FRIDAY, MAY 25

Fort Wayne United Gryphons vs. Indy Premier SC
7:00 PM EDT - Warrior Field at Indiana Tech Univ. (Fort Wayne, IN)

Friday night's season-opening match for the Fort Wayne United Gryphons will be an opportunity for them to improve on last season's finish in the UWS Midwest. While the Gryphons will not have 2017 All-UWS Midwest selections Hannah Tillett and Alexa Siegal available, they will have a burgeoning talent in the United States Youth National Team system to count on. Forward Amelia White has been steadily progressing up the ladder in the U.S. Soccer ranks after her debut campaign with Fort Wayne last summer, where she earned a UWS Team of the Week selection in Week III. White was a 2017 United Soccer Coaches (USC) Youth Girls All-Midwest Region honoree before earning "Most Inspirational Player of the Week" at the U-15 U.S. National Team Training Camp in February. Recently, Amelia starred for the U-16's at the UEFA Women's International Development Tournament in Portugal, where she tallied three assists including one on the game-winning goal against the hosts.

Indy Premier SC is also looking to get to winning ways in the UWS Midwest, especially after dropping their 2018 opener to Detroit Sun FC on Mother's Day in Week I action. Detroit capped off a successful opening weekend at home with their second victory: a 2-0 win over Indy Premier in front of 425 fans at Ultimate Soccer Arena in Pontiac, MI. Two first half goals by the Sun's star forward Madison Schupbach proved to be the difference and Detroit goalkeeper Marina Manzo (three saves) kept IPSC from getting back in the match with a spectacular save on a breakaway in the 62nd minute. Indy Premier goalkeeper Gina Cerny stood on her head in the loss, making 19 saves.

Michigan Legends FC vs. Genesee FC
7:00 PM EDT - Legacy Center Fieldhouse (Brighton, MI)

Michigan Legends FC opens their home campaign on Friday night inside the confines of the Legacy Center Fieldhouse, where they went 3-1-1 during the 2017 season - the biggest reason why they qualified for the four-team UWS Midwest playoffs. They out-scored their opposition by a 6-1 margin in their final two home victories last year and will be looking to carry over that home momentum into the 2018 season. The return of team captain Megan Trapp has been a catalyst for the team after losing top scorer Tori Singstock to the Detroit Sun this year and she was named to the first edition of the UWS Team of the Week. The duo of Madison Hughes and Jennifer Borawski picked up the scoring slack last Friday in Michigan's 2-1 win over newcomers Genesee FC.

The Legends spoiled the UWS debut of GFC at the newly renovated Atwood Stadium at Kettering University and struck first in the 23rd minute as Borawski ran on to a a 65-yard bomb and finished ahead of the challenge from Genesee goalkeeper Annabelle Hegeman. In the 33rd minute, Hughes doubled the lead with a clinical finish off a Legends' corner kick. The first goal in Genesee FC history came right before halftime on a gorgeous strike from Madeleine Zayan. Her strike from the top of the 18-yard box hit the underside of the crossbar and into goal to cut the lead to 2-1. A scoreless second half and a five-save performance from Michigan keeper Isabel Nino preserved the win for Michigan.

Detroit Sun FC vs. Grand Rapids FC Women
8:00 PM EDT - Ultimate Indoor Soccer (Pontiac, MI)

Friday night's match between Detroit and Grands Rapids will be the fifth time the two rivals have faced off in the past two seasons in the UWS Midwest. They say familiarity breeds contempt and that is certainly beginning to come true as the GRFC Women have taken the upper hand in the last three games between the adversaries. After winning by a 2-1 score in their first-ever meeting on May 20th last year, Detroit's offense has been shutout and they have been out-scored by a 5-0 margin. However, those three losses have occurred on the road at Grandville High School, so this is an opportunity to reverse the scoring curse that the Sun have suffered and to also do it at home where they beat GRFC in 2017.

The rivalry between the Grand Rapids and Detroit did not disappoint last Sunday night as the home side emerged victorious by a 1-0 score. Jodian Morris' strike from a Lizzie Paul feed just three minutes into the second half proved to be the difference. Detroit goalkeeper Madison Clem (10 saves) kept the visitors in the match while GRFC goalkeeper Maia Perez (three saves) got the win. It was Detroit's first loss of the year after they opened with wins over Michigan Legends FC and Indy Premier SC in Week I action but still top the UWS Midwest with a 2-1 record. Grand Rapids defender Melissa Roy and Sun defender Jackie Mazzara were named to UWS Team of the Week for their strong defensive play.

SUNDAY, MAY 27

Fort Wayne United Gryphons vs. Genesee FC
3:00 PM EDT - Warrior Field at Indiana Tech Univ. (Fort Wayne, IN)

If the Fort Wayne United Gryphons do not emerge with a win in their season opener on Friday night, they will have a test to notch a victory on Sunday afternoon as Genesee FC will come to town with a point to prove after suffering two close losses at home to open their inaugural campaign. Last Sunday night at Atwood Stadium, Genesee dropped a 2-1 decision - the same result suffered to Michigan Legends two days prior - but this time to fellow Midwest newcomers Lansing United. Despite Lansing's abundance of offense, the game remained 0-0 until the 38th minute when Genesee scored first after forward Katelyn Wilkowski beat a defender and converted on a breakaway. But the lead didn’t last, as six minutes later the visitors tied up the match and won it in the 52nd minute as Erin Doster tallied her first goal of the season in front of the goal on a pass from Aubrey Schierbeek at the end line. Keeper Annabelle Hegeman (five saves) picked up the loss but she was still named to the UWS team of the Week for her strong play over the weekend.

About United Women's Soccer (UWS): UWS is a national women's soccer league sanctioned by U.S. Soccer. 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.