USL W: Oly Town FC inches closer to playoff glory

The Oly Town Artesians FC took a huge step towards a first USL women’s postseason contention as they beat lowly PDX FC, 5-0, in their own home yard at Sam Barlow High School Field in Portland last Saturday, retaining their undefeated record with two games left in their inaugural campaign in the Northwest Division.

This important win makes Oly Town the #7 team in all of 65 teams in the USL W League’s overall rankings in 10 divisions in four conferences, with a 6-2-0 win-draw-loss record.

It was a one-sided match in Portland as Oly Town dominated the whole match and took command of the midfield while stifling PDX counterattacks, while Oly Town took advantage of all its strengths in physicality and tactics that resulted in five goals unanswered from four separate Artesian players.

Oly Town surprised the hosts with two goals from the first eight minutes of play as a lovely through ball from McKenna Martinez found Maia Tabion escaping the offside trap and flicked it around the goalkeeper for a 1-0 lead at five minutes in. Three minutes later, Alexis Washington added to the tally as she beat two players in one fantastic run in the box, capped with the easiest of finishes to make it 2-0.

Alexis Washington dribbling the ball while getting past her marker makes it 2-0 to Oly Town seconds after this wonderful solo run.

Photo screenshot from Eleven Sports Livestream Channel

Sensing it was game over from here on out, Oly Town slowed down a gear to defend their lead and was successful in still getting hold of the midfield and organizing their backline, which was well stressed by Artesians coach Chris Wells in the past matches, with PDX offered a minimal threat in goal in an easier than usual day of work for starting goalkeeper Ally Larkin for Oly Town.

But Oly Town kept the ice on their veins as the third Artesian goal came in less than thirty minutes of play, after Sozuka Yosue outmuscled her defender in an attacking opportunity, which her cross came to the feet of a widely unmarked Alex Schoenstadt, who was usually a holding midfielder, blasting the ball to the net.

After making it 3-0 at halftime, it was business settled for Oly Town up to the end of the match, while PDX FC really dug the hole deeper for them while offering little to no threat in their attack.

Alex Schoenstadt is wide open in the left as she bangs the goal to the net to make it 3-0, game done and dusted, for Oly Town.

Photo screenshot from Eleven Sports Livestream Channel

The nails in the coffin were delivered by Oly Town later as Suzuka Yosue took advantage of a defensive scuffle in the PDX box and slammed the ball to the back of the net to make it 4-0 at the 65^th while Alexis Washington finished the game with her second goal of the match with a simple tap in to guarantee three points and improve the GD for the Artesians.

With a 20-point haul in eight matches, Oly Town FC remains sitting pretty on top of the Northwest Division, and with second place United PDX having 18 points and a game in hand, the Artesians have the chance to secure the lone USL W playoff spot for the division if they get a win in the next match, or if United PDX lose their next fixture.

Despite being fronted by at least three defenders, Suzuka Yosue somehow scores from this position to make it 4-0 Oly Town.

Photo screenshot from Eleven Sports Livestream Channel

For the possible postseason decider, Oly Town travels back to South Sound Stadium on June 30 and for the first time under the floodlights, will vie for a result against an out-of-contention Lane United FC at 7 p.m. kickoff. In the reverse fixture at Civic Park, the Artesians relied on a hat trick from Mariah Lee to produce a 4-1 result, to which they will try to replicate come Friday.

Data and quotes courtesy of FC Olympia.