Women’s Football DiSE learner Denny Draper scored a brace for England U17 Young Lionesses this week, leading the national team to victory in the international MIMA Cup in Spain, and taking her goal tally to five over two matches.
Facing off against Scotland in the MIMA Cup final, Denny bagged two goals, being joined on the scoresheet by teammate Erica Parkinson, and fellow DiSE learner Laila Harbert, to see the Young Lionesses to a storming 5-0 triumph.
After just 20 minutes, Denny took the first goal of the match with a close range rebound, then doubled the Young Lionesses lead at the 32-minute mark. These goals were a continuation of Denny’s success in the team’s previous performance, where she led England to success over the Netherlands with a first half hattrick.
Loughborough College Elite Sport lecturer, Jade Clay said, “The U17s faced a tough path to the MIMA Cup title, but Denny and the entire squad were composed, skilful, and ready for the challenge.
“Scoring five goals in just two matches is a fantastic achievement, and Denny should be proud of the key role she played in the Young Lionesses MIMA Cup success story.”
Denny, a striker for Leicester City is part of the Diploma in Sporting Excellence (DiSE) programme, delivered to elite athletes to develop their knowledge, skill, and behaviours in order to compete at the highest level of their sports. Denny joins ground-breaking alumnae including Chelsea’s history making midfielder Lexi Potter, and Manchester United defender Evie Rabjohn as part of the DiSE programme at Loughborough College.
The Women’s U17 side now look ahead to their next competition, chasing qualification for the Euros Championships this summer when they’ll face off against Italy, Greece, and Serbia.