Players That Impressed: September 2016

The following players have been submitted by coaches, club technical personnel or SoccerWire.com staff so they could be recognized for impressive performances in competitive soccer games during the month of September.

Players will be added to the list each week throughout the month, and will be automatically nominated for the Soccer Wire Best-11 Players of September.

We post players in the order the submissions are received, so the sooner you post following impressive game performances, the higher up the list they will appear.

+ You can submit players any time here

Maggie Pierce – Defender
Oak City Futbol Club
Women’s Premier Soccer League (WPSL)
Maggie Pierce, from Raleigh, NC, was one of Oak City Futbol Club’s starting center defenders for the WPSL league. She made the team as a 14-year-old, playing and competing with girls who currently play NCAA Division I soccer, and veterans who have graduated college and continue to play competitively (ages up to mid thirties). She was a huge impact on the field in winning 50/50 balls with great composure, technique and her play was tactically sound. The UNC Chapel Hill commit and CASL ECNL player was a force to be reckoned with players double her age.

Maddy Anderson – Forward
McLean Youth Soccer Green U-19 Girls
Club Champions League
In the first two games of CCL League play, Maddy led McLean Green to a win and a draw with a trifecta of goals over the two matches. Her 2 goal performance against Arlington led to a 2-0 victory while her last minute goal against FC Richmond secured a 2-2 draw to keep McLean unbeaten.

Rylee Fry – Midfielder
Keystone FC 04 Premier U-13 Girls
Spirit United Kick-Off Classic
Rylee’s performance over the four games en-route to a championship in the premier bracket drew comments from both referees and opposing coaches as to her skill and determination. She contributed a goal and two assists over the weekend, also creating many opportunities and drawing constant double-teams from opposing defenses, allowing her teammates more space to work with. She was a threat offensively every time she had the ball, and worked back as an outside midfielder to help her team to four shutouts over the weekend.

Kate Deluca – Defender
Keystone FC 04 Premier U-13 Girls
Spirit United Kick-Off Classic
Kate dominated the middle of the field as the team’s starting central defender. Her physical presence against all four teams helped contribute to four shut-out games en-route to a championship in the premier bracket. She also stepped up with a key converted penalty kick in the game against West-Mont United to seal a 2-0 win. She was not only a key to four shutouts, but also was willing to step up and start the transition from defense to offense in every game.

Stephen Foss – Forward
Loudoun 98 Red U-19 Boys
OBGC Capital Cup
Stephen scored seven goals to help Loudoun 98 Red win the OBGC Capital Cup in Olney, Maryland. Loudoun posted a perfect 4-0-0 record at the event, outscoring opponents 14-0 in the top bracket.

Ian Mateer – Defender
Loudoun 98 Red U-19 Boys
OBGC Capital Cup
Ian, a George Mason University commit, marshaled a Loudoun 98 Red defense that didn’t concede a goal in winning the OBGC Capital Cup. Loudoun posted a perfect 4-0-0 record at the event, outscoring opponents 14-0 in the top bracket.

Jillian Shimkin – Forward
Albertson Fury 03 ECNL U-14 Girls
FC Stars of Mass Cup
Jilly showed a wide array of attacking qualities as she not only created chances for herself but for her teammates. She was poised and aggressive as she struck a balance between her fantastic 1v1 ability and combining with her teammates. Ultimately she would finish with two goals and an assist as she led her team to a 4-3 victory against Match Fit Academy.

Pierre Richard – Midfielder
BRYC 00 Elite U-17 Boys
OBGC Capital Cup
Pierre scored a 30-yard screamer to tie up the final 1-1 in the second half for BRYC 00 Elite at the OBGC Capital Cup. He also scored the winning penalty kick in the shootout to help his team finish as tournament champions.

Carter Robertson – Goalkeeper
BRYC 00 Elite U-17 Boys
OBGC Capital Cup
Carter kept a clean sheet in the last group stage match against McLean to secure advancement to the knockout stages of the tournament. In the finals, he saved three in the penalty shootout to give BRYC 00 Elite the victory.

