Girls Development Academy East Conference Recap: May 20-21, 2018

The U.S. Soccer Development Academy’s East Conference had another wild weekend across the U-15, U-16/U-17, and U-18/U-19 age brackets. With play for some sides in the Southeast Division wrapping up and top four battles with playoff implications in all three divisions there was a great deal at stake for many sides lacing up their boots.

+Full Schedule / Results

U-15

Sky Blue-PDA (20-3-4, 64 points) remains at the top of the Atlantic division standings after their 6-0 win over the Washington Spirit Academy-Virginia (1-23-4, 7 points).Defender Payton Nichols (40’), midfielders Emerson Elgin (60’) and Katherine Sy (79’), and forwards Payton Uhrig (70’) and Lauren Wrigley (67’ and 74’) supplied the goals for PDA giving them their ninth five plus goal performance of the 2018 season. Their winning streak was also extended to six matches, as goalkeeper Abigail Brunell and the back line recorded the clean sheet.

Penn Fusion Soccer Academy (17-8-3, 54 points) earned six points with a pair of victories on the weekend. On Saturday, PFA held off a difficult Oakwood Soccer Club (14-10-3, 45 points) side with a 3-2 result. The first hour of the match saw both potent attacking sides being denied by some impressive goalkeeping work from Aubrey Brown (PFA) and Kaelen Fabry (Oakwood). Things opened up though in the final twenty minutes with the two sides trading goals. Oakwood took the lead twice with goals from forward Delaney Farinha (53’) and midfielder Rachel Roman (67’). But PFA matched Oakwood goal-for-goal with defender Alexandra Lewis (65’) and Emma Pelkowski (71’) keeping their side in the match. In the match’s dying minutes forward Zoe Schutter gave her side the match-winner with a goal in the 80th minute.

+READ: Girls Development Academy East Conference Recap | May 12-13, 2018

After a statement victory on Saturday, PFA followed their win up with another impressive result on Sunday, this time defeating Empire United (3-23-1, 10 points) 6-0. Forward Brianna Moore’s three goals (7’, 50’, and 72’) led the club on the day, pushing her total on the season to 11. Schutter (49’), midfielder Lily Weiss (15’) and forward Alison McVey (35’) added three more giving their side 61 goals on the season (second most in the Atlantic Division).

FC Virginia (16-10-3, 51 points) held on to their No. 18 seed in the USSDA playoffs with a 3-1 win over the Virginia Development Academy (10-14-5, 35 points). Defender Madeleine Walker gave FCV the lead with her goal in the 14th minute, her third of the season. In the second half, midfielder Ashley Rauch (65’ and 72’) appeared to put the match away with a pair of goals to give FCV the 3-0 advantage. Forward Savannah Kofman pulled VDA to within two with her goal in the 74th minute. But credit to the FCV defense, led by Walker, Emily Pendleton, and Melissa McClure for holding off their in-state rivals late.

In a top-two battle in the Northeast, NYCFC (20-6-2, 62 points) defeated FC Fury NY (15-10-1, 46 points) 2-0. In the first half, NYCFC marched out to a 2-0 lead with goals from Madeline Pirrello (17’) and Bella Sember (33’). The strikers for NYCFC have combined for 51 goals (Sember -28, Pirrello-21) this season forming one of the most potent attacking combinations in the USSDA. Goalkeeper Megan Sical made several quality stops to preserve their advantage in the second half and earned her side’s thirteenth shutout of the season.

FC Stars (13-10-5, 44 points) kept their playoff hopes alive with a 1-0 win over third-place Boston Breakers Academy (14-10-3, 45 points). Sensing that the game was a ‘must-win’ the Stars attack burst ahead early with midfielder Jordan Juetten giving her side the lead in the 19th minute. The goal was her 14th of the season, third most among the team. With the lead in hand, the Stars defense now had to bring home the result. Goalkeeper MaryKate Ward and decisive defensive work from Brooke Samborski (80 minutes), Samantha Mulder (40 minutes), Emily Bubonovich (80 minutes), and Juliana Chiarella (80 minutes) the Stars held on to their lead and earned the three points.

