Emerald City settles for four away points in weekend WPSL play

Emerald City FC is undefeated in their inaugural season in the Women’s Premier Soccer League.

You would think that would make head coach Niki Taylor and crew very happy. Trouble is, they have two wins and four draws, including another late rally by an opponent last weekend.


Eugene Metro Azul 2:2 Emerald City FC

On Friday June 29th ECFC traveled to Eugene Oregon to play Metro Azul. Niki Taylor says of the match, “Both teams hit a crossbar in the first half before Eugene Metro went ahead in the 33rd minute off a perfectly placed shot into the upper corner from their new player out of Oklahoma State.” The Seattle club rallied in the second half. “ECFC got the game-tying goal just eight minutes into the second half. Kate Bennett played Megan Chapin in behind Eugene defense. Chapin beat her mark to the endline and passed across the goalmouth for an easy tap in by Heather Thomas.”

Sitting on one win and four straight draws, Emerald City looked like they might get their second win. “ECFC got the go ahead goal with thirty minutes left to play from Kiana Kraft after Eugene failed to clear a ECFC corner and Kraft connected solidly on a volley from just outside the 18,” says Taylor.

Earlier in the season ECFC held late 1:0 lead over Portland Rain at Interbay, only to see the visitors draw level. It was the first of what would become four straight draws. The fourth came in Eugene.

“At the end of the second half the referees signaled for two minutes of extra time,” Taylor says, “but let the game continue for no apparent reason into the 94th minute, until Eugene tied the game off a corner kick. We’d dominated play and were jusiafiably upset to be leaving with only one point after the referee kept adding time to the game.”

Oregon Rush 0:5 Emerald City FC

Finally ECFC broke their four-match draw string with a blowout win over struggling Oregon Rush. Megan Chapin scored from Casey Berrier in the 7th minute, Berrier putting a through-ball to Chapin behind the Rush defense for a finish to upper 90. It was 2:0 ECFC on a goal by Kiana Kraft from Faustine Dufka in the 22nd minute. Dufka passed to top of six for tap-in by Kraft.

The rout was on in the second half when Casey Berrier notched a score from Faustine Dufka in the 52nd minute by heading home her corner kick. Taylor Culver from Ashley Waplinger in the 80th minute made it 4:0 to the Seattle side. Culver tapped in from Waplinger’s pass across the six from the endline.

The scoring ended when Jessica Ayala made it five from Kate Bennett in the 83rd minute. Ayala basically “passed” the ball into the far side netting from the Bennett through ball.

Emerald City move up to third place in the WPSL Northwest Division with 10 points on six matched played.

Saturday July 7 at 3:00 PM ECFC will host the Oregon Rush at Interbay Stadium in Lower Magnolia looking to build their first-ever winning streak.

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