SATURDAY, JUNE 9

INFERNO RUSH 1, CONNECTICUT FUSION 0

MILLERSVILLE, PA – After falling to the Connecticut Fusion 2-0 in Week IV action, Inferno Rush took to their home field at Millersville University looking for revenge against the Nutmeg State side. And it didn’t take long for the hosts to get on the scoreboard as in the 4th minute, Haley Crawford headed home a Tesa McKibben cross for the early advantage. Despite creating over a half-dozen chances in the first half, Inferno couldn’t extend their advantage before the halftime interval. In the second half, the visiting Fusion started to pick up the offensive tempo and created a couple of quality chances. However, Inferno goalkeeper Kelly O’Brien was able to stand up to each test to preserve the clean sheet, making ten saves in total. She had to come up with a big save on Tori Sousa’s blast in the 65th minute, which saw the rebound cleared off the line by Inferno’s Alex Thompson, as well as denying Chanel Johnson’s point-blank effort in the latter stages of the contest. It’s a big result for Inferno as with the majority of their schedule (seven of their ten matches) coming in the second half of the season, they can start to make their charge up the East Conference standings. 

NEW JERSEY COPA FC 2, WORCESTER SMILES 0

WEST WINDSOR, NJ – It was a comfortable afternoon for New Jersey Copa FC as they posted 14 shots on target en route to a 2-0 victory over the Worcester Smiles. After dictating play through the first 20 minutes, the hosts found the opener as Jeanine Nunez headed home a Farrell Pomponio cross in the 24th minute. The goal was Nunez’s second of the season and NJCFC never looked back from there. Worcester’s net didn’t budge again throughout the rest of the first half as while Anthony Cosky’s defense was on its’ heels often, they were able to hold steady until halftime. Second half substitute Mallensy Vargas came on in the 54th minute and right on the hour mark, she scored the insurance goal, finishing off a nice give-and-go with Katarina Nilsson. NJCFC’s starting goalkeeper Andrea Leitner needed just to make two saves in 81 minutes before being lifted for substitute goalie Aytana Muschajew. Worcester’s Brittany Henderson did her part in not allowing the scoreline to get out of hand as she made 12 saves on the day.

LONG ISLAND ROUGH RIDERS 1, ROCHESTER LADY LANCERS 2

HEMPSTEAD, NY – Rochester got their weekend road trip started off on a high note by picking up a 2-1 victory over Long Island on Saturday evening. The two sides faced off in Week IV up at the Marina Auto Stadium in Rochester and two sides split the points with a 1-1 draw. The one big factor last weekend for Long Island defensively was that they kept then co-UWS goal scoring leader Elin Eklund quiet. This week was a different matter however as the incoming University of Bridgeport product netted a pair of first half goals. Her first goal came in the 27th minute and would net the second just four minutes later, finishing off Dori Rizzo’s service. Long Island came close to halving the deficit right afterwards as Taylor Elliott struck the post, but the 2-0 score held through halftime. Rochester were pressed back defensively throughout the second half as the Rough Riders looked to pick up their fourth result in eight days and they found a lifeline in the 75th minute, as Kayla Saagar’s goal made it a 2-1 game. But it wasn’t enough as the Lady Lancers held on for all three points.

NEW ENGLAND MUTINY 2, NEW YORK SURF 2

AGAWAM, MA – It was a tale of two halves on Saturday evening as the New England Mutiny hosted the New York Surf. The first half belonged to the Mutiny as they came out with heavy pressure and eventually broke through right after the half hour mark. Elena Santos drilled in a low cross from the right flank and found Syracuse product Sydney Brackett, who one-timed her finish past New York goalkeeper Colleen Hickey. Brackett, who was named to the UWS Week IV Team of the Week, has now scored three goals in the last two matches for the Mutiny. The other piece to the Mutiny scoring puzzle got in on the act as well as minutes after Brackett's goal, Kate Howarth stepped up and coolly finished off a penalty kick to give the hosts a 2-0 lead. However, whatever was said by New York’s Head Coach Christie Welsh certainly resonated through the team and they came out firing in the second half. The visitors trimmed the deficit to one goal in the 67th minute as a dangerous cross was finished off by Melissa Menta, giving her goals in back-to-back games. And the Surf tied the match in the 77th minute as Furtuna Velaj, a five-goal scorer in 2017, netted her second goal of the season as she put one past Mutiny goalkeeper Lysianne Proulx. The teams ended up sharing the spoils, giving the Surf hope that they could make a final push for a postseason bid with a point.

SUNDAY, JUNE 10

NEW YORK SURF 0, ROCHESTER LADY LANCERS 2

BRONX, NY – After Rochester got a pair of goals from Elin Eklund in Saturday’s 2-1 win over Long Island, the other half of Sal Galvano’s dynamic scoring duo was at it on Sunday afternoon. Brooke Barbuto scored a pair of first half goals to help guide her team to a 2-0 victory over New York, completing a perfect six-point weekend and vaulting the side into first place in the East. Barbuto found the back of the net in the 40th minute as she finished off a Taylor Wingerden pass and shortly after her first strike, she was raising her arms in celebration again, finishing off her 41st minute chance past Surf goalkeeper Colleen Hickey. That would be all the offensive production that the Lady Lancers needed as on the defensive end, Kenna Kosinski stopped seven shots for her first clean sheet of the season. With three of their final four matches being played at home, Rochester have set themselves up nicely in their quest for their first ever spot in UWS postseason action. 

About United Women's Soccer:

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 the UWS Communications office 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.