Roundup: UWS Week 5
Division races take shape after top-of-the-table clashes across United Women’s Soccer
Metuchen, NJ -- It was a weekend of key contests throughout United Women’s Soccer, with important games between top teams helping to set the stage as the season moved into its crucial stage.
Central Conference
Great Lakes Division
Sunday, June 12
Corktown Hawks 6, Muskegon Risers 0
Corktown Hawks maintained a five-point advantage at the top of the Great Lakes Division standings by trouncing Muskegon Risers, 6-0. Olivia Thomas led the way with a hat trick, Reese Slater added a brace and Bella Gaetino also added a goal in a win that kept Corktown Hawks’ record perfect on the season.
Heartland Division
Saturday, June 11
FC Wichita 6, Arkansas Comets 0
FC Wichita continued its excellent season with a dominating 6-0 victory over Arkansas Comets to kick off play in the Heartland Division this weekend. Kayla Deaver and Destiny Hoy each scored twice on the day, and Paige Putter also found the back of the net. Arguably the biggest standout, though, was Rachel Wolecki, who scored once and assisted on the first three goals of the match in a stunning performance.
KC Courage 3, Sporting Nebraska 0
The pressure heaped on by FC Wichita’s win, KC Courage picked up a vital 3-0 win over Sporting Nebraska to stay tied at the top of the table. Rafiatu Alhassan latched onto Taylor Wagner’s through ball to open the scoring, then Courtney Claassen went to work. She notched her sixth and seventh goals of the season to give the road side some breathing room.
Sunday, June 12
Side FC 92 3, Arkansas Wolves 1
Arkansas Wolves ran out to a 1-0 lead against Side FC 92 thanks to an early goal from Marcela Bueno, but a superb comeback by Side FC 92 denied them their first UWS result. Jordyn Blackburn equalized in the 64th minute, then Jordan Langebartels put Side FC 92 ahead for the first time with her tally in the 75th minute. Jillian Allgood also found a place on the scoresheet in the 84th minute to seal the result.
Midwest Division
Thursday, June 9
St. Louis Scott Gallagher 6, RBFC Elite 0
Four different players found the back of the net in a comprehensive 6-0 victory for St. Louis Scott Gallagher over RBFC Elite in midweek action. Megan Nemnich tallied twice off the bench, while Erin Connolly, Sydney Ernst, Anna Lawler and Sydney Stephens also contributed a goal each to the effort.
Friday, June 10
Indiana Union 5, Illinois Premier 0
Indiana Union picked up its second win of the season to move into third place in the Midwest Division, besting UWS rookies Illinois Premier 5-0. Isabella Wallace provided the biggest scoring punch, notching a hat trick to bring her season goalscoring record up to seven. Not to be outdone, Alexa Fraley also brought her tally up to seven on the year with a pair of goals.
Sunday, June 12
Chicago Mustangs 12, RBFC Elite 0
Chicago Mustangs continue to run rampant through the Midwest Division, upping their goal differential on the season to +38 through four games with a 12-0 win over RBFC Elite on Sunday. Mallory Olsson led the way with four goals, and Nina Nicosia followed with three of her own.
East Conference
Mid-Atlantic Division
Friday, June 10
Lancaster Inferno 3, Paisley Athletic 2
Lancaster Inferno ran out to a 3-0 lead through 46 minutes against Paisley Athletic. Madison Mohr volleyed home to start the scoring, Marissa DiGenova scored from a corner and Jackie Richards notched her eighth goal of the season from distance in what looked to be a rout. The result was anything but. Otandeka Laki got Paisley Athletic on the board in the 57th minute, and Nickolette Driesse followed with a lovely goal in the 65th minute to cut the deficit to one goal, but the home side could never find its equalizer.
Saturday, June 11
Coppermine United 2, NJ Copa 0
Coppermine United added to its excellent debut season in UWS with a 2-0 victory over NJ Copa FC on Saturday. Breukelen Woodward’s finish off Riley Barger’s cross put the hosts ahead in the early stages of the second half, then Rachel Jackson’s scrappy goal in the 61st minute gave Coppermine United all the breathing room it would need.
Sunday, June 12
Lancaster Inferno 1, Paisley Athletic 0
Lancaster Inferno completed a weekend sweep of Paisley Athletic with a 1-0 victory at home in a much tamer affair than Friday’s thriller. The only goal of this game can from Gianna Yurchak’s header in the 53rd minute, and Lancaster Inferno relied on a stout back line to see out the game from there.
Coppermine United 2, Keystone FC 1
Coppermine United also picked up its second victory of the weekend, besting UWS debutants Keystone FC 2-1 in a competitive contest. The scoring began in the 47th minute, when Hannah Hoefs’s lay-off found Alexandra Fava, who put Coppermine United ahead. Hoefs then scored a goal of her own via a 60th minute penalty, which turned out to be crucial when Keystone FC grabbed its first ever UWS goal in the 86th minute by way of Halle Engle.
New England Division
Friday, June 10
Scorpions SC 9, Worcester Smiles 0
Scorpions SC began what would become an excellent weekend on the right foot Friday, defeating Worcester Smiles 9-0. It was an excellent offensive showing for the home side, a trend that continued on Sunday.
Albany Rush 5, CT Rush 0
Albany Rush began a big weekend of its own with a dominant win over CT Rush on Friday. The headline performance came from Brooke Pickett, who had completed her hat trick by the 61st minute. Katelyn Krohn also had a big night, picking up a goal and two assists.
