INWsoccernews player honors unveiled for WPSL NW 2013

What a difference a year makes. Last year defense was one of the major themes for the WPSL Northwest. It was almost a complete reversal this year with scoring being one of the headline-making elements of the season as the Northwest grew to eight teams.

One of the aspects, however, that will likely forever remain in the WPSL Northwest is the role youth players have. A number of teenage players had an impact this season and showed promise for the future.

To that end, INWsoccernews has put together a list of not only the WPSL Northwest's top players for the 2013 regular season, but also a list of the some of the younger prospects for the future.

Not surprisingly, the regular season champion Tualatin Hills United SC Diamonds and the three greater-Seattle clubs dominated the Best XI for the season as they finished as the top four teams in the Northwest, suffering only six combined losses between them. A reserve group of players rounds out the Best XI, recognizing some of the other top players, including at least one from each club.

WPSL NW Playoff Preview: Regular season champs THUSC face tough test in Seattle

Four clubs set to square off in Northwest Playoffs this weekend | Photos: Gerald Barnhart (unless noted)

Six weeks of soccer in Oregon and Washington has reduced the field from eight teams to four as the top two clubs from each state head into the Northwest playoffs this weekend in the greater-Seattle area looking to advance to the WPSL Regional Tournament next weekend. Oregon's Tualatin Hills United SC Diamonds and Eugene Metro Azul head north Saturday to face AC Seattle and the Seattle Reign Reserves presented by Issaquah SC (SRR Issaquah) in the semifinals, respectively, with the winners to meet on Sunday.

They say defense wins championships, but the one thing in common among AC Seattle, Eugene Metro Azul, SRR Issaquah SC and the THUSC Diamonds heading into the postseason in the WPSL Northwest is that they were the four clubs that were never shutout this season, scoring in every game played.

WPSL NW Three Stars - Week Six

A weekly list of the top three players or performances each week in the WPSL Northwest Division.

WEEK SIX (July 2-7)

Slawson (R) | Wilson Tsoi / goalWA

Romina Pinna - AC Seattle (2) 
Finding themselves trailing again, Pinna struck for three goals in the final 30 minutes for a 4-1 victory on the road against Westside. She tallied the equalizer on the hour mark and added her second, the winner, in the 70th, completing the hat-trick with seven minutes left to cap the game.

Arica Slawson - AC Seattle
Slawson scored her first of three on the week at Westside, tallying the team's third goal in a 4-1 road win. On Friday she played the pivotal role against Emerald City, scoring in the 22nd and 42nd minutes for a two-goal lead en route to a 2-1 victory that clinched the Evergreen Cup derby title and a playoff spot.

Jen Stoltenberg - THUSC Diamonds (3)
The Northwest's leading scorer pushed her tally to nine with the opening goal in the first minute and the equalizer later in the 38th. She added an assist on Shanna Lechelt's game-winner three minutes before the break as they posted a 4-2 home win against AC Seattle, getting a pair of goals from Madison Hairston, who is heading into her sophomore year at Grant High School next fall.

Others considered: Madison Hairston (THUSC); Jillian Nicks (AC Seattle)

Note: Players listed alphabetically

Previous Weeks:

One: Taylor Boyer (Eugene Metro); Kennya Cordner (SRR Issaquah); Jaclyn Softli (SRR Issaquah)
Two: Brandi Dawson (THUSC); Marina Nesic (Emerald City); Amanda Perez (Issaquah)
Three: Kate Bennett (Emerald City); Valentina Giacinti (AC Seattle); Jen Stoltenberg (THUSC)
Four: Alia Guagni (AC Seattle); Jen Stoltenberg 2 (THUSC); Erin Vaughan (SRR Issaquah)
Five: Marina Galaz (Emerald City); Alia Guagni (AC Seattle); Romina Pinna (AC Seattle)

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WPSL NW Recap - Week 6: Playoff field set; AC Seattle wins Evergreen Cup derby

AC Seattle celebrates after clinching Evergreen Cup and playoff spot Friday night | Photo: Wilson Tsoi / goalWA

With the Tualatin Hills United SC Diamonds coming into the final week of the regular season as the only team to have clinched a playoff spot, Week Six was all about the three teams in Seattle chasing the two Washington berths while Eugene Metro Azul and Westside Timbers battled for the remaining slot from Oregon. Meanwhile, the Evergreen Cup was also on the line for bragging rights in Washington.

