MICHIGAN SOCCER NETWORK: MSN NEWS: www.michigansoccernetwork.com/msnnews
BY DAN STICKRADT
COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST | WEB AND CONTENT EDITOR | DIRECTOR OF NEWS
PH: (248) 884-1051
TW/X: @msn_stickradt @LocalSportsFans @MiSoccerNetwork
HAMTRAMCK Mich. – The dream season continues for the Detroit City FC women's side.
The unbeaten Le Rouge posted a thrilling, 3-1, come-from-behind victory over defending USL-W League national champion Indy Eleven Sunday in the Central Conference finals at Keyworth Stadium to keep their dream season alive.
Detroit City, fresh off a 10-0-2 regular season and Great Lakes Division title – both firsts for the program – captured back-to-back wins over the weekend in the 16-team bracket to advance to the USL-W League Final Four which is set for the next two weekends. The Le Rouge will host a national semifinal July 13 at 7 p.m. against the Colorado Storm.
It will be the first Final Four for both teams in the USL-W League, which is in its third season.
Courtesy Photo | Detroit City FC
“It has been an incredible season so far,” admitted DCFC coach David Dwaihy. “We started off really strong again with those two wins against Flint (City AFC) and we have maintained it. We beat Indy Eleven, which not only won the (national) championship last year but also made a (deep run) in 2022. I couldn’t be more prouder of this group of young ladies than I am right now. They have come together, really from a bunch of different backgrounds and age groups, and have played some really good soccer, and now we will have another chance next weekend.”
Indy Eleven opened up the 2023 postseason with a win over Great Lakes Division champion Flint City AFC and proceeded to go on to win three more postseason games enroute to its national title.
Not this time around.
Although Indy Eleven struck first courtesy of a seventh-minute goal by forward Maisie Whitsett, where Abby Unkraut intercepted a pass deep in Detroit City FC territory before slotting a pass over to Whitsett. Seconds later, Whitsett ripped a shot past goalkeeper Gabby Schriver from 18 yards out to put the Indianapolis-based side up 1-0 early in the match.
Detroit City FC’s defense held firm after that point while scoring three times to earn the comeback win.
The Le Rouge netted the equalizer just 11 minutes later. Emily Pagett (Western Michigan University) scored her second postseason goal in the 18th minute by rifling in a shot from 20 yards away to tie the game at 1-1.
Detroit City (12-0-2) was able to push the go-ahead goal into the net before halftime off the work by Ella Offer and Sophia Romine. Romine hit Offer on the outside before Offer sent a service back to Romine and she one-timed a shot inside the box into the back of the net in the 45th minute.
Detroit City FC added an insurance goal in the 75th minute. Former Michigan Miss Soccer and Michigan State standout Dani Stephan and (2017 DeWitt High School) sent a through ball over to Allie Tefend (Oakland University) who later sent a cross back into the box. Kayla Addison was there at close range to knock the ball into the goal during a goal-mouth scramble to give the Le Rouge a two-goal cushion.
MICHIGAN SOCCER NETWORK: MSN NEWS: www.michigansoccernetwork.com/msnnews
Detroit City’s bend-but-don’t break defense held strong and Schriver made several clutch saves throughout the match to help jettison DCFC into the next round.
“We found a way to come back after being down early and we not only scored those three goals but found a way defensively from allowing them to score again. We made a couple of mistakes in the first half but we only (conceded one goal),” added Dwaihy.
LOOKING AHEAD
Detroit City FC outscored its two postseason foes over the weekend by a commanding 6-1 edge and now have outscored the opposition 30-6 on the season. The Le Rouge own nine shutouts in 14 games and have allowed one or no goals in 13 of their 14 matches over the course of the 2024 season.
The Colorado Storm (12-1-1) has now outscored its opposition 60-4 this season following wins over the California Storm (3-0) and Olympia FC (1-0), the latter coming in the Western Conference finals on Sunday. The Storm also has nine clean sheets on the season over the course of 14 games.
“I don’t know much about them (Colorado) except they don’t give up a lot of goals,” admitted Dwaihy. “But everyone in the tournament is good and I expect a close game. We don’t give up a bunch of goals as well and our defense has been very good all season no matter who we put back there. And Gabby Schriver has been solid in goal since Day 1. She’s our leader back there.”
Detroit City FC men’s side, which competes professionally in the USL-Championship league, will play a home game t 4 p.m. Saturday with the DCFC women following suit at 7 p.m. as a double-header of games at Keyworth.
The other national semifinal will take place at 6 p.m. July 13 in Cary, North Carolina, where the NC Courage U-23 will take on Tennessee FC at WakeMed Soccer Park.
The USL-W League National Championships will take place July 20 at a site and time to be determined.
(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. Want to schedule a broadcast game or live show, contact PMG/MSN Director of Broadcasting Jonathan Turner for availability and pricing at jonathan@michigansoccernetwork.com.)
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