FC Kansas City Fall in Regular Season Finale

From FC Kansas City

FC Kansas City lost 2-1 to the Chicago Red Stars in front of 2,111 fans at Benedictine University. Melissa Tancredi scored first for Chicago in the 9th minute then Christen Press in the 40th minute. Morgan Marlborough’s goal came for Kansas City in the 43rd minute of the match. This was FC Kansas City’s last regular season match until hosting a semifinal match on Saturday August 23rd. Chicago’s three points keep playoff hopes alive as the final weeks of the regular season approach.

Normally Kansas City starts off with a fiery attack that ends in a goal, but it was Chicago with that attack tonight. Press wound up for a shot that rookie goalkeeper Sara Keane was able to save. Then Tancredi came up from the side to contain the rebound and fire it right back at the net. The Red Stars were up 1-0 within the first ten minutes of the match.

Chicago had another close chance in the 23rd minute when Vanessa DiBernardo fired off a shot from outside the box. The shot went well over the net and hit the football field goal post. Chicago still led 1-0 but the Blues started to fight back.

Kansas City found a close opportunity minutes later in the 30th minute. Team leading scorer, Amy Rodriguez took on three Chicago defenders before launching a shot at the net. The beautiful shot bounced off the post and out still leaving Kansas City scoreless.

The Red Star’s second goal came when Press was carrying the ball to the outside in the 40th minute. Keane dove early in anticipation and Press saw her chance. She took a quick touch before sending it in to the net. Chicago looked to be up 2-0 headed in to the locker rooms.

Marlborough cut the home team’s lead in half two minutes later. Merritt Mathias carried the ball up the field and crossed in to Marlborough who was centered in the box. The Santa Clara product redirected the ball and put it in the upper corner beyond Karina LeBlanc’s hands. Kansas City got back in the game before halftime.

After the short break, both teams came back hungry for the three points. Lauren Holiday was seen taking shots from way outside the box all night. In the 54th minute, Holiday collected the ball stopped and took a shot from beyond the 18 yard line that went over the crossbar.

Chicago almost made the score 3-1 in the 62nd minute. Adriana Leon sent a bouncing shot in that hit the post and appeared to just cross the goal line. The referee called a no goal and the score stayed at 2-1.

Jen Buzckowski and Katrina Gorry tried to make a play work for Kansas City in the 88th minute. Buczkowski carried the ball through the center and just to the outside to find a running Gorry up the middle. Gorry took the shot but the ball rolled just wide. The final minutes came to a close and FC Kansas City would lose 2-1 to the Red Stars.

The Blues’ 2014 regular season is over with the loss in Chicago. From here, FC Kansas City will begin to prepare for the 2014 NWSL playoffs as the opponent is determined in the upcoming weeks.

FCKC Fall to Western New York

From FC Kansas City

FC Kansas City traveled to Rochester, NY for a midweek matchup against the Western New York Flash. Missing several players due to injury or U.S. Women’s National Team duty, and playing with six rookies on the field, the Blues battled for ninety minutes. Morgan Marlborough scored her first professional goal, but it wasn’t enough as FC Kansas City lost 2-1 against the Western New York Flash.

Missing from tonight’s match were three players (Amy Rodriguez, Lauren Holiday, Becky Sauerbrunn) who were called to play with the U.S. Women’s National Team (USWNT), two players who were injured (Erika Tymrak, Liz Bogus). Head Coach Vlatko Andonovski started four rookies in the match.

Adding to the team’s depth woes, midfielder Melissa Henderson was hurt early in the match and forced to leave in the 17^th minute, replaced by amateur call-up Molly Dreska.

The team battled hard for most of the match, but the changed lineup caused confusion at times, resulting in Western New York earning ten corner kicks on the night. In a sequence that saw the Flash getting three corners in a row, a ball popped out to Adriana Martin who lobbed it back into the box where Samantha Kerr headed it into the net, giving the Flash a 1-0 lead.

The referee added four minutes to the first half, which the Flash put to use. Three minutes into the additional time Samantha Kerr lobbed a pass over the last defender to Jasmyne Spencer. Although Kassey Kallman tried to get in front of the ball, Spencer had a step on her and was able to break free and slotted a pass under an approaching Nicole Barnhart. At the half, the Blues found themselves down 2-0.

FC Kansas City seemed to gel more offensively in the second half. They were able to sustain attacks on the Western New York defense several times. In the 57^th minute, Frances Silva sent a free kick into the Flash penalty box. After bouncing around several times, Marlborough jumped on a loose ball and earned her first professional goal.

With the lead cut to 2-1, the Blues worked hard to equalize. Marlborough nearly accomplished the task late in the half, but Flash goalkeeper Lydia Williams was somehow able to get a hand on her shot and deflect it away from goal.

FCKC Draft Four Locals in NWSL Draft

FC Kansas City had themselves another solid NWSL draw today in Philadelphia. With a grand total of six picks, FCKC took four local players, two of which have played with the US team at the youth level.

In the first round, FC Kansas City picked Florida State defender, Kassey Kallman. Kallman was a Hermann Trophy Semifinalist she was also a member of the US U20 team that won the World Cup in 2012.

In the second round, FCKC went local and grabbed another player who spent time with the US youth national teams. Morgan Marlborough, a forward from Lee’s Summit attended Santa Clara and was selected with the 12th pick. At the 16th spot, the Blues grabbed a midfielder from defending champion, UCLA. Jenna Richmond is another player who was on the US U20 team that won the 2012 World Cup.

FCKC had the first two picks of the third round and went local with both of them. With the 19th pick, the Blues grabbed Frances Silva a forward from West Virginia, originally from Overland Park. The Hermann Trophy Semifinalist helped West Virginia win the Big 12 title at Swope Park this past season. With the 20th pick KC grabbed their third member of the US U20 World Cup winning squad, Mandy Laddish from Notre Dame via Lee’s Summit. The midfielder also played a big role in the Fightin’ Irish’s championship run a few


In the fourth round, FCKC stayed local and grabbed the sister of current Blues’ defender, Katie Kelly, Maegan Kelly. The younger Kelly also went to Marquette where she played midfield and forward scoring 10 goals and adding 8 assists her senior year.

I don’t know a ton about the women’s college game unfortunately, but from what I’ve read KC had themselves another successful draft. Vlatko Andonovski had made mention of his want to get more depth this year, feeling that had been the team’s downfall in 2013. This draft on paper looks like that will definitely provide it for the Blues.