June 12/Trip Recap - Kaylie Collins (R-SO, GK, Clayton, Calif./Carondelet HS)
And just like that, our European adventure comes to a close! 12 days of seeing historical landmarks, meeting new people, witnessing a World Cup, learning about countries and cultures different from our own… we managed to do it all.
Â
I think what made this trip so special and important for this team is that it was much more than just another soccer trip. On a typical trip, we have this lens of competitiveness, where we don't always see the places we stay beyond being a place to compete. The same goes for how we bond on a typical trip. On this trip, we really got see each other and these countries for what they were, beyond just a place to compete or people to compete with. An experience like this one is what makes a team a family :) It was so awesome to be able to welcome in our new freshmen this way. Sitting down together at every meal made time for us to start getting to know each of them before we even got in to playing.
Â
Each day brought something new and exciting to the trip, making it difficult to pick a favorite day. But one part that I personally thought was particularly cool about the trip was seeing how soccer was treated outside the U.S. As we drove through the small towns, you could always find makeshift fields or kids playing on the pavement. At the stadium tour, we saw how passionate people were about their teams that they supported and how it could be someone's whole life. Coming from a place where soccer is just another sport, it was such a crazy feeling to be in a place where it got so much love and attention, ESPECIALLY being in those packed World Cup stadiums! The energy of the trip as a whole was what made it so special, and I'm so grateful that I got to experience it with my best friends.
Â
The Trojans leave on Saturday, June 1, and return on Wednesday, June 12, getting the chance to sightsee, train, compete and watch several World Cup matches along the way.
Â
USC will spend the first five days in London (June 1-5) where they will see the sights, train and play a friendly against a local squad, and also have the opportunity to tour Arsenal's Emirates Stadium. The Trojans then travel to Paris, where they will spend the next five days (June 6-10). In the French capital, the USC squad will again see the major sights, train and play a local friendly, as well as get the chance to attend two World Cup matches. The team then heads to Reims, France for the final leg of their journey, where they will watch their third World Cup match of the trip, featuring the U.S. Women's National Team, on June 11, before heading home on June 12.
Â
The USC women's soccer program invites everyone to follow along with their trip through their social media platforms, which can be found below, and through the hashtag #SCFrance19. Fans can also come back to this page for periodic blog posts from different student-athletes following each leg of the trip.
Â
Instagram - @uscwsoccer
Twitter - @USC_WSoccer
Facebook - USC Women's Soccer
Â
Blog (hear about the Trojans' trip in their own words):
June 1-2 - Julia Bingham (JR, D, Ontario, Calif./St. Lucy's Priory HS)
On June 1, the team arrived on campus at 11:30 for a lunch in the women's lounge. We all ate a great meal before we were headed to LAX. We had some time before we left for the airport to pack some snacks and our uniforms in our suitcase. We then loaded the bus and headed to LAX for our flight at 4:15 p.m. As we arrived at the airport we checked into our flight and went to our gate. Many girls bought snacks for the plane ride and downloaded some movies and shows to watch. The gate began boarding for our flight around 3:15 p.m. After all of these activities, we were ready for takeoff. Time to get a goodnight sleep and our adventure begins. LONDON AND PARIS HERE WE COME!!!
Â
On June 2, after a long 10 hour plane ride, we had officially arrived in London around 10:15 a.m. We got off the plane and we all went through customs and then to go get our bags. Our first stop in London was to get lunch. We went to the Kings Mall and ate at Nandos. The meal included chicken, spicy rice, and French fries. Then, we would all head over to the hotel. We took a bus ride which was about an hour long. After that, we checked into the hotel and began to get all settled for our trip. We then took the bus to practice. After training, we came back to the hotel to get ready for dinner at Bills restaurant. We all ate a burger and fries. After our dinner we walked back to the hotel. We had a long day and were all ready to go to sleep, but the adventure continues tomorrow!
Â
The Trojans have made it to England and even had their first training session!
— USC Women's Soccer (@USC_WSoccer) June 3, 2019
Hear from @_juliabingham in our first blog post: https://t.co/a7no6scCfK#FightOn | #SCFrance19 pic.twitter.com/L0b85PX8pZ
June 3 - Natalie Jacobs (R-JR, F/D, Coto de Caza, Calif./Tesoro HS/Notre Dame)
Today was our first day to tour around London. The day started out with morning breakfast where I got to see what a crumpet looked like. We then met outside the hotel to take a bus to the famous British Museum where we were able to spend two hours exploring. I was able to get up close and take a look at the Rosetta Stone. It was nice to see different artifacts from various cultures. I spent a lot of time in the Egypt section and then had some lunch from one of the restaurants in the museum.
