EPLWA Round-Up - July 11

Extreme temperatures added to a huge week as the league's title race began to truly heat up with some big match-ups between some of the contenders. In the end, Vancouver's struggles continued as they dropped matches to both South Sound and Spokane, which posted a six-point weekend while on the road to take control in the title race courtesy of having games in hand.

Meanwhile, things are getting interesting for the rest of the pack as four teams are now separated by five points in the race to finish fourth going into the final two weeks of play.

WEEK 10 RECAP 

Wednesday, June 24 

Vancouver Victory 1 :: 2 South Sound  

In a big game that was the first meeting between the league's top two sides. South Sound handed Vancouver its second loss of the season, extending their winless run to three games. The Shock took a solid lead with a pair of goals in a seven-minute span thanks to Vince McCluskey. He set up JJ Schmeck with a through ball and then hit a ball first-time from Colton Ronk on a play also created by Schmeck.

Scoring Summary - VAN: Mikhail Wingate-Pearse 71; SS: JJ Schmeck (Vince McCluskey) 34, McCluskey (Colton Ronk) 41
Goalkeepers - VAN: Jordan Farr;  SS: Chris Kintz
Location - Harry Lang Stadium (Lakewood); Attendance: 101

Saturday, June 27

Seattle Stars 0-0 Wenatchee FC 

In a battle of mid-table sides, Wenatchee and Seattle just could not find a winner in the contest as Mauricio Sanchez picked up his third shutout of the season and while Scott Barnum gave the Stars their first shutout of the campaign.

Scoring Summary - None
Goalkeepers - SEA: Scott Barnum;  WEN: Mauricio Sanchez
Location - Mike Hollis Field, WVC (Wenatchee); Attendance: 86

Yakima United 1-1 South Sound   

For the second time this season, Yakima proved to be an issue for league-leading South Sound as they played to another draw. The Shock took the lead five minutes into the contest when a long 40-yard ball from Taylor Jackson was put away by Eli Peterson. Ceveriano Garcia tied it up 15 minutes later and the two sides battled to a stalemate for the remaining 50 minutes.

Scoring Summary - YAK: Ceveriano Garcia 20; SS: Eli Peterson (Taylor Jackson) 5
Goalkeepers - YAK: NA;  SS: NA
Location - Harry Lang Stadium (Lakewood); Attendance: 106

Anthony Mota

Spokane Shadow 2 :: 0 Vancouver Victory 

In a showdown for control in the title race, the Shadow overcame injuries to both strikers in the first half to get two goals in the second half for the win. Midfielder Jesse Retan brilliantly finished a ball from Avinash Singh in the 58th minute and then created the second goal from Anthony Mota in the 70th.

Scoring Summary - SPO: Jesse Retan (Avinash Singh) 58, Anthony Mota 70
Goalkeepers - SPO: Jeff Srock;  VAN: Jordan Farr
Location - Doc Harris Stadium (Camas); Attendance: 323

Sunday, June 28

Spokane Shadow 2 :: 1 Yakima United    

Noe Meza (L) and Matt Baringer

Both teams bounced back from their games against the top two the night before, but Spokane worked through injury and roster issues to snare a full six points on the road. Again, the Shadow had to wait until the second half before they finally got on the board with an excellent strike three minutes in from Chance Bukoski off a flicked-on ball from defender Brady Ulen, who had been inserted up top during the break. Twenty minutes later Matt Baringer made it two, nodding in a corner. Local high school standout Noe Meza wowed everyone with a nice 35-yard free kick with six minutes left, but the Hoppers were unable to complete the comeback.

Scoring Summary - SPO: Chance Bukoski (Brady Ulen) 48, Matt Baringer (Matt Bray) 68; YAK: Noe Meza 84
Goalkeepers - SPO: Tony Watters;  YAK: Jacob Rhoads
Location - Marquette Stadium (Yakima); Attendance: NA

Olympic Force 3 :: 2 Bellingham United   

Things got heated early and both sides were left with 10 men after each saw a player sent off 15 minutes into the affair. Still looking for their first point, the Hammers got on the board in the 35th with Kurtis Peterson connecting with Tyler Bjork. Nick Cashmere doubled the lead eight minutes into the second half with a penalty, but his second caution after having received one in the earlier fracas helped the visitors rally. The Force cut into the deficit first in the 61st minute courtesy of Steve Prevost and then five minutes later Bellingham found themselves down a player. That is when Roland Demombynes went to work. He tied things up in the 76th and provided the winner with four minutes left.

Scoring Summary - OLY: Steve Prevost 61, Roland Demombynes 76, Demombynes 86;  BEL: Tyler Bjork (Kurtis Peterson) 35, Nick Cashmere (pen) 53
Goalkeepers - OLY: David Meherg;  BEL: Felix Cruz
Location - Civic Stadium (Bellingham); Attendance: 225

INWsn's THREE STARS IN EPLWA - Week 10

Jesse Retan (R)

Roland Demombynes (Olympic Force) :: Took full advantage of having the extra man in Bellingham, scoring the equalizer and the late game-winner for a 3-2 comeback win against the Hammers.

Vince McCluskey (South Sound) :: Tallied a goal and assist in a critical 2-1 victory against first-place Vancouver midweek.

Jesse Retan (Spokane Shadow) :: Scored the opening goal and created the second goal in a 2-0 victory at Vancouver.

COMING UP IN WEEK 11

Wednesday, July 8

Vancouver Victory 0 :: 1 South Sound  

The Shock grabbed a narrow win with a free kick in the second half, delivering a severe blow to Vancouver's hopes of staying in the title chase.

Saturday, July 11

South Sound @ Bellingham United - 1:00  

The two sides met in the season opener with the Shock getting a big 5-1 victory. South Sound won both matches last season by a 2-1 scoreline.

Yakima United @ Seattle Stars - 6:00  

Just a little less than a month after their first meeting, a 4-2 Stars win, the two meet again. The Hoppers took the season series a year ago with a 4-2 win and 2-2 draw.

Wenatchee FC @ Spokane Shadow - 7:00 

Spokane rallied for a halftime lead and added five more in the second half of their season opener at Wenatchee earlier this season for an 8-2 victory. Last year they swept the season series with 3-2 and 3-0 wins.

Sunday, July 12

Vancouver Victory @ Olympic Force  - 2:00  

Vancouver took the first-ever meeting between the two 4-2 early in the season, but everything has changed since then. After winning their first seven they are now trying to end a five-game winless run while the Force are hoping the weekend's results allow them to hold fifth alone.

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