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MATCH
MATCH
vs EAGLE FC / SUN, MAY 24
7:00PM EDT at PENN MED PARK
7:00PM EDT at PENN MED PARK
Founded in 2008, Lancaster Inferno has become a cornerstone of women’s soccer in Central Pennsylvania – focused on developing players and creating pathways to the next level. That mission was fully on display on May 9 during the Kick It Forward Cup against Richmond Ivy, when multiple players from within the club’s developmental system earned opportunities with the senior team in a high-level pre-professional environment.
Competing in the USL W League, Lancaster Inferno features top collegiate talent alongside former and aspiring professionals. More than 23 former players have gone on to sign professional contracts, while the club continues to provide local athletes with a direct pathway from youth soccer to the pre-professional level.
What makes the club unique is its fully connected player pathway – beginning with the all-girls youth academy, continuing through the U19 USL Academy team, the U23 squad, and ultimately the senior USL W League side. Every level is aligned to support long-term player development and progression.
That structure came to life at the Kick It Forward Cup in front of over 5,000 fans.
Hosted by Richmond Ivy at City Stadium in Richmond, Virginia, the event served as a community-focused charity match benefiting RVAccess and Now I Can Northeast Intensive Pediatric Physical Therapy. Proceeds from the match supported both nonprofit organizations, helping raise awareness and funding for children with disabilities and developmental needs.
For the match, Lancaster Inferno selected four players from its U19 USL Academy and one player from its U23 squad to compete alongside experienced college athletes and senior first-team players.
Those players included:
The match itself ended in a hard-fought 3-2 loss for Inferno, but the result only told part of the story. The game showcased the depth of young talent within the organization, with academy and pathway players competing alongside and against some of the top collegiate players in the country.
Inferno co-captain Rachel Eberly, a George Mason University alum, opened the scoring in the 55th minute off an assist from First Team player Noelle Clabaugh, a University of South Carolina commit. Later, in the 91st minute, the Inferno pipeline delivered another memorable moment when high school sophomore Ava LeMay assisted Clabaugh for Inferno’s second goal.
The sequence perfectly captured what Lancaster Inferno has worked to build: young academy players earning opportunities, gaining meaningful experience, and making an impact at the highest level within the club.
The roster also featured several players who previously developed through the Inferno pathway, including Annabelle Wunderlich (USC Upstate) who progressed through both the academy and U23 system before reaching the first team.
“Opportunities like this are exactly why we launched our academy,” said Francisco Cleaves. “The goal has always been to create a pathway for players to continue developing within our club. To see academy players earning these experiences so early on says a lot about the work being done by our staff and the commitment from the players and families involved.”
For many clubs, the idea of a player pathway is simply a concept. For Lancaster Inferno, the Kick It Forward Cup showed it in action. From youth academy players sharing the field with veteran leaders, to a sophomore midfielder assisting a future University of South Carolina player in stoppage time, the match highlighted exactly what the organization strives to provide: a complete pathway for female athletes to grow, compete, and advance within the game.
