USL W: Oly Town FC splits points at the Battle of the Northwest, remains undefeated

In a top-of-the-table match in the Northwest Division of the USL W League and their third time to play against each other, Oly Town FC had a draw with United PDX, 1-1, retaining their undefeated record halfway through the season last Sunday, June 18, at the Oregon Episcopal School Main Stadium in Portland.

Trailing one goal down in 71 minutes of action, the Lady Artesians, unfazed by the rainy conditions on the field, strived to bring the equalizer until a breakthrough came from forward McKenna Martinez’ shot on goal, receiving a lovely through ball from Sydney Stephens that beat the United PDX backline while Martinez outpaced her marker, rounded the goalkeeper, and slot the easy open goal to keep the hopes of Oly Town for a USL playoff spot as queens of the division.

This is Martinez’s third goal for Oly Town this season, where she also scored in their second meeting with United PDX in the same venue, which ended in a 3-1 win for the Artesians. She ties with winger Mariah Lee in the goalscoring leaderboard within the club.

It could have been an easy Oly Town FC win from the start, with the visitors peppering shots while dominating possession early in the first half while stifling counterattacks from United PDX.

The first big opportunity of the match came for Oly Town in the 8^th minute after a quick touch pass from Maddie Kemp released Alexis Washington speeding through the right flank before crossing the ball to the middle, where a waiting Mariah Lee slammed the ball but hit the post.

Kat Asman with a huge save for Oly Town

Since then, it has been all Oly Town FC trying to control the midfield, although their chances still were not clinical enough to pose a threat to the opposite goalkeeper Olivia Juarez, with long rocket attempts from Washington and Kemp landing safe in her hands.

A big opportunity came calling for United PDX in the 32^nd minute as Nedya Sawan took advantage of an unusually disorganized Oly Town defense to work on the left flank, with her attempt just parried out by the woman guarding the Oly Town gates, Kat Asman.

First big chance for Oly Town in the game came eight minutes after kickoff, just hitting the post.

Another squandered opportunity for Oly Town came in the 35^th after a chip from Washington beat the goalkeeper, but the shot just didn’t go on target. Despite the big chances, the half ended goalless.

The match lived through the billing as the Battle of the Northwest early in the second half as both teams gave it all for an opening goal, with a long attempt from United PDX’s Cally Tagai in 51 minutes was saved by Asman while an Oly Town counter just went off target seconds later in the opposite end.

The goal drought was finally broken in the 60^th minute after a Kendyl Sarver foul near the box was converted to a 19-yard free kick for United PDX that was well taken by Cally Tagai, beating the six-woman Oly Town wall and Asman, who was unlucky to concede after a great performance between the sticks by far, to bring the lead for the host.

Cally Tagai hits the free kick that the Artesians conceded

But that lead was short-lived after that McKenna Martinez goal in the 71^’. Oly Town, with the renewed confidence of the equalizer, tried to put the game to bed with a search for a winning goal, but heroics from United PDX goalkeeper Olivia Juarez, and the rest of their defense kept the points shared and denied the Artesians’ win.

Despite the draw, Oly Town is still on top of the Northwest Division with 14 points from a 4-2-0 win-draw-loss record, with United PDX sitting in second with the same points but one game ahead.

Oly Town FC’s Abby Jacobs (#12) was denied of a match-winning goal by the United PDX goalkeeper.

This draw will be crucial for the last four games of the season for Oly Town in the Northwest Division, with their next fixture being a visit at Salem, Oregon against Capital FC Atletica on June 21^st at 7PM local kickoff. They have already beaten their next opponents 3-0 at the reverse fixture at South Sound and is aiming to replicate such result away from home.