Girls Development Academy East Conference Recap: February 3-4, 2018

After a long winter break, the U.S. Soccer Girls Development Academy resumed play this weekend. Although competition in the East Conference was limited to the Southeast, there were multiple match-ups across the U-15, U-16/U-17, and U-18/U-19 age groups that could go a long way toward determining playoff spots.

+Girls’ Development Academy Standings

U-15

Saturday saw a battle of two of the top four sides in the Southeast Division with league leaders NTH Tophat (10-1-2. 31 points) traveling to South Florida to take on Weston FC (8-4-1, 25 points). Despite having the homefield advantage, the Weston defense was tested early and often by one of the most potent attacking sides in the USSDA U-15 age group. Danielle Lewin’s (10’ and 18’) two goals in the first 18 minutes of the match set the tone for Tophat, with Ellie Gilbert (26’) and Cate Hardin (38’) putting the game out of reach just before halftime.

Tophat followed Saturday’s decisive effort with a similar run of form on Sunday winning 4-0 over Boca United Football Club (5-10-1, 16 points). Ella Zimmerman (26’), Alexis Wright (31’), and Danielle Lewin (53’ and 55’) provided the goals for Tophat. As for Boca, they would at least get a point on Saturday to not end the weekend empty handed, drawing 1-1 with the United Soccer Alliance (1-9-2, 5 points). Boca nearly dropped three points in that match as well, after Kylie Overstreet gave USA the early advantage in third minute. But midfielder Daniela Chung found the equalizer in the 47th minute for Boca.

Concorde Fire (9-3-2, 29 points) continued their winning ways, earning two wins against West Florida Flames (3-10-1, 10 points) and IMG Academy (0-13-0, 0 points). On Saturday, the Fire erased an early deficit to narrowly fend off the Flames 3-2. West Florida earned the advantage with a Julianne Dunbar goal in the 40th minute. The Fire took the lead midway through the match though thanks to goals from Ella Ciardullo (48’) and Simi Awujo (56’). West Florida found the equalizer in the 59th minute from Jayden Bayes, but Concorde prevailed in the 70th minute with Henley Tippins providing the match-winner.

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On Sunday, the Fire came back from a two goal deficit, earning a 2-2 draw with IMG Academy (0-13-1, 1 point). Dolce Villafor (36’ and 46’) gave IMG a 2-0 lead at the end of the first half, but the Fire attack came alive in the second half, with forwards Lana Whitfield (57’) and Breanna Barley (75’) finding the back of the net. The weekend’s results helped snap a four game winless run across all competitions for the Fire, who also moved into third place.

Results
West Florida Flames 2-Concorde Fire 3 (02/03)
Weston FC 0- NTH Tophat 4 (02/03)
Boca United Football Club 1-United Soccer Alliance 1 (02/03)
IMG Academy 2-United Futbol Academy 2 (02/03)
Boca United Football Club 0-NTH Tophat 4 (02/03)
IMG Academy 2-Concorde Fire 2 (02/03)
West Florida Flames 1-United Futbol Academy 1 (02/03)

U-16/U-17

The United Soccer Alliance (10-2-1, 31 points) expanded on their hold on second place in the Southeast Division with a 2-1 win over Boca United Football Club (5-8-1, 16 points). Olufolasade Adamolekun (26’) and Sydney Hauth (28’) gave USA the early lead against their in-state foes. But Boca cut that lead in half in the 57th minute with a goal from midfielder Mikayla Bond. The USA defense held their one goal advantage, stretching their unbeaten run in all competitions to five.

As for the Southeast’s top side, NTH Tophat (12-1-1, 37 points), they too showed that the winter break had not hampered their solid form in league play. On Sunday, Tophat downed Boca United Football Club 4-0 with Hannah White (44’ and 45’) providing a brace, and individual goals coming from Sofia Black (31’) and Talia DellaPeruta (60’). Tophat’s defense secured the result with their sixth shutout on the season.

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IMG Academy kept pace in third, winning twice on the weekend against United Futbol Academy (1-8-4, 7 points) and Concorde Fire (6-6-3, 21 points). On Saturday, IMG pulled off a decisive 5-1 victory over UFA receiving a hat trick from Enzi Broussard (60’, 80’, and 83’) and additional goals from Elizabeth Stureman (68’) and Riley Thompson (85’). Broussard had another standout day on Sunday against the Fire, scoring four times (26’, 42’, 43’, and 68’) for IMG in their 5-0 win. IMG’s other goal came courtesy of Aleis Vanderlin in the 17th minute.

It was not all negative news for the Fire, who snapped their three-match winless run on Saturday with a decisive 4-0 victory over West Florida Flames (0-13-1, 1 point). Forward Madison Haugen (20’ and 87’) and midfielder Amber Nguyen (40’ and 48’) supplied a pair of braces for the Fire. Goalkeeper Taylor Stalheim (62 minutes) and Caroline Border (28 minutes) combined for the club’s fifth shutout on the season.

Results
Boca United Football Club 1- United Soccer Alliance 2 (02/03)
West Florida Flames 0-Concorde Fire 4(02/03)
IMG Academy 5-United Futbol Academy 1 (02/03)
Boca United Football Club 0 -NTH Tophat 4 (02/04)
IMG Academy 5-Concorde Fire 0 (02/04)
West Florida Flames 0-United Futbol Academy 3 (02/04)

U-18/U-19

NTH Tophat’s (10-0-4, 34 points) undefeated run through the Southeast Division continued on the weekend with two wins over Weston FC (1-12-1, 4 points) and Boca United Football Club (2-10-1, 7 points). On Saturday, Tophat took down Weston by the score of 5-0. Rachel Jones (12’, 60’, 63, and 90’) provided four of Tophat’s five goals while Cameron Hill scored in the 50th minute. On Sunday Tophat pulled off an equally impressive effort, defeating Boca 5-0. Jones (43’), Ciara Whitely (43’), Raegan Kelley (35’), Kylie Gazza (17’), and Charlotte Teeter (71’) all found the back of the net for Tophat. With their two shutouts on the the weekend NTH preserved their league-best four goals allowed.

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Concorde Fire (11-3-1, 34 points) opened the weekend with a close 1-0 win over West Florida Flames (2-10-1, 7 points). Santana Pressley scored her second goal on the season and her first goal since Concorde’s first match on the season with a cracking effort in the 60th minute.  On Sunday, Concorde earned a 0-0 draw with IMG Academy. Goalkeeper Addison Corn notched the Fire’s ninth shutout on the season.

Results
Boca United Football Club – United Soccer Alliance  (02/03)
West Florida Flames 0-Concorde Fire 1 (02/03)
Weston FC 0 – NTH Tophat 5(02/03)
IMG Academy-United Futbol Academy (02/03)
Boca United Football Club 0-NTH Tophat 5 (02/04)/i>
IMG Academy 0-Concorde Fire 0 (02/04)
West Florida Flames-United Futbol Academy (02/04)