PROSPECTS CONTINUE TO IMPRESS AT WPSL INTERNATIONAL COMBINE

 

By WPSL Communications Staff

 

PINEVILLE, N.C. — Day two of the WPSL International Combine wrapped up with a hard-fought 90 minutes that saw four goals and more than a dozen goal scoring opportunities as players look to make a name for themselves in front of international and domestic scouts.

 

“We have seen two beautiful days of football, with some incredible displays of individual talent,” Jacopo Lendri, coach of the Italian Women’s U-23 team, who is part of the scouting team at the combine, said after Tuesday's match. “Yesterday everyone was learning to play with each other. Today we saw them coming together, playing more combinations.” 

 

 

WPSL alumnae, Soraya Puerto-Khalil, who featured the last two summers for Corktown WFC, opened scoring in the 41st minute for the Blue side, running onto a through ball played by WPSL alumnae, Makinna Winterton. 

 

In yesterday’s match, it was the halftime changes that buoyed the Blue team. Today, it was the Red team that came out of the intermission seizing control of the match. 

 

 

Katie Reyes, who plays for WPSL side, Women’s Football Club of Charlotte, hosts of this year’s combine, pulled the game level in the 51st minute off a cheeky pass at the top of the penalty area from Miranda Carrasco, who featured in the WPSL in the 2021 and 2022 seasons. Carrasco’s pass put Reyes into a three-way race for the ball with the defender and charging goalkeeper. Reyes won the race, poking inside the near post. 

 

The Blue side responded almost immediately: Natalie Zibinskas forced a turnover deep in the defensive third, finding the young Leila Smith who slapped her resulting shot off the crossbar. 

 

Momentum shifted considerably after Jennifer Xiong made it 2-1 in the 65th minute. Three minutes later a Blue defender was judged to handle a shot from Natalie Mangayi inside the penalty area. Carrasco stepped up to take the spot kick but sent it wide, keeping the score at 2-1. 

 

WPSL alumnae, Maya Askew capped the scoring for the day in the 83rd minute, finishing to the far post after a flurry of near misses, making it 3-1 for the Red side. 

 

The 2026 WPSL International Combine wraps up tomorrow with a final match at 10 a.m. EST. 

 

Blue: Adriana Torres, Natalie Zibinskas, Bailie Dull, Mazzy Cirinelli, Evan Whitaker, Soraya Puerto-Khalil, Shannon Studer, Ryan Jergovich, Gabriella Capra, Leila Smith, Makinna Winterton.

Laia Roch Font, Mystique Ortega, Brianna Morris, Laia Roch Font, Autumn Scanlon, Kira Gelles, Sophia Cucchetti


Red: Hayleigh Lewis, Lailah Benz, Samantha Holsenbeck, Jasmin Salinas, Miranda Carrasco, Sedina Dancu, Jennifer Xiong, Maya Askew, Katie Reyes, I’Mani Dawkins, Natalie Mangayi

Sophia Barrientos, Bianca Torres, Mikayla Kendall, Celina Pinelli, Gianna Camuso, Mijara Robinson, Abygail Giles