Then, we met back as a team to travel to our next tour spot. We pulled up to the next location and saw the London Bridge and the Tower of London. We took a tour all around the Tower of London. This was an incredible tour where we got to get a close look at the Crown Jewels, a beautiful display of crowns that belonged to different rulers in English history. It was amazing to be that close. We also walked into a different section of the castle and saw the torture chamber room where we read about the different machines that were used during the torturing that occurred there. That was definitely scary to see. Next, we headed toward the "Bloody Tower" where we climbed the stairs to reach the rooms where prisoners were kept. We finished the tour by seeing a section of the Tower where different people lived. We saw a bedroom and a throne. It was so crazy walking into the exact spot where so much happened so long ago. When we reached the top of the stairs we got a great view of the London Bridge where we spent some time taking photos.
After the tour we headed to dinner where we had fish and chips. It was a cozy place where we could watch cricket and listen to a train go by above the restaurant. Â Overall the day was very exciting and educational. The experience at the Tower of London was my favorite part. It was interesting being so close to important places and artifacts in history. Thanks for reading and stay tuned for more exciting days ahead!
Â
Another exciting day in London is in the books for the Trojans!
— USC Women's Soccer (@USC_WSoccer) June 4, 2019
Hear from @natalieejacobs as she recaps all the sights: https://t.co/a7no6scCfK#FightOn | #SCFrance19 pic.twitter.com/KANIp34C0o
June 4 - Taylor McMorrow (JR, F, Newport Coast, Calif./Corona del Mar HS)
On June 4th we spent the day touring Windsor Castle. Windsor Castle is the oldest castle in the world and is occupied by the Queen various times throughout the year. Here we were able to learn a lot of facts about the royal family and see a part of their home. After a few hours of touring the castle, we had lunch across the street at a placed called Harte & Garter. We enjoyed some yummy chicken with potatoes. We discussed all the parts of the Castle we found interesting and little tidbits we had learned.
Â
From there we returned to the hotel by bus. We had free time for the remainder of the evening. So for dinner a few of us went into Soho. We ate at an Italian restaurant and tried various pasta dishes. It was absolutely delicious! From there we walked around a few stores where we ran into some of our other teammates! We then decided to get some gelato and call it a night. Overall, today was a great day exploring London!
June 5 - Ashleigh Plumptre (JR, MF, Nottinghamshire, England/The Becket School)
It's Wednesday, June 5th. We started the day like every other so far with a fantastic full English breakfast in the hotel. After breakfast, we left on the bus to the Emirates Stadium, the home of Arsenal Football Club. As a supporter myself, it was great to hear about the history of the club and, more importantly, learn more about my favorite player, Thierry Henry. We got to go inside the changing rooms, sit in the home dugout and visit the director's lounge where we heard more about "the invincibles" and their 49-game unbeaten streak back in the 2003-2004 season when they were managed by Arsene Wenger. I even got a sneaky picture with the Leicester shirt in the away changing rooms... I have dual alliances ;) After the tour, we had a chance to look inside the Arsenal museum and follow the team's success over the years.
Â
After the tour, we hopped back on the bus and drove down to South Bank, which is where the London Eye, the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben are all situated. The weather was great and we were given a few hours to roam around the area. A group of us decided to walk beside the River Thames to Borough Market. Borough Market is home to a variety of cultural vendors serving various international dishes, sweets and snacks. Here there were many opportunities to try out these foods, one of which included cricket crackers! We then walked back up the River Thames on the opposite side of the river this time, past the beautiful St Paul's Cathedral and Somerset House.
Â
We all regrouped at an Italian restaurant called Zizzis before driving over to our game against Baldon Ladies in Eltham, Bromley. We played in a small town outside of the city. It reminded me so much of the games I would play growing up on the local fields. It was great to have the freshmen play in a game with the rest of us for the first time. A lot of them got some goals too!
Â
My turn on the blog brings our part of the trip in England to a close before we head to Paris tomorrow. These past few days have and always will be very memorable for me. Not only have I been able to experience some landmarks that I had never been to before, but I got to experience all of this with some of my closest friends. Although England is very different to America, especially Southern California, it has made me so happy to hear some of my friends talk about how much they appreciate certain parts of England that they would never experience in America. Everyone is having a fantastic time and I'm so grateful for this opportunity!
Â
The Trojans have wrapped up the English leg of the trip and our resident Brit, @ashplumptre, took to the blog to tell us about the experience so far!