With three games in four days, AC Seattle's results in the the first three contests of the week would have a great impact on how things played out as they would visit Oregon playoff hopeful Westside and square off against Emerald City in a game that could decide the Evergreen Cup.

Final Evergreen Cup standings

In the end, winning two of three was enough for the first-year side as AC Seattle clinched the derby competition and a playoff spot (based on three-way tiebreaker) with the win Friday evening on the road against Emerald City, who were unable to find a win in their finale to advance by the same tiebreaker, allowing Issaquah to move onto the postseason with the draw between the two. Seattle's win at Westside left too big of a hole for the Timbers to make up as their road draw allowed host Eugene to join THUSC in the playoffs.

Jen Stoltenberg had another big week, but her odds of finishing as the leading goal scorer were diminished midweek with AC Seattle's Romina Pinna pulling even. The THUSC striker, however, pulled away once more Sunday and has one more game Tuesday to add even more… if she even plays with the postseason on the horizon.

WPSL NW Recap – Week 5: THUSC Diamonds first to clinch playoff spot heading into final week; Spokane Shine expelled

Two wins for AC Seattle this week

The Tualatin Hills United SC Diamonds have run away from the pack among the Oregon teams and clinched one of the state’s two berths in the WPSL Northwest Division playoffs with a 2-0 victory Saturday in a closely-fought contest against regional rival Westside Timbers.

The other big news of the week broke Monday afternoon with the division and league announcing that the Spokane Shine have been expelled and their final home game against SRR Issaquah will be considered a forfeit victory for the Seattle-area club.

“We are following the by-laws and expelling the Spokane Shine from the WPSL effective immediately,” said Northwest Commissioner Niki Taylor of Emerald City FC upon receiving official notice from the WPSL. “It’s not fair for Issaquah to have to spend the time and money to travel to Spokane when the Shine refused to travel last weekend.”

WPSL NW Three Stars - Week Four

A weekly list of the top three players or performances each week in the WPSL Northwest Division.

WEEK FOUR (June 20-23)

Jen Stoltenberg, THUSC

Alia Guagni - AC Seattle
Scored the opening two goals in the first 12 minutes that made it difficult for Eugene to rally in Seattle's 5-2 home win.

Jen Stoltenberg - THUSC Diamonds (2)
Scored the second and third goals in the club's 7-1 comeback win in Spokane Saturday with three assists in the final four goals, and converted from the spot Sunday for the equalizer in a 1-1 draw at Emerald City. It is the second consecutive INW Three Stars selection for her.

Erin Vaughan - SRR Issaquah SC
Scored two goals in the club's 4-1 win against visiting Eugene Saturday and added a goal and two assists Sunday in a 5-0 shutout at home against Bend.

Others considered: Cori Bianchini (Westside), Brandi Dawson (THUSC), Macy Jo Harrison (Issaquah), Hannah Kimsey (THUSC), Gaia Mastrovincenzo (Eugene), KaUa Wall (Issaquah)

Note: Players listed alphabetically

Previous Weeks:

One: Taylor Boyer (Eugene); Kennya Cordner (Issaquah); Jaclyn Softli (Issaquah)
Two: Brandi Dawson (THUSC); Marina Nesic (Emerald City); Amanda Perez (Issaquah)
Three: Kate Bennett (Emerald City); Valentina Giacinti (AC Seattle); Jen Stoltenberg (THUSC)

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WPSL NW Week 4 Recap: Seattle area trio showing dominance in the division

The fourth week of the WPSL Northwest season saw the Seattle trio and Tualatin Hills United separate themselves at the top of the table from the rest as six of the seven contests were showdowns featuring teams from Washington playing Oregon. The northern state got the better of the weekend's contests with a 4-1-1 record, bringing the overall season record versus their southern foes to 7-2-1 with six games left between the two states.

