WNY Flash celebrate a goal.
The WNY Flash arrived at Sahlen’s Stadium Friday night without two of their top players, Jaelene Hinkle and Sam Mewis, who are in Denver training with the United States Women’s National Team ahead of their games against Japan. However missing key players didn’t affect the Flash as they came out on top, defeating the Boston Breakers 4-0. With her first ever start, rookie Britt Eckerstrom got the shut out, the first in 19 home games for the Flash.
With both sides starting off strong, control of the tempo changed hands several times throughout the beginning of the first half. Set pieces remain the Flash’s greatest weapon, as they started the scoring in the 14th from a corner in by WNY midfielder Abby Dahlkemper. Putting the ball near post, Boston failed to clear, leaving it for Smith who muscled her way around Breaker Katie Schoepfer to get her first goal as a professional. The two teams kept it tight throughout the remainder of the first half, both making dangerous runs that led nowhere. With a strong midfield Boston kept control in center field, but were outmatched on the flanks by WNY.
Boston came out solid in the second half, using all of their subs in what turned out to be a momentum changer. Immediately Breaker subs Schillgard and Beckman tested the Flash back-line with drives down the middle accompanied by Simon and Salem. Control of the second half was clearly in Boston’s hands, until the tide turned back in the 64th when a charging Jess McDonald nutmegged two defenders to send the ball centerbox, which was quickly laid off to a wide open Lynn Williams who easily sent it to the back of the net. Wasting no time relishing her first goal, Williams all but extinguished the Breaker’s hope of a second win by picking up a brace in the 65th. After outrunning Boston defender Christen Westphal, Williams was able to poke it past Boston Keeper Jami Kranich, for her second in under a minute.
Not willing to concede, the Breakers upped the pressure to try and shift momentum back, but were unable to finish any of their runs. Flash second half substitute Jeon Ga Eul, the first Korean to play in the NWSL, drew a penalty in the 77th to put a lid on the game. The Flash are now the first team in NWSL to get into double digits, already scoring 12 in the season. From there Western New York clearly took over control with Williams and McDonald leading charge after charge, both looking as fresh as they did at the opening whistle.
The Flash are now 4-0-3 this season, holding onto 5th place in a three way tie with Portland and Orlando, each 12 points apiece. Next, the Flash will take on the Orlando Pride June 11th for their third home game in a row. They will be looking for retribution after a tight 1-0 loss to the Orlando where both Paul Riley and Abby Erceg were given one game suspensions. Coverage starts at 7pm.
