With a quartet of ECNL Player Development Programs scheduled this weekend in four regions: New Jersey, South Carolina, California and Texas, the actual slate of games in the girls top elite league is a much lighter slate.

Most of the players involved in the PDP programs represent some of the top players on their clubs, making it the logical decisions to keep their respective teams out of action.

Betsy Brandon & Jordan DiBiasi

Add in to that a girls U17 WNT camp is going on in Southern California, and there’s every reason to believe that a light slate is a good thing.

Regardless of that, here’s a quick look at some of the action this weekend:

U14

There’s a bit more going on at the youngest age level of ECNL, as prominent clubs like Sporting Blue Valley and St. Louis Scott Gallagher’s Metro side among the sides facing off this weekend.

Out east, one of the most prominent is in the Southeast Conference, where third-place Charlotte Soccer Academy faces second-place CASL Chelsea Ladies. Both teams will look to remain in the thick of the playoff chase.

U15

World Class FC and PDA will kick off this weekend’s proceedings with a rare Friday night encounter, a rescheduled matchup with much at stake. Neither side has played much yet through this season, meaning that early points taken are extremely important for playoff hopes.

First-place Freestate Soccer Alliance gets a chance to square off against a regional rival, with a game against Bethesda SC on Saturday. FSA will put its unbeaten mark of 6-0-1 on the line.

U16

Even though the rest of the ECNL might get the weekend off, it’s a busy weekend for the Colorado Rush, which hosts the Colorado Storm and Utah Avalanche. Betsy Brandon, Jordan DiBiasi and Kayla Hill will all look to continue to be influential in the final third for the storied club.

U17

The clash of the two Ohio clubs sees Internationals SC – undefeated at 4-0-0 in conference action – face Ohio Premier Eagles to kick off what will be a busy march for the club. Both Emily Ogle and Marissa Milazzo will be the key attackers Ohio Premier looks to slow down in the encounter.

Internationals currently trail Freestate Soccer Alliance, who hold a 7-0-0 record in the Midatlantic Conference, and will put that mark to the test against Bethesda SC. Freestate boasts plenty of talent, including Imani Dorsey, Casey Martinez and Karli Cirovski.

U18

Former U.S. U17 WNT teammates look set to square off against each other when the Utah Avalanche pay a visit to the Colorado Rush. Representing the Rush are Darian Jenkins, Gabrielle Miranda and Elizabeth Raben, while Avalanche’s forward Emily Bruder will look to get the better of her fellow youth internationals.

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