WPSL Wrap Up: Week 6
KC Current II have wrapped up the Midwest’s Heartland. Ambassadors Cleveland and FC Dayton will match up in the Ohio Valley playoff.
Wednesday:
Beadling Soccer Club 3 vs 2 Century United
Goals from Carolina Lucci, and two from Ellie Coffield led the home team over Century, whose goals came from Emma Bundy and an unknown scorer credited as Mike Blatz (who is the coach, and a man)
Iowa Raptors FC 2 vs 1 Quad Cities Rush
Brynn Jacobi put the Raptors ahead and although Rush tied the game through Emily Bollman, Raptors won the game with a soft header by Delaney Holtey that dribbled over the line from a right wing corner.
Chicago Dutch Lions FC 3 vs 2 Midwest Select SA Muskrats
Goals from Alexa Joshi and Abby Kalou from the spot put the Dutch Lions over the Muskrats, who scored through Solana Hernandez and Kailyn Smith.
Friday:
Dakota Fusion FC 1 vs 2 Joy Athletic Club
Ana Recarte-Pacheco gave Joy the lead through the half. Amanda Elton scored for the goats in the second half, with Summer Carlson scoring for Fusion.
Sioux Falls City FC 2 vs 3 Minnesota Thunder
After 37 minutes of incessant pressure, Thunder finally broke through with a Sophia Barjestah blast from 20 yards out. Thunder added a second after Kelsey Kallio flicked on a right wing corner to loop the ball over the goal line defense and into the net in the 49th minute.
City staged a rally, beginning in the 53rd minute, Jozy Bardsley tapped in rebound. The comeback was complete in the 56th minute when another cross from Josie Arduser on the left went through the keeper and was finished by Hattie Giblin. Thunder took back the lead in the 67th minute, as Paige Peltier placed the ball from the edge of the area along the ground and into the opposite side netting. On a disallowed equalizer in the 80th minute, Thunder’s starting keeper injured herself running into the post and was helped from the pitch but the substitute kept her personal clean sheet and closed out the match. Now they can only wait to see whether Salvo will leapfrog them into the playoffs.
Rochester United FC 2 vs 1 Mankato United SC
A close win for Rochester spoils any attempt by Mankato to apply pressure in the playoff chase. Maria Garcia Lopez and Madison Tuma scored the goals for Rochester.
Chicago KICS FC 2 vs 1 Midwest Select SA Muskrats
Daniela Tovar-Miranda from open play and Isabela Labović with a PK lead the home side over the Muskrats. Scrats got a goal from Sophia Jaime.
Quad Cities Rush 0 vs 1 Iowa Raptors FC
Raptors scored with 13 minutes left through Chynna Mcgirt, and that was the deciding goal.
Saturday:
Lady Victory FC 1 vs 4 Cincinnati Sirens FC
A slip-up for Lady Victory, who concede four at home and any chance to put pressure on FC Dayton in the Western division of the Ohio Valley Conference. LVFC’s goal came from Maya Lacognato. Sirens get goals from Kate Drummond, Mackenzie Kent and Makala Woods.
Kansas City Current II 6 vs 0 Fire & Ice SC
The second part of the battle for the Heartland (division) took place at KC’s sparkling and just officially opened training facility in Riverside, MO. It wasn’t close. Goals from Felicia Knox, Chelsea Wagner and Caroline Kelly in the first half and two from Olivia Garcia and one from Brie Severns in the second half.
Sunday:
Kansas City Current II 5 vs 0 Iowa Raptors FC
The obvious question at this point is “Who’s gonna stop the Current in the Central region?”. Today’s goals came from Kennedy Faulknor, Caroline Kelly, Brie Severns and two from Olivia Garcia.
Central Illinois United 0 vs 1 Fire & Ice SC
Sierra Cenek had the only goal of the game, as Fire & Ice bow out of the WPSL after a decade.
FC Milwaukee Torrent 6 vs 2 Chicago Dutch Lions FC
Chicago Dutch Lions played two matches in two different leagues across a weekend. You can see how they got on on Friday in Bridget’s write up here. Despite the heavy schedule and short bench, Piper Biziorek opened the scoring for Chicago Dutch Lions in the 3rd minute after a defensive miscue. Katharine Stephens even doubled their lead after 13 minutes as she curled the ball past Mikki Easter, but that is the best it would get for the visitors.