THUSC Diamonds shine in Spokane, roll to comeback win

The scoring drought ended for Spokane, but THUSC celebrated far more often | Photos: Gerald Barnhart - GALLERY

Short-handed with only 10 players, the Spokane Shine held a surprising lead at halftime Saturday night courtesy of Julia Moravec, but the visiting THUSC Diamonds found their finishing touch in the second half and flew by the hosts for a dominating 7-1 victory led by two goals and three assists from Jen Stoltenberg.

WPSL NW Three Stars - Week Three

A weekly list of the top three players or performances each week in the WPSL Northwest Division.

Jen Stoltenberg | GoDucks.com 

WEEK TWO (June 10-16)

Kate Bennett - Emerald City
The Bellevue native forced the own goal with her corner against AC Seattle and later set up the game-winner for the 2-1 decision. The former Cal midfielder, who sat out her junior season last fall at Washington following her transfer, also set up the opening goal versus Spokane in a 3-0 win.

Valentina Giacinti - AC Seattle
The former Italian youth international scored the team's lone goal to pull even in a 2-1 loss at Emerald City and scored the second goal in a 2-2 road draw against Issaquah.

Jen Stoltenberg - THUSC Diamonds
Three goals and four assists in a pair of victories against a pair of quality opponents made this a no-brainer selection as she jumped to a significant lead in the scoring table for the division. The University of Oregon (2007-10) all-time scoring leader provided a pair of assists in a 3-2 win against Westside and then let loose for three goals and two assists in their 6-1 victory over Eugene Metro.

Others considered: Casey Berrier (Emerald City); Molly Boyd (Issaquah); Marina Galaz (Emerald City); ShayLee Miner (Eugene); Caitlin Plese (Spokane)

Note: Players listed alphabetically

Previous Weeks:

One: Taylor Boyer (Eugene); Kennya Cordner (Issaquah); Jaclyn Softli (Issaquah)
Two: Brandi Dawson (THUSC); Marina Nesic (Emerald City); Amanda Perez (Issaquah)

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WPSL NW Recap: Busy week 3 sees THUSC, Emerald City win twice each

Week three was an intra-state round with all eight games featuring match-ups between opponents from the same state. The big winners were Emerald City in Washington and Tualatin Hills United SC Diamonds in Oregon as both clubs picked up a pair of victories to keep pace with Issaquah, which dropped its first points of the season in a draw.

WPSL NW Three Stars - Week 2

A weekly list of the top three players or performances each week in the WPSL Northwest Division.

WEEK TWO (June 3-9)

Brandi Dawson - THUSC Diamonds
Set up all three goals for a 3-1 win in the team's league debut.

Everyone stood out for Emerald City Saturday

Marina Nesic - Emerald City
Nearly skipped picking anyone as EC thoroughly dominated at just about every position on the field equally, but Nesic set up the opening goal and then finished things off late with another assist and, finally, a goal to cap the 7-0 win in Spokane.

Amanda Perez - SRR Issaquah SC
Scored two first half goals in a 3-0 win at Westside before going out injured.

Others considered: Romina Pinna (AC Seattle); Jen Stoltenberg (THUSC) - Note: Players listed alphabetically

Previous Weeks:

One: Taylor Boyer (Eugene); Kennya Cordner (Issaquah); Jaclyn Softli (Issaquah)

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WPSL NW Recap: THUSC, AC Seattle win in debuts; SRR Issaquah sweeps Oregon trip in Week 2

A pair of clubs made their debuts in the second week of play in the Northwest Division with victorious results as the Tualatin Hills United SC (THUSC) Diamonds were 3-1 winners at home against the Bend Timbers and AC Seattle shutout visiting Spokane 4-0. The big winner on the week, though, was SRR Issaquah with a pair of wins on the road in Oregon.