Written:  Andrew Mosier
Photography: Landry Bledsoe

 

CALIFORNIA STORMS RETURNS TO WPSL CHAMPIONSHIPS FINAL AFTER SHUTTING OUT EAST REGION CHAMPIONS, CLARKSTOWN SOCCER CLUB

 

 

STILLWATER, OKLA. — “A full team effort” is what California Storm Head Coach Jamie Levoy called her club’s 5-0 win over Clarkstown Soccer Club in the WPSL Championships Semifinal Friday night at Neal Patterson Stadium on the campus of Oklahoma State University. 

Five different players scored for the Storm in the match pitting East versus West for a place in Sunday’s Final to face Friday’s other semifinal winner – the reigning WPSL champions Charlotte Eagles. The Sunday’s winner will raise the Jerry Zanelli Cup, named after the longtime Storm coach and WPSL founder. 

“To be in the Final again and play for the Jerry Zanelli Cup means everything to us,” Jamie Levoy, California Storm coach, said. “It is the best possible way to honor him.” 

Clarkstown Soccer Club, California Storm Meet In WPSL Championships Semifinal; 2024 Photo by Landry Bledsoe

Erica Grilione, Camryn Lancaster, Alex Klos, Emily Ormson, and Susie Long each scored to put the Storm through to play for a record fifth WPSL Championship. Along with a goal, Klos provided two assists in the match to earn plaudits from her coach. 

“Alex [Klos] was amazing tonight with a goal and two beautiful assists,” Levoy said. “Everyone played so well tonight. I’m just so pleased with everyone’s effort.” 

The Storm (8-3-0), ranked No. 8 in the WPSL National Power Rankings and No. 1 in the West Region to close out the regular season, entered the semifinal nightcap as the underdog to the 10-0-0 Northeastern Conference and East Region winners, Clarkstown Soccer Club, ranked No. 2 in the nation and No. 1 in the East Region. 

But it was the four-time WPSL Champions Storm that proved to be the better side on the night. Utilizing wide players and the speed of its forwards, the Storm passed through and over the stifling Clarkstown that made flummoxed opponents all season. 

After a near miss from Lauren Hunter (Santa Clara University)in the opening minutes, the Storm made its first mark on the scoresheet in the 8’ minute when Klos (University of California) picked up her first assist of the night with a sublime ball to Grilione (Stanford University) in the penalty area, who scored her third goal of the season. 

 

Clarkstown Soccer Club, California Storm Meet In WPSL Championships Semifinal; 2024 Photo by Landry Bledsoe

Lancaster (Texas Christian University) doubled the Pac North Conference Champs’ lead in the 20’ minute from a pass from Klos at the top of the penalty arc and a shot through traffic to beat Clarkstown goalkeeper Kayla Bower (St. John’s University) to the far post. 

Known for its pluck all season, Clarkstown managed to stop the bleeding after the second goal to go into the dressing room at halftime only down by two.

Clarkstown carried over the fight well into the second half and withstood one wave after another from the Storm attack through the hour mark until the 64’ minute. Storm’s Klos spun her defender with a juke to the right and put the shot inside the far post to make it 3-0. 

Ormson (post-collegiate) then made it 4-0 in the 70’ minute after streaking into the six-yard box unmarked to nod in a cross from Senai Rogers (Louisiana State University). 

Long (Harvard) closed out the scoring with six minutes to play after she made a long run with the ball through the exhausted Clarkstown defense. Long tucked the ball just under the crossbar with a left-footed shot from the top of the penalty area.

 

Clarkstown Soccer Club, California Storm Meet In WPSL Championships Semifinal; 2024 Photo by Landry Bledsoe

The Storm’s five goals tied the record for largest win margin in WPSL Championships history with Ajax American Women, which posted 5-0 wins in the 2008 and 2009 Semifinals. 

Sunday’s Final pits the winners of the last two WPSL Titles against each other. The California Storm, WPSL Champions in 1999, 2002, and 2004 won its fourth WPSL Title in 2022 after it defeated the Colorado Rapids Women, 3-1. The Charlotte Eagles won its first league title last year after it topped Salvo SC, 1-0, in the championship match. 

“It is going to be a big game on Sunday no matter how you look at it,” Levoy said. “We’ll be ready. Who we play doesn’t change who we are, or how we want to play. We are just going to go out and play and have a good time.” 

The California Storm faces the Charlotte Eagles Sunday, July 21 for the Jerry Zanelli Cup at Neal Patterson Stadium on the campus of Oklahoma State University. 

Kickoff is scheduled for 7:00 PM CDT. Watch the game here. 

 

_____________________________
 

 

CLARKSTOWN SOCCER CLUB 0 – 5 CALIFORNIA STORM

0-1: Grilione (Klos) 8’

0-2: Lancaster (Klos) 20’

0-3: Klos (Dougherty) 64’

0-4: Ormson (Rogers) 70’

0-5: Long 84’

 

Misconduct: None

 

Clarkstown Soccer Club: 4-3-3: Kayla Bower; Lulia Lombardo, 

Maddy DeCola, Ellie Abby, Helene Tyburczy; Lena Johnson, Ava Giudice, Katherine Jones; Niamh Healy, Kelly Brady, Joyce Ryder.

 

Substitutes: Cassie Coster, Charlotte Hanchar, Olivia Lee, Ashley Moon, Carly Steinberg, Nikki Crane. 

 

California Storm: 3-5-2: Abbie Faingold; Paloma Daubert, Amelia Villa, Nicola Hauk; Susie Long, Alex Klos, Elizabeth Hutchison, Erica Grillone, Lauren Hunter; Camryn Lancaster, Anna Gilbertson. 

 

Substitutes: Senai Rogers, Aubrey Murray, Brenda Uribe, Dakota Harris, Emily Ormson, Madeline Smith, Madelyne Dougherty, Yasmin Azar.

 

Stats

Clarkstown Soccer Club / California Storm 

Shots: 4/26

Shots on Target: 1/14

Saves: 9/1

Corner Kicks: 3/3

Offside: 0/1

Fouls: 5/2

Yellow Cards: None

Red Cards: None