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UWS Preview: Week V

06/07/2019, 12:00pm EDT
By UWS PR

Eleven games on tap in all four conferences

UWS EAST CONFERENCE

Saturday, June 8

Syracuse DA (1-1-1) vs. New Jersey Copa FC (1-3-0)
6:30 PM EDT | Solvay High School Stadium | MyCujoo

Saturday's United Women's Soccer (UWS) game pitting Syracuse and New Jersey will be their first-ever meeting. The first-year team will want to start a winning streak after registering their first UWS win last weekend over Worcester. Reigning UWS MVP Brooke Barbuto picked up where she left off from 2018 and tallied a hat trick and an assist for Syracuse. After dominating the East in the first two years of UWS competition, New Jersey's train of success has derailed a little the past two seasons. Their only win this season has come against last-place Worcester. This match will be a test for both sides to see where they stand in the conference race.

New England Mutiny (2-0-1) vs. Worcester Smiles (0-5-0)
7:00 PM EDT | Lusitano Stadium | MyCujoo

Last season, the Worcester Smiles shocked the world when they defeated the New England Mutiny for their first-ever UWS win. However, the long-time successful organization has dominated proceedings in the last two matches, out-scoring the Smiles by a 7-0 margin. Worcester will be looking for to pull off another shocker on Saturday but after a 0-5 start to the season, they face an uphill battle. The race for the East title has picked up steam and after a 1-1 draw with second-place Connecticut last weekend, New England look to get back in the win column. The Mutiny are in third-place but have played fewer games than first-place Long Island Rough Riders (4-2-0) and Connecticut. Also, both teams have defeated the Rough Riders this season.

Sunday, June 9

Rochester Lancers (1-2-1) vs. Connecticut Fusion (3-0-1)
2:00 PM EDT | Aquinas Institute of Rochester | MyCujoo

After a tough inaugural campaign in UWS in 2017, the Rochester Lancers broke through in 2018 with a 5-2-2 record and were a East contender. After the loss of UWS MVP Brooke Barbuto to the new team in Syracuse, the Lancers are trying to find their flow this season. With a 1-2-1 record, they are looking to reestablish themselves in the title race. This will be the second-ever meeting between the two teams. Last year, two goals from Tori Sousa led the Fusion to a 4-0 road win. Connecticut want a similar result as they are once again in the battle for the conference crown. The win by the Long Island Rough Riders on Wednesday has temporarily put them into first-place over the Fusion, but they remain undefeated.

UWS MIDWEST CONFERENCE

Friday, June 7

Grand Rapids FC (1-2-1) vs. Lansing United (4-0-0)
7:00 PM EDT | Grandville High School | MyCujoo

This is only the second season for Lansing United in the UWS Midwest but they are already setting a winning standard. Undefeated and in first-place, Lansing is gunning for the Midwest berth into the UWS Championship this year. They won the regular season title in 2018 but were toppled in the Midwest Final by Grand Rapids FC: the Midwest champions the past two seasons. In their first matchup this season, GRFC travelled to Lansing and lost by a 2-1 score. Aubrey Schierbeek's two goal-performance led the way for United in the win. Grand Rapids FC have had a tough 1-2-1 start to 2019 but a dominating win over Michigan Legends last weekend promises brighter prospects. Riley Tanner was named the UWS Offensive Player of the Week for her hat trick in the victory. A positive result against Lansing should turn this campaign around.

Michigan Legends (2-3-0) vs. Indiana Union (2-1-1)
7:00 PM EDT | Legacy Center Field House | MyCujoo

The re-branding of Indy Premier SC to Indiana Union has brought about better fortunes. In their first two seasons, IPSC registered only five wins overall. With a road victory over Michigan, Indiana will half that total and it will put them in a solid position to qualify for the Midwest playoffs this season. Samantha Dewey (3g, 4a) has been a revelation, as the reigning Big East Midfielder of the Year for Xavier University co-leads the Union in scoring with Cassidy Lindley (4g, 2a) of the University of Florida. The Legends qualified for the Midwest playoffs last season but it has been a case of feast or famine in 2019. Two 1-0 wins over newcomer AFC Ann Arbor have been counterbalanced with three losses where they have been outscored by a 15-2 margin.

Saturday, June 8

AFC Ann Arbor (1-4-0) vs. Indiana Union (2-1-1)
6:00 PM EDT | Concordia University Ann Arbor | MyCujoo

AFC Ann Arbor will look to take advantage of a two-game weekend for the Indiana Union and notch their second win of the season. After three close losses to the Michigan Legends and Midwest leaders Lansing United, Ann Arbor will look to replicate the form they showed in their stunning 5-2 win over defending Midwest champion Grand Rapids FC on May 17th. Rachel Sweigard tallied a hat trick in the first-ever victory for the AFCAA women's team. The one thing going in Indiana's favor is that the team is already used to playing two games in one weekend. The Union lost a tight 3-2 contest to Lansing last weekend before rebounding with a 3-2 win over a perennial contender in the Detroit Sun. Dewey was the No. 1 star for Indiana in both games and was named to the UWS Team of the Week for her efforts.

