TUKWILA, WA
– A young Vancouver Whitecaps FC squad - comprised mainly of players currently in the club's U-18 Girls Elite program - battled valiantly against long-time cross-border rivals Seattle Sounders Women before ultimately falling 2-1. It was a former Whitecaps FC women's player who scored the winning goal at Starfire Sports Complex, as Surrey, BC native Nicole Setterlund found the back of the net for the home side.
The Sounders opened the scoring in the 20th minute from a ball crossed by defender Laura Rayfield. The ball was sent straight to the left side of a crowded penalty box where Kennya Cordner got a foot on the flying ball and bent it to the far post, just out of the keepers reach.
Four minutes after the first goal, the Sounders added a second to take a comfortable lead. Jacklyn Softli drove the ball in from the right flank through Vancouver traffic to the feet of former Whitecaps FC women's player and current Canadian women's national team member Brittany Baxter, where she struck a strong shot. 'Caps goalkeeper Ally Williamson saved it, but Setterlund was ready to tap it in at the near post.
Despite the Sounders 2-0 lead, Vancouver generated quality goal-scoring opportunities in the first half, tallying seven shots. Sounders goalkeeper Anna Picarelli made three fantastic saves throughout the first half—two by her feet, and another by tipping the ball off her fingers, onto the crossbar for a Sounders shutout in the first half.
The second half of the match consisted of even pressure by both teams, until the 84th minute. Whitecaps FC Girls Elite defender Rachel Jones - a member of Canada's recent U-17 Women's World Cup squad - took full advantage of a corner kick to Kathryn Baker, who dribbled it into the box and crossed it to the centre of the goal where forward Katie Kraeutner was there to knock it in.
In the end, the 'Caps could not find a second goal despite pressing for the equalizer as the match finished 2-1 in favour of the Sounders.
Scoring Summary:
20' - SEA - Kennya Cordner
24' - SEA - Nicole Setterlund
84' - VAN - Katie Krautner
Seattle Sounders Women
GK-Anna Picarelli, D-Annie Sittauer (D-Ellie Boon 75'), D-Kellyn Farrell, D-Brooke Gilbert, D-Laura Rayfield (D-Kelsey Hodges 45'), M-Julia Roberts (M-Marta Matthews 63'), M-Nicole Setterlund, M-M’ily Reiter (F-Stephanie Verdoia 45'), M-Brittany Baxter (M-Joana Houplin 57'), F- Jaclyn Softli, F-Kennya Cordner (F-Caroline Brown 45')
Substitutes not used:
GK-Megan Kufeld
Vancouver Whitecaps FC
GK-Ally Williamson (GK- Gurveen Clair 45'); D-Hannah Carrothers (M-Sam Donald 33'), D- Kathryn Baker, D-Meghan Douglas (D-Aman Shergill 45'); M-Simmrin Dhaliwal, M-Rachel Jones, M-Sabrina Santarossa (D-Kelsey Smith 63'), M-Katie Kraeutner; F-Chelsea Harkins, F-Summer Clarke, F-Jenna Richardson (F-Seina Kashima 65')
Substitutes not used:
D-Nikki Turney, M-Alessia Azermadhi, F-Sessen Stevens
Referee:
Jason Hutchinson
Referee's Assistants:
Christine Suter, Abdul Kenan
