Kirtland to defend title at military soccer tournament Published Aug. 25, 2014 By Kendahl Johnson 377th Air Force Base Public Affairs KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. -- The Kirtland varsity soccer team is heading to San Antonio Labor Day weekend to defend its championship title at the Defenders Cup. Thirty-six teams will compete in this year's Defender's Cup, the military's version of the World Cup, where teams from all over the country compete to put their claim on the title. Kirtland won the tournament last year, mounting a furious comeback in the final minutes of the championship game to edge FE Warren Air Force Base, Wyo., and capture first-place honors. "Despite losing a couple of key players, we look even stronger this year," said Tech. Sgt. James Swenson, who returns as one of the team's coaches. "We have been working hard and expect to be highly competitive, despite other teams gunning for us as returning champs." Returning to the team is Peter Miller, who won the Golden Boot Award last year as the tournament's highest scoring player. However, the team will be without defender Jeremiah Kirschman, who is recovering from knee surgery. Kirschman won the Defensive Player of the Tournament award last year. Kirtland will face Barksdale Aug. 29 in the first game of the tournament. They will also face Moody, a team that gave them trouble last year, in the group stage. "We are hoping to get out of the group stage in first place, as the top eight seeds get a bye in the knockout stage and rest is extremely beneficial following three games in the Texas heat," Swenson said.