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UWS Week IX Roundup: Midwest Conference

07/10/2017, 4:15pm EDT
By Admin

Two wins propel Michigan Legends FC into Midwest playoffs

DETROIT SUN FC 2, TOLEDO VILLA FC 1

PONTIAC, MI - Detroit Sun FC (6-1-3 Midwest) helped complete the field for the four-team Midwest playoffs (July 15-16) with their 2-1 win over Toledo Villa FC (3-6-1 Midwest) in the last regular season game in conference play. If Toledo had won on Sunday afternoon at Ultimate Soccer Arenas, they would’ve finished in fourth place and qualified for the postseason. But with Toledo’s loss, FC Indiana (4-6 Midwest) backed into the Midwest playoffs after losing their last three games of the 2017 campaign. Two goals from team-leading scorer Madison Schupbach (nine goals, four assists) led the Detroit offense while Caitlyn Clem made seven saves in the victory.

In the 42nd minute, forward Evdokia Popadinova crossed the ball to Schupbach who volleyed her shot past Villa goalkeeper Kathleen Duvwe (nine saves) for the 1-0 lead. In the 45th minute, the Bowling Green standout won the ball and converted on an unassisted strike for the 2-0 score. But Detroit would go down to ten players before halftime, as Popadinova was shown a red card after an altercation with Toledo defender Kirsten Catloth. The visitors than lost the services of leading scorer Skylar Fleak (eight goals) in the 72nd minute after she collided with Clem on an aerial challenge. Kristina Demarco’s goal for Villa in the 87th minute would be little consolation as Toledo’s postseason hopes were dashed with the final whistle.

MICHIGAN LEGENDS FC 3, FC INDIANA 1

BRIGHTON, MI - Off the strength of two home victories over Midwest playoff opposition to end the regular season - while also out-scoring their opponents by a 6-1 margin - Michigan Legends FC (4-3-3 Midwest) finished in third place in the final conference standings. Michigan will now face in-state rivals Detroit in the first Midwest Conference Semifinal on this Saturday, July 15th at 4:30 PM (EDT) at Grandville High School in Grandville, MI. On Sunday afternoon inside the Legacy Center against FC Indiana (4-6 Midwest), a two goal-assist performance from midfielder Katrina Koomen led the offense while Gabby Gauruder made four saves in net as MLFC won by a 3-1 score in their home finale.

It was the visitors who opened the scoring in this match, as midfielder Annelie Leitner threaded her shot past Gauruder in the 58th minute. It only took Michigan thirty seconds to respond and tie the score. Koomen sent in a pass behind FCI goalkeeper Andrea Vera (three saves) and forward Kristin Abbott tallied her first goal of the season on an easy open net tap-in. Legends FC rolled on from there and in the 70th minute, leading scorer Tori Singstock (seven goals, assist) tapped her free kick to Koomen who bent her strike past Vera from 18 yards out. The Charleston standout was feeling it and in the 79t minute, finished the scoring on the night with a 25-yard blast to put an exclamation point on the postseason-clinching win.

INDY PREMIER SC 1, GRAND RAPIDS FC WOMEN 7

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - Midfielder Bethany Balcer continued her torrid scoring run to end the regular season on Saturday night, tallying three goals and an assist in an emphatic 7-1 win for the Grand Rapids FC Women (8-1-1 Midwest) on the road against Indy Premier SC (2-7-1 Midwest). Grand Rapids hosts the four-team Midwest playoffs this upcoming weekend and will host FC Indiana at 7:30 PM (EDT) on Saturday night. IPSC’s slim hopes for a postseason berth were scuttled the night before via a loss to Fort Wayne, and that disappointment appeared to seep into Indy Premier’s finale as the visitors scored early and often at Park Tudor School. GRFC goalkeeper Lauren Kozal made three saves in the victory while her counterpart Claire Graves stopped five shots in the losing effort.

Balcer converted on a through ball from forward Riko Sagara in the seventh minute of play and in the very next minute, forward Avery Lockwood converted on a give-and-go with Samantha Maher for the early 2-0 lead. Balcer’s cross in the 28th minute found Lockwood who headed the ball home for her third goal of the season. Two minutes later, Lockwood sent a ball over the top of the IPSC defense and Balcer made the score 4-0 and it remained that way going into halftime. A goal from Balcer and two from midfielder Anna Stinson in the second half completed the scoring for Grand Rapids. Indy Premier’s leading scorer Brady Riley (five goals, two assists) tallied the lone goal for the home side in the 72nd minute on an assist from midfielder Kayla Smith.

MICHIGAN LEGENDS FC 3, TOLEDO VILLA FC 0

BRIGHTON, MI - Michigan Legends FC began their impressive two-game homestead to conclude the regular season in fine fashion last Friday night, shutting out the Toledo Villa FC offense and getting a goal-assist performance from forward Kristelle Yewah in a 3-0 win at the Legacy Center. It was the second shutout in the last five games of the 2017 campaign for Michigan, who allowed only five goals during the eventual 3-1-1 streak to qualify for the Midwest playoffs. Gabby Gauruder (six saves) was a stonewall in goal again for MLFC, notching her second straight shutout, while Kathleen Duvwe made four saves in the loss.

Legends FC opened the scoring in the 37th minute on forward Tori Singstock’s unassisted goal on a breakaway. In the 69th minute, Yewah’s cross found Sydney O'Donnell and she converted her first goal of the season for the 2-0 lead. In the 74th minute, midfielder Katrina Koomen’s cross found Yewah who finished the scoring on the night. Michigan out-shot Toledo by a slim 8-7 margin. After a strong 3-2 win over FC Indiana to open their four-game road trip to end the regular season, it was the second straight loss for the Villa Women who were out-scored by a 7-0 margin over those two games.

INDY PREMIER SC 0, FORT WAYNE UNITED GRYPHONS 1

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - In a game that was delayed by lightning, Indy Premier SC’s offense could not capture it in a bottle, dropping a tough 1-0 loss to the Fort Wayne United Gryphons (3-6-1 Midwest) and ending their slim hopes of a spot in the four-team Midwest playoffs. The victory pushed Fort Wayne past IPSC in the conference standings and would eventually finish in sixth place after the weekend’s action. Morgan Halliwill’s game-winning tally in the 56th minute put her at the top of the team’s scoring charts alongside Hannah Tillet, who provided the assist on her goal - both players finished the season with six points. The combination of Hannah Parrish and Lorah Pund made five total saves in goal in the win while Claire Graves made four saves for Indy Premier in the loss.

About United Women’s Soccer (UWS): UWS is a national women’s soccer league sanctioned by U.S. Soccer through the United States Adult Soccer Association (USASA). UWS is a professionally operated league created for teams that meet high minimum standards. The season runs from May until the end of July, culminating in a National Championship match. The UWS player pool is comprised of college players, aspiring & former professionals and international stars. You can follow UWS on social media on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Media can contact UWS Director of Communications Jorma Kansanen by e-mail at UWSPress@gmail.com. You can visit the league’s official website at UWSSoccer.com. Interested team applicants can contact League Commissioner Joe Ferrara, Jr. by e-mail at Joe@UWSSoccer.com.

Tag(s): News |   Detroit Sun  FC Indiana  Fort Wayne Gryphons  Grand Rapids FC  Indiana Union  Michigan Legends  Toledo Villa