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Week VI Preview: UWS Midwest

06/14/2018, 2:45pm EDT
By Admin

FTW host a pair of matches, key moving weekend for GRFC

Friday, June 15

Fort Wayne Gryphons vs. Grand Rapids FC Women

7:00 PM EDT – Warrior Field at Indiana Tech University (Fort Wayne, IN)

Week VI is an imperative week for both Fort Wayne and Grand Rapids as in addition to both sides playing twice in a three-day period, both are competing for key spots within the Midwest Conference standings. Fort Wayne is battling for the fourth and final spot in the Midwest Conference playoffs and while they trail current fourth place holders Michigan Legends by six points, they have two matches in hand on Michigan. The Gryphons competed well against Lansing United last Friday night but ultimately lost 2-1, despite getting the opening goal from Faith Lewis on the half-hour mark. That goal also marked the first tally of the season for the Gryphons, which will give them something positive to build on as they’ve been very good defensively this season, allowing only three goals in three matches played. If they can keep pushing forward in attack while continuing to keep their opponents at bay, this could turn into a successful weekend.

The defending UWS Champion Grand Rapids FC Women do share similar goals to Fort Wayne in reaching the postseason. However, James Gilpin’s side also want to host the Midwest Conference tournament weekend and ultimately get back to the UWS Championship weekend to defend their league crown. The team is coming off of a bye week after a four-point week in Week IV. They cruised right through Genesee FC by putting seven goals past the last place side but had to fight in the last half hour of their second match that week against Michigan, scoring a pair of goals late on for a 2-2 draw. Now faced with a three-match road trip, maximum points will be needed from this weekend if GRFC want to keep pace with Lansing United and Detroit Sun.

Lansing United vs. Indy Premier SC

7:00 PM EDT – East Lansing Soccer Complex (East Lansing, MI)

Lansing United are coming off of a six-point weekend during Week V play and opened up their home slate last Sunday with a 2-1 victory over Michigan. Archer Stadium was rocking for 90 minutes and despite being a little fatigued by playing their second match of the weekend, Jason Crist’s team looked like a truly motivated side in front of their home supporters. They will look to keep that going this week by welcoming in Indy Premier, a side they handled quite easily back in Week IV, winning 5-1. Lansing got goals from five different players, including Anna Stinson netting the opener just 18 seconds into the match, setting a new UWS record. Lansing will also look to keep up the productivity of Week V UWS Offensive Player of the Week winner Lexi Pelafas, as the Central Michigan University product scored three goals last week. Combining the current form Lansing is in right now, with winning their last four matches, along with having a number of different players who can step up on the attacking side, their confidence will be sky high entering this week.

Indy Premier have had a week off to work on tactics after losing their first match against Lansing on June 1 and you know they will want to hit the ground running to try and gain some revenge. Similar to Fort Wayne, IPSC is currently in a fight for fourth place in the Midwest and after this weekend, four of their final five matches will be against the other teams scrapping for that last playoff spot. But at the same time, taking points against either Lansing or Grand Rapids this weekend can help them so they won’t be taking these matches lightly. Mykayla Brown got her 2018 account opened in their last match with an equalizing goal against Lansing, so expect more good things coming from the 2017 All-Midwest selection in the return match between the two sides.

Sunday, June 17

Fort Wayne Gryphons vs. Detroit Sun FC

2:00 PM EDT – Warrior Field at Indiana Tech University (Fort Wayne, IN)

Fort Wayne’s second match of the weekend sees them host Detroit Sun in the first of their two meetings in 2018. The Gryphons were able to take a point at home from the UWS National Semifinalist’s last season with a 2-2 draw at Warrior Field and will be hoping for similar success this time around. The Sun needed an 80th minute equalizer from Madison Schupbach (who also had an assist in that contest) to salvage the point but the way that Skipper Mukhtar’s side is rolling right now, there will certainly be no lacking in confidence from his group. Detroit swept a home-and-home series with Genesee FC over the last two weeks and took a 4-0 decision at home last Friday, with midfielder Abby Allen being named to the UWS Week V Team of the Week with a pair of assists in that match. Schupbach has scored now in three straight matches and in addition to Allen’s facilitating prowess, Dani Evans currently leads the league in assists with six. With a big match on the horizon in Week VII against Lansing United, Detroit Sun will need to keep pace with them by getting a positive result this week.

Indy Premier FC vs. Grand Rapids FC Women

3:00 PM EDT – Marian University (Indianapolis, IN)

These two teams will meet twice over the final five weeks of the season and for both, it will be their second match of the weekend as GRFC will make the two-hour commute down from Fort Wayne to Indianapolis to finish their weekend road trip. Last year, the two sides met on the last weekend of the season and it was all Grand Rapids as they took a 7-1 decision with Bethany Balcer netting a hat trick and Avery Lockwood and Anna Stinson each scoring twice. However, as neither Balcer nor Stinson currently feature for GRFC anymore, possibly IPSC feel that the odds could be just a little bit more favorable this time around. But with a match with Lansing on the road set for June 29, GRFC can’t take their eyes off the prize if they want to host the Midwest Conference tournament in a months’ time.

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.

Tag(s): News |   Midwest  Detroit Sun  Fort Wayne Gryphons  Grand Rapids FC  Indiana Union  Lansing United