Support women's sports and SHARE this story with your friends!

Lianne Sanderson and Joanna Lohman team up in their first W-League game for the DCU Women

The DC United Women went down to Fredericksburg on Saturday for what promised to be one of the toughest matches of their regular season, against the Impact, who were undefeated so far and who had just beaten the Northern Virginia Majestics by a significantly greater margin than DC had managed (5-0 versus 2-0). It was a tight game, but United came out on top by the score of 3-2.

It took only 12 minutes for United to get on the scoreboard as Mikaela Howell accepted a pass from Lianne Sanderson on the left. From in front of the left post she sent what looked like a shot wide right that Ashley Herndon, the youngest player on the team, ran onto and put in. (Herndon starts at James Madison in the fall – coincidentally, Fredericksburg had an Ashley Herndon of their own.)

Six minutes later the Impact made a game of it as Becca Wann, their top goal-scorer, headed in a cross at the left post coming in from the right from Missy Wycinsky.

DC controlled the game for most of the rest of the first half, but most of their shots (10 total in the first half) went wide or to the goalkeeper. Carolyn Blank ended the drought, though, in the early seconds of stoppage time as she intercepted a poor pass from a Fredericksburg defender and rocketed it into the top left corner of the net from the right side about 25 yards out.

Lianne Sanderson had been the best player on the field for most of the game even though she hadn’t made a mark on the scoreboard. She drew a lot of attention in the second half and used this to the team’s advantage as she took possession in the midfield in the 59th minute, drew opposition players to her as she ran forward, then passed on to Mikaela Howell, who had just one defender to beat at the top left corner of the box. She stutter-stepped past the defender, then scooped the ball into the upper right corner to give United a two-goal lead.

That was fortunate for DC as in the 68th minute Marisa Abegg was called for pushing down an attacker in the box on an Impact corner kick. Former Washington Freedom Futures player Sandra Matute put the ball in the right corner of the net past Didi Haracic to bring her team within one.

Hardworking flank defender Molly Menchel makes a throwin

The Red-and-Black defense bore down after that and gave up only three not particularly dangerous shots the rest of the match. Stoppage time was comparatively long – three minutes – which I normally hate when the team I’m rooting for has a one-goal lead. But Sam Baker and Caitlin Miskel proceeded to give a master class in running out the clock. They kept the ball within spitting distance of the right far corner flag for almost the whole time, and the Impact never got the ball much past midfield before a DC player would repossess it and get it back to the corner.

Head coach Jen Woodie of the Impact was disappointed in her team’s performance: “We were flat and just looked tired today. We looked like we played last night. … It’s like we’re waiting to see what they’re bringing to the table. That tends to happen when you play a team, and there’s a lot of hype around it, which there was. But I’m looking forward to playing them two more times.”

Sanderson and Howell on the pitch

Both stars of the game, Howell and Sanderson, were happy with the result but said there was still work to do. Howell: “We probably made it a little bit harder than we should have than if we’d finished our chances. … We got so many chances, and I got in behind a couple of times. … I know it’s going to come, just need to keep pushing and trying.” Sanderson: “We just need to be a little bit more clinical in the area, I think. I think we could have won by around five goals, but I’m happy with the win, anyway.”

With the win, DC remains one of only four undefeated teams in the thirty-team W-League. Meanwhile, Mikaela Howell is tied for third in the league in points, tied for fourth in goals, and is in sole possession of first place in assists.

The DC United Women’s next game is a special exhibition, against Paul Riley’s Women’s Pro SuperGroup Friday, June 15, at 8 pm back at the Soccerplex.

Support women's sports and SHARE this story with your friends!

• Soccer
• W-League/WPSL

View Original Post at allwhitekit.wordpress.com

View jennaawk's Full Profile