CARSON, CALIF – The United States U23 Women’s National Team commenced training camp at the grounds of the Home Depot Center with an intra-squad scrimmage. The 23-player camp roster, led by head coach Bill Irwin, consists mostly of college players, with half a dozen professionals from the Women’s Professional Soccer league.

“We tried to get some of the full team and the U23 to have them both overlap. We just want to see this group, some we haven’t seen in a while, others are just coming back from injury,” Irwin said. “It’s a matter of evaluating these players, having them play scrimmages in different formations and lineups.”

With not much rest after playing for the NCAA title, among the players in attendance are Lauren Fowlkes and Melissa Henderson from Notre Dame, and Christen Press from Stanford.

The match itself was very entertaining and extremely even.

“I thought there was a lot of talent on that field, and it’s hard to point out who stood out because everybody played well,” Irwin said.

Even though coaches say that to not inflate (or discourage) players’ egos, he was correct in his statement.

Among defenders, Amber Brooks, who is new to camp, Whitney Engen, Nikki Krzysik, Kat Reynolds, Brittany Taylor, and Fowlkes all played very composed for their respective back lines.

“There were two very good back fours,” Irwin said. “I think this group is going to be very good.”

Press, who had the lone goal in the game, was able to find space at the beginning of the game, but was closed down afterward. Still, her goal came toward the last 15 minutes of the game, off a deflection and with the opposing team a player down after Kylie Wright went out with a small injury.

Kelley O’Hara played well up top, continuously providing a threat, but just didn’t find the back of the net.

Bianca D’Agostino, Sinead Farrelly, and Meghan Klingenberg commanded the middle very well, and even though they probably didn’t stretch the field as much as they could have, instead choosing to go straight down the middle, Coach Irwin was very satisfied.

The rustier players, even though the disparity wasn’t much, came from WPS players whose season ended much earlier than college players. It was the main reason why the intra-squad scrimmage came in the beginning of camp instead of the usual conclusion.

“Some of these girls have been finished for a while, and they need to pick up on their stamina and fitness,” Irwin said. “I don’t have time to do that in these seven days, this game is where they will adapt quickly. But I thought nobody was out of place, we got the ball on the ground and knocked it around well. There was some good soccer here.”

The women play again Thursday evening with a game against area women’s team Ajax and against a boys team to yet be determined.

U23 WNT Training Camp Roster (by position) – courtesy US Soccer

GOALKEEPERS (3): Kristin Arnold (Texas A&M(w); Centennial, Colo.), Alexa Gaul (Texas; Naperville, Ill.), Alyssa Naeher (Boston Breakers; Seymour, Conn.)

DEFENDERS (6): Amber Brooks (North Carolina; New Hope, Pa.), Whitney Engen (Chicago Red Stars; Rolling Hills Estates, Calif.), Lauren Fowlkes (Notre Dame; Lee’s Summit, Mo.), Nikki Krzysik (Chicago Red Stars; Clifton, N.J.), Kat Reynolds (Unattached; Medina, Wash.), Brittany Taylor (Sky Blue FC; Campbell Hall, N.Y.)

MIDFIELDERS (11):  Bianca D’Agostino (Wake Forest; Longmeadow, Mass.), Amanda DaCosta (Florida State; Katona, N.Y.), Becky Edwards (Unattached; Downington, Pa.), Sinead Farrelly (Virginia; Havertown, Pa.), Tori Huster (Florida State; Cincinnati, Ohio), Meghan Klingenberg (North Carolina; Gibsonia, Pa.), Allie Long (Sky Blue FC; Northport N.Y.), Casey Nogueira (Chicago Red Stars; Raleigh, N.C.), Elli Reed (Portland; Park City, Utah), Keelin Winters (Portland; Englewood, Colo.) Kylie Wright (UCLA; Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.)

FORWARDS (4): Melissa Henderson (Notre Dame; Garland, Texas), Kelley O’Hara (Unattached; Fayetteville, Ga.) Christen Press (Stanford; P.V. Estates, Calif.), Katie Schoepfer (Unattached; Waterford, Conn.)