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There were draws aplenty in the Southeast as the top four sides in the Division took away at a point in each of their matches over the weekend. On Saturday, third-place Concorde Fire (17-6-5, 56 points) had to settle for a 1-1 result at home against top of the table NTH Tophat (20-2-6, 66 points). The Fire looked like they might just get the win after Olivia Lebdaoui gave her side the lead in the 21st minute. But Tophat, as they have done all season, never gave up and in the 51st minute they found the game-tying goal courtesy of Danielle Lewin. In 28 matches this season, Lewin has 24 goals giving her the eighth-highest Goals Per Game average (.8571) in the U-15 age group.

Second-place Charlotte Soccer Academy (18-6-4, 58 points) drew 2-2 with fourth-place NC Courage (14-9-5, 57 points) over the weekend. While the result mirrored that of their previous encounter (a 0-0 draw back in April) there was a bit more spark on the attacking side in this match. CSA’s Emma Sexton gave her side the 2-0 lead just before halftime with goals in the 42nd and 45th minutes, respectively. In the second half, the Courage responded with Mackenzie Geigle (72’) and Julia Hellenkamp (75’) rescuing a point for the visitors.

The Courage closed out their 2017-2018 regular season with a 1-1 draw against United Futbol Academy (11-15-3, 36 points). Sunday was a bit of a role reversal for the Courage after Saturday’s come-from-behind victory with Sara Arnold giving them the lead in the 32nd minute. But UFA got a goal of their own in the 77th minute from Jolie St. Louis. While their match against the NC Courage did mark the end of their 2017-2018 USSDA campaign, UFA ended it on a high note, getting points in each of their last two matches (1-0-1, 4 points).

Atlantic
Cedar Stars Academy-Monmouth 1 | Washington Spirit Academy-Baltimore Armour 1 (05/19)
Virginia Development Academy 1 |FC Virginia 3 (05/19)
Sky Blue-PDA 6 | Washington Spirit Academy-Virginia 0 (05/20)

Northeast
FC Fury NY 0 | NYCFC 2 (05/19)
Long Island SC 0 |Sky Blue-NYSC 2 (05/19)
Boston Breakers Academy 0 | FC Stars 1 (05/19)
Sky Blue-NYSC 6 | Long Island SC 0 (05/20)

Atlantic and Northeast
PA Classics 3 |Empire United 0 (05/19)
Penn Fusion Soccer Academy 3 | Oakwood Soccer Club 2 (05/19)
Penn Fusion Soccer Academy 6 | Empire United 0 (05/20)
PA Classics 3 | Oakwood Soccer Club 0 (05/20)

U-16/U-17

Penn Fusion Soccer Academy (22-4-2, 68 points) remain atop of the Atlantic Division after taking four out of a possible six points last weekend. On Saturday, PFA rescued a point after falling behind early in a 1-1 draw with Oakwood Soccer Club (14-12-1, 43 points). While Natalie Tavana gave Oakwood the lead after just 15 minutes of play, PFA continued to press, eventually finding the equalizer in the form of a Rowan Lapi strike in the 89th minute.

Things were a little bit easier for PFA on Sunday as they dispatched Empire United 9-1. Goals were scored by midfielders Kelly Hutton (10’) and Catherine DeRosa (20’), forwards Claire Pinnie (58’, 70’, and 80’), Chloe Adler (55’), and Giavanna Vicari (68’) and defenders Anna Salvucci (14’) and Natalia Santangelo (37’). Sunday’s haul was the most goals the club has scored all season in a single matching, besting their eight goal effort against Cedar Stars Academy-Monmouth from back in November.

