Puddles slowed the ball down, leaving it stuck in New Jersey sludge. Wet grass sped it up, passes zipping across the slick surface.
The conditions were far from ideal for smooth soccer on day one of ECNL New Jersey. Tainted by a rainy night, and nearly ruined by a torrential downpour at midday, the pitches made putting together a cohesive performance difficult. Still, despite rain delays and torn turf, there were some standout moments from the first of three jam-packed days in New Jersey.
There were 30-yard curlers and weaving runs. There were stretched saves and crucial tackles, and numerous fine moments in front of hundreds of college coaches on the sidelines.
Here are some of the payers who might just have caught an eye on a rain-interrupted Saturday.
