Florida defender, keepers make lasting impact

Three keepers and three defenders from Florida are finding a way to impact the game every time they step on the pitch. These six are excellent at what they do and are very deserving of the spotlight.   [player_tooltip player_id='111930' first='Emily' last='Baird'], Keeper, Florida Premier, Class of 2027   The Great Wall of Baird. Boy, is she tough to beat. She is lightning quick, she's decisive and reactive. She moves laterally so quickly that it's very hard to tuck a ball inside the posts on her. She gets long and seems to get her hand to everything. She really understands how to shrink the angle on an attacker. She's great at handling crosses and balls played in, playing very big and very brave and she is a fantastic shot stopper. She is also very good with distribution, picking out where to go with the ball and delivering an accurate ball.   [player_tooltip player_id='21344' first='Miranda' last='Dumornay'], Midfielder, Orlando City, Class of 2025   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepsoccer.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2024/09/IMG_6430-crop-1799x1182-1727393727.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-262085" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Photo: Samantha Balanovich</figcaption></figure>   Dumornay is an elite level player. She is an Elon commit and plays for the Puerto Rico youth national team. She is a versatile midfielder who plays the No. 10 and No. 6, excelling at both because of her ability to receive the ball well, her ability to occupy the right space and how quickly she can pivot and play a ball forward. She's very athletic, showing quick feet and agility. She operates well in tight areas as she can take on multiple defenders and find a way to get the ball out. She creates well for her teammates, but also has a cracking shot from range.   [player_tooltip player_id='111509' first='Juliana' last='Friedrichsen'], Outside Defender, IMG Academy Elite, Class of 2026   Friedrichsen is a very fast player, and where that speed really shows is in her recovery speed, which is in large part effort. She really works hard to cover in the back when it is needed. She's also very instinctive about when to step for a ball as a defender, and she's smart when she does. She will step up, one touch the ball to the next level and then continue her run outside. She plays a good ball in from the right side, always creating a threat when she's forward, whether it be a long ball in, a cross or a ball on the floor across the face of goal.   [player_tooltip player_id='21083' first='Cora' last='May Hassan'], Central Defender, Jacksonville FC, Class of 2025   Hassan is a West Point commit, and she is a center back that wins at multiple levels of the field. She's strong and physical in the box, and she can win challenges cleanly, getting it right when she needs to most. She also wins higher up the pitch, stepping with decisiveness. She's quite comfortable on the ball and will carry quite a way up the pitch. She will take advantage of space given to her. She plays a great ball forward, showing great comfort in picking passes and making precise reads. She also plays a nice ball in on free kicks.   [player_tooltip player_id='261415' first='Kennedy' last='Athena McCausland'], Keeper, FC Prime, Class of 2027   McCausland has no wasted movements and she is never caught flat-footed. She flows well with play, and does so with precision and calculation. This allows her to get a hand to a shot that some keepers would miss by an inch. She gets across her body quickly and technically, allowing her to get everything she can out of her frame. She is quick and instinctive, athletic and responsive. She comes quickly and decisively when it's time, and when she stays on her line, she shows tremendous shot-stopping ability.   [player_tooltip player_id='21420' first='Savannah' last='Yerger'], Keeper, Jacksonville FC, Class of 2025   Yerger has a strong, athletic frame and moves well with that frame. She is instinctive, understanding where the danger is going to be and does not overreact to where a threat is not. She is smart about using her whole body to make a reaction save, she gets big and does so quickly. She's very decisive on when to come out. Her ability to get horizontal and make tough saves is also very good as she provides a lot of coverage between the posts.

Three keepers and three defenders from Florida are finding a way to impact the game every time they step on the pitch. These six are excellent at what they do and are very deserving of the spotlight.