Women's First Team Wins UWS Midwest Conference Championship Title
- Gareth Mullins
- 2 days ago
- 4 min read
The Women's First Team won the United Women's Soccer league's Midwest Conference Championship title, their first ever UWS Trophy, Saturday night in a thrilling 3-1 victory against Crystal Lake Force at Hoyne Field.
GOALS:
Edgewater Castle: FC Pistorius 11' (A Leigh), Leigh 83' (PK), Egan 88' (A Leigh)
Crystal Lake Force: 50'
First Half
The match started off with the Rooks hungry for another victory against Force after previously beating them twice in the UWS Midwest Conference regular season. Maintaining the majority of possession early thanks to efforts on defense by co-captain Lauren Hall and in the midfield by Skyler Bierker and co-captain Kily Egan, the Rooks were strong on the ball, forcing Crystal Lake back into their own third.
The first goal of the game would follow shortly, with the Rooks' offensive utilizing the high press. Receiving the ball from the midfield from Emily Olson in the 11th minute, Jocelyn Leigh would pass the ball on a header to Molly Pistorius, who timed her run to pass through a gap in Force's defense. Pistorius would then curve the ball left, launching it past Force's goalkeeper's reach and into the bottom left corner.
After getting the 1-0 lead, the Rooks remained dominant for the rest of the first half. Ava Garcia, the 17-year-old goalkeeper who was stepping up in place of co-captain Lucy Clark due to injury, effortlessly blocked the few Force attempts on goal in her first cap for the Women's First Team. Outside of the box, Natasha Davenport resisted Force's offense, Katherine Stevens and Scout Murray continuously kept the Rooks offensive pressure alive, and Lucy Tang locked down the midfield to give the Rooks the advantage.
Second Half
Crystal Lake Force started came onto the pitch after halftime with renewed spirit. Starting the half off with more ball control than the Rooks, Force would tie the game at 50', producing a long pass from the midfield to to a Force forward who would tap it into goal. The tone for the rest of the match was established; both teams were willing to give it their all in order to become champions.
A tense back-and-forth soon emerged. With Force being reinvigorated by their goal, the Rooks had to backpedal from their previous strategy in the first, responding to the shift in momentum through calculated defending and passing. The Rooks eventually broke through Force's defense with two crucial chances: Leigh would produce a near goal at 77' after going one-on-one with Force's goalkeeper and Hall would have a near header at 78' thanks to a well placed corner kick by Kily Egan. However, Force's goalkeeper was up to the challenge, maintaining the tie but also energizing the Rooks to continue to take more chances.
The Rooks' continuous attacking force would lead to the tie breaking at 83'. Pressing the ball forwards into Force's box, Egan would draw a penalty from a Force defender. With the game on the line, Leigh stepped up to kick, producing a well-placed penalty kick into the bottom right of Force's goal. The Rooks fans erupted in the stands, and ECFC looked back on track to lift the silverware.
The Women's First Team would seal the victory 5 minutes later with another showcase of skill from their offense. Getting the ball from a pass by Kelsey Hamm at 88', Leigh would center the ball in front of Force's goal, waiting for support from her teammates. Utilizing her speed, Egan would rush up the right side of the field, recieving the ball from Leigh while rushing past Force's defenders. Once she was in position, Egan would rip the ball across the turf into the bottom left corner, giving the Rooks the 3-1 lead and ultimately the UWS Midwest Conference Championship trophy.
Following the end of the match, Hall and Egan reflected on the game and how proud they are of their team.
"I am so incredibly proud, yet completely unsurprised," Hall said. "We knew from the jump that that this was a very, very special group of girls. I think it's pretty obvious when you watch our team play how bonded we are and how much we trust each other and that goes a long way."
"Last night was an incredible moment to be a Rook," Egan said. "Beating a good team three times in one season is not easy, and we set out to prove why we belong in the top 4 of the UWS. Our team is relentless, driven, and confident - even in stalemate I knew we would come together and fight until the final minute. I'm so grateful to be a part of something so special."
With this win, the Women's First Team advances to the UWS National Championship. The competition's semifinals are being hosted by Edgewater Castle FC and are taking place at Holmgren Athletic Complex on July 19th, with the Final being hosted at Hoyne Field on the 20th. Details for the Rooks' match will be announced shortly.