ECNL Texas: Reliable 09 goalkeepers

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The ECNL Girls soccer League held its second National Event in the 2025 calendar year two weekends ago, in Dallas, Texas, featuring three days of action involving over 200 teams from the entire country at the Toyota Soccer Center and the MoneyGram Soccer Park.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Despite the cold weather, some really exciting matches were held and some of the most talented prospects in the country were able to deliver excellent performances as they continue to prepare for the final portion of the season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li><a href="https://prepsoccer.com/2025/02/ecnl-texas-day-1-photos/">ECNL Texas: Day 1 Photos</a></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li><a href="https://prepsoccer.com/2025/02/ecnl-texas-day-2-photos/">ECNL Texas: Day 2 Photos</a></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li><a href="https://prepsoccer.com/2025/02/ecnl-texas-day-3-photos/">ECNL Texas: Day 3 Photos</a></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Prep Soccer Texas was in attendance during all three days of action in Dallas, covering dozens of matches and taking a look at hundreds of the players who got on the field during the extended weekend.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>With the event concluded, it's time we feature the players that impressed us with their games. As we start to look into the 09s age group, we'll begin by featuring some of the top goalkeepers in the division:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["110928"],"_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-67b90cd984025"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Ferroni was the goalkeeper of the FC Delco team that secured two wins and one loss over the weekend in Dallas. I got to watch her in action in the team's debut, a 5-2 win over Sting Black on Saturday. Despite FC Delco's high-scoring performance, they were dominated by Sting in different moments of the match, but Ferroni was there to step up and preserve their lead. A tall goalkeeper with great reflexes, she handled most shots that went her way very well and was also very reliable with collecting crosses. The goalkeeper also used her feet well every time she got on the ball.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:image {"id":279563,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepsoccer.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2025/02/2J4A0095_86033e.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-279563" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["112673"],"_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-67b90cd9840b5"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Towers appeared in goal for the Sting Royal team that had a perfect campaign of three victories in the event. They had a tough schedule, filled with strong opponents, and the goalkeeper helped them successfully navigate it with her strong play between the posts. I watched their 1-0 win over SLSG Navy, on Saturday, in which Towers was called to action quite a few times and appeared well, displaying impressive reflexes and explosiveness. She was excellent at getting to the ground and got to some really difficult shots in the lower corner to make the stop. The goalkeeper was also very comfortable on the ball and refused to force long passes out of the back, keeping possession until a better option surfaced.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:html --> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">A very windy game- a lot of play out of the back. Had the ball at my feet more than ever. Only one example of an amazing team effort all weekend! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ecnltexas?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ecnltexas</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/StingECNL09?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@StingECNL09</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/Bplwilliams?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Bplwilliams</a> <a href="https://t.co/fJ6QXAhJvl">pic.twitter.com/fJ6QXAhJvl</a></p>&mdash; [player_tooltip player_id='112673' first='Tatum' last='Towers'] (@TowersSoccer09) <a href="https://twitter.com/TowersSoccer09/status/1892059889473597918?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 19, 2025</a></blockquote> <!-- /wp:html --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["145222"],"_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-67b90cd984102"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">McNeal's SLSG Navy team couldn't quite get the results they wanted in Dallas, returning home with two ties and one loss. The team, however, was solid defensively, conceding three times in as many matches, and McNeal played a big role in it. I watched her in their only upset, a 1-0 loss to Sting Royal, but left positively impressed with her performance as the goalkeeper was very efficient with her stops between the posts, using her wingspan to get to the ball. McNeal also displayed great quality with her feet as she not only did solid work with her distribution out of the back but also stepped up to take long free kicks into the opposing penalty box with impressive accuracy.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["110497"],"_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-67b90cd98414a"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Fischer was with the Eclipse Select team that dropped all their three matches in Dallas. She was under heavy pressure over the weekend and kept her team in games with her solid play between the posts - all three losses were by just one goal. I got to watch their opening match against the [program_tooltip program_id='278052' first='Albion' last='Hurricanes FC'], which ended 1-0, and the goalkeeper was extremely reliable in goal, not giving up rebounds and safely dealing with the shots that went on target - the opponents' game-winning goal came after a set piece, not giving Fischer much of a chance. She also knew her way around the penalty box and was very good when she had to leave her spot to handle crosses and long passes.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:image {"id":279590,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepsoccer.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2025/02/2J4A0201_d28f05.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-279590" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["137053"],"_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-67b90cd984193"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Gillis played for the Kansas City Athletics side that ended the event with three losses. She had a solid shift in the team's opening match, a 2-0 loss to Solar SC on Saturday. Gillis used her long frame very well to operate between the posts and made quite a few impressive saves, displaying great technique and nice reflexes. She did well in possession, connecting short passes for most of the time but also hitting accurate long ones when she had to.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:image {"id":279598,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepsoccer.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2025/02/2J4A0227.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-279598" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["144817"],"_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-67b90cd9841da"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Volpp's San Diego Surf team got two wins and one loss in the event in Dallas. They had one of the best defenses in the division, conceding just two goals in three matches. I caught their 4-1 opening-match victory against the [program_tooltip program_id='278678' first='Dallas' last='Texans'] and she was very good every time their opponents managed to get a shot on target. Volpp used her positioning and long frame to make difficult saves look easy and was very difficult to beat. She's also very confident and efficient on the ball, consistently finding good passes to teammates, on many occasions with one-time passes. She also displayed strong leadership skills, communicating with her teammates the entire time and keeping things organized at the back. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block -->