Saturday, June 11
NE Mutiny 2, CT Fusion 0
This collision of two New England Division heavyweights once again went in the favor of NE Mutiny, which emerged with a 2-0 win. Catherine Barry began the scoring in the 39th minute with her finish into the top left corner, then added her eighth goal of the season with a tally in the 52nd minute. The NE Mutiny defense did well to contain the high-powered CT Fusion attack, securing the side’s fifth win in five games this season.
Sunday, June 12
Albany Rush 6, Worcester Smiles 0
Albany Rush claimed its second emphatic win of the weekend, earning a 6-0 triumph over Worcester Smiles to move up to second position in the standings. Katelyn Krohn once again showed her quality, contributing a hat trick to the cause. Sydney Haskin, Corrine Jackson and Lydia Malkiewicz also scored in the win.
Scorpions SC 4, CT Rush 0
Scorpions SC closed out its big weekend with a huge win over CT Rush. The comprehensive victory moved Scorpions SC up into the top half of the table, coming out of the weekend in third position.
Penn-NY Division
Friday, June 10
Rochester Lancers 2, FC Berlin 1
Rochester Lancers grabbed their second consecutive win, this time going away from home to defeat FC Berlin 2-1 with a pair of late goals. Simone Timm’s header from a Tegan Morrison cross set FC Berlin up with 1-0 lead heading into the final 10 minutes. Then, Brooke Barbuto went to work. First, she assisted Caroline Kopp in the 80th minute, then she fed Jenna Tivnan for the winner two minutes later, with both goals coming from corner situations.
Erie Commodores 3, Pittsburgh Hotspurs 1
Erie Commodores emerged victorious in this matchup of UWS rookies, claiming three crucial points in the battle at the top of the Penn-NY Division. Kayla Bevacqua scored from a corner to get things started and Brooklyn Respecki followed up by making Pittsburgh Hotspurs pay for a giveaway later in the first half. Both sides exchanged second-half penalties, but the outcome was never in doubt.
Sunday, June 12
Erie Commodores 2, Rochester Lancers 2
Erie Commodores and Rochester Lancers each concluded weekend doubleheaders with a 2-2 draw on Sunday. Brooklyn Respecki started the scoring with her finish from 12 years, then Hannah Knych answered from a corner before halftime. Knych struck again in the 51st minute, and Rochester Lancers seemed poised to leave with three big road points before Kayla Bevacqua played hero for Erie Commodores, driving home a late free kick from the top of the box.
FC Buffalo 5, Pittsburgh Hotspurs 0
Challenged for the top spot in the division by Erie Commodores’ four-point weekend, FC Buffalo needed a big performance and it responded in kind with a 5-0 thrashing of Pittsburgh Hotspurs. Five different FC Buffalo players scored in this one, with Carissima Cutrona leading the way with a goal and two assists.
South Conference
Southeast Division
Sunday, June 12
Atlanta Panthers 8, FC Birmingham 0
Atlanta Panthers unleashed another outstanding performance in their second game of the season, besting FC Birmingham 8-0 away from home. Through two contests, Atlanta Panthers have now scored 17 goals while keeping two clean sheets.
Southwest Division
Friday, June 10
FC Austin 3, CTX Hornets 0
FC Austin picked up its fourth win of the season in convincing fashion on Friday to stay unbeaten in 2022. CTX Hornets stayed in this one until just after halftime, when the scoring floodgates opened for the visitors. Natalia Blanco fired home from near the penalty spot in the 55th minute, then Alexandria Aragon connected with a spectacular effort from 30 yards to make it 2-0. A second goal for Blanco in the dying moments of the game rounded out the scoring for the Southwest Division leaders.
Luxoria FC 6, WilCo FC 0
First-year UWS side Luxoria FC trounced WilCo FC 6-0 on Friday to leapfrog them into third place in the Southwest Division. Michelle Gonzalez and Emily Jorgens each had a brace for the home side, with Bronwyn Boswell and Ana Ramirez also finding their scoring touch.
Sunday, June 12
SA Athenians 9, CTX Hornets 0
SA Athenians closed out the Southwest Division action this week with a dominant win over CTX Hornets to stay within three points of FC Austin at the top of the standings. Keeley Ayala finished off her hat trick by the 30th minute, and Tori Foster scored twice off the bench to lead the attack. Jillian Martinez pulled the strings for the hosts, teeing up four assists and grabbing a goal for herself, too.
West Conference
Friday, June 10
Foothills WFC 3, Los Angeles SC 0
Foothills WFC began its tour of Southern California with an authoritative 3-0 victory over Los Angeles SC on Friday night. Mya Jones netted the first two goals for the visitors, assisted both times by Lara Kazandjian. Grace Moore grabbed a third goal for Calgary Foothills to clinch the three points.
SC Blue Heat 2, Impact FC 0
SC Blue Heat emerged from an intense 2-0 contest against Impact FC with its perfect season still intact. Salome Prat provided the stout SC Blue Heat defense with a lead to defend in the 13th minute, and Alyssa Thompson gave the hosts some late insurance to see out the win.
Sunday, June 12
Impact FC 1, Los Angeles SC 0
Impact FC collected three points to take back north of the border, securing a 1-0 victory over Los Angeles FC in a cagey contest on Sunday. The only goal of the match came less than two minutes in, when Kelli Haffie’s shot rebounded off the post right to Olivia Chu, who put it home. From there, seven saves from goalkeeper Kelti Biggs helped Impact FC hang onto the win.
Foothills WFC 1, SC Blue Heat 0
One of the biggest matches of the season in UWS ended with a 1-0 victory for Foothills WFC, which claimed its fourth win in four games and handed the defending UWS National Champions its first defeat of the season. Mya Jones tallied the only goal of the contest in the 30th minute, and keeper Sarah Dilling made six vital saves to send Calgary Foothills home with six points from the weekend.
