ECNL Recap: Cruising toward postseason

ECNL Recap: Cruising toward postseason
by J.R. Eskilson
April 16, 2013

Even though the postseason for the ECNL does not start until the end of June, there were still a couple of teams that wrapped up their regular seasons over the weekend.

Find out who ended on a high note in the ECNL recap below.

U14

Haleigh Echard, girls club soccerHaleigh Echard

Colorado Rush opened the weekend in commanding fashion with an 8-0 win over Las Vegas Premier SC on Saturday (thanks to another hat trick from Civana Kuhlmann), but the Rush attack ran into a strong defense from Heat FC on Sunday and was held to a 0-0 draw. The dropped points from the latter fixture sent Rush into third place in the conference as Real Colorado picked up six points over the weekend and moved into second place.

In Virginia, FC Virginia kept up its commanding lead in conference play with a 3-0 win over Richmond Strikers on Saturday. Gabriella Gordon, Allison Maliska, and Abigail Rynex scored for FC Virginia, which was its first game back since a trip to Bermuda.

PDA moved to 11-0-0 on the season in the Northeast Conference with a 5-0 win over Scorpions SC on Saturday and a 2-0 win over FC Stars of Massachusetts on Sunday. PDA has hardly been tested this year with only three goals conceded in those 11 games while scoring a total of 50.

U15

Freestate Soccer Alliance remained undefeated in conference play with a pair of wins over the weekend. Freestate defeated Ohio Elite Soccer Academy 5-0 on Saturday thanks to goals from Karen Aye, Nia Dorsey, Kia Rankin, and Sarah Osbourne, who scored twice. Rankin and Dorsey scored again on Sunday against Carmel United to help the Maryland club to a 3-1 win.

Real Colorado capped an undefeated season in conference play with a 4-1 win over Colorado Rush on Sunday. Tatum Barton, Bailey Cook, and Mallory Pugh found the back of the net for Real Colorado, which enters the postseason as the top seed in the age group.

After only picking up one victory at the ECNL National Event in San Diego, Slammers FC was eager to get back on the field and return to its winning ways. On Saturday, Slammers rolled to an 8-0 win over Arsenal thanks to goals from Julia Bingham, Carly Malatskey, and Taylor McMorrow. Malatskey had four goals in the lopsided victory.

U16

Penn Fusion had a very successful weekend with a pair of victories in Northeast Conference action. Fusion defeated Connecticut FC 2-1 on Saturday thanks to goals from Haleigh Echard and Cecilia Knaub. Kira Laurento-Falcoff had the lone assist. Fusion had an easier go of it on Sunday with a 4-0 win over Soccerplus Connecticut. Deirdre Bradley, Marissa Sheva, Knuab, and Echard all scored. Grace Dickey and Echard each contributed an assist.

Carmel United’s defense held strong over the weekend, as the Ohio club picked up two shutouts on the way to six points. Goalkeeper Melissa Sturgill was in net for both games, as she notched her third and fourth clean sheets of the season.

FC Stars of Massachusetts nipped the first points of the season off of PDA over the weekend. Stars held the New Jersey club to a scoreless draw, as stars keeper Julia Schneider notched her seventh shutout of the season.

U17

Bethesda SC went on the road and picked up some crucial points from a pair of games in the Midatlantic Conference. The Maryland club defeated Carmel United 2-1 on Saturday thanks to goals from Eliza Doll and Anna Gurney. Gurney also assisted on Doll’s goal as the midfielder had an outstanding performance in the win. Briana Kulisch and Antonia Urovsky scored the goals on Sunday in a 2-1 win against Ohio Elite Soccer Academy. Hallie Horvath provided an assist.

Another weekend, another six points for PDA’s U17 squad, which is cruising past its competition in the Northeast Conference. PDA has only given up one goal in eight conference games this season. Last weekend, it won 4-0 and 3-0 against Scorpions SC and FC Stars of Massachusetts respectively.

U18

Carmel United kept its hope of reaching the postseason alive with a pair of victories over the weekend. The Indiana club defeated Bethesda SC and Freestate Soccer Alliance 3-0. Carmel sit in the 12th playoff spot with six weekends left in the season.

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