The U18 team played its first game of the 2012-13 U.S. Soccer Development Academy Finals Week on Sunday, so much of the day was spent preparing.
After breakfast, the teams attended a welcome session. Lunch then followed, and the players then returned to their rooms to rest or received treatment from the trainer.
Ahead of the pregame meal, players and staff trickled down into a common area to play videogames and board games. A game of Jenga between coaches Bryan Scales and Karl Spratt became particularly compelling, drawing a crowd of Revolution and other teams’ players. Spratt came away as champion, but in good, competitive fun, Scales continues to question the legitimacy of his tactics.
The bus departed for the field around 7 p.m., but lightning in the area stopped played in the earlier games multiple times. Ultimately, the Revs kicked off an hour later than expected.
The Revs suffered a dramatic 3-2 loss in its opening game of Finals Week., giving up a pair of late goals to Shattucks-Saint Mary’s. A game recap is available on revolutionsoccer.net. 
A quiet bus ride later, the team arrived at the dorms and had a postgame meal before returning to their rooms.
With a rest day tomorrow, the Under-18s will play their second game of Finals Week against De Anza Force (Calif.) on Tuesday, July 16, at 7 p.m. ET.