ECNL Weekend Preview: April 14-15

ECNL Weekend Preview: April 14-15
by J.R. Eskilson
April 13, 2012

The U.S. U17 Women’s National Team wrapped up its latest training camp last Monday, and sent 24 players back to their clubs. In the same breath, the U.S. U20 WNT called in 25 players to camp Southern California starting this coming Monday.

The top clubs have players coming and going during this busy season of girls’ youth national team camps, but even when the players are back it is not as easy as just plugging them into the lineup.

“The players have done an excellent job when they go back home of making sure they maintain their fitness, but at the same time, not being overworked,” U17 WNT head coach Albertin Montoya told TopDrawerSoccer.com. “A few camps back, it was an issue with the players doing too much.

girls club soccer player kelsey shimmickKelsey Shimmick (FC Dallas)

“So I have to give credit to the club coaches because I know it is difficult for them. Most of the coaches that we have worked with and spoken to want these girls to be successful [on the national team], so I definitely want to thank them for that.”

And with a nearly full docket of games on the schedule for this weekend, there will be a few ECNL coaches faced with watching the minutes of returning players.

U14 (Click here for the girls April TeamRank Top 50 update)

The 9-0-0 Eclipse Select team takes on the Michigan Hawks on Saturday. Eclipse is led by a quartet of scorers in Courtney Daugerdas, Alissa Gorzak, Zoe Redei, and Cassandra Rohan. The foursome has combined to score 22 of the team’s 34 goals this season.

Michigan Hawks boast a top scorer of its own in Kacey Cerretani. The forward has paced the team with five goals in six games this season.

U15 (Click here for the girls April TeamRank Top 50 update)

West Coast FC puts its undefeated streak in conference play on the line with a pair of games over the weekend. First up is Arsenal FC on Saturday, which is the first clash for both team following the National Showcase event two weeks ago.

On Sunday, WCFC takes on Slammers in a rematch for a game in September, which ended in a 0-0 draw.

In Texas, Dallas Texans and FC Dallas square off in a conference showdown. The teams settled for a 0-0 draw in the first meeting. Both teams are eager for points in this contest after suffered defeat in their previous game.

U16

The second place team in Flight B takes on the top squad in Flight A when Slammers FC and Real So Cal meet for the first time this season on Saturday. MacKenzie Cerda leads the charge for Slammers with 10 goals on the season.

On the opposite coast, PDA hosts the two Connecticut clubs over the weekend in what could be a crucial stretch for the New Jersey club’s bid to win its conference. Currently, Connecticut FC leads the conference with a perfect 3-0-0 record.

U17

U17 WNT defender and Stanford commit Madeline Bauer is set to rejoin her club team, Slammers FC, for a pair of ECNL games on the weekend. Bauer was a standout for the national team at center back last week in the final camp before the CONCACAF Championship begins in early May.

On her club team, she has three goals in seven games. USC commit Samantha Trenary leads the team in scoring with 5 goals in 10 games.

In the Northeast, Scorpions SC heads into New York for fixtures against East Meadow and Albertson SC. Scorpions will be counting on leading scorer McKenzie Meehan to continue her run of form. The Boston College commit has 10 goals in 8 games this season.

U18

The seemingly unstoppable Dallas Texans U18 is back on show this weekend. The Texans are 10-0-0 in conference play this year and only have six games left to complete the perfect record.

Standing in the way on Sunday is FC Dallas. In the first meeting of the season between the teams, University of Texas commit Kelsey Shimmick went nuts with a two-goal and two-assist performance in a 4-2 win for the Texans.

Penn State commit Corey Persson is looking to lead her FC Stars of Massachusetts to the top of the conference with a pair of wins over the weekend. The Stars are 2-2-0 on the season and trail PDA and Albertson Fury in the standings. The Massachusetts club plays the Fury on Sunday in an important clash, but the Fury will be shorthanded for the match with star defender out in California with the U.S. U20 Women’s National Team. 

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