Episcopal dominate St. Pius X in Texas non-district match

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The high school soccer season is officially underway in the state of Texas as, starting this weekend, both public and private high school teams are active in non-district matches, preparing to start their journey toward the coveted state titles.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>As has been the case in the last two seasons, Prep Soccer Texas will be following the action closely, covering multiple matches every week in the Houston area, as well as high school tournaments, and highlighting the standouts across the Lone Star State.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We kicked off our coverage on Friday, December 13, following an encounter between two of the top private high school teams in the Houston area, reigning SPC state champions Episcopal and TAPPS powerhouse St. Pius X.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li><strong><a href="https://prepsoccer.com/2024/12/texas-hs-girls-episcopal-vs-st-pius-x-photos/">Episcopal vs. St. Pius X - Photos</a></strong></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Playing at home, Episcopal took no time to take full control of the match. A dominant first-half performance had the Knights going into the halftime break with a 6-0 lead, built with a hat-trick from senior forward Dayla Henderson, a brace from junior midfielder [player_tooltip player_id='27207' first='Ryan' last='Fox'] and a goal from senior midfielder [player_tooltip player_id='26369' first='Abigail' last='Ross']. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In the second half, Episcopal made several changes and saw their level drop a little bit. The Knights still managed two more goals near the end, with senior forward Hollyn Hanslik and sophomore forward Ariana White, completing their 8-0 victory.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:html --> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Second-half goals by Hollyn Hanslik and Ariana White seal the deal for <a href="https://twitter.com/EHSSports?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@EHSSports</a>, who beat <a href="https://twitter.com/SPXGirlssoccer?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SPXGirlssoccer</a> 8-0. Photos and Match Report dropping over the weekend at <a href="https://twitter.com/PrepSoccerTX?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PrepSoccerTX</a>. <a href="https://t.co/cfGqHyOfvJ">pic.twitter.com/cfGqHyOfvJ</a></p>&mdash; Guilherme Torres (@grtorres) <a href="https://twitter.com/grtorres/status/1867730648753959186?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 14, 2024</a></blockquote> <!-- /wp:html --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Players of the Match</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Dayla Henderson","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2025","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"5'6u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"103","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Episcopal","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"HTX","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-675d1d7ca7a03"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">With a hat-trick and many other chances created, Henderson was pivotal in Episcopal's dominant performance. The senior forward was too much for opposing defenders to handle, having no trouble beating them with her pace and athleticism repeatedly. Henderson's positioning in the final third was excellent as she did a great job of finding gaps to explore while remaining onside and offering a passing option to her teammates. Henderson was also very effective in front of the goal, finishing well every chance she had. The forward displayed great energy to put pressure on opposing defenders and scored one of her goals by intercepting a goal kick and sprinting into an open field to send the ball into the back of the net.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:image {"id":275632,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepsoccer.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2024/12/IMG_3678.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-275632" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Episcopal vs. St. Pius X</figcaption></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["27207"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-675d1d7ca7a6f"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Operating as a left winger, Fox was extremely active and dangerous for the Lady Knights, scoring two goals in their victory. Many of the team's offensive plays found her out wide and she was very aggressive at going at defenders, beating them to create chances. Fox displayed great technical resources to dribble in tight spaces and also used her body well to shield the ball and make turns. She displayed great chemistry with her teammates, connecting with them in nice combination plays. The junior winger did a great job of coming into the penalty box to finish chances and scored twice this way.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:html --> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/RyFoxy21?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RyFoxy21</a> has been a constant threat on the left for <a href="https://twitter.com/EHSSports?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@EHSSports</a>. Scores the team's first goal and has been consistently beating opponents off the dribble. <a href="https://t.co/c2xQlJfx8J">pic.twitter.com/c2xQlJfx8J</a></p>&mdash; Guilherme Torres (@grtorres) <a href="https://twitter.com/grtorres/status/1867712170257264859?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 13, 2024</a></blockquote> <!-- /wp:html --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["26369"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-675d1d7ca7ab5"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">The senior midfielder was only on the field until the final portion of the first half, but was still able to make a strong impact in the game. Besides scoring Episcopal's fourth goal, Ross was very active in articulating their offensive plays with great runs through the middle and intelligent passing. With her team dominating possession, she got on the ball a lot and consistently made the right choices, keeping the Knights in a strong offensive rhythm. Ross also played with tremendous intensity, covering a lot of ground in midfield and helping her team dominate that zone.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:image {"id":275627,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepsoccer.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2024/12/IMG_3660.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-275627" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Episcopal vs. St. Pius X</figcaption></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Hanley Carlock","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2027","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"null","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"101","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Episcopal","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"Challenge SC","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-675d1d7ca7b3e"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Playing as a right back, Carlock had an excellent shift with Episcopal. She was very calm and comfortable on the ball and always seemed to have a solution to plays, helping her team keep possession. Although the Knights weren't really tested defensively, she had no trouble shutting down her zone, making strong tackles and smart defensive plays. Carlock also displayed a well-diversified offensive game, overlapping at times and bringing the ball inside on other occasions, eventually sending through balls in behind the backline. Despite being one of the youngest players in her team, she showed solid leadership skills, communicating well with her teammates and calling offensive and defensive plays. Another thing that stood out to me is that she took several throw-ins for her team and didn't waste possession in any of them, which is not common at this level.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:image {"id":275635,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepsoccer.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2024/12/IMG_3695.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-275635" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Episcopal vs. St. Pius X</figcaption></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Jocelyn Day","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2026","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"5'4u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"101","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Episcopal","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"Rise SC","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-675d1d7ca7bbc"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">The junior center back had a quiet, but productive shift, helping the Knights keep a clean sheet. With Episcopal dominating possession, Day wasn't really under pressure, but she was called to defend in transition a few times and did it very efficiently, displaying great positioning and pace to shut down the Panthers' attempts. She seemed to have great chemistry with fellow center back Francesca Johnson and did a solid job in possession, playing vertical passes that helped her team advance the ball on the field.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:image {"id":275636,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepsoccer.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2024/12/IMG_3703.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-275636" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Episcopal vs. St. Pius X</figcaption></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["27304"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-675d1d7ca7c02"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Playing as a central midfielder, Dabney tried to compete against a skilled Episcopal team, but she didn't get much help. She worked hard on the defensive side of the game and tried to keep the ball and make plays when she got possession, but most of her attempts were stopped as she had multiple defenders around her. Dabney featured in St. Pius X's most dangerous offensive play of the match, intercepting a pass in midfield and starting a run that was stopped with a foul. She took the free kick, but couldn't hit the target.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:html --> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/DabneyTess?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DabneyTess</a> with the free kick attempt for <a href="https://twitter.com/SPXGirlssoccer?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SPXGirlssoccer</a> as the second half is underway. <a href="https://t.co/w6Tt2FDmWo">pic.twitter.com/w6Tt2FDmWo</a></p>&mdash; Guilherme Torres (@grtorres) <a href="https://twitter.com/grtorres/status/1867721221607240118?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 14, 2024</a></blockquote> <!-- /wp:html -->