Texas Girls (6A) High School Match of The Week: Allen vs Prosper

DALLAS, Texas - On a cold and wet Tuesday night, this week's “match of the week” saw two of the top undefeated teams in Texas go head-to-head in a highly anticipated district matchup. The Allen Eagles traveled across town to take on the Prosper Eagles, with the top spot in District 5 up for grabs in this edition of the “Battle of the Birds”.    Despite a 45-minute lighting delay midway through the first half, there was a high level of intensity. This game lived up to the hype surrounding it, and both teams were deadlocked at 1-1 after 80 minutes. The match eventually came down to a penalty shootout to decide who took home the 2 points (a win in penalties is worth 2 points and a loss in penalties is worth 1). In the end, it was Prosper's junior keeper Maggie Manning who was the hero; saving two penalties to secure the win for her Eagles.   [player_tooltip player_id='26516' first='Ava' last='McDonald'] is a nightmare for defenders. She has loads of pace, physicality, and raw talent. She has incredible agility and can get up to full speed from a stop very quickly. Her deft forward runs are frequent, well-timed, and dangerous. The main feature of Ava's game is her uncanny ability to find the back of the net. Ava can score in so many ways, but her capacity to score breakaways and 1v1's truly sets her apart. On the defensive side, Ava is fantastic at pressuring the opposing team. At times, she can press a back four more effectively by herself than some teams can with 2 up top. Prosper's freshman defender [player_tooltip player_id='27199' first='Rhiannon' last='Mahon'] did an excellent job in slowing down and shutting down McDonald during the game. Mahon is the No. 1 defender in Texas in the class of 2026.   [player_tooltip player_id='26346' first='Melania' last='Fullerton'] is a technical center midfielder with great vision and passing abilities. She has a great soccer IQ and plays the game at a high level. Her skill on the ball, powerful strike from distance, and tremendous passing make her an ideal no. 10. Melania sees the field very well and keeps her head on a swivel. Her strike has some venom in it and she isn't shy about unleashing it. Melania's accurate delivery makes her a prime candidate to take set-pieces, which she demonstrated by providing an assist from a corner on Allen's only goal.   Junior, [player_tooltip player_id='27277' first='Sydney' last='Williams'] is a tall, athletic, and talented center back. Sydney is a formidable 1v1 defender with solid marking and tracking capabilities. She uses her height and body well to get position on opposing players. Sydney has a significant vertical that aids in her exceptional ability in the air, making her a major threat on attacking set pieces. She showed off her aerial ability by scoring a header for Allen off a corner in the first half.   [player_tooltip player_id='54813' first='Olivia' last='Hess'] is a midfielder with an eye for goal and the composure to produce in big moments. She has the athleticism and delivery to play out wide on the wings. Olivia is efficient and composed in front of goal, and is the type of player who only needs one chance to get her name on the score sheet. Late in the second half, Hess showed how calm she is in big moments when she stepped up and nailed a penalty to tie it up and send the game to penalties.   [player_tooltip player_id='46285' first='Samantha' last='Cortez'] has a soft touch and solid technical abilities all around. She sees the field around her very well, enabling her to play quickly and anticipate, rather than react. Cortez's shooting ability gives her immense value, as she continually contributes goals from the midfield and set pieces. Anytime she is over a set piece in the attacking third it has a chance to go in.   Prosper's Junior Centerback and captain, Beya Rosales, stands out for her skill and leadership. Beya is a sizeable center-back who uses her frame well to win aerial duels and challenge for 50/50 balls. Her understanding of space and body positioning are fantastic. She was nearly always the one to come out and win the first ball and dominated in the air around her box.   Senior Goal-Keeper [player_tooltip player_id='26324' first='Claireese' last='Foley'] played great all night. She showed off her athleticism and shot-stopping abilities by making several key saves and held Allen's dynamic attack to just one goal. Claireese is strong and confident when she comes off her line. Her great hands allow her to hang on to balls that many other keepers her age would have to parry. Foley was the evening's MOTM for her outstanding performance in the shootout, where she saved two penalties.     [player_tooltip player_id='26516' first='Ava' last='McDonald'], Sophomore, Forward,  FC Dallas 06 ECNL   [player_tooltip player_id='26346' first='Melania' last='Fullerton'], Senior, Midfielder, FC Dallas U17 ECNL   [player_tooltip player_id='27277' first='Sydney' last='Williams'], Senior, Defender, DKSC ECNL   [player_tooltip player_id='46285' first='Samantha' last='Cortez'], Senior, Midfielder, FC Dallas U18/19 ECNL   Beya Rosales, Junior, Defender, Dallas Texans U17 ECNL   [player_tooltip player_id='26324' first='Claireese' last='Foley'], Senior, Goal-Keeper, DKSC ECNL 05/04   [player_tooltip player_id='54813' first='Olivia' last='Hess'], Sophomore, Forward, Dallas Texans U17 ECNL