Photos by Dave Bibbons

 

SPORTING CT TOP PA CLASSICS FOR EAST REGION TITLE

 

Sporting CT’s dream debut season continues with the club’s 2-1 win over PA Classics to win the East Region Playoffs Final. With the win, Sporting CT advances to the WPSL Championships in Stillwater, Okla. kicking off on Friday. 

 

The club’s top scorer, Tiffany Weimer, leveled things at 1-1 after Sporting went down a goal at the 29th minute mark, and Lexi Taylor scored the winner with 20 minutes to play in the second half. 

 

 

PA Classics opened scoring in the 29th minute thanks to some sublime midfield possession. With a series of one-touch passes PA Classics worked the ball from the midfield stripe on the left flank to the right channel where Justyce Hollenbach put Anaya Lozano through to finish to the far post for her first goal of the season.

 

Sporting responded almost immediately. Thirteen minutes after Lozano’s opening goal, Sporting’s Tiffany Weimer ran onto a through ball from Abbie Burgess. Weimer’s equalizer was her second postseason goal and 10th on the season. 

 

After nearly an hour weather delay, the second half got underway with both teams pressing for a second goal. It was Sporting that broke the deadlock in the 70th minute when Imani Jenkins put Lexi Taylor on goal with a looping pass over the back line. Taylor slotted the ball past a charging Hannah Wilt to put Sporting up 2-1 with 20 minutes to play. The goal was Taylor’s first in the postseason and sixth overall. 

 

 

 

 

 

Photos by Dave Bibbons

 

With the win, Sporting CT moves to 2-0-0 in the postseason and 11-0-1 overall. 

 

Sporting CT will face the Central Region winner on Friday, July 18 at Neal Patterson Stadium on the campus of Oklahoma State University. Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. (CDT), with the winner playing for the Jerry Zanelli Cup on Sunday, July 20.

 

Sporting CT: 2
PA Classics: 1

 

Sporting CT: Caitlin Daley; Greta Brunello, Jessica Hinton, Kylee McIntosh; Cara Jordan, Christina Stone, Imani Jenkins, Lexi Taylor, Lexi Taylor; Lexi Taylor, Tiffany Weimer. Substitutes: Abbie Burgess, Abby Johnson, Cali-Dean Craft, Elizabeth DiBlasi, Julia Salley, Juliana Garcia, Kaylea Micale, Kiley Yepes.

 

PA Classics: Elizabeth Estrada, Hannah Wilt, Jordan Nguyen, Julia Hughes, Justyce Hollenbach, Lindsey Husic, Liza Suydam, Madison Herb, Maggie Groh, Melanie Love, Willa Pratt. Substitutes: Anaya Lozano, Catherine Martin, Hayden Boyer.

 

0-1: Anaya Lozano 30’
1-1: Tiffany Weimer 40’
2-1: Imani Jenkins 70’

 

Misconduct
Caution - Madison Herb (PA Classics) 63’
Caution - Kylee McIntosh (Sporting CT) 64’
Caution - Tiffany Weimer (Sporting CT) 90+3’