Indy Eleven Remains Undefeated with Victory at Grand Park
WESTFIELD, Ind. (Friday, June 3, 2022) – After nearly a month on the road, vocal chants from the Brickyard Battalion got the Indy Eleven USL W League squad and the sellout crowd of 1,023 crowd back into the homecoming spirit, as the Girls in Blue captured a 1-0 victory over Midwest United FC at the Grand Park Events Center. Forward Kristina Lynch’s left footed shot from 20 yards near the end of the first half was enough to keep Indy atop the Great Lakes Division and remain the division’s only undefeated side, pushing its record to 4W-0L-1D (13 pts.) on the campaign.
The first half was an intense 45 minutes filled with chances for both sides and energetic pressure and aggression across the pitch. Many scoring opportunities came on the counterattack, and they started early as in the fourth minute of the game Indy midfielder Jenna Chatterton had the first big chance of the match, but her shot from 12 yards straight out from goal was just wide of the left post. Midwest United FC responded seven minutes later on a 3-v-2 break, but Avery Lockwood’s shot was blocked and the rebound effort was just missed. In the 33rd minute, Chatterton’s up-tempo speed found Maddy Williams down on the left side, who cut back to get inside the area and unleash a near post blast that stuck in the gloves of Midwest United goalkeeper Lauren Kozal at her near post.
Just when it looked as if the first half would go scoreless, Lynch had other plans. In the 41st minute, the Indy attacked space in the middle of the field before splitting two Midwest United defenders and finding an opening at the arc, where she powered a shot that left Kozal diving at air, putting Indy up 1-nil heading into halftime.
“Everybody was just pressing really well, we pushed up the field and everyone was marked up and the ball just kind of bounced to where I happened to be and took a few touches,” Lynch said. “The gap opened up, tried to hit it with the left foot, and it went in.”
The second half saw both sides using their full allotment of five subs, indicative of the fresh legs needed to get through the more physical final 45 minutes that saw the flow of the game become a bit choppier. One of those subs, Indy attacker Milica Bulatovic, nearly got on the board in the 55th minute when she lashed Katie Soderstrom’s laid off ball into the heart of the area, only to see Kozal leap across her line to make the save.
Another bench performer, Heather MacNab, nearly scored with her first touch in the 63th minute, only to see Kozal go low to make another fine save. Deep into four minutes of stoppage time, Rachel McCarthy had an opportunity to add Indy’s long-awaited insurance goal off a 2-v-2 break, but her miss just wide right of frame mattered not, as the chance marked the final action of the hard-fought victory for the Girls in Blue.
“The game is supposed to be a battle and you should know what you’re up against,” Eleven W League Head Coach Paul Dolinsky said. “We still tried to play and there were some very good spells where the ball was moving pretty well. And in a day where we have one and the other team has zero, then we don’t try to find too many issues.”
Indy Eleven will continue its June homestand in Westfield next Friday, June 10, when it hosts Flint City AFC at 7:00 p.m. Tickets for that contest are available at indyeleven.com/wleague-tickets for only $8. To learn more about the newest edition of Indiana’s Team representing the women’s game, visit indyeleven.com/wleague.
2022 USL W League Regular Season – Matchday 5
Indy Eleven 1 : 0 Midwest United FC
Friday, June 3, 2022 – 7:00 p.m.
Grand Park Events Center – Westfield, Ind.
Scoring Summary:
IND – Kristina Lynch (unassisted) 41’
Disciplinary Summary:
MID – Paige Eli (yellow card) 87’
Indy Eleven lineup: 1-Mackenzie Wood (GK), 4-Kristina Lynch (8-Heather MacNab 62’), 5-Grace Bahr, 6-Julia Leonard, 7-Becky Dean (10-Milica Bulatovic 45’), 9-Katie Soderstrom (24-Rachel McCarthy 62’), 12-Maddy Williams (19-Selena Barnett 80’), 13-Jenna Chatterton, 22-Greta Kraszula, 23-Robyn McCarthy (17-Emily McCalligett 70’), 26-Ella Rogers
IND substitutes: 0-Nona Reason,
Midwest United FC lineup: 1- Lauren Kozal (GK), 2-Elle Otto (18-Hannah Crum 77’), 3- Matea Diekema, 5-Paige Eli, 7-Maya Dean (4-Heidi Thomasma 60’), 9-Macey Wierenga (14-Olivia Brunink 60’), 10-Avery Lockwood, 12-Anna Bennett (19-Taryn DeShane 81’), 13-Martha Corby, 15-Olivia Albert, 17-Jennifer Blitchok (16-Regan Dalton 77’)
MID substitutes: 0-Isabelle Okoroafo, 6-Bria Schrotenboer
