Also in today’s Roundup, US U-20s play England to 3-3 draw and 2018 Cyprus Cup groups are set
Jessie Fleming could become the second straight Canadian to win the MAC Hermann Trophy. (photo courtesy UCLA Athletics)
Jessie Fleming is in line to become the second consecutive Canadian to win the MAC Hermann Trophy while Andi Sullivan and Savannah McCaskill could clutch the trophy as the final acts of their college careers. That trio was named as the three 2017 finalists for the most prestigious award in college soccer. The winner will be announced January 5 at the MAC Hermann Trophy Banquet at the Missouri Athletic Club in St. Louis. All three helped their teams reach the College Cup in Orlando last weekend.
Fleming scored 6 goals and added 8 assists in 23 appearances as a sophomore at UCLA. One of her goals was in the College Cup final, an eventual 3-2 loss to Stanford. McCaskill had 8 goals and 9 assists to co-lead the lead South Carolina, and is projected as a 1st round pick in the 2018 NWSL draft. Andi Sullivan, from the national championship Stanford side, had 3 goals and 6 assists in her return from ACL surgery late last year. Sullivan scored in the College Cup final.
Fleming and McCaskill will be trying to become the first women from their respective schools to win the Hermann. Sullivan would follow in the footsteps of Kelley O’Hara, Christen Press, and Teresa Noyola who won it from Stanford three years running between 2009 and 2011. If Fleming wins she would be the second straight Canadian winner and third overall. Kadeisha Buchanan won in 2016 and Christine Sinclair had the honor in 2004 and 2005.
U-20 play England to 3-3 draw
Sophia Smith scored twice including the go-ahead goal in the 87th minute but the U.S. was thrice unable to hold one-goal leads and settled for a 3-3 draw against England after Alessia Russo tied it in the 90th minute. The Women’s Nike International Friendlies continue with the U.S. U-20s playing Finland on Saturday and Brazil on Monday.
Smith scored in the 19th minute but the lead was short lived as Ellie Brazil pulled England level in the 20th. The U.S. went ahead again on an own goal in the 25th minute and carried that lead through halftime until Anne Patten equalized on an assist from Russo. Smith and Russo then traded late goals for the 3-3 final.
Smith now has 8 goals at the U-20 level and has also scored for the U-18s and U-23s during the current calendar year.
In Thursday’s other match, Brazil blanked Finland 4-0.
Cyprus Cup group drawings announced
Just one day after the Algarve Cup groups were announced, the 2018 Cyprus Cup groups were also announced. The tournament, which consists of 12 national teams from around the world, coincides with the annual Algarve Cup in Portugal.
Group A consists of the four European nations of Finland, Italy, Switzerland and Wales. Group B includes Spain, who won the 2017 Algarve Cup in March before advancing to the quarterfinals of the EUROs in July. They will take on Austria, Belgium and the Czech Republic during the group stage. Group C consists of Hungary, Slovakia, South Africa and Trinidad & Tobago.
The Cyprus Cup kicks off on February 28 and concludes on March 7, 2018.
