The Oly Town FC Women Artesians can call themselves the Champions of the Northwest Division as they concluded the greatest achievement in the club’s history by far in just their maiden season, wrapping it up with a 3-1 victory against CFC Atletica in front of their buzzing home supporters at the South Sound Stadium last Sunday, July 2.
In one of the greatest sporting stories in the locality this year, the Women Artesians finished an 8-2-0 win-draw-loss record as head coach Chris Wells lead this special roster to the club’s most successful season across all its programs. Including arena and outdoor soccer since its inception in 2014, with the cherry on top being an inaugural USL national playoff berth.
With the playoff spot secured in the earlier fixture against Lane United, Oly Town flexed their squad depth as Chris Wells fielded almost a B-team starting lineup, giving crucial game time for players who usually were just subbed in from the past matches while making sure that his first team would be fresh and avoid unnecessary injuries for the bigger fish to fry in the playoffs.
Despite that, it still worked out for the Artesians, as two goals from Sophia Green before halftime and a consolation from Maia Tabion were enough to cap this undefeated season for the ladies in white.
It’s a different overall match from that 7-0 drubbing earlier this season, with CFC Atletica pressing the hosts while trying to implement an offside trap to try and fizzle the attacks from Oly Town early from kickoff.
But the breakthrough for Oly Town was at the 12th minute mark as a long ball from the opposite goalkeeper was intercepted by Kelsey Kwon at midfield. Chloe Seelhoff finds the opportunity to get a through ball that beat the CFC offside trap and found the first goal for Sophia Green as she took advantage of a distraught defense to make it 1-0. Oly Town tried to make it 2-0, shortly minutes after, but the opposition’s defense quickly tried to catch up.
A scare came in at the 26th as a penalty was awarded to CFC Atletica after Millicent Hikuam fell from an Abby Jacobs foul just at the edge of the Oly Town box. Annouscka Kordom then converts it easily past Oly Town goalkeeper Diera Walton to make it 1-1, even stevens.
Despite this, the champions were undeterred and kept composure while Chris Wells tried to tweak his strategy and rotated player positions.
And the response of champions was heard just before halftime as Sophia Green booked her second goal of the game as she outpaced her markers from a counterattack to make it 2-1 just near the 45th minute mark.
After halftime, there was really no chance for CFC Atletica as most of their best attempts just went wide, while still trying to make it a game with just one goal down, with their best chance being a wide attempt that just shaved the Oly Town crossbar early in the second half.
But it was virtually over in the 64th minute with an outrageous chip from Maia Tabion finding the goalkeeper stranded that sealed the match and the memorable season for the Women Artesians.
“[Being undefeated] sounds good. We’ve done a lot of work this season, although we are not satisfied yet, with a couple more [playoff] games left hopefully. But it just feels good.” said midfielder Sydney Stevens in a postmatch interview.
After this fantastic feat, the ladies will wait for their upcoming opponents for the national playoffs, which is tentatively set on July 7, 2023.
Data and quotes courtesy of FC Olympia.
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