ECNL Girls Finals Recap
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Isabella Bertolucci
|
 2027
F
|
MVLA
|
|
Anneliese Braun
|
 2028
GK
|
MVLA
|
|
Danielle Chaump
|
 2026
F
|
Sting Royal
|
|
Nyashadzashe Chinyadza
|
 2028
F
|
Michigan Hawks
|
|
Louisa Cowen
|
 2028
F
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Michigan Hawks
|
|
Isla Eaton
|
 2026
MF
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Real Colorado
|
|
Abigail George
|
 2029
D
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Michigan Hawks
|
|
Jacy Hackler
|
 2027
F
|
KC Athletics
|
|
Elli Johnson
|
 2026
GK
|
Real Colorado
|
|
Reese Liner
|
 2026
D
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Sting Dallas Black Soccer Club
|
|
Chloe Miller
|
 2028
D
|
MVLA
|
|
Anjali Nimmagadda
|
 2029
F
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San Diego Surf
|
|
Lillian 'Lilly' Osifodunrin
|
 2026
D
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Real Colorado
|
|
Radha Sonthalia
|
 2030
MF
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San Diego Surf
|
|
Emerson Sprinkle
|
 2026
F
|
Real Colorado
|
|
Kenlea Swadener
|
 2026
GK
|
Sting Dallas Black Soccer Club
|
|
Aubrey Taylor
|
 2030
MF
|
San Diego Surf
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With the ECNL Girls Season concluded, read a recap of what took place in the U13 to U17 finals.
MORE: ECNL Girls Finals Best XI
U13 ECNL Champions: San Diego Surf
In a battle of two teams familiar with each other, San Diego Surf defeated its Southwest Conference nemesis to lift the U13 ECNL Girls trophy.
A Haylie Jackson goal, assisted by Radha Sonthalia and a 1-v-1 finish from Kensington McGrath, gave the team a 2-0 lead. With minutes remaining in the match, Slammers Koge found a way back into the game courtesy of a brilliant volley from Emma Northrop into the top corner. But McGrath shut the door for good as she received a pass from Sonthalia, cut sharply to wrong-foot multiple defenders, then coolly slotted her attempt to the front post.
Final POTM: Kensington McGrath, San Diego Surf
Player of the Tournament: Kensington McGrath, San Diego Surf
U14 ECNL Champions: San Diego Surf
Through the ECNL playoffs, anytime San Diego Surf needed a goal, captain Aubrey Taylor stepped up, so it was fitting that her long-range free kick gave the team an early lead in the final. That stood as the only strike of the match until late in the second half when Anjali Nimmagadda slipped in Valery Hoffman, who executed a well-placed finish to the back post for a 2-0 lead. Still, the Hawks showed impressive determination to continue pushing, and that was rewarded when Yasmeen Chammout scored a direct free kick with a few minutes remaining.
Rumbidzayi Chinyadza, a 2013-born phenom playing up a couple of years, came close to finding an equalizer. But her 1-v-1 attempt was snuffed out by the Surf backline, handing the California-based team a second consecutive ECNL title.
Final POTM: Aubrey Taylor, San Diego Surf
Player of the Tournament: Aubrey Taylor, San Diego Surf
U15 ECNL Champions: Michigan Hawks
It takes an incredible team effort to secure a clean sheet in the ECNL Playoffs, so words hardly do justice in explaining how impressive it is that the Hawks concluded their run to the title by earning a fifth consecutive clean sheet.
Defending that well starts from the front line, and star forward Nyashadzashe Chinyadza showed that when her relentless pressing saw her win possession from the Legends FC backline to then finish past the keeper. A few minutes later, and the Hawks had a second goal from a similar circumstance. This time, a furious counter-press saw star center back Abigail George step into the opposing final third to win a 50/50 tackle that eventually resulted in Louisa Cowen blasting a left-footed shot into the top corner.
Those two first-half goals were all the team needed to win the ECNL title, snuffing out one Legends attack after another, especially when Chinyadza was moved to the backline to close out the match. The result means a historic Hawks defense played over 400 consecutive minutes of playoff soccer without conceding a goal.
Final POTM: Nyashadzashe Chinyadza, Michigan Hawks
Player of the Tournament: Nyashadzashe Chinyadza, Michigan Hawks
U16 ECNL Champions: MVLA
The Kansas City Athletics came in as the team with championship experience, but it was MVLA who looked more comfortable in a resounding 3-1 victory to lift the U16 trophy. The opening goal could not have been better as USYNT center back Chloe Miller lived up to the hype with a superb free kick straight into the top corner.
From that point on, MVLA controlled the match, showing excellent chemistry, composure, and passing to bypass a daunting KC Athletics press. The second and third goals came from center midfielder Sophie McCarthy and forward Isabella Bertolucci to give the Northern California club a commanding 3-0 lead. McCarthy, in particular, was well-deserving of a goal, having earlier struck the crossbar with a brilliant half-volley, and for her efforts in controlling the tempo of the match.
Jacy Hackler did lead a late push for the Athletics, scoring once and coming close to another if not for a clutch 1-v-1 save from Anneliese Braun. The victory concludes an epic season where MVLA lost just once in 34 matches.
Final POTM: Sophie McCarthy, MVLA
Player of the Tournament: Chloe Miller, MVLA
U17 ECNL Champions: Real Colorado
With two quality defensive teams meeting one another, the U17 ECNL final was always going to be one of limited chances. And in a match that played out in that manner, an Isla Eaton brace led a 2-1 championship victory for Real Colorado.
The opening strike came early into the match after stellar work on the left wing by Ava Dillard, who connected on a 1-2 with Emerson Sprinkle, sped past the backline, and delivered a cutback cross that found its way to Eaton for an accurate finish. Sting Black responded well, creating a few chances only to be foiled by either Lillian 'Lilly' Osifodunrin at center back or Elli Johnson in goal. That was until Captain Danielle Chaump capitalized on a loose ball following a cross from Reese Liner to score the equalizer just before halftime.
The second half was more of the same with the teams trading decent chances that were saved by Johnson or Kenlea Swadener, who had an exceptional match in the Sting Black goal. Just when the clash looked destined for overtime, the Dillard and Eaton partnership struck again with the former delivering a perfect corner kick that the latter powered home with an outstanding leap.
The final whistle confirmed a championship for a team that showed remarkable resiliency to bounce back from a stretch in the season where it lost three consecutive matches, including to the same Sting Black team.
Final POTM: Isla Eaton, Real Colorado
Player of the Tournament: Isla Eaton, Real Colorado
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