One of the nation’s top traveling soccer clubs will be in Bowling Green this weekend to showcase its talent.

The Eagles SC, an Under-23 club based in Camarillo, Calif., will be at Lovers Lane Soccer Complex starting today, playing in hopes of winning their fourth age-specific national championship.

“There’s so many other coaches with really strong clubs across the country that wanted their girls to compete in this, but they can’t get their girls to commit to it,” coach Vince Thomas said. “I think what makes our group unique is that these girls just love playing together. In fact, I asked one of the players from UCLA – she got hurt in one of our games – I asked her, ‘Why are you doing this? You don’t really need to do this.’ She just said, ‘I love playing with this team. This is one of my favorite teams ever to play with and any chance I get to play I want to play.’ She kind of said it all in that statement.”

The stop at Lovers Lane is the Final Four for the National Cup. The Eagles SC will face the D’Feeters out of Dallas while the Southhampton Crunch from Philadelphia will play the K.C. Dynamos from Kansas. Both matches are scheduled for 5 p.m. today, with Sunday’s championship game to be played at 1 p.m.

The Eagles hold championship wins from 2004, 2007 and 2009. Seven years ago they claimed an Under 14 title, followed by an Under 17 championship in ’07 and an Under 23 title last summer.

They are six-time Cal South State champions (2004, 2007-11) and a two-time state finalist (2005-06).

“It is amazing what this team has accomplished starting when they were just 13,” Thomas said. “And now – as young women – they have a chance to do what no other team ever has. To win a fourth national title would secure their legacy.”

While the talent pool is deep, there are some players that stand out on the field. Goalkeeper Chante Sandiford (Owings Mills, Md.) starts for UCLA in the college game while Kelsea Smith (Pepperdine; Camarillo, Calif.), Amelia Mathis (UCLA; Ventura, Calif.) and Courtney Goodson (Ramona, Calif.) – who became UC Irvine’s first ever All-American in women’s soccer – anchor the defense.

Lindsay Bullock (Long Beach State; Manhattan Beach, Calif.) and Judy Christopher (UC Irvine; Ontario, Calif.) control the midfield, Amanda Lisberger (Texas; Pacific Palisades, Calif.) is a scoring threat up top and has been on each national championship team and forward Emily Cressy is one of the top players in the nation.

Thomas said all that talent was nice, but he pointed to one key factor going into today’s contest.

“I think it’s just experience,” he said. “Last year we played (the D’feeters) and came out too slow and they got up on us. We had to change the game and we came back and won the game. But I think it’s very important we come out fast (today) and that we actually score. If we do that, with our experience, I believe we’ll come out on top.”

The Eagles are: Haley Boysen (USC; Moorpark, Calif.), Charney Burk (UCLA; North Tustin, Calif.), Ally Courtnall (UCLA; Thousand Oaks, Calif.), Emily Cressy (Kansas; Ventura, Calif.), Sid Garza (Long Beach State; Camarillo, Calif.), Lauren Jackson (Kansas; Long Beach, Calif.), Amanda Katz (Cal State-Fullerton; Granada Hills, Calif.), Kelsey Kraft (Oklahoma; Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.), Shannon McFadden (Washington State; Ventura, Calif.) and Monique Pendleberry (UC Irvine; Newbury Park, Calif.).