USSDA Girls East Conference Recap: October 14-15, 2017

It was another action-packed weekend in U.S. Soccer’s Development Academy East Conference. With NC Courage and the Orlando Pride playing U.S. Soccer’s Feature Game of the Week and multiple top-four matches across all age divisions, it was a week with plenty of intrigue and close results.

+Full U.S. Soccer Girls’ DA Standings

U-15

In the Atlantic Division, FC Virginia continued their winning ways with a 5-0 win over PA Classics. Anna Tekampe (7’ and 12’) and Reese Borden (53’ and 76’) combined for four of FCV’s five goals, while Joy Veazay netted her first goal of the season in the 68th minute. With the win, FCV (4-2-1, 13 points) stretched their unbeaten run to three matches and moved to within three points of second-place Penn Fusion Academy (5-1-1, 16 points), who drew 0-0 with Sky Blue on the weekend.

FCV wasn’t the only side on the move in the Atlantic, as Cedar Stars Academy (3-2-2, 11 points) moved into fourth place with a 2-1 win over Washington Spirit Academy-Baltimore Armour. Olivia Carney would prove to be the difference for Cedar Stars, giving them the opening goal in the 21st minute and then scoring the match-winner in the 77th minute. Washington’s goal came courtesy of Asia Minor in the 80th minute. 

+READ: U.S. U-17, U-18 Women’s National Teams set for training camp

In the Northeast Division, FC Fury NY (6-1-0, 18 points) got a bit of a scare from a determined Boston Breakers Academy side on Saturday at NEFC Park. Despite getting two goals in the first half from Sarah DeFreitas (33’) and Rachel Eisert (26’), the Breakers continued to press FC Fury. They were able to pull within one thanks to Skylah Sullivan in the 49th minute. But credit to the FC Fury defense for preventing an equalizer late and allowing their side to keep all three points.

Finally in the Southeast Division, it was an up-and-down weekend for the NC Courage Academy (2-3-1, 7 points). On Saturday, the Courage dropped three points to the Orlando Pride in a tough 2-1 loss at the Seminole Soccer Complex. The Courage grabbed an early 1-0 lead on the road with a goal from MacKenzie Geigle in the 10th. But the Pride came roaring back with a Zyandra Thomas equalizer in the 15th minute and a match-winner from Madison Jones just two minutes later.

Carolina’s fortunes exacted some measure of revenge on Sunday, putting three past the United Soccer Alliance. Haleigh Artosegui got things going for North Carolina early with a goal in the 17th minute. In the second half it was all Makenzie Lipscomb (47’ and 60’) with the Courage scoring twice to put the game out of reach. The clean sheet was North Carolina’s second on their season, but their first since a 1-0 win on Sept. 17 over United Futbol Academy.

+READ: USSDA Girls East Conference Recap – October 7-8, 2017

Full Results (Home team first)

Atlantic
FC Virginia 5: PA Classics 0 (10/14)
Sky Blue 0: Penn Fusion Soccer Academy 0 (10/14)
Washington Spirit Academy-Baltimore Armour 1- Cedar Stars Academy Monmouth 2 (10/14)
Washington Spirit Academy-Virginia 0: Virginia Development Academy 0 (10/14)

Northeast
FC Stars 6 : Empire United 0 (10/14)
Boston Breakers Academy 1 : FC Fury NY 2(10/14)
New York City FC 7: Sky Blue NYSC 1 (10/14)
Oakwood Soccer Club 6 :Long Island SC 0 (10/15)

Southeast
United Soccer Alliance 0 : Charlotte Soccer Academy 7 (10/14)
Orlando Pride 2 : NC Courage 1 (10/14)
United Futbol Academy 0 : Concorde Fire 1 (10/14)
Weston FC : West Florida Flames (10/14)
United Soccer Alliance 0:NC Courage 3 (10/15)
Orlando Pride : Charlotte Soccer Academy (10/15)
IMG Academy :Weston FC (10/15)

