The FC Olympia women’s side is still undefeated in the USL W League Northwest Division after they did light work in beating Oregon-based Capital FC Atletica in a 7-0 battering at their own backyard in Salem, OR last Friday, May 31, as they remain dominant on top of the division.
Doubles from Artesians’ long-time striker McKenna Martinez and newcomer Ameera Hussen, along with goals from Honoka Hamano, Maia Tabion, and Jocelyn Alonzo finished the business for the Artesians at Salem, which featured a teenage Blayklyn Warner as goalkeeper for her first appearance this season.
Hamano kicked off a swinging opener as she took the Artesians lead in the first minute before Martinez scored FC Olympia’s second four minutes later. Tabion tripled the lead in the 22nd and Martinez completed her brace in the 24th to make it 4-0 before halftime.
With the game almost done and dusted, Artesians head coach Ben Willis rotated the squad to allow substitutes to maintain fitness, and it paid off as substitute Ameera Hussen scored from the substitutes bench in the 60th and 82nd minute while Jocelyn Alonzo recorded her first goal for FC Olympia in the 65th minute.
Former US U-16 Youth National Team Blayklyn Warner was fielded in goal after FC Olympia’s goalkeepers Murphy Sheaff and Shu Ohba were called up by their national teams in competitive friendlies while in the FIFA international window.
“It’s incredible to see this caliber of players coming to our small town to play USL women’s soccer” said FC Olympia Owner Ryan Perkins on his team’s international players.
While on international duty, FC Olympia also played an exhibition match with Reign FC II, the development team of NWSL pro club Reign FC from Seattle in a rainy South Sound Stadium last Sunday, June 2.
With the international window ending this week, Ohba and Sheaff are expected to return to FC Olympia as USL W action returns to South Sound Stadium, with the Artesians hosting Lane United FC from Eugene on June 5 before the Artesians will visit Tacoma to face Tacoma Galaxy on June 8.
It’s quite a different fortune for FC Olympia’s men’s side who are still searching for its first win in the ongoing USL2 season, as 2023 national champions Ballard FC paid a visit and pummeled the hosts 4-0 last May 29, Thursday evening at South Sound Stadium.
The so-called Battle of the Sound became a bit of a one-sided affair as the Bridges dominated from start to finish. At less than two minutes in, the Artesians shot themselves in the foot with an own goal coming from a miskicked clearance from defender David Rogers to give the visitors the lead.
Since then, it was Ballard all over as the defending USL2 champs dominated the midfield leading to the second goal from a quick counterattack finished off by a right-footed strike from Ian Mejia to double their advantage until halftime.
FC Olympia had their chances in the second half from set pieces but still couldn’t get past goalkeeper Adam Braman. The visitors punished the Artesians more in the second half with goals from substitutes Elliot Spatz utilizing an unmarked right flank and Austin Brummett from a corner.
The misery continues for FC Olympia’s men’s side as they failed to maintain the goal advantage and bottled the lead to bow down to league newcomers Midlakes United FC as they were defeated again, 2-1, at Bellevue last Sunday, June 2.
After a goalless 70 minutes, it was the Artesians who drew first blood as Nico Wiskel scored to give the visitors the lead, which is also the first time FC Olympia had the lead ever this USL2 season.
But the lead was short lived as Midlakes substitute Jason Buezo Lopez equalized after a scramble in the penalty box to which Artesians goalkeeper Avary Olson, on his first appearance for the Artesians, failed to take over his territory resulting to the equalizer.
The dagger goal came in later in the 82nd minute as FC Olympia’s Beckham Uderitz headed the ball accidentally into his own net, an unfortunate own goal that gave the lead to the hosts and maintained it up until the end of the match.
After mustering a dismal one draw and three defeats in the first four matches, Jason Dunn’s boys sit bottom of the Northwest Division with one point and –8 goal difference, still seeking for their first win this season.
They will try to reset as they face an exhibition match against Crossfire Premier on Friday night, June 7, at home at the South Sound Stadium, before returning to USL2 action to face a winless United PDX FC at home on June 12.
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