ECNL Dallas: 17s – Day 1 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 Saturday, the first day of the event, we were at the Toyota Soccer Center, in Frisco, where we got to watch eight matches in the 17s age group:
Atlanta Fire United 0 – 6 Real Colorado National
The top player in Colorado in the age group according to our rankings, Ballek was simply unstoppable against Atlanta Fire United, leading Real Colorado National to a ruthless 6-0 victory with a hat-trick. Every time the forward got on the ball something happened as Atlanta’s defenders had no answer to her complete skill set. Ballek was excellent at finding ways to get on the ball, be it by using her body to shield it from defenders or by drifting to wider positions. Her dribbling was very efficient and she also created chances through combination plays with her teammates. Ballek was also very precise when finishing from distance, scoring two goals from outside the penalty box.
Highlights
If Ballek was Real Colorado National’s offensive standout, Fassora shone just as much on the backline. The team’s defensive general, she led their backline efforts with a strong and reliable game. The center back was very vocal during the match, making adjustments and keeping her teammates connected in the game, but also stepped up to cover them and stop plays when she had to. Fassora’s distribution out of the back was very effective too and she also contributed offensively with her free kicks, sending some into the penalty box and others directly to the goal.
Seattle United 0 – 0 Sting Austin
If the match ended in a scoreless tie, Seattle United’s backline deserves a lot of credit for it as the team’s center back duo of Franklin and Alexandra Tay was extremely solid from start to finish. The team played with a very high defensive line and on several occasions successfully used the ‘offside trap’ strategy, keeping Franklin as the deepest player on the field. She was very good with her positioning and also displayed great mobility to track back and cover when a Sting Austin attacker managed to remain onside. The center back also did very well in 1v1 duels, keeping the opposing forwards away from the penalty box.
Ferrell played a very important role for Sting Austin, appearing well on both sides of the ball from her midfield role. She worked hard on the defensive side of the game, forming a strong partnership with fellow midfielder Kylie Snell Kylie Snell D TX . She was also very involved when the team had possession, distributing the ball from her central position and dropping back to get it from the center backs when she had to. Ferrell also had a strong presence in the attacking half, connecting vertical passes in the final third, making good runs through the middle and doing a very good job with set pieces.
Highlights
Solar SC 2 – 1 World Class FC
McCammon scored the game-winning goal in Solar’s 2-1 victory off the rebound of a free kick, but her importance to the team in the match went well beyond that. Playing as a central midfielder, she was an offensive hub for the team, taking the ball from the center backs and getting it to the attacking players with great efficiency. McCammon’s passing was very precise and intelligent and she also made good runs with and without the ball. The midfielder also provided great defensive coverage for the team, winning duels in the middle and helping shield the backline.
Haesche did a very good job of limiting Solar’s potent offense to just two goals. She was under constant pressure during the match and handled it extremely well, making really impressive saves and denying several goalscoring opportunities to her opponents. The goalkeeper was very solid in the air, dealing with corner kicks and crosses with great safety, and was also very quick to leave the goal and make stops when Solar forward managed to beat World Class’s defenders. Haesche was a little unlucky on Solar’s game-winning goal as she made a magnificent save on a free kick, but saw the ball hit the post and fall for McCammon to score.
Match Fit Academy 3 – 0 Midwest FC
Cerulo was excellent for Match Fit Academy, operating as the team’s midfield maestro with great success. The left-footed midfielder dominated the central area of the field with her intelligent and elegant game and kept the team in a rhythm during the match. Cerulo did a very good job of creating space with her dribbling and was even better with her passing, connecting several one-touch passes and finding teammates open. She assisted on two of the team’s three goals with accurate crosses from outside the penalty box that found attackers in a good position to score.
Highlights
Buono was an excellent midfield partner for Cerulo as she did all the dirty work and freed her teammate up to make a difference offensively. She was very dynamic in her defensive midfielder role and did a very good job of winning the ball back, at times even using physical moves against taller and stronger players. Buono’s positioning was impeccable all match and she displayed great vision, quickly identifying potentially vulnerable spots and covering them. She also did a solid job on the ball, connecting good passes and making switches with great precision.
Colorado Rapids 3 – 4 Richmond United
Sierra Bennett
Sierra Bennett
Bennett was a very important piece in the Rapids’ offensive system. She spent most of the time playing as an attacking midfielder, but also moved up top for part of the match, displaying good versatility. Bennett circulated very well in the final third and always placed herself in good spots to get on the ball. When in possession, she was very intelligent and precise with her passes, facilitating the creation of chances. Another interesting aspect of her game was how well she pressed opposing defenders as on several occasions she got to win the ball back in dangerous areas and on others she forced them to play long.
Kira Moore
Kira Moore
Moore was extremely solid at Richmond United’s backline. Playing on the left side of the team’s back three, she displayed great positioning and interesting physical tools to shut down her side of the field, giving the team’s left wingback Bailey Altizer a lot of freedom to push forward. Moore was solid when she had to win duels facing opponents and also did a very good job when she had to run back and chase passes sent behind her. The center back was also very calm on the ball and never rushed plays, connecting good passes from the back.
Challenge SC 0 – 2 SLSG Navy
Powers was a handful for Challenge defenders with her physical and skilled game up top. She did a very good job of getting on the end on long balls and used her body to shield it from opponents, being very difficult to dispossess. Powers also created problems with her ability to make turns on defenders as once she got going toward the penalty box, she was very difficult to stop. She had a good presence inside the penalty box, but also displayed great quality to get the ball on the wings and make plays.
Highlights
Pazahanick was Challenge’s most consistent player, keeping a solid level of play from start to finish. Challenge’s defensive system relies a lot on her ability to cover ground and stop plays from her defensive midfielder position and she worked hard to get the job done. Pazahanick reads plays very well and often comes out of nowhere to cover her teammates and win the ball. She also contributed offensively with solid passing and good deliveries in set pieces.
Highlights
Pittsburgh Riverhounds 0 – 3 Sporting Blue Valley
Sant was instrumental in Sporting Blue Valley’s dominant performance, playing with great energy in midfield and making a difference on both sides of the ball. She worked as hard as anyone defensively and on several occasions sprinted back to stop Pittsburgh’s transition plays, besides making great pressure when defending in a higher block. The midfielder was also very active offensively, making quick runs through the middle and connecting intelligent vertical passes that would, at times, break multiple lines.
Highlights
Yu came off the bench during the first half and her presence made things easier for Sporting Blue Valley. Opposing defenders had a hard time dealing with her physical presence up top and that opened up space for her teammates to create chances. Yu scored the team’s first goal in the match with a header after a free kick in a moment in which the match was still very open and even. She also spent some time on the wings and displayed good dribbling ability and pace.
Highlights
FC Dallas 2 – 0 Portland Thorns
Fresh from helping the US triumph in the Concacaf Women’s Under-17 Championship, McLanahan was a strong offensive piece for FC Dallas. A new face with the team, she was used as a striker and was a difference-maker up top. Because of her mobility, she always found ways to get on the ball in dangerous spots and was very difficult to stop. McLanahan dribbled the ball well with both feet, created chances for her teammates and scored a beautiful goal in the second half with a powerful left-footed finish.
FC Dallas’ skilled midfielder was excellent in her offensive role with the team, making good things when she got on the ball in the attacking half. A very technical player, Martinez is also very calm on the ball and that allows her to make very good decisions even when pressed by opponents. She dropped a little bit deeper to get on the ball on some occasions and did the most of the space, connecting good passes, and finding the wingers in good spots. She scored the team’s second goal.