— USC Women's Soccer (@USC_WSoccer) June 6, 2019
Read more here: https://t.co/a7no6scCfK #FightOn | #SCFrance19 pic.twitter.com/oJ901xwldf
June 6-7 - Jalen Woodward (JR, MF, Seattle, Wash./Seattle Prep)
On June 6th, a 7:30 a.m. wake up call after a long day of touring emirates stadium, walking through London, and playing a game made for quite the morning. After eating breakfast and checking out of our hotel, we set out for the train station where we traveled from London to Paris. The train ride consisted of sleeping, eating, music, some card games, and games on the phone, particularly Flippy race (it's a good one if you need a new game). The ride was about two hours and upon arrival we were met by another program tour host who then directed us to our bus, or coach—which is apparently the same thing over here? Not to be confused with our coaches as in Keidane, Jason, and Sammy of course. Anyways, as we arrived at our hotel we were given our keys and instructed to go up to our rooms, change, and report down for practice. After practice we walked to the hotel and got showered for dinner. At dinner my table enjoyed a nice game of contact. It was quite the laugh. After our lovely meal we headed up to bed to get a good night's rest for what tomorrow will bring!Â
Â
On June 7th, we awoke and attended breakfast where many of us had our first French croissant! It was everything we had ever dreamed of and more. After that, we ventured out on a bus tour of the city of Paris and saw a number of famous and historical monuments and places. The selfie stick made a special appearance at a number of locations. One of which in particular was the Notre Dame cathedral that had recently partially burned down. After a bus tour to gather our surroundings followed by a walk throughout the city to relax different parts, we went to dinner at hippopotamus where we ate chicken, rice, and got ready to attend the opening game of the women's World Cup. Crowds were piled up and we maneuvered our way into the line and through security. We found our seats just in time to watch the opening ceremonies. The music, dancing, and atmosphere was unreal. We watched France defeated South Korea 4-0 and we watched a number of unbelievable goals. After the game we made the walk back to the restaurant where the bus picked us up and headed back to the hotel after a long day of activities.
Â
The Trojans are in France and taking in the sights, which included the opening game of the @FIFAWWC!
— USC Women's Soccer (@USC_WSoccer) June 10, 2019
Hear from @jalenwoodward12 in our latest blog post here: https://t.co/WBsHZGquRA#FightOn | #SCFrance19 pic.twitter.com/cQUIakckYI
June 8Â - Savannah DeMelo (R-SO, MF, Bellflower, Calif./St. Joseph HS)
Today we had a pretty early start to the day with breakfast at 8 a.m. After finishing up breakfast, we boarded our bus and headed to the soccer field to partake in a voluntary coaching clinic with a local soccer club called Athletic Club de Boulogne-Billancourt. Here we were able to coach girls from the ages of 5-12. We did some passing and dribbling drills, and then ended with playing to goal. At the end we took a big group picture and some individual ones with the kids. At around 11 a.m. we boarded our bus and headed to the city of Versailles. We had lunch at around 12:30 p.m. at a banderillas restaurant in Versailles. After lunch we headed over to the Palace of Versailles and walked in and around it until 6:30 p.m. We learned a lot about French history while walking through the state apartments and beautiful art galleries in the palace. My personal favorite, though, was walking/wheeling around the gardens. The famous Versailles gardens stretched for miles with beautiful statues, flowers, and lakes. At 6:30 p.m. we headed back to our hotel to have dinner and get an early night's rest! Au revoir!!
Â
After a coaching clinic in the morning and the Palace of Versailles in the afternoon, @Savannah_DeMelo takes us through another day in France for the Trojans!
— USC Women's Soccer (@USC_WSoccer) June 11, 2019
Read more here: https://t.co/a7no6scCfK#FightOn | #SCFrance19 pic.twitter.com/se76gCVioS
June 9 - Samantha Bruder (R-SO, MF, Bell Canyon, Calif./Oaks Christian HS)
Today, we woke up bright and early to get a head start on the day. We ate a wonderful French breakfast and were off to our second friendly match. After a 3-1 win versus the Owls, we shook hands and made our way back to the hotel. Showers were a must as we smelled like cleats and sweat. Don't worry, we cleaned up nicely. Then, we took a coach (bus) to the Eiffel Tower. As we ascended up, some of us were more scared than others. However, the view from the top was like no other. But the best part was being able to share these memories with the best teammates and staff. After we made it back to the ground, we went to dinner at Le Petit Caillou, where we had the best meal. There was not a single thing on anyone's plate when we were finished. After dinner, we drove back towards the Eiffel Tower to explore. Many of us got ice cream and crepes and others got berets. Finally at 10 p.m. the Eiffel Tower lit up and we were all amazed. By the time we arrived back at the hotel, we were all ready for bed.Â
Â
A friendly in the morning and the Eiffel Tower in the evening!@BruderSamantha takes us through another iconic day in Paris: https://t.co/a7no6scCfK#FightOn | #SCFrance19 pic.twitter.com/lcHpdGb7rf
— USC Women's Soccer (@USC_WSoccer) June 13, 2019
June 10 - Jessica Haidet (SO, D, Atlanta, Ga./Pace Academy)
On Monday, June 10th, we began our day with an 8 a.m. breakfast. After eating some more yummy croissants, we headed to the Louvre! Once we got through the line, we first walked towards the Mona Lisa. On the way, we saw the Nike sculpture, which we were told was the inspiration behind the Nike brand. There was a big line & crowd for the Mona Lisa, but we waited until we got to the front to take some great pictures. We also saw the Coronation of Napoleon, a sculpture of Venus, and many other works of art.Â
Â
After this, we headed to Zebulon for a yummy lunch of chicken and potatoes. We were then allowed to either explore around the Eiffel Tower or go on a boat tour on the Seine River. Both groups were very pleased with their free time! Many shopped around Champs Elysees, one of the most famous shopping streets in Paris, and others enjoyed beautiful views of the Eiffel Tower and other landmarks aboard the boat.Â
Â
Finally, at the end of the day, we went to our second World Cup game in Paris. Argentina and Japan were playing and we had some pretty great seats. The game ended up being an interesting match, even with no goals scored, due to the very different styles of soccer played by the two teams. Argentina was physical and aggressive in their defending, while Japan was crafty and quick, but neither was able to produce. After a number of good chances for Japan, the game ended in a 0-0 draw.Â
Â
At the end of this long but amazing day, we all returned to the hotel, ready for dinner and some sleep.Â
Â
.@jessica_haidet recaps the Trojans' second #FIFAWWC game and another day of sightseeing in Paris!
