UWS Week Six Roundup: East, Southeast and Southwest
Conference races begin to take shape as UWS season carries on
East Conference
Friday, June 11
Scorpions SC 4, New England Mutiny 1
Scorpions SC used an excellent performance to hand New England Mutiny its first loss of the season, claiming a 4-1 win on Friday night after the two clubs had drawn in their previous meeting this year. Chloe Layne scored from distance for Scorpions SC to begin the action early, and Kayla Duran followed in the 65th minute to provide some insurance. Samantha Smith got one back for NE Mutiny shortly thereafter, but Marykate McGuire finished a pair of one-on-ones against a stretched Mutiny backline to put the game out of reach.
Syracuse DA 1, CT Fusion 1
A closely fought battle in Syracuse finished in a 1-1 draw between Syracuse DA and CT Fusion. All of the scoring came in the second half, as substitute Olivia McKnight pulled the hosts in front in the 57th minute by slotting home a rebound. Syracuse hung on until the 80-minute mark, when Tiffany Weimer equalized for Connecticut to keep her side’s unbeaten record for the season intact.
Saturday, June 12
FC Buffalo 2, Lancaster Inferno 2
Two teams with plenty of quality showcased their skills in Buffalo on Saturday, and ultimately FC Buffalo and LANC Inferno canceled each other out on their way to a 2-2 draw, but not without some dramatics. Kelsey Araujo scored with an assist by Carissima Cutrona to put FC Buffalo ahead in the 13th minute, and combined again in the 60th minute with Cutrona scoring to double the lead. But the Inferno didn’t go away. Ryelle Shuey scored five minutes later off an assist by Teresa Rook (Rynier). Then, in added time, Ryelle Shuey finished a header from Rook (Rynier’s) free-kick to salvage a point for the visitors.
Albany Rush 1, Scorpions SC 1
Scorpions SC were unable to parlay their big win over NE Mutiny on Friday into three points on Saturday, as they settled for a 1-1 draw on the road against Albany Rush. Amanda Caldarelli put Scorpions SC in front at the 68-minute mark on the heels of a scoreless first half, but the visitors were unable to hold on for long, as substitute Keelyn Peacock equalized seven minutes later to restore parity for good.
New England Mutiny 8, Worcester Smiles 0
New England Mutiny showcased its dominance on a difficult day for Worcester Smiles, as the visitors claimed an 8-0 win. New England wrapped things up quickly, getting out to a 6-0 lead at halftime thanks to a brace from Catherine Barry. Barry was the only player to find the back of the net twice in this team performance, which included goals from seven different players.
NJ Copa 3, Brooklyn City 1
NJ Copa took control early and never relinquished its grip on the game on the way to a solid 3-1 win at Brooklyn City. Jacquelyn Bruno scored with a shot from the top of the box in the 32nd minute, and Melanie Cunha added a goal just before the half to send the visitors into the break with a 2-0 lead. Megan Brock scored for Brooklyn City with just under 20 minutes remaining, but Emma Bedell squashed any hope of a comeback in the 85th minute to seal the win for NJ Copa.
Sunday, June 13
Lancaster Inferno 1, Rochester Lancers 0
LANC Inferno cruised to a 1-0 win over Rochester Lancers on Sunday, marking a sixth consecutive defeat for the home side as the Inferno remained unbeaten. A penalty kick by Ryelle Shuey accounted for the only goal in this match, as the Inferno held Rochester without a shot on goal for all 90 minutes.
CT Rush 1, Brooklyn City 0
Both sides produced excellent defensive showings in this one, with CT Rush narrowly scraping by Brooklyn City with a 1-0 win. A scoreless draw seemed on the cards for much of the game, with the stalemate lasting until the 88th minute, when CT Rush secured the three points thanks to a goal by substitute Vanessa Benjamin, who capitalized on an assist from Camille Sahirul, who had also come off the bench.
