USL W LEAGUE WESTERN CONFERENCE FINAL 

FC Olympia bows out of playoffs after "Stormy" defeat in California 

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Last year, FC Olympia women’s team ended their maiden season in a 1-0 semifinal defeat against California Storm at Davis Legacy Field in San Francisco. This season, they returned to the same venue for the Western Conference final to try to expel the ghost of their past and replace it with a better memory.  

After beating Oakland Soul SC on the road, the Oly Town ladies reached the USL W League Western Conference Final and faced Colorado Storm SC. 

Perhaps, though, lightning struck twice for the Artesians as they crashed out of the USL W League playoffs at the same accursed ground, losing yet another 1-0 nailbiter against the Denver-based expansion team on July 7, abruptly ending their USL run this season. 

The lone goal came in the 19th minute from a Jadyn Goodrich wonderstrike blasting past goalkeeper Bre Norris into the top right corner. FC Olympia gave it their all in hunting for the equalizer but could not get the goal by the final whistle. 

Colorado Storm SC then became USL W Western Conference champs and advanced to represent the West Coast in the final four of the National Championships with two games left to win all the marbles.  

The ladies from the Mile High City won their semifinal against Central Conference champions Detroit City, 2-1. They face Eastern Conference Champs NC Courage U-23 in the Championship match on Saturday, July 20. The North Carolina team defeated Southern Conference champs Tennessee in the other semifinal, also by a 2-1 scoreline.  

Despite bowing out of this year’s national playoffs, FC Olympia can hold their heads up high as the ladies reached their deepest run in the USL playoff, reaching the West Coast final for the first time after their first-ever win in a USL W playoff in Oakland. 

FC Olympia’s top scorer is McKenna Martinez with nine goals, including the opening goal in the West Coast semifinal, while defender Ella Karolak leads in the most minutes on the pitch with 730.  

The Artesians wrap up another undefeated regular season in the Northwest Division, with nine wins and one draw, with 45 goals scored and only four goals allowed. 

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