Whitney Wiley – Midfielder
Vienna Youth Soccer Phoenix U-18 Girls
OBGC Capital Cup
Vienna played host side OBGC twice in the Capital Cup – the opening game and the Final, winning both, 2-1 and 4-0, respectively. Whitney opened the scoring in both games – scoring twice in the Final. Her creativity, vision and energy against such a highly-rated opponent was invaluable.

Rachel Jackson – Forward
Vienna Youth Soccer Phoenix U-18 Girls
OBGC Capital Cup
Rachel was a key component in both of Vienna’s wins against a pair of highly-touted opponents. She scored in both games against host club OBGC in the tournament opener and the championship match. She was relentless in applying pressure on the opposing defense and continually penetrating the back line with her forward play.

Brianna Robinson – Forward
FCV United Elite 00 U-17 Girls
Virginia Premier League
With five goals over a two-game weekend, Brianna continues to be one of the most dominant forwards on on the new U-17 National League team FCV United Elite. Brianna had 20 goals last season, and has already been on the radar of NCAA Division I women’s soccer programs on the East Coast.

Katelyn Kennedy – Defender
FCV United Elite 00 U-17 Girls
Virginia Premier League
Katelyn moved into a center back position this year after losing a teammate to the FCV ECNL group. After being unable to play in her team’s first two games over Labor Day weekend, Katelyn returned to provide a stellar performance alongside veteran center back Kelly Urlwin, as the team won their final game 5-1. She will be a focal point this year of a very strong United team.

Christina LaRow – Goalkeeper
Vienna Youth Soccer Phoenix U-18 Girls
OBGC Capital Cup
Through the entire four games of the tournament, Nina held the opponents scoreless while playing all but 25 minutes. She showed great presence, skilled leadership and was great with her feet. It was a dominating performance against some highly-rated opponents.

Elijah Amo – Forward
Bethesda SC USSDA U-18 Boys
U.S. Soccer Development Academy
Elijah had three goals and an assist in Bethesda’s 5-1 win over Richmond United to open the new USSDA season.

Sarah DeFreitas – Defender
Albertson Fury ECNL U-14 Girls
ECNL League Play
Sarah would start the game against East Meadow SC in the defensive center mid-field position. When her team went down 2-0 in the first half, she remained composed and set the tone for her teammates with her work rate and tenacity. Ultimately, she would score the opening goal for her team and contribute on the tying goal by winning two key tackles in the midfield before playing the ball to Lily Becker, who found a streaking Niki Kassimatis to tie the game. Sarah then played center back in the second half anchoring a defense which would only concede two shots.

Lucy Patton – Midfielder
Albertson Fury ECNL U-14 Girls
ECNL League Play
Lucy was an integral part of the midfield, consistently winning her battles in the middle third against East Meadow SC. She was just as important winning balls defensively as she was in the team’s ability to keep possession of the ball in the attack. Ultimately, her high work rate and fantastic soccer IQ would see her in the right position to score and then assist the third and fourth goals of the game.

Alyssa Chesney – Forward
FC Frederick U-17 Girls
Club Champions League
Down 0-2, Alyssa scored the first goal and third goal to secure a 3-2 comeback win for FC Frederick’s 2000 Girls at Arlington on Sunday, September 11. The first was a shot from distance that hit the crossbar and dropped in. Her game-winner came from a counter as she was put into good space behind a defender and slotted a low shot past the Arlington keeper.

Hailey McGregor – Forward
SCAA Elite U-17 Girls
Virginia State Cup
SCAA Elite 00 Girls took on last year’s state finalist CYA Santos in a State Cup match. SCAA Elite 00 prevailed 4-2 with the incredible play of Hailey McGregor as she assisted on all three goals of teammate Caroline Perez. McGregor unlocked the Santos defense with crafty ball control, creative play, and penetrating passes that created numerous goal scoring opportunities for SCAA Elite 00.