Long Island Rough Riders 2, CT Fusion 2
Long Island Rough Riders played to a third stalemate in four games to begin their campaign, earning a 2-2 draw with CT Fusion, a side near the top of the table in the East. Jeanine Nunez’s fantastic effort from range got Rough Riders on the board first, but Fusion responded in kind with Tiffany Weimer’s long-shot equalizer. That would become a trend in this one. Nunez put her side back ahead by finishing off a 55th-minute break, but Weimer converted on a give-and-go with Tori Sousa to ensure her side stayed unbeaten on the season and earned a share of the points.
Southeast Conference
Friday, June 11
Pensacola FC 4, Pensacola Academy 0
The only action of the week in the Southeast Conference was a one-sided affair, as Pensacola FC defeated Pensacola Academy, 4-0. Pensacola FC did its hard work early, as goals from Deanna Green, Kristina Lynch and Clara Robbins made it 3-0 at the halftime break. Rammi Noel added one more for good measure as Pensacola FC held Pensacola Academy to three shots on the way to a clean sheet.
Southwest Conference
Tuesday, June 8
SA Athenians 2, WilCo FC 1
A repeat of last Sunday’s matchup between SA Athenians and WilCo FC yielded a parallel result, with Athenians taking home a 2-1 victory. The path to victory was different, however. WilCo FC broke the ice with a volley by Brea Bittick. An own goal off a cross from Paityn Bretzer knotted the game at one, and SA Athenians secured the win when Amanda Smith converted from close range.
Friday, June 11
SA Athenians 2, Side FC 1
SA Athenians stayed atop the standings in the Southwest Conference, securing a big 2-1 win over Side FC on Friday. Things started poorly for the hosts, though, as Vanessa Fitch forced a turnover in the box and put Side FC up 1-0 in the third minute. The response from Athenians came less than a minute later, however, via Natalie Hanson, who leveled the score. A long shot from Amanda Smith in the 22nd minute gave Athenians the lead for good, as they held on for the rest of the match.
Lone Star Republic 5, Batco 0
Lone Star Republic kept the pressure on Athenians near the top of the standings in the Southwest Conference with a straightforward 5-0 win over Batco. The offensive barrage was led by Mimi Asom, who scored twice in the first half and twice in the second half to pace her side. Kennedy Kessler also found the back of the net, while supplying two assists, and Bronwyn Boswell also provided a pair of helpers.
Saturday, June 12
Lone Star Republic 4, FC Austin 2
An exciting game played out in the Southwest Conference Saturday, as an early back-and-forth affair gave way to a 4-2 Lone Star Republic win over FC Austin as Lone Star remained perfect on the season. Emily Jorgens began the scoring for Lone Star at the 13-minute mark, but Jayme Woodfill responded for the hosts two minutes later to level the scores. Kennedy Kessler put Lone Star back ahead on 21 minutes, but yet again FC Austin had a response, as Carolina Haro headed a cross home to restore parity. Lone Star’s Bronwyn Boswell once again grabbed the lead for her side with a finish from a difficult angle just before the half, and Kessler scored again in the 53rd minute to provide Lone Star with some breathing room.
CTX Hornets 2, Alacranes 1
All the scoring in this match came in the first 45 minutes, as CTX Hornets bested Alacranes, 2-1. Alacranes’ Ashton Peeks scored a penalty to account for the only goal for the visitors, but Fatima Caballero and Mely Pena found the back of the net for the Hornets before the halftime whistle. The Hornets were able to make that lead stand up, and claim their first win of the year.
Sunday, June 13
Side FC 1, Batco 0
Two clubs looking to rebound after Friday defeats met on Sunday in Southwest Conference play, with Side FC getting the better of Batco, 1-0. The only goal of this match came very early on, as Side FC went ahead in the 4th minute. Both defenses held firm from that point forward as Side FC moved back into the top half in the Southwest, leaving Batco still looking for its first win of the season.