Washington Spirit Academy-Virginia (17-8-3, 54 points) defeated Sky Blue-PDA (20-6-1, 61 points) 1-0. Jasmine Hamid (88’) notched the game-winner just before time expired, her eighth of the season. The win extends the Spirit’s undefeated run to seven matches. The Spirit (10-2-1, 31 pts) are currently the number two Wild Card in the U-16/U-17 age bracket with two matches to play.

FC Fury NY (18-6-1, 55 points) retained their top spot in the Northeast with an emphatic 4-0 win over third-place NYCFC (16-8-4, 52 points). Samantha DuMont put her side ahead early with a goal in just the fourth minute of the match. Devon Olive’s brace (28’ and 80’) gave the Fury a little bit of breathing room against a very difficult NYCFC side, while Brianna Jablonowski’s goal in the 80th minute sealed the three points for the home side.

+READ: U.S. U-16 Girls National Team completes sweep at UEFA Tournament

The Fury made it a perfect weekend on Sunday, defeating FC Stars (6-16-5, 23 points) 5-0 to cap the weekend. Jablonowski (14’) and DuMont (18’) both scored in the first to earn their second goals on the weekend and their 15th and 9th goals on the season, respectively. They were joined by Caitlin Doran (36’), Jillian Shimkin (64’) and Samantha Goodrich (87’) giving the Fury 87 goals on the season. Meanwhile goalkeepers Kaitlyn Mahoney and Sydney Silverman combined for their eleventh shutout of the season. The two have split duties between the posts this season with Mahoney making 16 starts and Silverman making 11.

The Stars also fell 3-0 to the Boston Breakers Academy (18-8-1, 55 points) on the weekend. Isabelle Aviza’s brace (21’ and 78’) set the tone for the Breakers, giving her a team-best 18 on the season. Margaret Rabitt (68’) provided the other goal for Boston. The Breakers have rounded into form during the spring half of their 2017-2018 campaign. Since moving into 2018, they have pulled off a 12-1-1 record.

NTH Tophat (20-4-3, 63 points) remain atop the Southeast after having defeated the Concorde Fire (18-6-4, 58 points) 3-0. Bayleigh Humbert (7’) and Elaine Rose (15’) got their side ahead early with goals in the first quarter of an hour. Emily Sapienza provided an insurance goal in the second to seal the three points for Tophat, who are now undefeated in their last six matches (5-0-1, 16 points).

IMG Academy (17-8-4, 55 points) moved closer towards securing a Wild Card spot with their 9-1 win over the West Florida Flames (4-23-2, 14 points). IMG’s one-two punch of Riley Thompson (34’, 62’, 68’, 75’, and 89’) and Enzi Broussard (27’ and 41’) continued their epic scoring run through the East Conference, scoring seven of IMG’s nine goals. Together they have scored 49 of IMG’s 73 goals on the season or roughly 67%. Alexis Vanderlinden (14’) and Ashlyn Goila (88’) also found the back of the net for IMG while West Florida’s lone goal was provided by Marianna Pezzella (42’).

Atlantic
Cedar Stars Academy-Monmouth 4 | Washington Spirit Academy-Baltimore Armour 1 (05/19)
Virginia Development Academy 0 |FC Virginia 4 (05/19)
Sky Blue-PDA 0 | Washington Spirit Academy-Virginia 1 (05/20)

Northeast
FC Fury NY 4 | NYCFC 0 (05/19)
Long Island SC 3 |Sky Blue-NYSC 4 (05/19)
Boston Breakers Academy 3 | FC Stars 0 (05/19)
Sky Blue-NYSC 1 | Long Island SC 0 (05/20)

Atlantic and Northeast
PA Classics 9 |Empire United 3 (05/19)
Penn Fusion Soccer Academy 1 | Oakwood Soccer Club 1 (05/19)
Penn Fusion Soccer Academy 9 | Empire United 1 (05/20)
PA Classics 0 | Oakwood Soccer Club 2 (05/20)

U-18/U-19

Penn Fusion Soccer Academy (17-5-3, 54 points) remain in the driver’s seat for the second automatic playoff spot out of the Atlantic Division after a pair of victories last weekend. On Saturday they defeated Oakwood Soccer Club (13-9-1, 40 points) with goals from midfielder Brice McInroy (13’ and 74’) and forward Sydney Amparo (53’). They matched that effort on Sunday with another 3-0 victory, this time defeating Empire United (1-19-3, 6 points). Their two wins keep them narrowly ahead of FC Virginia (18-7-1, 55 points), who defeated Virginia Development Academy (6-17-3, 21 points) 3-0. FCV currently trails PFA 2.1154 to 2.16 in points per games played.

