NXT Continental Cup: College Coaches Are Taking Notice

The NXT Continental Cup took place on June 26 & 27 in Edgewood, Maryland. As the weather took a turn on Saturday, the competition only grew stronger. A large number of players stood out and had a huge impact on their team's success.   Here are the standouts:    Savannah Taylor was all over the field this weekend. She is a true utility player. She is a defender at heart but can also be seen on the circle and running midfield. Being left-handed is just icing on the cake. Taylor's communication is always proactive; her slides are never late, and she can transition the ball from coast to coast with ease. In one game, she completely locked down an attacker looking to tie the game with under a minute left to secure the win.     Juliet Nelson is a remarkable true two-way midfielder. She uses her athleticism to blow by the ride and assist the attack, waiting to cut. She has a high understanding of how and when to cut herself, using her quickness to gain an opening. She understands how to place a shot in traffic and finishes with both hands. On top of it all, she's a very strong draw taker.     Samantha Roy was one of the most intense and gritty midfielders in the tournament. While she may not play the game with exuberant flash, her athleticism and drive speak for themselves. She came up with ground balls in clutch moments, even when outnumbered. Her defense was physical and intimidating to opponents. Her confidence and determination are likely a direct result of her extensive box lacrosse background in Canada.     Sloane Hinke is a very tenacious defender. It was clear this weekend that offensive players would attack and target her specifically, thinking that because of her size, she would be easy to exploit. Hinke shut down drivers repeatedly, but what stood out the most was her ability to win every ball that hit the ground and use her speed to push the transition. In a 3 minute span, she came up with 2 clutch ground balls in the midfield to secure possession for her team and eventually, the win.     Elle Magnuson is an attacker that loves a topside drive. She is very good at reading her defender, getting her to bite low on a dodge so that she can take the lane to the cage that she wants. She can convert on a variety of shot styles, depending on the space the defense is giving her. Magnuson rides very hard, forcing the defense to redirect on their transition. She is a player that goes through every ground ball at full speed and comes up with questionable 50/50's because of it.     Velia DeMaria made her mark this weekend as one of the best assisters in the tournament. She understands the low 2-man game so well and plays with her head up at all times. After a few successful feeds, she'd wait for her defender to stand up, thinking she was going to feed again, just to drive around them and finish herself. She is a very intelligent player and not flashy about it.     Haley Hughes is an incredibly versatile player. The leftie thrives on the attack end, but can also play midfield and on the circle with ease. Her vision is top-notch, always playing with her head up and looking for the best opportunity, whether it be a feed on a dime or a well-placed shot in the back of the net. She never hesitates in throwing such realistic fakes, which are every goalie's worst nightmare. She demonstrates a higher-level IQ with the spacing and decision making she makes during transitions. Hughes will be a player to watch rolling into next fall.     Hailey Vecchio has great feeding vision. She moves with purpose and gives very accurate passes to teammates in tight spaces. She is agile and moves well, opening up for feeding and driving lanes. She is gritty on the ride, causing turnovers or causing players to back away from her pressure. Vecchio is also listed as a defender as well as an attack, which shows that she is also incredibly versatile.     Emma Christensen quickly stood out this weekend. She is a dodger by nature and a huge fan of a hitch-and-pull dodge, which brought her a lot of success. She is not afraid to drive and thread multiple defenders and release a shot that she feels would give her the highest percentage. You could quickly tell that she is a player that her teammates trust and want the ball with.

The NXT Continental Cup took place on June 26 & 27 in Edgewood, Maryland. As the weather took a turn on Saturday, the competition only grew stronger. A large number of players stood out and had a huge impact on their team's success.