Pennsylvania players making a splash

The girls soccer scene in Pennsylvania is on an ascendency. The high school competition is improving, the clubs are flourishing and ECNL play is at a high level. Both ends of the State offer excellent quality as teams and players in and around Philadelphia and Pittsburgh are prospering and gaining a lot of attention.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepsoccer.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2023/04/IMG_6034.jpeg?w=615" alt="" class="wp-image-135932" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Photo: Mark Ayres</figcaption></figure>   [player_tooltip player_id='123970' first='Addison' last='Ayres'], Keeper, Franklin Regional, Class of 2026   Ayres, a rising sophomore who got time in goal for Franklin Regional in Murrysville, PA as a freshman (and did not allow a goal), plays ECNL for the Pittsburgh Riverhounds. Recently after a Jefferson Cup match, Ayres was praised for her keeping abilities by several people who have been around the game a long time. She was noticed for how well she communicates, doing so clearly and effectively, for her technical handling of the ball and her distribution. She is a very passionate keeper, one who is fearless in the face of danger. Ayres is resilient and will not give up. She is a vocal leader, and on top of that she is a very athletic and has very clean hands when it comes to handling the ball.   [player_tooltip player_id='111781' first='Annalyse' last='Bauer'], Attacking Midfielder, Greater Latrobe, Class of 2026   Bauer is another Pittsburgh Riverhounds player, playing ECNL for the 2008 team. She is an attacking midfielder who plays her high school soccer at Greater Latrobe. What Bauer brings to the table is sheer determination and a ton of energy. She plays hard, she wants to win and wants to compete. She is very committed to this game and committed to hear teammates. She's also committed to working very hard to improve. She is a positive influence on the game and on her team, she plays with aggression, she plays smart and she is very unselfish despite being an attack-minded player.   [player_tooltip player_id='119621' first='Averie' last='Bierker'], Forward, North Allegheny, Class of 2026   Bierker is a completely dedicated player. She travels to Ohio to play ECNL for the Internationals SC ECNL 2008 team despite living in Pennsylvania, where she attends North Allegheny High. Internationals SC has allowed her the opportunity to compete at Spring Showcases in Arizona and Florida. She is a versatile player, because she can feature on the wing or as a striker. Bierker demonstrates great speed and quickness up top or on the outside, making her hard to mark. She has a great work rate as well, keeping pressure on defenders at all times. Bierker plays aggressively, but is very in control and is very coachable. She works hard, she is a team-first player, and she is very self-motivated because she is always looking to improve.   [player_tooltip player_id='41028' first='Bella' last='Brown'], Attacking Midfielder, Springside Chestnut Hill Academy, Class of 2023   In an article published by <a href="https://www.soccerwire.com/news/binghamton-womens-soccer-looks-to-build-on-recent-success-with-2023-signing-class/">Soccer Wire</a>, Binghamton University head coach Neel Bhattacharjee praised the character and coachability of five incoming freshman. One of those players is [player_tooltip player_id='41028' first='Bella' last='Brown'], the exceptional four-year player from Springside Chestnut Hill Academy in Philadelphia. Brown led the team in goals and assists and was first-team All-League, but does not volunteer that information and does not like to talk about herself. What is more important is that her team was a three-time InterAc League Champion, a two-time PAISAA State champions and her senior class went 60-3-4 over a four year span, and 39-0-2 in league games. Brown plays club for the Philadelphia Soccer Club Coppa Rage 05 team, the U17 USYS National Champs. She is a flashy, quick, intelligent and gritty No. 10, someone who has a competitive edge in the attacking midfield. What she will bring to the table in terms of skills is great vision in which to distribute after drawing defenders. She has an incredibly deft touch, and she is physically strong, making her hard to knock off the ball.   [player_tooltip player_id='25820' first='Ivy' last='Chaskelson'], Forward, Radnor, Class of 2025   Chaskelson plays for Radnor High, not far from Philadelphia and right near Villanova. She plays at the ECNL level at her club, which is FC Delco where she plays for the 2006 team. She is a versatile and dynamic player. Chaskelson can play anywhere up top as she is comfortable out in a wide position, or as a center forward. She is a very clever player, using her creativity and trickiness to get past defenders when she's on the attack. In the final third she can be hard to deal with because she possesses great quickness, making her had to keep up with as she can use a quick first step to create space. She shows good vision when moving forward, using her intelligence to make the right decision in terms of when to distribute or go for goal. Chaskelson is also a very hard-working player and does not make it easy for defenders.   Olivia Della Lucia, Attacking Midfiedler/Forward, Thomas Jefferson, Class of 2025   Della Lucia attends Thomas Jefferson High which is South of Pittsburgh, and she plays her club at Century United, playing for the 2007 Girls Academy team. Della Lucia is a devoted player to this game, being described as hard-working, and when you see her you see sheer determination. She is a very quick player, she is technically sound, and in addition Della Lucia is a team first player, never putting personal glory first.   Mia Deramo, Attacking Midfield/Outside Defender, South Fayette, Class of 2026   Deramo is the third Pittsburgh Riverhound ECNL player on this list, and she plays on the 2007 ECNL team. An attendee of South Fayette High in PA, she is another very talented Attacking Midfielder from the State. She played the No. 10 for her school as a freshman, but for her club she finds herself playing as an outside back, and can play on either side. She is a versatile player, because for her club she can also move to the midfield or sometimes even forward. She is very passionate about the sport and it would be easy to call her devoted to the game and devoted to improving. Deramo is a very athletic player, who displays a lot of skill. She is also very intelligent on the pitch, making good decisions and approaching the game calmly. She is strong so she won't get pushed around, and she is very hungry to compete, to win and to keep getting better.   [player_tooltip player_id='118520' first='Ava' last='Hutter'], Central Defender, North Allegheny, Class of 2026   Hutter is another player from the excellent Pittsburgh Riverhounds club, also playing ECNL with the 2008 team. She is also high school teammates and classmates with Bierker. Hutter is a strong, aggressive center back who plays with the awareness you need out of a central defender. She is a leader and she's dedicated to her craft. Hutter will train specifically to train her speed and strength 3-4 times a week, leading by example in that regard and also leading by example on the pitch, never giving up and showing her teammates to never quit no matter the score. She is a patient defender, who is strong and calm on the ball and can help start everything out of the back.

The girls soccer scene in Pennsylvania is on an ascendency. The high school competition is improving, the clubs are flourishing and ECNL play is at a high level. Both ends of the State offer excellent quality as teams and players in and around Philadelphia and Pittsburgh are prospering and gaining a lot of attention.