It’s that wonderful time of the year when elite girls club soccer teams head to San Diego to play in front of dozens of scouts and their friends back home are extremely resentful. The fourth ECNL National Event of the year kicks off on Friday from the San Diego Polo Fields. With over 150 teams headed to the pitch perfect location in Del Mar, there are going to be a number of noteworthy games and players on hand. Below is a small sampling of the games to watch over the weekend.
Check back with TopDrawerSoccer throughout the weekend for exclusive coverage from the event.
U14
FC Dallas makes the trek out to Southern California for a trio of difficult games. FC Dallas takes on Mustang SC, Washington Premier, and Eagles SC. The Texas squad sits in the 12th spot in the Champions League qualification standings heading into the event.
FC Stars of Massachusetts are one of four unbeaten teams left in the youngest age group for the ECNL. Stars make the long trek from the opposite coast for games against Real So Cal, SC Del Sol, and Sporting Blue Valley this weekend.
Do you like goals? If so, Slammers might be the team to check out. Slammers is leading the nation in goals scored with 58 through 13 games this season. That’s over four goals score per game in a tough conference. Can George Larsen’s squad keep it up this weekend with games against Colorado Rush, Crossfire Premier, and Match Fit Academy on the docket?
U15
Crossfire Premier takes on So Cal Blues on Sunday in a showdown of two of the three remaining undefeated teams in the U15 age group. Crossfire takes on PDA and West Coast FC prior to that matchup with the Blues. Meanwhile, Blues face NorCal foes Pleasanton Rage and Santa Rosa United prior to the final day fixture.
Richmond United is trying to climb up the national standings this weekend with a trio of tough games against San Diego Surf, De Anza Force, and Crossfire United. Richmond is No. 8 in the Champions League standings and finishes off the regular season this weekend.
Colorado Rush is another team that is at the end of the regular season this wekeend, but has its eyes on the postseason. Rush is holding down one of the final spots in the playoff race and takes on Las Vegas Premier SA, Minnesota Thunder Academy, and Heat FC.
U16
De Anza Force rolls into San Diego with eyes on an undefeated season. Force takes on San Diego Surf, West Coast FC, and Albertson Fury FC during its stay at the Polo Fields. Force is 12-0-1 on the season and holds a plus-52 goal differential.
Bethesda SC is hoping to show its quality this weekend in some tough games against FC Stars of Massachusetts, Eclipse Select Soccer Club, and MVLA. Bethesda is 5-0-2 on the season and sitting in fourth in the Champions League standings.
Michigan Hawks face one of the most challenging schedules of any team at the ECNL event in San Diego. The top team in the U16 age group is headed to San Diego after not playing an ECNL game since the end of December. Hawks take on Eagles Soccer Club, Colorado Storm, and San Diego Surf.
U17
There are only three unbeaten teams left in the U17 age group of the ECNL, and they are all headed to San Diego. They’re all in the same place, but not one game between any of them. FC Bucks sits at the bottom of the unbeaten rung with a 4-0-5 record heading into the weekend. Games against Crossfire United, Mustang SC, and San Juan Soccer Club will put that record to the test. Eclipse Select Soccer Club is second in the national standings with a 12-0-2 mark. The Illinois club is playing its first ECNL games since December this weekend. FC Stars of Massachusetts, San Diego Surf, and Crossfire Premier make up the trio of challenging games ahead for the unbeaten squad.
PDA is top of the national standings and the other unbeaten team in the land. PDA is 8-0-1 on the campaign and squaring off against Slammers FC, Real So Cal, and So Cal Blues. The New Jersey side will be shorthanded with top attacking talent Frankie Tagliaferri off with the U17 WNT during the weekend.
U18
Washington Premier faces a difficult slate of games in San Diego with matchup against PDA, West Coast FC, and So Cal Blues on the horizon. Washington Premier is in first place in the Mountain Division and sits in seventh in the national standings heading into the weekend.
Players to Watch
