Women’s First Team Advances to UWS National Championship Final
- Gabi Vuong
- Jul 20
- 4 min read
Edgewater Castle FC’s Women’s First Team played against Michigan Jaguars FC in the United Women’s Soccer League (UWS) National Championship Semi-Final this past Saturday in Chicago at Holmgren Athletic Conference. The Rooks secured their spot in the UWS National Championship after defeating the Jaguars 4-2 and will face New England Mutiny FC in the final on Sunday.
GOALS
Edgewater Castle FC: Stephens 3’, Leigh 11’, Egan 23’, A. Scesniak 65’
Michigan Jaguars: 32’, 55’
First Half
At the start of the first half, the Rooks put the pressure on the Jaguars at full speed. Scout Murray and Jocelyn Leigh pressured inside of the Jaguar’s third, creating pathways to enter their box.
In the 3rd minute, Katherine Stephens made a break through the Jaguar’s defensive line and quickly struck the ball into the top right corner of their goal past their goalkeeper's reach. Stephens set the mood early on and pumped up the rest of her teammates with her early goal.
Leigh continued the energy shortly afterwards and crossed the ball from the left side of the field but was stopped by the Jaguar’s defense. Kelsey Hamm could also be seen at the back end of the Rooks’ side of the field holding down the fort by putting strong pressure on her opponents.
Murray ardently fought for possession of the ball from a Jaguar player and swiftly passed it to Leigh on the 11th minute. Leigh rushed towards the goal with a Jaguar defensive player on her tail and shot the ball into the bottom right corner of the goal for the early 2-0 lead.
The Rooks were prepared and were determined to play until the whistle blew with their defensive line standing strong. Rooks’ goalkeeper Lucy Clark had remarkable saves throughout the game and made and supported her defensive line.
Emily Olson’s playstyle for the Rooks was fierce and controlled the ball with ease. A Jaguar player tugged on Olson’s shirt which rewarded Olson with a free kick from the top of the Jaguar’s third of the field during the 23rd minute. Olson passed the ball to Women’s First Team Captain Kily Egan. Egan, swarmed by Jaguar defenders, managed to take a shot and the ball entered the goal with a quick finish.
The Jaguars started to bring the energy back up after three consecutive scores from the Rooks. Jaguar offensive players were putting up a fight, but Skyler Bierker effectively used her slide tackles and impeccable timing to try to challenge their momentum.
In the 32nd minute, a Jaguars player brought the ball up to the sideline and sent the ball to her teammate in front of the goal. The ball was shot past Clark’s reach and the Jaguars had put themselves on the scoreboard.
Nearing the end of the first half, both teams were fighting for possession. For the last play before the whistle blew, the Jaguars had earned themselves a corner kick. Defensive players Lauren Hall and Clark connected simultaneously to get the ball out of the danger zone. The first half ended with a score of 3-1.
Second Half
The Jaguars came back in the start of the second half firm with multiple shots on goal early on, but the Rooks’ newly subbed goalkeeper, Cynthia Waller, was a brick wall. Multiple balls were shot at Waller, but she made impressive saves and stepped to every ball with urgency.
During the 55th minute, the Jaguars had earned a corner kick from the right. The ball was sent across the box and landed in the middle of the pile of players. Eventually, the ball made it past the Rooks and landed in their goal.
Bierker and Waller didn’t let that goal waver them, however. Bierker continued to make outstanding slide tackles without hesitation and Waller was on the tip of her toes ready for any ball that would come towards her.
The Rooks entered the Jaguar’s third of the field with calculated passing through simple connections. Olson initiated a kick from the right side of the field during the 65th minute. Ashley Scesniak connected a stunning header from Olson, the ball bouncing off of Scesniak’s head and floating above the goalkeeper’s reach into the back of the goal for the 4-2 lead.
Despite being down by two, the Jaguars continued their persistence of pressure inside of the Rooks’ third. Natasha Davenport and Cameron Sengstock worked together to create two-on-one defensive plays and took the ball up to their midfielder players.
In the dying embers of the game, the Jaguars made a final attempt at a goal and crossed the ball from the left side. No one was there to connect the pass and the time ran out, giving the Rooks the victory.
Emma Woodley, the Women’s First Team’s head coach, shares her thoughts about the team’s connection and the mindset going into the National Championship final. “[Our] mindset is obviously really high. We’re a really strong team. The mindset, the vibe, the friendship, and the love that we all have is actually the thing that’s been carrying us,” Woodley said.
With this win, the Women’s First Team will face New England Mutiny FC at their home turf, Hoyne Field, on Sunday, July 20th at 2:00 PM for a chance to win the UWS National Championship trophy.