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PREVIEW: MOTW WEEK 8

Published Jun 28, 2024

Week 8 kicked off Tuesday with an historic rivalry that started 26 years ago and has stood the test of time. Two of the original founding WPSL teams, San Francisco Nighthawks and California Storm, met at Kezar Stadium in San Francisco. The two battled it out until the final portion of the match and the final whistle blew with a 1-1 result

The remaining three Matches of the Week kick off tonight with the two top ranked teams in the country facing off in the Central Region as (2) Sioux Falls City FC hosts (1) Salvo SC. The East Region Match of the Week also plays tonight as (17) PA Classics travels to Reading United A.C.

Then on Saturday, new side, DECATUR FC welcomes (25) Nashville Rhythm F.C. in a Southeast Conference showdown.

Friday, June 28

Central Region

Northern Conference

(2) SIOUX FALLS CITY FC vs. (1) SALVO SC

This one’s for all the marbles!

The top two teams in the league square off for what could be the Northern Conference title when No. 1 Salvo SC (7-0-0, 21 pts.) travels to take on No. 2 Sioux Falls City FC (7-0-0, 21 pts.)

One of these two teams will host the Central Region playoffs. The other will have to wait until next year. The two sides are almost identical statistically. Both clubs are perfect so far, and both have only conceded a single goal, which, coincidently, was to the same club, Joy AC. Entering Week 8, Sioux Falls City FC has scored 30 goals, two more goals than Salvo’s 26.

Salvo’s Khyah Harper (University of Minnesota), named co-MVP of last year’s WPSL Championships, where Salvo lost in the final to Charlotte Eagles, is on her way to running away with the Golden Boot with a league-high 16 goals, and counting, this season.

Sioux Falls’ dynamic duo of Katharina Oelschlaeger and Mia Mullenmeister share its goalscoring responsibilities, combining for half of the club’s goals: Oelschlaeger (Florida Gulf Coast University) has eight, and Mullenmeister (Utah State University) has seven goals on the season.

This is the third meeting between the two clubs. Salvo leads the series 1-1-0.

Kickoff is scheduled for 7:00 CDT on Friday, June 28 at Bob Young Field at the University of Sioux Falls Sports Complex.

East Region

Mid-Atlantic Conference — Commonwealth Division

READING UNITED A.C. vs. (17) PA CLASSICS

The chase for the Commonwealth Division title heats up on Friday when Reading United A.C. (5-2-2, 17 pts.) and PA Classics (6-1-1, 19 pts.) battle it out in Reading’s home finale. PA Classics enter the match two points behind Keystone FC in the standings and a game at hand.

Reading enters Friday’s contest having rebounded with a 4-0 home win over Hershey FC on Saturday after falling to Keystone FC 5-0 on the road midweek. The club sits fourth in the Commonwealth Division standings and is four points back from first-place Keystone FC (7-0-2, 21 pts.)

Reading is led by Ashley Lavrich (academy) with seven of the club’s 22 goals on the season.

The 17th-ranked PA Classics enters Friday’s match in second in the Commonwealth Division standings, trailing Keystone FC by two points. A win here moves PA Classics into the top spot in the division entering the club’s regular finale versus Keystone FC in what could decide which team advances to the Mid-Atlantic Conference championship match and which club goes home.

A draw or a loss to Reading makes Sunday’s match a must-win for PA Classics. A win gives PA Classica a one point cushion entering Sunday’s match. PA Classics hold the advantage in the head-to-head tiebreaker with a 4-1 win at Keystone FC in Week 2.

With five goals on the season, Kristen Economopoulos (Wagner College) leads the club in scoring, followed by Hannah Adair (Messiah University) with four. PA Classics has recorded 24 goals while conceding nine so far this season.

PA Classics is ranked No. 17 in the National Power Rankings and sixth in the East Region. The club peaked at No. 2 nationally and No. 2 in the East Region in Week 2.

This is the fourth all-time meeting between the two clubs. PA Classics holds the advantage in the series 1-2-0.

Kickoff is scheduled for 7:00 PM EDT on Friday, June 28 at Alvernia University in Redding, Pa.

Saturday, June 29

South Region

Southeast Conference

DECATUR FC vs. (25) NASHVILLE RHYTHM F.C.

No one packs ‘em in quite like DECATUR FC (4-1-1, 13 pts.) The club has set and broken multiple attendance records in its first WPSL season. It has produced on the field, too, just four points out of first place, making Saturday’s South Region showcase a must win for both teams. Nashville Rhythm F.C. (5-1-1, 16 pts.) sits just one point out of first, but has played one more game than DECATUR.

DECATUR enters Saturday’s match on the heels of a 4-1 win at Chattanooga FC. It was one of three goals DECATUR allowed all season to lead the conference in goals against.

Becky Contreras (Auburn University) leads DECATUR with four of the 20 goals scored so far this season.

DECATUR enters the week ranked sixth in the South Region, and will close out the season July 1 on the road at first-place UFA Gunners (5-2-0, 17 pts.)

Nashville is coming off a 2-2 draw at 865 Alliance. Angeline Kieh had both goals in the draw. Kieh (post-collegiate) and Maddie Padelski account for more than half of the 22 goals Nashville has scored this season. Kieh has put her name on the score sheet eight times this season, while Padelski (University of Alabama) has scored five times.

Nashville is ranked 25th in the National Power Rankings and fifth in the South Region. Nashville peaked at No. 2 in the National Power Rankings in Week 2, and at No. 2 in the South Region the first three weeks of the season.

This is the first meeting between the two clubs in WPSL play.

Kickoff is scheduled for 7:00 PM EDT on Saturday, June 29 at Decatur High School in Decatur. Ga.