U-16/U-17

In a battle of two of the top sides in the Atlantic Division on Saturday, Penn Fusion Academy pulled away with a 3-1 win over Sky Blue-PDA. The high-scoring side (26 goals on the season- most in the USSDA Atlantic Division and most in the Eastern Conference) continued their dominant attacking ways with midfielder Rowan Lapi scoring twice (20’ and 75’) and Elizabeth Lawton adding a third (22’). Sky Blue’s goal came from midfielder Rebecca Fluchel in the 77th. With the win, Penn Fusion (7-0-0, 21 points) extended its lead over Sky Blue (5-2-0, 15 points) to six points.

Washington Spirit Academy – Virginia (3-1-2, 11 points) kept up with the rest of the top sides in the Atlantic with a decisive 3-0 victory over in-state foe Virginia Development Academy (1-5-1, 4 points). Despite their difference in the standings, VDA held their own against the Spirit in the first half with goalkeeper Katie Pierson and the back line holding strong. But in the second half, Washington broke through via goals from Jasmine Hamid (60’), Jasmine Lauren Teuschl (75’), and Gabrielle Robinson (90’). The win extended the Spirit’s unbeaten run in USSDA league play to five matches (3-0-2, 11 points).

As for the Northeast Division, FC Fury NYC (7-0-0, 21 points) continued their winning ways with a 3-0 road win over Boston Breakers Academy. Briana Jablonowski scored her sixth goal on the season with a shot in the ninth minute to give the Fury the advantage. Julia Aronov (20’) and Victoria Minda (90’) would add to their lead, while goalkeepers Sydney Silverman and Kaitlyn Maloney combined for their third clean sheet of the season.

+NCAA Women’s Soccer Commitment Announcements: September 2017

After a difficult loss last week, Oakwood Soccer Academy (2-4-0, 6 points) got back into the win column with a 9-1 win over Long Island SC (0-6-0, 0 points). Midfielder Natalie Tavana set the tone for Oakwood with a hat trick in just 37 minutes of play (1’, 23’, and 37’). Oakwood also received goals from Lumi Kostmayer (3’ and 17’) and Samantha Forrest (25’ and 33’). In the second half, Long Island got one back courtesy of Aallyah Esmurria (77’). But Oakwood rallied yet again in the closing minutes, with forwards Autumn Skowrenski (88’) and Riley Ayer (90’) finishing off the scoring.

In the Southeast Division, NC Courage Academy (1-3-2, 5 points) earned their first win on the season with an emphatic 4-0 result against Orlando Pride (0-4-1, 1 point). It was a team effort on the attacking front with Amanda Kerr (16’), Peyton Goldthwaite (50’), Bayleigh Humbert (53’), and Anuhea Kane (80’) each scoring in the winning effort. Credit also to the Courage’s defensive corps for earning their first shutout of the season.

On Sunday, United Soccer Alliance defeated NC Courage 2-0. North Carolina held their own in the first half against a side that have scored 13 goals on the season and allowed just one. But late into the second half, United SA broke through with Jaiden Thomas getting the match-winner in the 85th minute and Lia Godfrey getting a second in injury time. That coupled with a 4-1 over Charlotte Soccer Academy on Saturday lifted United SA (3-0-1, 10 points) into second place in the Southeast Conference.

