Players That Impressed: ECNL Girls 2023 Tennessee National Event

The ECNL Girls held their fourth National Event of the 2023-24 season over the weekend in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. The event featured 180 teams from the league’s U15-U18/U19 age groups. (View Results)

Below are some of the top players from the weekend’s event sorted by graduation year. You can also nominate a player who stood out during the event through the following link.

2028

2027

Summer Riley | Forward
Tennessee SC 08 (TN)

Opened up the Showcase for the hosts with an impressive attacking performance, scoring a goal and adding an assist in Tennessee’s 2-1 win over Rebels SC. Riley possesses limitless speed and can immediately drive at defenders off of her first touch. She is coming off of a strong 2022-2023 campaign in which she earned ECNL Ohio Valley All-Conference Second Team honors and was invited to the April 2023 USYNT ID Center event.

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Sydney DeLacy | Midfielder
Va. Union FC 08 (VA)

Hammered home a brace to lift Va. Union past Gretna Elite Academy 2-1 in their second match in the 08 age group. With her quick passing and clever first touch, De Lacy can move the Union midfield from a defensive mindset to an attacking one. She can also play at the forward position, creating goal-scoring opportunities in tight spaces inside of the eighteen yard box.

2026

Braelynn Galt | Goalkeeper
Chicago Inter 08 (IL)

Earned three clean sheets by the tightest of margins downing Classics Elite, Match Fit Academy, and Seattle United each by a 1-0 scoreline. Galt has superb field vision and can immediately off of a save find her teammates with a long throw or punt. She is more than willing to mix it up with attackers and can make the decisive stop in close spaces.

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Sydney Stoner | Defender
Sourh Carolina United FC 08 (SC)

Providing tight marking, winning tackles and strong communication along the backline, Stoner helped keep her team in defensive shape all weekend. She technique and tactical prowess allowed her to maintain her composure and using both feet, retaining possession for long portions of time in matches.

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Kennedy Walker | Defender
Gretna Elite Academy 08 (NE)

At the centerback position, Kenna was a calming but dominate force for her team on the back line during their game on Friday vs a strong PDA team. She had some impressive clearances and solid tackles that led to some great opportunities for her teammates to get up the field and score in their 3-0 shutout.

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Hayden Blaney | Goalkeeper
Gretna Elite Academy 08 (NE)

The 2023 USYNT ID Center Invitee came up big for Gretna all weekend, earning two shutouts against PDA South (3-0) and Match Fit Academy (1-0). Her timing in terms of her ball distribution and knowing when to speed up and slow down play was on point in both matches, giving her defense time to reorganize and prepare.

Great 3-0 win today!!! Check out my save to end the game!!! #ECNLTN @Gretna08ECNL @GEA_ECNL @GretnaEliteAcad @ImYouthSoccer @ECNLgirls @TopDrawerSoccer @gregjordan90 @NcsaSoccer @CoachPeteNCSA pic.twitter.com/zhZIg5ASKk

— Hayden Blaney (@hblaneygk) December 2, 2023

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Sienna Respicio | Defender
Rebels SC 07 (CA)

Ignited the Rebels’ scoring surge on the weekend by delivering a skillful assist in the opening minutes of game one. Her perfectly weighted through ball allowed the striker the perfect opportunity in the box. She would go on to add another assist during the weekend. Both pinpoint crosses exhibited her refined technical quality and creativity in the attacking half.

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Addison Hansen | Defender
Slammers FC 07 (CA)

Hansen’s timely tackles and smart decision making out of the back helped the Slammers to the 2-0 win Saturday night. She can make the long clearances to stop attackers runs at goal, but also place them in perfect spots for her teammates to run the counter-attack. The centerback is a three-time Surf Cup Champion.

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Kolby Moss | Defender
Concorde Fire Premier 08 (GA)

Alongside her teammates on the defense, Moss helped Concorde Fire earn a clean sheet against Kings Hammer, and also held a strong Mustang SC attack to just one goal. In emergency situations, she can make the quick track back and close down any openings. Her control over the center of the pitch forced the opposition to go wide where her teammates could provide support. Moss is the captain of the Fire and is a two-sport athlete, featuring for the Atlanta International School Varsity team.

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Lily Iozzia| Defender
Western New York Flash 08 (NY)

Provided the Flash with a level of control and discipline, leading the group to two clean sheets and three wins. Her explosive speed and tight ball control enabled New York to move quickly from a defensive posture to an attacking one. Iozzia can not only stop attacking plays, but she can also create them on the counter.

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Sofia Goettner | Midfielder
FC DELCO 08 (PA)

Helped FC DELCO’s U16 team to three wins, providing two goals and two assists to their effort. Her ability to win 50-50 balls and immediately turn them into goal-scoring opportunities provided a spark for DELCO. She can also make timely passes to the outside to force the opposition to chase and eat up large portions of the clock in the process.

