Indy advances to Central Conference Final
Complete USL W League Playoff Bracket & Info
FLINT, MICHIGAN (Thursday, July 6, 2023) – Indy Eleven handed Flint City AFC its first loss of the 2023 season to advance to the USL W League Central Conference Final. The 3-0 win sets Indy up with a Conference Championship match-up against Minnesota Aurora FC Saturday.
Grace Bahr got the scoring started by converting a penalty kick, her second in as many matches, to give the Girls in Blue the early lead in the 14th minute. The tally was her third of the season, all coming on set pieces, and proved to be the match winner.
Indy doubled its lead after Sam Dewey had a brilliant shot that went off the crossbar make it back into play and into the Eleven’s possession. Maddy Williams found herself with the ball and played it to the six for Dewey, who snuck a back heel into the lower 90 for her team-leading eighth goal of the season. The assist was the first for Williams.
A second-half insurance goal came from Katie Soderstrom who scored her seventh of the season off Rafferty Kugler’s first assist of 2023 in the 49th minute.
Nona Reason earned the clean sheet in goal for the Eleven, her fifth of the season.
Indy is now 3-0 all-time versus Flint City, outscoring the side 12-1. In its 24 overall matches over two seasons, the Eleven have tallied three-plus goals in a match 13 times. Overall, Indy has a plus-40 goal differential in 2023, outscoring its opponents 43-3.
The Girls in Blue will face Minnesota Aurora FC in the Central Conference Final Saturday at 3 p.m. ET at Atwood Stadium in Flint, Michigan. Minnesota Aurora defeated Chicago City SC, 1-0, in game one of the Central Conference Semifinals.
Indy and Minnesota have only met once in the league’s two-year history, with the Eleven falling 2-1 to Minnesota in the opening round of the 2022 playoffs.
USL W League – Central Conference Semifinals
Flint City AFC 0:3 Indy Eleven
Thursday, July 6, 2023 – 7:00 PM
Atwood Stadium – Flint, Mich.
2023 USL W League Records
Indy Eleven: 8W-1L-1D (+40 GD) (1-0-0)
Flint City AFC: 9W-0L-3D (+21 GD) (0-1-0)
Scoring Summary
IND – Grace Bahr (penalty) 14’
IND – Sam Dewey (Maddy Williams) 42’
IND – Katie Soderstrom (Rafferty Kugler) 49’
Discipline Summary
IND – Annika Creel (caution) 45+2’
IND – Rafferty Kugler (caution) 79’
Indy Eleven lineup: Nona Reason, Lizzie Sexton (Jenna Chatterton 61’), Grace Bahr, Annika Creel (Rhonda Ojongmboh 74’), Rafferty Kugler, Ella Rogers, Greta Kraszula, Sam Dewey (Susie Soderstrom 61’), Addie Chester (Emma Johnson 74’), Maddy Williams (Maisie Whitsett 67′), Katie Soderstrom (Megan Wilson 74’)
IND substitutes: Emily Edwards
