Written By:  Andrew Mosier
Photography By: Landry Bledsoe

 

 

CALIFORNIA STORM MAKES HISTORY WITH FIFTH WPSL TITLE
The Win Ends Another Opportunity for a Back-to-Back WPSL Champion

 

 

STILLWATER, OKLA. — The California Storm made history Sunday night, topping the Charlotte Eagles 1-0 at Neal Patterson Stadium on the campus of Oklahoma State University to win its record fifth WPSL championship. 

“These girls just battled it out,” Jamie Levoy, California Storm head coach, said. “Tonight’s win is a tribute to the grind they put in day-in and day-out. They have worked so hard for this.” 

Camryn Lancaster scored the game’s only goal in the sixth minute – her third of the postseason, and eighth in total on the year. With goals in both the WPSL Championships Semifinal and Final, Lancaster (Texas Christian University) earned the Most Outstanding Player honors following the match. 

 

2024 WPSL Championship Final, California Storm versus Charlotte Eagles; 2024 Photo by Landry Bledsoe

Charlotte’s versatile Chentay Warnes (post-collegiate) earned the WPSL Championships Most Outstanding Defensive Player plaudits. 

The win ups the Storm’s WPSL Championship total to five after claiming league titles in 1999, 2002, 2004, 2022, and 2024. It also ended Charlotte’s quest to be the first club in league history to repeat as WPSL Champions. 

Kicking off to cool winds and overcast skies, it was Charlotte’s immediate press that seemed to catch the Storm somewhat by surprise. It wasn’t until after the 5’ minute when the Storm gained control of possession for any considerable amount of time. 

The Storm’s first ball played toward goal led to the Lancaster winner after Erica Grilione’s (Stanford University) cross was only partially cleared and fell to Lancaster at the top of the box. With time to wind up her right foot there was little Charlotte goalkeeper Emma Wakeman (University of North Carolina, Charlotte) could do. 

“I was too far out to go after the cross, so I just hung back and waited to see where the ball went,” Lancaster said. “They [Charlotte] didn’t clear it all the way and I was in the right place at the right time.” 

The goal broke Charlotte’s 592-minute shutout streak that stretched across the entire postseason and back to Week 7 of the regular season. Charlotte finished the year conceding only six goals the entire season. It was also the first goal last year’s WPSL Champs conceded after three WPSL Championship shutouts, which include last year’s Semifinal and Final. 

 

2024 WPSL Championship Final, California Storm versus Charlotte Eagles; 2024 Photo by Landry Bledsoe

“Props to Charlotte. They play incredible on the defensive side of the ball,” Levoy said moments after her team doused her with the water cooler. “They made it incredibly difficult on us.” 

After the goal, both teams worked to stretch the other. Both Wakeman in goal for Charlotte and Storm’s Abbie Faingold (post-collegiate) were utilized as defensive outlets and emergency defenders – cutting off balls played through and over the high defensive back lines with their feet. 

Charlotte’s best chance of the first half came at the half-hour mark when Storm allowed two consecutive crosses from Charlotte’s wide players to go across the goalmouth. The  attack was stalled when Marilia Nieves (University of Kentucky) was called offside. 

The second half started the way it ended – with both teams entrenched in the midfield and trading off possession without creating fruitful opportunities. 

The Storm’s next chance came at the hour mark when Lancaster got a jump on her defender and ran onto a ball from Alex Klos (University of California). Lancaster couldn’t corral the long ball or get full purchase of her shot as Wakeman raced off her line to cut the angle and forced the shot to bounce harmlessly wide of the goal. 

Two minutes later it was Wakeman again who made a reaction save off a deflected cross from Emily Ormson (post-collegiate). 

With time dwindling, Charlotte switched to three in the back and threw more numbers forward in search of the equalizer. As pressure mounted, Faingold struggled to get a back-pass away under the pressure of Hailey Johnson (Lipscomb University). The deflected ball was played back to Nieves who was called offside for the second time of the night. 

The final opportunity of the night came in stoppage time when the Storm’s Grilione made one final run through the Charlotte back line only to be muscled off the ball. Lancaster picked up where she left off, but was stopped dead by an onrushing Wakeman to all but end the game. 

“We played a fantastic team today,” Tiff Rice, Charlotte Eagles head coach, said. “We fought incredibly hard today. But they put the ball in the back of the net and we didn’t tonight. I’m incredibly proud of our girls. They had a great season.” 

With the win, the Jerry Zanelli Cup, named after the longtime Storm coach and WPSL founder, returns to Davis, Cali. for another year.

 

2024 WPSL Championship Final, California Storm versus Charlotte Eagles; 2024 Photo by Landry Bledsoe

“To be able to honor Jerry [Zanelli] by continuing to grow what he started means everything to us,” Levoy said. “We have such a good group of players. To end the season with the championship is the best possible way to honor everything Jerry did for our club and the league.” 

 

 

Goals:
 

1-0 Lancaster (California Storm) 6’

 

Misconduct: 

None 

 

Lineups:
 

California Storm: 4-3-3: 

Abbie Faingold; Amelia Villa, Paloma Daubert, Nicola Hauk, Susie Long; Alex Klos, Elizabeth Hutchison, Brenda Uribe; Camryn Lancaster, Erica Grillone, Lauren Hunter.

 

Substitutes: Anna Gilbertson, Senai Rogers, Aubrey Murray, Dakota Harris, Emily Ormson, Madeline Smith, Madelyne Dougherty

Yasmin Azar

 

Manager: Jamie Levoy

 

Charlotte Eagles: 4-3-3: 

Emma Wakeman; Sallie Garner, Kelly Flanders, Chenaty Warens, Jordan Blair; Briana Myers, Faith Adams, Meredith King; Lauren Walter, Marilia Nieves, Hailey Johnson.

 

Substitutes: Gabby Kouzeelos, Lexi Smith, Blair Andreas, Ava Myers, Skyler Shults, Christy Rife, Elise Boma, Emma Rice, Miranda Curraso

 

Manager: Tiff Rice

 

Stats:
 

California Storm / Charlotte Eagles

Shots: 16 / 3

Shots on Target: 7 / 1

Saves: 1 / 6

Fouls: 5 / 7

Offside: 0 / 2

Corner Kicks: 6 / 1

Yellow Cards: 0 / 0

Red Cards: 0 / 0