USL W Season Kickoff Game Recap
“It all begins with you.”
That’s what was painted on one of the many banners hung on the railings by the Brickyard Battalion, Indy Eleven’s exuberant and loyal supporters group. A supporters group that came out in numbers last night for the inaugural match of the USL W League between the home, Indy Eleven, and the visitors, Kings Hammer FC.
And what a beginning it was. A competitive match, two teams who put it all on the field, a trophy reveal, and four gorgeous goals. Indy Eleven, with only a single training as a team (the night prior, no less) under their belt, won the coin toss and had the first touch of the season.
And to show fans watching in the stands and at home what kind of match it would be, Rachel McCarthy (BYU) of Indy Eleven registered the first shot within 13 seconds. McCarthy would go on to score the club’s (and league’s) first goal of the season in the 9th minute and by the 18th minute, would score the second goal in club history and its first brace.
She would eventually come off in the 73rd minute after what looked like a cramp, but it was a deserved rest after 70 minutes of constant pressure on Kings Hammer FC’s backline.
In the 41st minute, not long before both teams would go back to the locker room for a half time chat, Amanda Schlueter (ECNL) put Kings Hammer FC on the scoreboard after a giveaway in the midfield. Grace Bahr (Xavier University) mistouched the ball, which eventually led to Morgan Gerak (Michigan State University) collecting it, bouncing it off Abby Isger (Butler), which Schlueter collected in the middle of the 18, pivoted, and shot into the upper 90.
That would be the only mistake Indy Eleven (and Bahr, who was pivotal in the midfield all game) would concede to Kings Hammer FC all night.
In the 78th minute, Katie Soderstrom (Butler) all but sealed her team’s win by scoring their third and final goal of the night off of a brilliant cross by second half substitute Selena Barnett (University of the Cumberlands). The play started in the back by Julia Leonard, up the right and to Barnett, whose cross found Soderstrom in front of the box alongside Kings Hammer FC defender Emma Cohen (University of Rochester). Cohen challenged for the cross but ultimately wasn’t able to fight off Soderstrom.
The game ended after 2 extra minutes, making Indy Eleven the first winners of the W League and the first to collect points.
There’s a lot to look forward to from this league, especially when you consider who else is looking to make their mark in the coming weeks. Tonight, Flint City AFC vs. AFC Ann Arbor and Kalamazoo FC vs. Detroit City FC kick off at 7:00PM EST and 7:30 PM EST respectively. After that, the next games take place next Thursday. The stage is set for a season to remember and with the promise of more (USL Super League is expected to begin play in August 2023) looming on the horizon, the rest of us can only wait and see.
- Elisabeth Schendel