Season’s first ECNL Girls Regional League Selection Game held in Virginia

On Friday night, the season’s first ECNL Continental Tire Regional League Selection Game took place at River City Sportsplex in Midlothian, Virginia, as some of the top stars from the ECNL Regional League showcased their skills in a tightly contested battle.

The game remained scoreless throughout the first half, in large part due to some outstanding goaltending from both sides, including some major saves from West goalkeeper Charlotte Burge (Virginia Rush).

Early on in the second half the East found the breakthrough goal. On a great ball played over the top of the defense, McKenzie Shea (Richmond Kickers) got past the defense and centered the ball in the box to Ava Kelly (San Juan SC) who fired it home to put the East on top 1-0.

Midway through the second half though, the West responded. Kylie Williams (United Futbol Academy) got the ball on the goal line and worked her way through two defenders in a narrow space, before firing a shot past the keeper to even the score at 1-1.

With the game tied at the end of regulation, things headed to penalties, where Burge had the opportunity to step up in the big moment one more time. The West goalkeeper made two saves in the shootout and Isabella Yelton (Atlanta Fire United) stepped up and fired home the game winning penalty to give the West the victory.

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— ECNL Girls (@ECNLgirls) November 11, 2023

Burge’s performance not only in the shootout, but also throughout the course of the game, led to her being named the Player of the Match.

After the game, Burge credited her teammates and attributed her success in the shootout to just embracing penalties and trying to enjoy them. She was also well prepared for the shootout, since the first penalty kick taker for the East was her Virginia Rush teammate Dylan McEntarfer.

“We played great soccer and I think I stepped up in the moments where I was needed,“ Burge said. “I just go and enjoy penalties. The first taker was my center back from home, so I had an advantage there.”

Williams attributed the comeback to the team’s chemistry together and said they felt unstoppable once they were able to build that chemistry together.

“We started off slow, but once we all started warming up to each other we were unstoppable,” Williams said.

Needing to learn the tendencies of different players in such a short amount of time and the need to quickly build that chemistry Williams talked about is something that Burge believes really helps everyone develop as players.

“It’s really awesome getting to play with new people and getting to know them. They have different tendencies on the field and that’s how we grow as players,” Burge said.

With so much excitement for the first ECNL Regional League Selection Game of the season, both players agreed that having their teammates come out to support them helped create a one of a kind atmosphere for the game.

“It was definitely different being in the spotlight and it was great having everyone supporting me,” Williams said.

“It was awesome having all the girls out here supporting us,” Burge said. “It brings the community together and it’s a chance to have fun and play the game everyone loves.”