ECNL Dallas: 15s – Day 2 Standouts
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The ECNL Girls League is hosting its sixth National Event of the season this week in Dallas and as many as 224 teams from all over the country flew to Texas to compete for three days against top-level opponents. Prep…
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Continue ReadingThe ECNL Girls League is hosting its sixth National Event of the season this week in Dallas and as many as 224 teams from all over the country flew to Texas to compete for three days against top-level opponents.
Prep Soccer is covering the event on-site and will each day focus on one age group, bringing a photo gallery and highlighting the top performers of the matches we get to attend. Positional standouts will be featured in the weeks following the event.
On Sunday, the second day of the event, we were at the MoneyGram Soccer Park, in Dallas, where we got to watch eight matches in the 15s age group:
Indy Eleven Pro Academy 0 – 2 Sting Dallas Royal
The outside back played a major role in Sting Dallas Royal’s victory, contributing with a goal and an assist – she scored in a beautiful shot from outside the penalty box. Pistorius spent time on both sides and was equally efficient. She was very offensive-minded and found ways to beat defenders and create chances, be it with runs near the sidelines or by combining with teammates and bringing the ball inside. She also played with good energy on the defensive side of the ball, making tackles and putting pressure on opponents.
Playing as a right-sided center back, Sexton was extremely solid for Sting Dallas Royal defensively. Her positioning was outstanding and helped her make several important defensive plays. The center back used her physical tools to prevail in 1v1 duels and was always in control when passes were sent behind her back. Sexton was also extremely calm and efficient in possession, playing good passes out of the back and displaying the skills and the confidence to dribble opponents when under pressure.
Highlights
Pride SC 0 – 3 Chicago Inter Soccer
Blain was very active in her box-to-box midfielder role with Chicago Inter. She covered a lot of ground defensively, helping protect the team’s backline and get a clean sheet, and was also very involved in the team’s offensive attempts. Blain had some very good runs through the middle, beating defenders in tight spaces and getting to the attacking half in no time with her dribbling. Her passing was also always very intelligent and efficient and she was very smart to take advantage of the space created by her dribbling to find open teammates.
Playing up top, Lambert was the main target of most of Chicago Inter’s offensive plays. She offered the team the possibility of playing long at times because of her ability to get on the end of long passes and control them. Lambert had a very strong presence inside the penalty box and did a very good job with her movement off the ball, often getting in good spots to finish chances. She also displayed the ability to drop deeper and engage in combination plays with her teammates.
FC Wisconsin 2 – 3 Classics Elite
Nguma was very effective up top, scoring two of Classics Elites’ three goals in the match – one of them in a penalty kick. She played more centrally and did a very good job of using her body to shield the ball and work with her back to the goal, getting passes from the midfielders and holding the ball to combine with them. The striker also moved well around and inside the penalty box and displayed a solid ability to finish chances.
Nagel was one of the most important players with FC Wisconsin, playing in midfield and getting involved with most of the team’s offensive attempts. She used her body well to shield the ball and win physical plays in the center of the field and made her presence felt there. Nagel had great chemistry with fellow midfielder Claire Weber and when the two got to combine, good things happened. She also scored in a free kick, sending the ball over the wall with great precision.
XF Academy 1 – 2 Dallas Texans
Cervantes scored the game-winning goal for the Dallas Texans off of a free kick in the final minute of the match and played a big role for the team in midfield. A very technical player, she understands the need to work hard without the ball and played with great energy and intensity on defense. Cervantes always looks very calm and confident on the field and is a player who is always ready to make big plays, especially when it involves her ability to pass the ball in the final third.
Highlights
Chapko was one of the most skilled players in her XF Academy team and most of their best moments in the final third involved her. She started the match playing as a deep-lying midfielder and her presence there improved the team’s ability to move the ball and keep control of the game. Chapko then moved to the right wing and created several problems for the Texans’ backline with her dribbling ability and her quick runs in behind.
Highlights
GSA 2 – 5 Albion Hurricanes FC
Corcoran was on fire on the left side of Albion Hurricanes FC’s attack against GSA. She created chance after chance with her runs down the flank and sent several dangerous crosses inside the penalty box – she was very intentional with her crosses, looking to the box first to try to find a teammate. Corcoran was very difficult to be stopped in her runs because of her ability to change directions and shield the ball. She also did a very good job of coming inside when the play was developing and getting on the end of crosses to finish.
Highlights
Gibson was very active offensively for Albion Hurricanes and helped facilitate several of the team’s attacking plays. Playing in a more central role in the team’s midfield, she got on the ball a lot and did a good job of creating chances. Gibson is very quick in her mind and very rarely keeps the ball for more than three touches, needing no time to decide what to do with it. She’s an intelligent passer, a skilled dribbler and can also finish chances from around and inside the penalty box.
Highlights
FC Dallas 1 – 2 PDA Blue
O’Neill and her PDA Blue teammates did a very good of limiting FC Dallas’ strong offense to a single goal. Playing in the middle of the team’s back three, she was everywhere and stood out with her excellent positioning as she was always one step ahead of the opponents when she needed to cover her teammates. O’Neill was also solid when defending the penalty box with headers and tackles, making some key stops during the match. She was very important for her team at the end of the second half, when FC Dallas pushed for an equalizer.
Highlights
FC Dallas also had a solid defender of their own in Morrow. She was dominant in the team’s backline and won several duels in the center of the field. With her team trailing during the entire second half, fellow center back Gray Rideaux Gray Rideaux D TX and her were exposed on multiple occasions and Morrow displayed great determination to win 1v1 duels, even if it took her multiple attempts to win the ball. She also tried to contribute to the team’s attacking efforts near the end by sending the ball into the penalty box from long-distance free kicks.
DKSC 0 – 0 PacNW SC
Lario was DKSC’s most active player in the final third and was probably the one who got the closest to scoring. She was mostly used on the right side and used her pace and dribbling ability to create chances from there, playing a very aggressive and direct game. Despite having those tools, she wasn’t a prototypical winger, displaying good creativity to come inside and make plays with her passing and her ability to combine with her teammates. Lario circulated well in the final third and got inside the penalty box to finish chances on some occasions.
Highlights
Marley Higgins
Marley Higgins
Higgins was probably the main responsible for the scoreless tie as the PacNW SC goalkeeper was demanded from the start of the game and kept her game consistent until the end. She had to deal with several shots and crosses and never lost focus, feeding from one save to make the next one. Very long and agile, Higgins was very safe when dealing with shots that targeted the upper corners. She also displayed great calm and confidence on the ball, playing safe and quick passes out of the back even when under pressure.
Concorde Fire Premier 1 – 6 Sting Dallas Black
Ronelyse Hartfield
Ronelyse Hartfield
With one goal and two assists, Hartfield was an integral part of Sting Dallas Black’s huge victory. Playing mostly on the left, she was a constant threat with her ability to run into space and get in behind the backline. Because she can use either foot to dribble, pass and finish, Hartfield is very difficult to defend and that showed against Concorde Fire Premier. She is surprisingly fast for a player of her size and uses her body extremely well to bounce defenders off and keep possession.
Addison Smith Addison Smith 5'5" | M Forney | 2027 TX
Addison Smith Addison Smith 5'5" | M Forney | 2027 TX
Smith led Sting Dallas Black’s offensive line and helped the team secure a comfortable win. Although she didn’t score, she registered an assist and did a very good job of getting involved with the team’s offensive plays. Smith was often the target of her team’s passes upfield and she displayed an interesting ability to get on the end of them and combine with her teammates. She also drifted to both wings and created chances from there with her pace and dribbling as well.