LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLORIDA – The Disney Girls Soccer Showcase, presented by Chelsea Football Club opened here Thursday, with matches taking place side-by-side in the U.S. Youth Soccer National League, The Elite Clubs National League and the traditional Disney event.

The common thread among all the games was a heavy presence of college coaches, with staff from schools around the country looking at players as young as the U15 age group. Competition will continue here through Sunday, and TopDrawerSoccer.com will be on hand each day.

Feature Match 1: U15 Showcase – Dallas Texans 2, NSA Fireballs 0 (USYS NL)

Ryan Higginbotham’s Texans’ squad maintained their unbeaten record in the National League (4-0-1) with a workmanlike 2-0 win over winless Naperville. The Illinois side put a spirited battle and held Texans’ in check until Julia Dyche scored late in the 1st half on a setup from Sophie Groff and Courtney Forte.

Higginbotham said some idle time prior to this event had an impact on the Texans’ performance in the 1st half.

“We haven’t played a game in about 3 ½ weeks and the rust showed a little bit in the 1st half,” he said. “In the 2nd half our thought process and speed of play picked up a little bit. I didn’t think we were in danger, but we just had to get the patterns and flow going again.”

Texans were able to kill the match off late in the 2nd half. After Julie Herrera won a ball in the air off an NSA goal kick, Amber Haggerty made a strong run down the right side, eventually beating a defender and cutting in at the end line. Her chipped cross was partially deflected by the goalkeeper, but Jasmine Hart reached it and volleyed home from close range to provide the final 2-0 scoreline.

Higginbotham hopes to see more plays like that as the Texans attempt to close out a national league title this week.

“I hope to be (more dangerous in front of goal). We have five girls who can play up front who can score. We play a 4-3-3 and the chances in the 1st half weren’t even close to frame, and the chances in the 2nd half they got much closer, but we’re going to have to be better at putting the ball in the net as the weekend goes on.”

Texans got good play in goal from Ashton Hierholzer, with defender Alexandra Fischer, midfielder Taylor Barg and winger Kelsey Gorney also standing out. Naperville defender Rachele Armand was a stalwart for her team in the back

Feature Match 2: U15 Showcase – D’Feeters 1, St. Louis Scott Gallagher 1 (ECNL)

St. Louis Scott Gallagher and D’Feeters each earned their first point of the inaugural ECNL season, via a 1-1 draw played early Thursday morning.

Jordan Meier scored on a nice header from Jenny Antonacci’s serve to put the St. Louis side up early in the 2nd half. D’Feeters’ Alison Savage took advantage of a miscue in the back to score from close range and level the match at 1-1. Both teams had some decent chances after that but the match ended in a draw.

Gallagher goalkeeper Paige Brown did a good job of coming off her line. She also showed considerably bravery in diving to the ground to deal with scrambles in the area. Meier was strong in defense both in the challenge and in running down attempted through balls. Margaret Richard closes down attackers well and is an effective tackler.

Brook Butzer was good on the wing for the Texas side, winning possession and starting some dangerous sequences with good passes. Mykel Ward was tough in defensive midfield for D’Feeters, showing a good first touch and vision as well as an ability to swing the ball wide with her passing.

Thursday Results (courtesy Disney Soccer Showcase)

U18 Showcase
Eclipse Select 3, Florida Rush 1
Laurel Lightning 5, Match Fit Chelsea 0
Vista Shockwave 2, Space Coast United 1
Atlanta Fire United 4, Birmingham United 3
GSA Phoenix 3, Delaware Blue Monkeys 1
Albertson SC 5, Davis SC 0
Woodbury Inferno 1, Loudoun Red 0
AFC Lightning 3, Patriots FC 1

U18 Predator
First Coast Kyx 7, Milwaukee Kickers 1
Freestate Phoenix 1, Virginia Rush 0
Clearwater Chargers 1, Ohio Elite 0
Laroca Premier 6, Concorde Fire Elite 4
Farmingdale Freedom 1, West Virginia United 0
RSL Florida 5, Kickers United 1
Dallas Texans Florida 6, Bethesda SC 0
Fort Wayne Fever 1, North Atlanta SA 0

U17 Showcase
Hibernian FC 1, Clearwater Chargers 1
Scorpions SC 5, Michigan Hawks 1
GSA Phoenix 2, Cleveland FC 1
Penn Fusion 2, Pride SC 2
Syosset Sting 2, Dallas Texans 1
Montclair SC 1, Ponte Vedra Storm 0
Sting 1, PDA Tsunami 0
Real Colorado 3, Eclipse Select 2
Ohio Elite 4, Charlotte SC 0
Lonestar SC 3, FC Dallas 1
D’Feeters 6, Ohio Premier Eagles 0
Bethesda SC 1, Stars of Mass 1

