Archer strikes gold in Guyana

The national flag of Guyana swirled around the soccer field at Providence Stadium, passing from one excited women's national soccer team member to another.

Thousands of fans danced in celebration, and car horns echoed through the nearby streets of Georgetown.

In South America, this is the way history is commemorated -- with loud music and unbridled merriment.

And even for a young midfielder like 19-year-old Northern Virginia Majestics phenom Shondel Archer, who was discovering what it's like to play international soccer for the first time, it was easy to understand the significance of her team's 3-1 victory over Cuba.

"I have never experienced anything like it before," she said. "The crowd was going wild. I feel like a lot of heart goes into representing a country. It's a different atmosphere."

Playing in the capital city of the country where her parents, Otis and Simone, were born, Archer shared in the revelry as Guyana's first women's soccer team rallied from a one-goal deficit to secure the final qualifying berth for November's eight-team Gold Cup in Cancun.

"It was a great honor. I take a lot of pride in it," the 2009 Woodbridge High School graduate said. "When I first went down there, I was a little nervous, but it was a lot of fun. I loved it once I started playing. It's a really nice team. They welcome players very easily."

The fans embrace them easily, too.

Though the national team was formed just 13 months ago, the players are already recognized as celebrities and have been guests of President Bharrat Jagdeo at the landmark Pegasus Hotel.

"This is all new to me," said Archer, a University of Richmond sophomore who has appeared in two matches for the fledgling national team. "My parents have always talked about Guyana, but that was the first time I'd ever been there. It was really exciting and fun to finally see it on my own.

"It's a lot different. I have to give [my parents] credit because it looks like it was pretty tough. I don't even know what to compare it to."

In the capital of Georgetown, a coastal city of the Republic of Guyana that borders the Atlantic Ocean, Archer is a third-generation star -- a legacy that dates back to her grandfather, Patrick Legall, who is still regarded as one of the country's most famous cricket players and managers.

However, thanks to Archer and her teammates, soccer is beginning to rival cricket in popularity.

The women's team, known in Guyana as the "Lady Jags," has won eight of 10 international matches since its inception last year and also qualified to play in the Central America and Caribbean Games beginning July 22 in Puerto Rico -- its final competition prior to the Gold Cup.

As a dual citizen of the United States and Guyana, Archer was invited to join the team for a two-game Caribbean playoff against Cuba to determine the final Gold Cup berth.

She wound up playing defense during a 1-0 loss in Cuba on June 26, but started at outside midfield in the rematch July 3 in Guyana.

"It's been a crazy journey," Archer said. "Cuba was my first time out of the country. It was pretty cool."

The trip to Guyana was even better.

Needing to defeat Cuba by two goals in the rematch, Guyana struck for three unanswered goals to erase an early deficit and then stopped a penalty kick in the final minutes to clinch a spot in a Gold Cup field that also includes the United States, Canada, Mexico, Haiti, Trinidad & Tobago, Guatemala and Costa Rica.

"At the end of the game, we didn't know if we'd qualified because of the goal differential. When we found out we went crazy," Archer said. "When we went down a goal, we had a meeting at midfield and said, 'We have to do this. We have to represent the country. Our fans are out here watching us.' And we came back. We made history for Guyana."

A few months from now, the Lady Jags will attempt to add to their legacy. If they can finish among the top three teams in the Gold Cup, Guyana will qualify for the 2011 World Cup in Germany.

Until then, Archer will prepare for her sophomore season at the University of Richmond, where she led the Spiders in scoring with 16 points and earned Atlantic 10 Conference All-Rookie honors last fall.

There is a lot to look forward to on home soil, as well.

In August, she'll be reunited with former Woodbridge teammate Kristen Lybert as the Spiders begin the season at home against James Madison University.

"We've been talking about it ever since I left. I can't wait until she comes," said Archer, who has been recognized by TopDrawerSoccer.com as one of the top six sophomores in the Atlantic 10.

"I feel like she's going to make a pretty big impact. Us together is going to be great," she said. "We have a pretty young team, so I think we can really build. From the end of the fall season to the spring season we've already changed a lot. I think we're a lot stronger already."

Archer feels the same way about the Guyana national team, which has already exceeded every expectation in its first season together.

On a squad comprised mainly of collegiate players from Canada and the U.S., she is a newcomer to the international scene. But the celebrations, it turns out, are pretty addicting.

"As long as they want me, I will play for them," Archer said. "Qualifying for the Gold Cup is a really big accomplishment and a great experience. I would have never pictured myself playing for an international team. Then this opportunity came up, and it's been crazy. I get to play for my parent's country. It's phenomenal."