— USC Women's Soccer (@USC_WSoccer) June 14, 2019
Blog: https://t.co/a7no6scCfK#FightOn | #SCFrance19 pic.twitter.com/8gnjF0bNzl
June 11 - Arlie Jones (SO, MF, Las Vegas, Nev./Bishop Gorman HS)
Day 11! As the trip is coming to an end, there is still one experience that everyone is extremely excited for, the USA vs Thailand World Cup game. The game is in Reims, France, which is about a two hour drive to the east of Paris. This morning we ate breakfast at the hotel, then headed to Reims on our bus. Upon arrival, we had lunch at a local restaurant and then we were given a few hours of free time to spend roaming the city. Some girls went off to see the Notre Dame of Reims, some went to the center of the city to shop, and others sat at a cafe and relaxed. After enjoying our own time in the city, we checked into our new hotel and ate a nice, big dinner around 6 pm.
With food in our bellies and a lot of USA spirit among us, we set off on foot to the game. During our walk, we were accompanied by hundreds of other U.S. team supporters and began to really feel the excitement. We arrived an hour early to watch the warm ups and buy last minute fan gear. The game was sold out, with around 22,000 fans attending, most of which were from the states. The atmosphere was absolutely insane and the result of the game was even better. We witnessed history! The U.S. scored 13 goals, breaking the record for the greatest amount of goals scored in a single world cup. It was an experience we will never forget!
Â
The final day of the trip was an amazing one as the Trojans got to witness history made by the @USWNT!@arlie_jones talks about the experience here: https://t.co/a7no6rV1oc#FightOn | #SCFrance19 pic.twitter.com/7FetMt2bLQ
— USC Women's Soccer (@USC_WSoccer) June 15, 2019
June 12/Trip Recap - Kaylie Collins (R-SO, GK, Clayton, Calif./Carondelet HS)
And just like that, our European adventure comes to a close! 12 days of seeing historical landmarks, meeting new people, witnessing a World Cup, learning about countries and cultures different from our own… we managed to do it all.
Â
I think what made this trip so special and important for this team is that it was much more than just another soccer trip. On a typical trip, we have this lens of competitiveness, where we don't always see the places we stay beyond being a place to compete. The same goes for how we bond on a typical trip. On this trip, we really got see each other and these countries for what they were, beyond just a place to compete or people to compete with. An experience like this one is what makes a team a family :) It was so awesome to be able to welcome in our new freshmen this way. Sitting down together at every meal made time for us to start getting to know each of them before we even got in to playing.
Â
Each day brought something new and exciting to the trip, making it difficult to pick a favorite day. But one part that I personally thought was particularly cool about the trip was seeing how soccer was treated outside the U.S. As we drove through the small towns, you could always find makeshift fields or kids playing on the pavement. At the stadium tour, we saw how passionate people were about their teams that they supported and how it could be someone's whole life. Coming from a place where soccer is just another sport, it was such a crazy feeling to be in a place where it got so much love and attention, ESPECIALLY being in those packed World Cup stadiums! The energy of the trip as a whole was what made it so special, and I'm so grateful that I got to experience it with my best friends.
Women's Soccer - USC 2, Rutgers 1: Highlights (09/28/25)
Sunday, September 28
Women's Soccer - USC 3, Maryland 0: Highlights (09/25/2025)
Thursday, September 25
Women's Soccer - USC 2, Michigan 1: Highlights (09/18/2025)
Thursday, September 18
Women's Soccer - USC 0, Washington 1: Highlights
Thursday, September 11