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Michaela Panella | Midfielder
Western New York Flash 08 (NY)

The recent USWYNT U-15 call-up had a strong performance in the midfield for the Flash, scoring twice and adding three assists in their three wins. Her tight ball control and highly accurate passing helped Flash dominate the midfield in all three games. She was also an asset on defense, making key interceptions and at times tracking back to limit counter-attack initiatives.

2025

Gloria Abiassi | Winger
Northern Virginia Alliance 07 (VA)

Operating on the outside, Abiassi proved to be a difference maker on both sides of the pitch for Alliance. In defense, she closely marked wingers giving them little space to run the counter-attack. On the attacking end, her service into the box gave defenders problems all weekend and culminated in an assist and a goal for Leah Anand in Alliance’s 1-0 win over Maryland United FC.

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Brady Campbell | Defender
Beach FC 07 (CA)

Held opponents scoreless through all three matches en route to helping Beach earn maximum points in Tennessee. Campbell’s timely runs back to stem counter-attacking opportunities proved critical in their victories over Tennessee SC (1-0), OK Energy (2-0), and Ohio Premier (2-0). Campbell’s experience as a former ECNL national champion will undoubtedly help Beach as they enter the stretch run.

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Alyssa Jurado | Defender
Bay Area Surf 07 (CA)

Showed great tenacity, physicality, and technical ability during all three games in Tennessee. Jurado helped her team hold a strong Legends 07 team scoreless in their last game, as well as lead the backline against Indiana Eleven (1-1) and Ohio Premier (0-1).

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Foley Robertson | Midfielder
Northern Virginia Alliance 07 (VA)

Serving as a NVA’s number six, Robertson dominated both sides of the ball and caused all three of their opponents to change their plans on building possession through the middle. An aggressive force, she set the tone for their wins using her technical and tactical abilities to take control of games. She has a strong fall campaign with NVA and should continue to impress heading into the spring.

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Leana Ruiz | Forward
SUSA 07 (NY)

In a NY/NJ derby match against PDA Blue, Ruiz scored twice and added an assist to give SUSA the 3-2 win. She added a third against Real Colorado, burying the equalizer in their 1-1 draw. Ruiz has verbally committed to playing college soccer in the fall of 2025 at St. Johns University.

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Kirsten Putnam | Defender
Charlotte Soccer Academy 07 (NC)

Effectively prevented opposing wingers and strikers from taking shots or making crosses. She also intercepted passes and initiated counterattacks, resulting in crosses inside the box. Kiki’s dedication to her fitness is evident in her ability to dispossess opponents and win challenging battles.

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Morgan Farnham | Defender
Beach FC 07 (CA)

Earned three clean sheets as Beach FC continued their winning streak in Tennessee with victories over Tennessee SC (1-0) OK Energy (2-0) and Ohio Premier (2-0). Farnham made consistent, athletic saves in all three games, including six saves and an impressive one-on-one stop against talented Ohio Premier. Her leadership, communication, and organization helped Beach throughout the weekend and will be critical in keeping them atop the ECNL rankings.

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Destiny Cabrera | Forward
Slammers FC 06/05 (CA)

A 2007 player that played up for Slammers’ 06/05s, Destiny came on as a sub and applied relentless pressure and tried rallying the team back from an early deficit. Her clean touches, aggressive play and matched the physicality of a strong Internationals Club Team.

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Meara Balachandran | Defender
FC DELCO 07 (PA)

Alternated between outside back and winger and was a force to be reckoned with for Delco. She disrupted numerous attacks/counterattacks and created chances for her team through her speed, one-touch passing, and crosses. Facing three opponents in the box, she blocked a shot with her head and then stepped decisively to clear the ball in the Friday night game versus Charlotte SA.

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Olivia Stafford | Forward
Arlington Soccer Association 06/05 (VA)

Created chance after chance for Arlington and was dominant on the dribble. She scored a goal in the final fixture and was crucial in the attacks generated by ASA throughout the weekend. Stafford participated in the October 2022 USYNT ID Center camp in Richmond, Virginia.

2024

Lauryn Taylor | Forward
Wilimington Hammerheads 06/05 (NC)

Netted a brace for the Hammerheads in their first win of the Showcase, a 2-0 defeat against HEX FC. Smith can find the smallest of gaps in a defense and immediately exploit it. She also showed her composure under pressure, burying home her penalty kick chance to put the match away. Taylor has committed to playing college soccer next season at Mississippi State.

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Mackenzie Yoder | Goalkeeper
Slammers FC 06/05 (CA)

Earned back-to-back clean sheets (3-0 against United Futbol Academy and 2-0 over FC Dallas) to start Slammers weekend in Tennessee. Between the posts, Yoder made multiple acrobatic saves and provided consistent coverage alongside the Slammers defense. Her ability to read what attackers are planning and counteract it makes her a highly difficult goalkeeper to break down.

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Josie Bencic | Forward
Ohio Elite Soccer Academy 05/06 (OH)

Hit the game winning goal in for Ohio in their 2-1 opening day win over Bethesda SC. She continued her hot streak, adding a second to defeat Beach FC (VA) on Saturday. Bencic capped off a strong weekend with another, game winner in their finale, a 1-0 victory over LAFC So Cal.