BY DAN STICKRADT
WEB AND CONTENT EDITOR
Twitter: @MiSoccerNetwork
HAMTRAMCK, Mich. — Detroit City FC continues to find different ways to win in the USL-W League this season.
This time it was total domination of the South Bend (Ind.) Michiana Lions.
Detroit City FC improved to 3-0-0 overall with a 5-0 shutout over Michiana at Keyworth Stadium in USL-W League Great Lakes Division.
After a pair of wins over defending Great Lakes Division champ Flint City AFC, the Le Rouge (3-0-0, 3-0-0) went back to work Friday night and received little resistance from Michiana to remain undefeated in USL-W League Great Lakes Division play.
Coach David Dwaihy’s team has now outscored the opposition 8-1 on the season and remain in a first-place tie in the seven-team division with Midwest United with nine points. Midwest United also sits a t 3-0-09 for nine points and has outscored the opposition 10-1 through the holiday weekend..
In the 13th minute, DCFC found their lead after some brilliant play from Lily Jeakle (Lake Orion/Nationals GA) down the right flank. She found Emily Pagett (South Lyon/Michigan Jaguars GA/Western Michigan University) at the top of the six-yard box, who needed only one touch to give Le Rouge a 1-0 lead.
That goal simply opened up the floodgates for Detroit City FC.
Just eight minutes later, DCFC made it a two-goal lead. After a run of play on the top of the Michiana 18-yard box, Sophia Romine (Romeo/Michigan Hawks/University of Minnesota) slipped Hannah Crum (Waterford/Waterford Mott/Aquinas College) into the 18-yard box, and Crum burst past her marker before firing a shot into the bottom right corner from a razor-tight angle to give DCFC their second tally in the first 21 minutes.
Romine scored in the 29th minute, beating a defender and uncorking a shot from 20 yards out that sailed up into the right corner of the goal for the 3-0 advantage.
The lead widened even further in the 62nd minute, as Jeakle found some space just inside the box before tucking another one into the goal from close-range.
A combination of passing and speed resulted in the fifth Detroit City goal in the 80th minute. Megan Miles (Canton/Eastern Michigan University) found a streaking Kayla Addison (Southfield/Detroit Country Day/Grand Valley State) outside the box and Addison redirected the ball over to a surging Jeakle. The 15-year-old blasted home her second goal of the night to record the brace and cap the scoring for the Le Rouge.
Detroit City outshot Michiana by a wide margin and even had a pair of hots late in the first half ring off the crossbar al while dominating possession for more than 90 minutes. It was the second clean sheet in three starts for the Detroit City FC women, who only conceded a late go in Week 2 to reigning Great Lakes Division champion Flint City AFC.
“We got better as the game went on,” said Dwaihy. “In the beginning, it was tricky because it was a contrast to what we saw in the last two games. The pace was a little faster in those games, but today the opponent sat back and gave us more time on the ball.”
“(The victory) is right where we want to be because it puts pressure on the other teams,” continued Dwaihy. “If we can keep putting three points up on the board, that’s what we want to do. Every game is (going to) be tough and everybody can go into the weekend feeling good about where we are but when we hit training on Wednesday, it’s time to look ahead and see how we keep this going.”
FLINT CITY AFC 4, CLEVELAND (OHIO) FORCE 1: After conceding an early goal to Cleveland, the goal simply awoke a sleeping giant.
Her name is Delaney Caldwell.
The Saline, Mich., product and current star forward at Ball State University scored four times as Flint City erupted for the 4-1 victory to move into fifth place in the seven-team USL-W League Great Lakes Division with the much-needed three points.
Caldwell, who missed the first two games, converted chances in the 19th, 43rd, 59th and 82nd minutes for Flint City AFC (1-2-0, 1-2-0), the reigning Great Lakes Division champs who finally gained their first victory of the campaign.
Lauryn Contini scored in the third minute for the Force (0-3-0, 0-3-0)
MIDWEST UNITED FC 5, SOUTH BEND (IND.) MICHIANA LIONS 1: Midwest United kept pace in the USL-W League Great Lakes Division with this lopsided victory Sunday over the Lions.
Midwest United now owns a 10-1 scoring advantage through three games and stands at 3-0-0 overall and in the Great Lakes Division.
Midwest United FC is moved into a first-place tie in the league with Detroit City FC with nine points.
AFC ANN ARBOR 3, CLEVELAND (OHIO) FORCE 1: Ann Arbor recorded this USL-W League Great Lakes Division victory Friday night.
Ann Arbor moved to 2-0-1 overall and in league play and stand in third place in the seven-team Great Lakes Division with seven points. Ann Arb or has outscored its three opponents 5-2 this season.
(Have a story suggestion for the Premier Media Group and the Michigan Soccer Network regarding club soccer, high school varsity, amateur soccer, collegiate soccer or professional soccer of teams or players with Michigan ties, contact Communications Specialist/Web and Content Editor/Director of News Dan Stickradt via email at stickradt@michigansoccernetwork.com, or call 248-884-1051. Dan Stickradt is a 31-year veteran of the Michigan Media circles and recently joined the staff full time in March of 2024.
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