Written by:  Jenny Ellis
Photography by:  Travis Gallipo

 

 

FC PRIDE TRIUMPHS IN NAIL-BITING SEMIFINAL, ADVANCES TO CENTRAL REGION CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

 

In a match filled with drama and excitement at Bob Young Field in Sioux Falls, S.D., FC Pride emerged victorious over Sioux Falls in a thrilling semifinal on Saturday, July 13th to secure its spot in the Central Region Playoff Championship. 

Sioux Falls City FC, the undefeated champions of the Northern Conference and hosts of the region playoff, capped its best league campaign by winning all nine of its regular-season matches. 

FC Pride – based out of Indianapolis, IN – defeated FC Milwaukee Torrent to win the Midwest Conference en route to its playoff berth after playing 11 matches – securing six wins, one draw, and four losses.

From the first whistle of the match, every 50/50 ball was contested on both sides with neither team willing to let a loose ball go without a fight. The action kicked off early as FC Pride's forward, Kayla Budish, netted the first goal of the match in the 19’ minute of play. 

 

Sioux Falls City FC, FC Pride Meet In Central Region Semifinal, 2024 Photo by Travis Gallipo

Budish, receiving a perfectly timed through ball from Gracie Dunaway, slipped the ball past Sioux Falls’ advancing keeper, Cambell Fischer – marking the Purdue attacker’s eighth goal of the season.

The second half saw Sioux Falls intensify its efforts to equalize.

Sioux Falls’ Yui Fujii's corner kick led to a scramble in the six-yard box that led with her team finding the back of the net in the 49’ minute. 

Although the goal was initially allowed, it was voided after multiple contentions and the referee awarded Sioux Falls a penalty kick. Granted this opportunity, Jordan Tenpas coolly found the left corner of the net and brought the score to 1-1 early in the second half.

Now tied, both teams fell into a measured style of play showing signs of being both eager to attack but also cautious to not expose themselves at the back.

In the 81’ minute, Sioux Falls’ Hailee Christensen took a shot from 18 yards out that found the opposite side netting and gave her team its first lead of the match, 2-1 – with her sixth goal of the season.

With only nine minutes left, Sioux Falls surely had the confidence that a dramatic comeback would be the story of its semifinal victory. However, FC Pride was not ready to quit yet. 

In the final moments of regulation, Dunaway was fouled by Sioux Falls’ captain, Taylor Thomas, at the edge of the box – earning a free kick for Pride. 

Summer Fishel sent a cross into the box and Budish headed it into the net in the 97’ minute to secure a last minute equalizer and score her second goal of the match.

 

Sioux Falls City FC, FC Pride Meet In Central Region Semifinal, 2024 Photo by Travis Gallipo

 

This crucial error by Sioux Falls opened the door for FC Pride, who gladly took its opportunity to keep its championship game dreams alive.

The first 90 minutes ended in a 2-2 tie to allow extra time.

FC Pride struck first in the 7’ minute of extra time with another Budish goal – collecting a hat trick to put her team back up 3-2. 

However, Sioux Falls responded once again, when Pride’s Gretchen Mallin fouled Sioux Falls’ Mia Mullenmeister that resulted in another game-changing free kick. Tenpas sent the ball into the box and Mullenmeister headed it into the net in the 21’ minute of extra time – mirroring Pride’s equalizer in the first half.

The game was yet again tied at 3-3 and sent both teams into penalty kicks – a testament to both Sioux Falls’ and FC Pride’s resilience.

Following in the same patterns that dictated the first 110 minutes of play, Sioux Falls and FC Pride stayed tied in the first four rounds of penalty kicks. This was until Sioux Falls' Lourdes Moreno heartbreakingly hit the crossbar on her team's fifth and final penalty.

With a Central Region Playoff Championship game on the line, wingback Gracie Dunaway took the final penalty for FC Pride and scored to seal the dramatic win for her team.

FC Pride will now advance to the finals where it will face Union KC on Sunday, July 14 at 2:00 PM CDT. 

This dramatic victory at Bob Young Field will surely be remembered as one of the most thrilling matches of the postseason action.