May 7, 2022 – United Soccer League Championship (USL) – Indy Eleven News Release
WESTFIELD, Ind. – More than seven months after announcing its first foray into the women’s game, Indy Eleven ensured the wait was well worth it by capturing a 3-1 victory over Kings Hammer FC in the Inaugural Match of the USL W League, the new 44-team women’s pre-professional league under the United Soccer League umbrella. The historic triumph for Indy Eleven was played in front of a sold out, standing room-only crowd of 1,571 fans at the Grand Park Events Center.
Rachel McCarthy’s pair of goals early in the first half lifted Indiana’s Team to a comfortable cushion, and Katie Soderstrom’s 78th minute finish sealed the win after the KHFC cut the deficit back to one just before halftime.
Regardless of when the first goal came it would have been a historic moment for the W League; however, Indiana’s Team nearly put a stamp in the league’s record books in the blink of an eye just 12 seconds in, only to see forward Kristina Lynch’s shot rise inches over the crossbar. That chance set a tone for Indy, which saw its attacking prowess pay off with said first goal in league history by Rachel McCarthy in the ninth minute, when she ran onto Soderstrom’s blocked shot at the top of the area and blasted a shot from 20 yards that snuck inside the left post.
The BYU product McCarthy struck again with a clinical finish in the 17th minute, set up by a slicing run and low cross from the right flank by forward Maddy Williams. McCarthy first-timed her shot from the penalty spot into the roof of the net to double the lead. Kings Hammer eventually settled into the game across the final 15 minutes of the half, and their work paid off in the 40th minute through a sparkling individual effort by Mandy Schlueter, who cut back to gain space at the arc before bending a beauty into the upper right corner, bringing the proceedings to 2-1 as the game headed towards the half.
The second half was hard pressed to begin…
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