Full Results (Home team first)

Atlantic
FC Virginia 5 : PA Classics 0 (10/14)
Sky Blue- PDA 1 : Penn Fusion Academy 3 (10/14)
Washington Spirit Academy- Baltimore Armour : Cedar Stars Academy -Monmouth (10/14)
Washington Spirit Academy- Virginia 3 : Virginia Development Academy 0 (10/14)

Northeast
FC Stars 3 : Empire United 1 (10/14)
New York City FC 6 : Sky Blue NYSC 2 (10/14)
Boston Breakers Academy 0 :FC Fury NY 3 (10/14)
Oakwood Soccer Club 9 : Long Island SC 1 (10/15)

Southeast
Orlando Pride 0 : NC Courage 4 (10/14)
United Soccer Alliance 4 : Charlotte Soccer Academy 1 (10/14)
United Futbol Academy 0 : Concorde Fire 3 (10/14)
Weston FC 3: West Florida Flames 1 (10/14)
Orlando Pride : Charlotte Soccer Academy (10/15)
United Soccer Alliance 2 : NC Courage 0 (10/15)
IMG Academy 5 : Weston FC 0 (10/15)

U-18/U-19

In a top four Southeast Division battle, NC Courage took down the Orlando Pride by a score of 3-1. The USSDA Feature Game of the Week did not disappoint at least from a Courage perspective with Haleigh Stackpole (8’), Mattie Murphy (20’), and Emily Duerr (27’) each scoring to give NC an early advantage. Orlando would threaten in the second half with forward Kristen Scott (83’) narrowing NC’s lead to two.

+READ: NC Courage Academy beats Orlando Pride 3-1 in Girls DA Feature Game

NC Courage (5-0-1, 16 points) winning over Orlando coupled with their 8-0 win over the United Soccer Alliance (0-3-1, 1 point) pushed them into first place in the Southeast Division, ahead of idle NTH Tophat. The Pride (3-2-1, 10 points) were able to hold on to their top four standing with a 1-1 draw against Charlotte Soccer Academy on Sunday. Scott (60’) and midfielder Brin Wexler (45’) each scored for the Pride, with Charlotte’s goals coming courtesy of Kyndall Edwards (75’) and Claire Broderdorp (85’).

In a battle of third and fourth place in the Northeast Division, Boston Breakers Academy (3-2-0, 9 points) earned a 3-2 win over FC Fury NY (3-4-0, 9 points). The Breakers jumped out to a 3-0 lead early with a brace from Mlia Otero (27’ and 63’) and a second half strike from Zoie Allen (56’). But the Fury made things interesting late with Maria Frischetti and Kaelyn Britt scoring in the 85th and 86th minute, respectively. But the Breakers held on for their second consecutive victory.

Finally in the Atlantic Division, in a battle first versus second, Sky Blue-PDA (7-0-0, 21 points) secured their top place with a 3-0 win over Penn Fusion Academy (6-1-0, 18 points). Midfielders Trinity Garay (31’), Laura Jackson (45’), and Jillian Wachira’s (58’) each scored to provide the difference in the scoreline for Sky Blue. Meanwhile, goalkeeper Megan McClleland continued Sky Blue’s impressive work between the posts with another shutout effort behind the team’s strong back line. McClleland and fellow goalkeeper Grace Barbara have combined for seven clean sheets and one goal allowed during the 2017-2018 campaign.

Full results (Home team first)

Atlantic
FC Virginia 6 : PA Classics 0 (10/14)
Washington Spirit Academy-Baltimore Armour : Cedar Stars Academy Monmouth (10/14)
Sky Blue -PDA 3 : Penn Fusion Academy 0 (10/14)
Washington Spirit Academy-Virginia 2: Virginia Development Academy 2 (10/15)

Northeast
New York City FC 4 : Sky Blue NYSC 1 (10/14)
Boston Breakers Academy 3 :FC Fury NY 2 (10/14)
Oakwood Soccer Club 1 : Long Island SC 3 (10/15)

Southeast
United Soccer Alliance 2 : Charlotte Soccer Academy 2 (10/14)
Orlando Pride 1 : NC Courage 3 (10/14)
United Futbol Academy  1 : Concorde Fire 3 (10/14)
Weston FC 0 : West Florida Flames 0 (10/14)
United Soccer Alliance 0 : NC Courage 8 (10/15)
Orlando Pride 2 : Charlotte Soccer Academy 2 (10/15)
IMG Academy : Weston FC (10/15)