Chicago Dutch Lions substituted their goalkeeper at half time, with defender Sarah Hagg having played in net for the first half. It would only take 7 minutes before full time goalkeeper Lauren Bornhoff pushed a shot into the path of Alexa Maletis for Torrent’s first goal of the game. Jordyn Rolli equalized with a bullet from close range after 56 minutes but it would take until the 71st minute for Torrent to wrestle away the lead, through Ryann Locante from 20 yards out. Elsi Twombly made it 4–2 two minutes later. Tyler Wilson scored the fifth goal in the 80th minute and Rolli wrapped up the game in the 88th minute, beating the goalkeeper to the near post.
Columbus Eagles FC 0 vs 3 Ambassadors Cleveland
Two goals from Sam Wiehe and one from Jordan Fusco made the difference for Ambassadors as they wrapped up their regular season and prepared for a home playoff game against FC Dayton.
Midwest Select SA Muskrats 0 vs 3 Bavarian United SC
When the deadlock was finally broken in this game, it was an absolute stunner of a free kick, floated into the top corner from 35 yards out, over the diving keeper by Hailey Block in the 71st minute. It was a two goal lead in the 85th minute as Trudy Quidzinski finished off a right wing corner. Another blast from 20 yards out by Alexis Baker on the dribble made it 3–0 just a minute later.
FC Dayton 5 vs 1 Dayton Dutch Lions FC
A Laney Huber hat trick keyed another victory for FC Dayton, and a division title. Jenna Foley and Anna Sweeney also scored for the hosts. Ashley Maples got the goal for DDL.
Dakota Fusion FC 0 vs 4 Sioux Falls City FC
60th minute go ahead for Sioux Falls City, a pass from the right finished off by Macie Haggerty. City sealed the game with a free kick from Jozy Bardsley. A ball down the middle saw Anna Bondy make it 3 with 70 minutes on the clock. McKenna Lehman scored the fourth in the 74th minute.
MapleBrook Fury 1 vs 3 Mankato United Soccer Club
McKenna Buisman picked up two goals and Jenny Vetter scored once to take the away victory. Jasmine Gates got the goal for the Fury.
Manitou FC 2 vs 1 Joy Athletic Club
Evelyn Flor and Sarah Stating gave the home team the win, with Megan Hansen scoring for Joy.
Rochester United FC 0 vs 3 Salvo SC
Khyah Harper put Salvo ahead in the 3rd minute, finishing off an passage of neat passing. She added two more, in the 41st and 62nd minute, to claim a hat trick.
Playoff Scenarios:
The official structure hasn’t been announced but I am assuming it follows the model of division winners playing each other in the first round.
We are in the Central Region. We covered the Midwest, Northern and Ohio Valley Conferences.
Midwest Conference:
KC Current II (Heartland Division winners) will definitely play either Milwaukee Torrent or Bavarian United. Bavs are ahead by 1 point and on goal difference but have played 1 game more and have finished their regular season, which means Torrent have to win for that one precious playoff spot.
Ohio Valley Conference:
Ambassadors Cleveland (East) will host FC Dayton (West)
Ambassadors ran away with the Eastern Division, whereas FC Dayton sealed the Western Division last weekend.
Northern:
The division winner will be either Salvo or Minnesota Thunder. If Salvo wins out, they will take that title. If they lose on either Wednesday or Friday, it will be down to goal difference and if they lose both then Thunder win the division, since they are done for the season. Since the Northern only has one division, it’s unclear who they would play in the first round if they don’t get a bye.
Side note: The Central Region also has a Mountain Conference with Wasatch and Rockies divisions, whose winners would play one another too. So that still leaves the North without a dance partner.
Upcoming schedule (home team in bold):
Tuesday:
Sioux Falls City vs MapleBrook Fury
Chicago Dutch Lions FC vs Chicago KICS Football Club
Wednesday:
Salvo SC vs Mankato United Soccer Club
Quad Cities Rush vs Central Illinois United
Friday:
Dakota Fusion FC vs Rochester United FC
Sioux Falls City FC vs Salvo SC
Chicago Dutch Lions FC vs FC Milwaukee Torrent
Iowa Raptors FC vs Central Illinois United
Cleveland Ambassadors vs Century United
Cincinnati Sirens FC vs FC Dayton
Chicago KICS Football Club vs Chicago Dutch Lions FC
Sunday:
Columbus Eagles FC vs Cleveland Ambassadors