Grand Rapids FC (1-2-1) vs. Detroit Sun (2-2-0)
7:00 PM EDT | Grandville High School | MyCujoo

Grand Rapids FC and the Detroit Sun have led the way in the Midwest in the first two seasons of UWS competition. The two teams battled it out in the 2017 Midwest Final at Granville High School. GRFC were victorious and than went on to capture the UWS Championship. Early this season, the two sides have drifted behind conference leaders Lansing United and Indiana Union. Last weekend, Detroit couldn't take advantage of Indiana's second game in as many days and despite goals from leading scorer Rachel Deluca (4g, 2a) and Madison Schupbach the Sun lost to the Union. In fact, their other loss was at the hands of Lansing who defeated them by a 3-2 score on May 17th. 

Sunday, June 9

Lansing United (4-0-0) vs. AFC Ann Arbor (1-4-0)
2:00 PM EDT | East Lansing Soccer Complex | MyCujoo

Its not a long road trip for AFC Ann Arbor to the East Lansing Soccer Complex but their second game in as many days will be another tough test. In Week III action, Ann Arbor faced Lansing United and the Michigan Legends on back-to-back days and dropped both games. Camryn Evans tallied both goals in Lansing's 2-0 victory on May 24th. The Big Ten All-Freshman Team selection from Michigan State University leads United in scoring (5g, 1a) and has already been named to the UWS Team of the Week on three occasions. Evans is also second in total scoring in UWS, one point behind Kate Howarth (6g) of the New England Mutiny. AFCAA put in a solid performance last weekend against the Michigan Legends but unfortunately could not dent the net in a 1-0 loss.

UWS SOUTHWEST CONFERENCE

Saturday, June 8

Houston Aces (3-0-0) vs. El Paso Surf (0-1-0)
8:00 PM CDT | Houston Sports Park | MyCujoo

The reigning UWS champions are undefeated and in first place in the UWS Southwest. Houston is coming off a 5-0 win over the San Antonio Athenians last weekend, but it was a much closer contest than the final score. A San Antonio goal was nullified by an offsides and they also missed a penalty kick. On top of that, set pieces that were turned away by a stingy Houston defense could've made the final score a lot more interesting. The Aces will look to dominate once again, just like they in their season opener against the El Paso Surf on May 18th. A hat trick from Colombian international Tatiana Ariza led the Aces offense. Even after that tough loss in their home opener, the season is still wide open for El Paso to succeed. The Surf have not played since that game and can restart their campaign with a strong performance in the rubber match between the two teams.

San Antonio Athenians (0-1-0) vs. FC Austin Elite (0-1-0)
7:30 PM CDT | Cibolo Multi-Event Center | MyCujoo

Both the San Antonio Athenians and FC Austin Elite have fallen to the Houston Aces this season but this match is an opportunity to get into the win column. It is also a chance to get on a roll and show Houston that the Aces' bid to retain the UWS Championship will not be an easy one in the Southwest Conference. FC Austin have proved to be Houston's toughest test so far in 2019 and dropped a tight 1-0 loss on the road to the Aces on May 25th. Former professional goalkeeper Liz-Amanda Brown was solid in net for the Elite and made eight saves in the defeat. It took a goal-mouth scramble in the six-yard box for Houston to score the eventual game winner. Jen LaPonte's goal in the 29th minute spoiled FC Austin's bid for the upset.

UWS WEST CONFERENCE

Saturday, June 8

Colorado Pride (0-3-0) vs. LA Galaxy OC (2-0-0)
7:00 PM MDT | Mountain Lion Stadium | MyCujoo

The Colorado Pride and LA Galaxy OC face off for the second time in consecutive weekends. Colorado is still looking for their first win of the season but it will be a tough task unless they can do a better job of protecting goalkeeper Alexis Walker. The University of Colorado-Colorado Spring net minder has been named to the UWS Team of the Week the past two weeks: which is a major accomplishment since the team has gone winless. Last weekend, Walker made eight saves in the 2-1 loss to LA Galaxy OC. LAGOC is in a three-way tie at the top of the West Conference standings alongside Calgary and Santa Clarita. Former USWNT star Lindsey Huie netted the eventual game winner in the 29th minute, curling a shot with the outside of her left foot past Walker. Huie was named to the UWS Team of the Week for her efforts.

Tag(s): News |   New England Mutiny  New Jersey Copa FC  Indiana Union  Michigan Legends