In the Northeast Division, Boston Breakers Academy (19-3-1, 28 points) sealed their playoff spot with a 10-0 win over FC Stars (9-12-0, 27 points). MaryKate McGuire (31’, 44’, and 53’) and Catherine Barry (38’, 70’, and 72’) each had a hat trick to go along with goals from Olivia Hicks (23’), Taylor Kofton (60’), Jenna Tivnan (63’), and Gabriella delpico (88’). The Breakers defense meanwhile secured their seventh shutout and third in four matches.

After such a difficult loss and so close to the end of the season some clubs would just pack things up and call it a year. Not the Stars, who picked themselves up and earned a 1-0 win over FC Fury NY (9-12-0, 27 points). The Stars took the lead late in the second half when forward Gabriella Panagakos shot found the back of the net in the 74th minute. The goal was her first of the 2017-2018 campaign. Things got a bit hairy late for the Stars as they went down a player after a player was sent off for receiving her second yellow card. But the Stars defense held the Fury attack back and earned the shutout.

+READ: Girls Development Academy East Conference Recap | May 5-6, 2018

Finally in the Southeast Division, the NC Courage (21-2-2, 65 points) capped off their regular season with a two win weekend in league play. On Saturday they defeated the Charlotte Soccer Academy (13-8-4, 43 points) 1-0 with Alexa Wojnovich’s goal in the 85th minute proving to be the difference.

Sunday provided a different set of challenges for the Courage against the United Futbol Academy (12-13-1, 37 points). UFA took the lead going into the second half thanks to a goal from forward Erin Houlihan in the 40th minute. Houlihan has 11 goals on the season which leads her side. But the Courage came alive in the second half, with Wojnovich getting her second on the weekend in the 62nd minute. The game remained tied until the final ten minutes when the Courage would take the lead for good via goals from Lyndon Wood (80’), Isabella Brown (81’) and Camryn Dixon (85’).

The one side still fighting to overtake the Courage in the Southeast Division standings, NTH Tophat (19-1-5, 62 points), drew 3-3 with third place Concorde Fire (20-5-1, 61 points). As normally is the case in battles with so much at stake, both sides looked to take control of the match early. Tophat’s Rachel Jones gave her side the early lead with her goal in the ninth minute. Less than ten minutes later though Concorde responded with two goals of their own from forward Julia Nicholas (11’) and midfielder Nicole Payne (17’). In the second half, Tophat took the lead with Delaney Graham netting the equalizer in the 60th minute and Jones giving her side the lead with her second goal in the 72nd. But Concorde wasn’t finished as midfielder Croix Bethune scored in the 83rd minute to help her side earn a point. With the draw, the Fire retain one of the two automatic Wild Card spots in the U-18/U-19 age bracket.

Atlantic
Cedar Stars Academy-Monmouth 1 | Washington Spirit Academy-Baltimore Armour 1 (05/19)
Virginia Development Academy 0 |FC Virginia 3 (05/19)
Sky Blue-PDA | Washington Spirit Academy-Virginia (05/20)

Atlantic and Northeast
PA Classics 3 |Empire United 0 (05/19)
Penn Fusion Soccer Academy 3 | Oakwood Soccer Club 0 (05/19)
Penn Fusion Soccer Academy 3 | Empire United 0 (05/20)
PA Classics 1 | Oakwood Soccer Club 2 (05/20)