Peaking at just the right moment is a constant challenge for players who participate in US national camps, and early on at least, it didn’t appear the US U18 WNT camp roster was in top form during a scrimmage against the Pali Blues on Monday.

On a chilly and overcast evening, the US team battled its USL opponent to a 0-0 draw. In the early going, the match itself was somewhat uninspired. The thick air may have stunted the aerial attack of both teams, but a few players just didn’t play with much personality.

Kate Bennett, of Crossfire Premier, was one player who looked engaged from the start, and she headed a first half lineup that included Torri Allen (Mclean SC), Rachel Quon (Eclipse Select), Chioma Ubogagu (D’Feeters), and Rachel Nuzzolese (Rockville Centre).

Bennett worked for possession in the midfield while Ubogagu and Allen had runouts to create some solid opportunities.

The Pali Blues showed their maturity and in some cases advanced ball skills, beating many of the US defenders with 1v1 moves – it didn’t help that the US team didn’t appear completely interested in fighting for possession up front.

Goalkeeper Anna Sieloff showed her mettle with good positioning and a couple saves in the first half. Overall, Ubogagu was impressive and certainly one of the best players on the field with her speed and aggression.

The second half brought about a renewed energy level for the 18s. A few key players were inserted into play, mainly Mollie Pathman (Triangle FC), Lauren Matheson (So Cal Blues) and Natalia Ledezma, to name a few.

Pathman is a whiz with the ball. She is great at running at defenders and squeezing out shots. She struck a rocket from 20 yards away that hit the crossbar midway through the half for one of the team’s best chances at scoring.

Courtney Smith had another really good chance to get the team on the board, but her shot in the box came a little late and the keeper smothered the attempt.

Both Matheson and Ledezma were controlled with the ball and also made a strong impression with their work rate.

On the defensive side, the US was solid in the second half against Pali Blues’ attack which included the unleashing of striker Iris Mora. Mora is a blazingly quick and tricky attacker who played for the Los Angeles Sol during a scrimmage with the US U20s last week. She’s a handful to deal with, but the 18s did themselves well after they got over the initial malaise.

U.S. U-18 WNT Training Camp Roster

GOALKEEPERS (3): Emily Lilliard (K.C. Comets; Overland Park, Kan.), Lindsey Luke (Slammers; Newport Beach, Calif.), Anna Sieloff (Vardar; Troy, Mich.)

DEFENDERS (7): Torri Allen (Mclean; Stafford, Va.), Julie Johnston (Sereno SC; Mesa, Ariz.), Mollie Pathman (Triangle FC; Durham, N.C.), Rachel Quon (Eclipse Select; Lake Forrest, Ill.), Kendall Romine (So Cal Blues; Coto de Caza, Calif.), Courtney Smith (Dallas Texans; Houston, Texas.), Carrie Whigham (Sereno SC; Phoenix, Ariz.)

MIDFIELDERS (6): Kate Bennett (Crossfire; Clyde Hill, Wash.), Alex Crown (Space Coast United; Orlando, Fla.), Juliann Jeffrey (Dallas Texans; Richardson, Texas), Mandy Laddish (Blue Valley Stars; Lee's Summit, Mo.), Lauren Matheson (So Cal Blues; Mission Viejo, Calif.), Wendy Travis (CASL Spartan Elite; Cary, N.C.)

FORWARDS (8): Kelly Cobb (Cook Inlet Velocity; Chugiak, Alaska), Michelle Cruz (Slammers; Thousand Oaks, Calif.), Kylie Facinelli (So Cal Blues; Del Mar, Calif.), Samantha Johnson (Real So Cal; Palmdale, Calif.), Natalia Ledezma (Slammers; La Mirada, Calif.), Rachel Nuzzolese (Rockville Centre; Melville, N.Y.), Kealia Ohai (Utah Avalanche; Draper, Utah), Chioma Ubogagu (D'Feeters; Coppell, Texas)