USL W LEAGUE: High-powered Utah United slips past FC Olympia in Western Conference first-round showdown
- Dan Stickradt
- Jul 5
- 2 min read
Updated: Jul 9
NATIONAL SOCCER NEWS: www.nationalsoccernetwork.com
STOCKTON, Calif. – Utah United came into Friday’s match as the No. 1 offense in the entire USL W League.
United outscored the opposition 61-5 during the regular season and cruised to the Mountain Division championship as one of four expansion teams in the USL W League to reach the 2025 postseason.
Utah United was slowed somewhat Friday at Stockton (Calif.) St. Mary’s High School – but the key word being somewhat.
Utah United still found just enough offensive touch to oust seasoned FC Olympia 2-1 in the Western Conference semifinals.
Utah United, now 10-1-0 on the season with a 63-6 scoring edge – that’s 5.73 goals-per-game average offensively and a team goals-against-average of 0.55 defensively – and it will take its vaunted offensive attack and stout defense into Sunday’s 7 p.m. MT Western Conference finals on quite a roll.
Utah United will face host Stockton Cargo, a 2-1 winner Friday over the Santa Clara Blue Heat, in the conference championship match also at Stockton St. Mary’s High School.
In this conference semifinals match, Utah United held off a late surge to defeat FC Olympia.
Aubrey Sodergren opened the scoring for Utah in the 27th minute, finishing off a low Chloe Gibb cross from the right flank to give United a 1-0 lead. Utah United doubled its advantage shortly after halftime when the aforementioned Chloe Gibb converted a penalty in the 52nd minute following a handball in the box.
FC Olympia pulled one back in the 74th minute on a Morgan Howe goal, as Howe beat the keeper with a right-footed shot from the edge of the box. Despite pressing for an equalizer in the final 15 minutes, FC Olympia couldn’t break through Utah’s back line.
Haven Empey finished with six saves for Utah United, which improved its win percentage to .910 on the season.
FC Olympia had captured three straight Northwest Division championships but could not get past the first round again this year. Faith Nguyen finished with 10 saves for FC Olympia, which finishes the season with a 32-7 scoring edge and a 7-3-1 overall record.
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