ECNL Preview: All eyes turn to San Diego

ECNL Preview: All eyes turn to San Diego
by J.R. Eskilson
April 10, 2014

It’s finally time for the big ECNL event in San Diego, which kicks off on Saturday from the Polo Fields. There will be 152 teams in town for the three-day event with a plethora of college coaches in attendance as well.

Below is a look at some of the top games from the weekend.

U14

The youngest age features 18 teams with many of the local clubs in attendance. So Cal Blues, the top team in this age group, takes on Eclipse Select Soccer Club (Illinois), Utah Avalanche, and Match Fit Academy (New Jersey) at the event.

Outside of seeing if Blues can keep the perfect season alive, West Coast FC’s match against Crossfire Premier will be one to watch. Both teams sit in the top 16 spots in the Champions League qualification with WCFC at No. 14 and Crossfire at No. 15. The two teams meet on Sunday afternoon.

U15

De Anza Force, the second place team in the national standings and defending champions for this age group, head down to San Diego with three difficult games on the schedule. The Northern California squad takes on West Coast FC on Saturday and then San Diego Surf on Sunday. De Anza ends the trip with a game against Colorado Rush on Monday.

Eagles Soccer Club would really benefit from a nine-point weekend as the team fights to keep hold of a spot in a playoff position. Eagles take on FC Nova (Idaho), MVLA (Northern California), and Crossfire Premier (Washington) at the three-day event.

Mustang SC is another squad in search of gaining a better playoff position with this weekend’s schedule. Mustang takes on Continental FC Delco, FC Bucks, and West Coast FC.

U16

Crossfire Premier puts its undefeated season on the line this weekend with games against SC Del Sol, East Meadow Soccer Club, and West Coast FC. The Sunday fixture against New York’s East Meadow Soccer Club will be an extra enticing fixture with both teams near the top of the national standings at this stage of the season.

Host club San Diego Surf faces a pretty challenging trio of games starting the opener against Maryland United on Saturday. Surf, second in the national standings, also faces Real Colorado and Santa Rosa United. All three of those teams currently hold a spot in the top eight of the national standings.

Eclipse Select Soccer Club takes on Real So Cal on Saturday morning in a meaningful clash for postseason seeding. Both teams are in the playoff picture and could quickly climb up the standings with a win to start the event in San Diego.

U17

Orlando City YS makes the long trek from Florida to Southern California for the event this weekend, but the travel is not the only challenge for the squad. Orlando City has Real So Cal, West Coast FC, and MVLA on the schedule. Real So Cal is one spot out of the playoff picture heading into the weekend, which puts some pressure on the squad to nab three points from the opening game.

Another showdown to keep an eye out for is Match Fit Academy’s game against Colorado Rush on Sunday. Both clubs are in the top ten in the national standings and have only one loss this season between the two. Match Fit and Dallas Sting are the only two teams undefeated this season in the U17 age group.

PDA’s clash against Mustang SC on Saturday is another noteworthy contest. PDA sits in sixth in the national standings while Mustang is currently in fourth place. The Mustang attack has been potent this season with 32 goals in 13 games.

U18

PDA has yet to give up a goal this season in the U18 age group. Will that continue through the weekend? PDA faces Maryland United, MVLA, and Slammers FC during its stay in San Diego.

 

 

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