WPSL: Top-ranked Sporting CT putting up big-time numbers as it chases championship dreams
- Jonathan Turner
- Jun 18, 2025
- 4 min read
NATIONAL SOCCER NEWS: www.nationalsoccernetwork.com
MIDDLETOWN, Conn. – The Connecticut River flows southeast right next to the Connecticut town of Middletown.
The City of Middletown, home to around 47,980 persons, sits on the west bank of the river right next to the Metacomet Ridge, which overlooks the city. The river flows rapidly out into the bay between Connecticut and Long Island.
It’s your typical eastern town full of thriving businesses and industry.
But when it comes to Sporting CT women’s soccer team, they are anything but typical. They are rapidly flowing towards some hopeful greatness this season in the Women’s Premier Soccer League.
Currently the first place team in the six-team Northeastern Conference of the WPSL, the side is cruising by most opponents and have had only one close win this season with several routs.
Sporting CT – ranked No. 1 in the nation of the 143-member WPSL by SouthStar Systems – has put up some big numbers this season.
Did we mention very big?
Through six games, the team is a perfect 6-0-0 to stake claim as one of the favorites in the conference and for the postseason title later this summer. Sporting CT has outscored the opposition 36-4 so far this season with three clean sheets. To do the math and metrics, the side is averaging 6.00 goals-per-game while defensively holding opponents to 0.67 goals-a-game.
That’s stout defense and an explosive offense.
That’s what brings bodies to the seats.
That’s what attract players from the eastern seaboard to want to play for the club.
And perhaps, that is what will help this team championships this summer.
Sporting CT opened up the season May 17 with a 5-2 victory over Rhode Island Rogues – and that was the most goals a team has scored on the team this season. In fact, only Rhode Island, New York Shockers (6-1 win) and Merrimack Valley Hawks FC (2-1 win) have been able to penetrate the team’s stingy defense.
And an explosive offense and even greater defense is what wins championships.
Sporting CT’s roster is made up of multiple NCAA Division I and NCAA Division II players, along with several others that play collegiately at different levels. The team is coached by head coach Tiffany Weimer and assisted by Matt Cameron.
Emma Malone (University of North Carolina-Greensboro) and Caitlin Daley (University of New Haven) have been solid between the pipes and keeping the ball outside of the framework after allowing just the four total goals and goals in just three games this season with the other three contests ending in shutouts.
Defensively, Greta Brunello (Southern Connecticut University), Shea Boyle (Seton Hall University), Kylee McIntosh (Marist University) and even Christina Stone (University of Hartford) have made up the mainstays in the backfield with Stone also playing some midfield depending on the game circumstances and alignment.
The side’s next game is June 18 against the Kingston Capitals – a side Sporting CT already defeated 14-0 back on May 25.
The offense is expected to keep flexing some muscle and help Sporting CT gain a high seed in the WPSL national tournament this year as long as the team doesn’t stumble down the stretch.
Forward Aubrey Kulpa (Penn State University) leads the team with seven goals and is part of a very-balanced and deep team. A total of 11 players have scored goals this season. Kulpa was also the leading goal-scorer on Penn State’s side that reached the NCAA Division I Elite Eight last November and is second in the Northeastern Conference in scoring this season behind New York Shockers’ Lauryn Wood (eight goals).
Forward Tiffany Weimer (University of Connecticut grad) and Tori Sousa (Central Connecticut State University) have aided and abetted in Sporting CT’s lethal offensive attack with six goals apiece. Abbie Burgess (Central Connecticut State University) has contributed four goals, while Mackenzie Johnston (University of South Carolina) has three goals and Cara Jordan (University of Connecticut), Emily Senatore (Northwestern University), Julianna Garcia (Northeastern University) and recent high school grad Laney Smith have contributed two goals each.
Smith graduated from Middletown Mercy High School where she was an United Soccer Coaches All-America and All-State First Team selection back in December. She has signed with UNC-Greensboro.
The closest competition came in the team’s last game back on June 15, where Sporting CT registered a 2-1 victory over the Merrimack Valley Hawks FC out of New Hampshire. Sousa scored in the 23rd minute off a pass from Weimer and Sousa set up Jessica Hinton (Brown University) with the game-winning goal in the 51st minute.
It was also Hinton’s first goal of the 2025 campaign.
Laura Nicholson scored in the 58th minute for Merrimack but that’s when Malone and her stellar defense stood tall to shut down the Hawks down the stretch.
With less than a month left in the regular season, Sporting CT can keep playing its brand of soccer and try to clinch the conference championship before turning the focus towards perhaps making a deep postseason run or even a national Championship in the WPSL.
So far, the side is flowing like a rapid river – and picking up pace.
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