Caroline Perez – Forward
SCAA Elite U-17 Girls
Virginia State Cup
Caroline followed up a hat trick performance in the first round of the Virginia State Cup by scoring the game-winner in overtime against a tough Loudoun SC team, sending her team into the quarterfinals. Perez’s off the ball run and great penetrating pass by teammate Lauren Bartee created a phenomenal scoring opportunity which was well-placed out of the Loudoun keeper’s reach, hitting inside the far post from 20 yards out.

Dahlia Bedward – Goalkeeper
Baltimore Celtic Christos U-13 Girls
EDP League Play
Dahlia Bedward recorded a clean sheet vs LDC United by stopping two penalty kicks in the second half of the game, helping Baltimore Celtic Christos win 2-0 over LDC United.

Nicholas Kapanadze – Forward 
New York City FC Academy U-14 Boys
U.S. Soccer Development Academy
Nicholas recorded a hat trick in his team’s 6-1 rout of New York City FC in USSDA league play on Saturday, September 17.

Mike Lantry – Midfielder
Empire United U-15/16 Boys
U.S. Soccer Development Academy
Mike scored two goals and had an assist in a Development Academy match against Seacoast United. [Watch Highlights]

Jill Shimkin – Forward
Albertson Fury ECNL U-14 Girls
ECNL League Play
Jill was, as always, a focal point for her team’s attack in a win over World Class FC. She was able to find pockets of space and create not only for herself, but for her teammates. Although she was unable to get on the score sheet in the first half, she opened the scoring in the second half after being awarded a PK for being taken down on a breakaway. Jill would score to give her team a 1-0 lead. With her team leading 2-1 late in the game, she dropped back into the mid-field and lifted the work rate of all her teammates for the win.

Katie Harrison – Goalkeeper
SCAA Elite U-17 Girls
Virginia State Cup
SCAA Elite 00 has reached the quarter finals of the Virginia State Cup off of the outstanding keeper play of Katie Harrison in the first two rounds of play against CYA Santos 00 and Loudoun Red 00. Harrison has led her team in all aspects of the game through her communication, distribution, and her quality saves. Harrison had multiple full-extension saves and deflections thwarting well-placed shots by her opponents, allowing her team to stay in each of their State Cup games.

Alessandro Corghi – Forward
Kendall SC USSDA U-15/16 Boys
U.S. Soccer Development Academy League Play
Alessandro needed just 13 minutes to record a hat trick in Kendall SC’s victory over Charlotte Soccer Academy. His team needed all three scores, as Alessandro came off the bench in the second half to lead his team to a narrow 3-2 win.

Catherine Corsini – Forward
ABGC X-treme 99 U-18 Girls
NCSL League Play
Catherine scored four goals in her team’s 5-2 win over SCAA Elite 00. Her first goal was off a corner where she volleyed it into the far post upper 90. Her second and third goals were breakaways after beating multiple defenders, and the fourth was on a direct kick that deflected off the keeper, which she followed up with a one-touch strike. She also assisted on the other goal for ABGC.

Taylor Price – Forward
FC Virginia Pre-ECNL U-13 Girls
Pre-ECNL League Play
Taylor scored a hat trick in a 3-3 draw against Indiana Fire. She was always dangerous going forward, creating lots of problems for opponents’ back line. She also had an assist in the next day’s game against Ohio Elite.

Ava Galligan – Forward
FC Virginia Pre-ECNL U-13 Girls
Pre-ECNL League Play
Ava scored four goals in a 5-0 win over Ohio Elite. She was always in dangerous areas, receiving assists from four different teammates on her goals.

Oskar Ekeberg – Forward
Beachside SC USSDA U-14 Boys
U.S. Soccer Development Academy League Play
Oskar recorded a hat trick during Beachside SC’s 4-2 victory over New York SC, with all three goals coming during a second half outburst in which Beachside scored four times during an 18-minute span.

David Hughes – Forward
Richmond United USSDA U-14 Boys
U.S. Soccer Development Academy League Play
David set the tone for Richmond United’s overpowering effort against Loudoun Soccer, netting three goals in the first half. Richmond won the match 6-2.