PLAYOFFS: CALIFORNIA STORM, FC PREMIER

Written By:  Nick Williams
Photography: Kelly Hoover, John Clingan

CALIFORNA STORM, FC PREMIER MEET IN WEST REGION PLAYOFF SEMIFINALS

On Saturday, July 13th at 6:00 (PDT), FC Premier Women (So Cal Conference) will duke it out against the California Storm (Pac North Conference) in the West Region semifinal in Spokane, WA. The winner advances to the West Region Championship game the following day, Sunday, July 14th, to compete for a spot in the WPSL Championship series in Stillwater, OK.

This game is a chance at redemption for the California Storm, who lost in last season's West Region Final to SC del Sol. The California Storm is one of the original founding teams of the WPSL, making this its 24th season. Since then, the Storm has won 14 conference titles, four regional championships, and four WPSL Championships.

California Storm, ranked eighth nationally, played in the Pac-North Conference, and is currently undefeated with a record of 6-3-0. During the regular season, California Storm scored a whopping 30 goals while only giving up eight.

The Storm’s offense was led by Camryn Lancaster, a senior forward at Texas Christian University, who finished with five goals and one assist. She also was voted West Region Player of the Week after a 7-0 win against Fresno Freeze FC in Week 4 where she scored a hat trick in the first 12 minutes of play. 

Other big contributors include Lauren Hunter, an incoming freshman at Santa Clara, who finished with five goals and three assists, and incoming freshman Paloma Daubert from the University of California Los Angeles, who finished with two goals as a defender.

FC Premier Women went 5-3-1 in the regular season with its only loss to Beach Futbol Club in Week 4. This is its fourth season in the WPSL and its first time advancing to the West Region Playoffs. 

Before this postseason run, FC Premier Women’s best finish in the WPSL was last season where it placed second in the Coastal Division.

During the regular season, FC Premier Women scored 22 goals while giving up 11. Leading FC Premier Women’s offense was Cherrie Cox, Long Beach State University forward and Big West Offensive Player of the Year, who finished with four goals and four assists.

University of Southern California forward, Katie Roditis also had a great regular season finishing with three goals and three assists, as well as Savannah Hutchins, a high school senior and North Carolina State commit, who finished with three goals, four assists, and named Week 5 West Region Player of the Week.

Although winning the West Region Title this weekend is no small feat, both teams have their eyes set on winning the WPSL Championship on July 21st in Stillwater, OK.

Will the Storm get one step closer to repeating history? Or will FC Premier Women write its own? We will find out on Saturday, July 13th at 6:00 p.m. (PDT).