U17 Predator
JFA Academy (Japan) 7, Ohio Premier Eagles 0
Hershey Kickkats 4, Baltimore Bays Chelsea 2
Team Boca 3, SC Del Sol 2
HBC Intense 1, Hockessin Select 0
Brentwood Premier 3, Cal Rush 2
Quickstrike FC 3, Century United 1
Lower Dauphin 2, Carmel United 1
Mockingbird Valley 3, FC Premier 1
Albertson Fury 3, CASL Spartan Elite 2
Santa Rosa United 2, Solar SC 1
Challenge SC 2, Atlanta Fire United 2
Connecticut FC 3, St. Louis Scott Gallagher Elite 1
FC DELCO Force 3, Virginia Rush 0
Concorde Fire Elite 1, CESA Premier 0
Birmingham United 4, Freestate United 1
FC Virginia 3, Soccerplus Charge 2

U17 Copa
St. Louis Scott Gallagher Navy 2, Richmond Strikers 1
Colorado Storm Copa 2, Florida Rush 1
Omaha FC 1, Bethesda SC 1
Concorde Fire Black 4, Hattiesburg Storm 0
Eden Prairie SC 3, Bridge FA 0
JB Marine 3, NE Eagles 1
Eclipse (TX) 7, Maine Coast United 0
Sunrise SC 2, Wayzata Rage 1
Carmel United Elite 3, FC Frederick 3
Kendall SC 2, Cincinnati United Premier 2
Gulf Coast United 4, Sonesoccer TA Crush 2
Norcross Fury 2, FC Milwaukee 2
Match Fit Chelsea 6, Richmond Hill Raiders 0
Marin FC 2, Cobb FC 0
Albion Hurricanes 1, Braddock Road YC 0

U16 Showcase

Chantilly Burn 2, PBA Magic Jack 1

ASA Xtreme 1, Carmel United Elite 1

Mclean Strikers 2, Real New Jersey 0

Michigan Hawks 1, Rio Vista FC 0

Dallas Texans 2, KC Select 0

NSA Premier Fury 2, Penn Strikers 0

Albertson Fury 1, Birmingham United 0

Solar Red 4, Real Colorado 0

St. Louis Scott Gallagher 0, Sting 94 0

PDA Charge 1, CASL Spartan Elite 0

Eclipse Select 1, Charlotte SC 0

Stars of Massachusetts 1, San Juan SC 1

 

U16 Predator
Mass Premier 1, Brentwood Premier 0
East Meadow Express 3, Minnesota Thunder 1
Eastside FC 4, Quickstrike FC 1
Albion Hurricanes 1, Wall SC 0
Sockers FC 3, FC Bucks Xtreme 0
North Atlanta SA 1, Scorpions SC 1
D’Feeters 1, Ohio Elite 1
Lonestar SC 3, Soccerplus 0
Virginia Rush 1, Freestate Fury 0
FC Dallas 1, Concorde Fire Elite 1
Challenge SC 3, Atlanta Fire United 1
Connecticut FC 2, FC Virginia 0

U16 Copa
Pickering SC 2, Lower Dauphin 0
CASL Spartan Elite 3, Chicago Fire Juniors 0
Massapequa Force 4, Cincinnati United Premier 2
Florida Rush 2, Utah Avalanche 1
Pittsgrove Pride 2, Oakville Titans 1
South Central Premier 2, Twin City Lady Twins 0
Oakwood SC 3, Cobb FC 1
SWISA Rush 3, Empire USA 0
Smithtown Attack 1, FC DELCO Force 0
Austin Capitals 2, Mississippi Fire 2
Moneteuil 3, Blue Valley Stars 0
YMS Premier 1, Team Boca 0
Internationals 4, Weston FC 0
Braddock Road YC 2, East Ridge Express 1
Pride SC 2, Dallas Texans 1
Lakeland FC 1, Brentwood Explosion 1

U15 Showcase
VSA Heat 5, Mount Laurel United 3
GSA Phoenix 2, Elk Grove 0
Chantilly Firecats 3, Central Florida United 1
North Atlanta SA 4, Penn Fusion 2
Scorpions SC 5, Sockers 0
Dallas Texans 2, NSA Fireballs 0
CASL Spartan Elite 2, Challenge SC 0
Real Colorado 4, Concorde Fire Elite 1
St. Louis Scott Gallagher 1, D’Feeters 1
Charlotte SC 1, PDA Celtic 0
Sting 95 3, Eclipse Select 2
FC Stars of Mass 2, Herndon Hotspur 1

U15 Predator

U15 Copa
Cincinnati Untied Premier 3, West Pines United 2
Empire USA 1, Soccer of Columbia United 0
Dynamo FC 1, Greensboro Twisters 1
Brandon FC 4, Albertson SC 1
Carmel United 2, West Virginia SC 0
Ponte Vedra Storm 2, Javanon Black 0
Eclipse Select South 1, Space Coast United 0
Baltimore Bays Chelsea 1, Lexington FC 0