The Nike Elite 120 showcased some excellent lacrosse players on Saturday and Sunday, January 19 and 20, at the Indoor Sports Pavilion in Randolph, New Jersey.
Participation was by invitation only, and the product on the field certainly reflected this fact, as the action both days was impressive. Players began the weekend with combine testing before competing in games for the duration.
Here are five players from the 2015 class that stood out.
NIKE ELITE 120 FEATURED FIVE – 2015 DIVISION:
Gianna Bowe (Clearview, NJ/South Jersey Select)
OVERALL: Bowe consistently impressed over the two days with her speed through the midfield. She was able to possess the ball through transition deftly and showed excellent finishing skills on multiple occasions.
FROM THE NOTEBOOK: Great transition speed. Powerful finisher. Shoots with speed and accuracy.
COMBINE RESULTS: 40-yard dash: 5.19
5-10-5: 5.42
300 shuttle: 51.30
Lindsey Ehrhardt (Kellenberg, NY/Liberty Lax)
OVERALL: Ehrhardt displayed a strong stick throughout the tournament. She finished powerfully a number of times and was impressive in the 8-meter arc, showing good awareness and body position.
FROM THE NOTEBOOK: Great finisher. Excellent handle inside.
COMBINE RESULTS: 40-yard dash: 5.71
5-10-5: 5.48
300 shuttle: 55.06
Taylor Gebhardt (Baldwinsville, NY/Relentless Hustle)
OVERALL: Gebhardt impressed on the offensive end, particularly with her ability to get to the goal. She has a quick first step, which she uses well to slip by defenders, and was also skilled at running to open spaces to create scoring chances. Constantly moving in the offensive end, she was a tough cover for defenses and got open for her teammates on numerous occasions.
FROM THE NOTEBOOK: Great first step dodging. Always moving. Finds open space well and uses to attack defense. Solid finisher.
COMBINE RESULTS: 40-yard dash: 5.66
5-10-5: 5.25
300 shuttle: 55.91
Mary Rahal (Queensbury, NY/ADK)
OVERALL: What most stood out about Rahal was her propensity to always be involved in the action. She showed a tireless work ethic on the defensive end that resulted in impressive full-field runs. Offensively, she was able to finish powerfully with well-placed shots.
FROM THE NOTEBOOK: Active. Has nose for the ball. Plays hard. Runs well. Good mix of speed and size.
COMBINE RESULTS: 40-yard dash: 5.59
5-10-5: 5.28
300 shuttle: 53.66
Mallory Weisse (Westfield, NJ/STEPS Elite)
OVERALL: Being a goalie in an indoor showcase can be a difficult assignment, but Weisse was able to show some excellent skill between the pipes. She played excellent position and showed good lateral movement, making a number of cross-body saves and making them look almost routine.
FROM THE NOTEBOOK: Good side-to-side quickness. Uses stick well across body. Tracks ball impressively. Made number of wow saves.
COMBINE RESULTS: 40-yard dash: 6.50
5-10-5: 5.50
300 shuttle: 67.00
Others who made an impression:
Alexandra Argo (Bryn Mar, MD/TLC): Argo displayed good offensive skills and looked fluid with the ball in her stick. On multiple occasions impressed with sweeps across the arc with solid finishes. Also showed a quick stick on defense, causing multiple turnovers.
Olivia Jenner (McDonogh, MD/MD United): Jenner was dominant at times and a player who caught the eye of the spectator. Using her size and aggressiveness, she made multiple plays off draws to come down the lane for goals and finishes with good power. She is verbally committed to play at Duke.
Angie Loynaz (Greenwich, CT/CT Chargers): Loynaz possesses very impressive dodging skills notably from behind and on the side of the net and was on the score sheet early and often. What also stood out was her relentless effort on rides, leading to multiple second opportunities for her team.
Mariah Matheis (Darien, CT/CT Chargers): Matheis is a very intelligent player who consistently used good quickness and awareness near the cage. She possesses a high lacrosse IQ, constantly moving and generating offense via back-cuts, in addition to being able to generate her own scoring opportunities using shifty first steps and excellent stick protection.
Matty Novick (New Canaan, CT/CT Chargers): The cliche high-motor tag can certainly be applied to Novick. She plays very aggressively on defense and was always around the ball. Also showed good speed and awareness on clears. She was very vocal, breaking huddles on the sidelines and communicating well on defense.
Emily Santana (Springfield, PA/Phantastix): Santana was most impressive in the middle of the field and on ground balls, while also showing some takeaway skills on defense. Offensively, she displayed her strength well with powerful dodges and quick shots.