Monterey Bay F.C. Draws in 3-3 Shootout with Phoenix Rising FC at Cardinale Stadium

September 22, 2022 – United Soccer League Championship (USL) – Monterey Bay FC News Release

SEASIDE, California – Monterey Bay F.C. (12-14-3, 39 points) drew level at 3-3 against Phoenix Rising FC (9-15-6, 33 points) at Cardinale Stadium. Christian Volesky scored a brace for the Crisp and Kelp in the match, while Grant Robinson added his first professional goal to help the Union to a point on the night.

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Monterey Bay F.C. created an opportunity in the 7th minute of the match when Simon Dawkins whipped the ball across the box from the left side, but the pass missed the outstretched foot of Mobi Fehr by inches. In the 9th minute of the match, Robinson passed a long ball over the top and out in front of Sam Gleadle. Gleadle took a single dribble before laying the ball off across the box towards Volesky for the powerful finish to put the Union on the board first. Six minutes later, Phoenix Rising FC earned a penalty inside the left endline and converted to equalize the match at 1-1. Then in the 20th minute, James Murphy pushed a perfectly weighted ball out in front of a long run down the left side of the pitch by Robinson, who then took a dribble and smashed the left-footed shot into the back of the net to retake the lead for the Crisp and Kelp. Phoenix earned another penalty in the 40th minute of the match, however, and Aodhan Quinn converted it to level the score once again, this time at 2-2. With a minute left in the first half, Monterey Bay F.C. earned a corner kick. After Rising FC failed to clear the ball, it bounced around the box and forced a save out of the goalkeeper. With the ball pushed back into play, Volesky punished the spill in the box and buried the ball into the left side of the net to put the Union back in front once again and the sides entered the break with the score line at 3-2.

Monterey Bay F.C. started the second half with an opportunity at goal right away, but Dawkins’ shot was saved at the bottom left of the frame. In the 52nd minute, Volesky found Fehr beyond the Phoenix back line, but after making a move to round the goalkeeper, Fehr could not get the shot off before slipping in the box and the play was blown dead for an inadvertent handball. Phoenix equalized for a third time in the 75th minute of the match when Greg Hurst scored from the right side of the box to bring the score to 3-3. In the 90+1 minute of the match, second-half substitute Seku Conneh drew the first penalty of the season…