Spokane Shadow Fall in 3-2 Thriller to Westside Timbers

Sunday, June 19, 2022

The home slate for the Spokane Shadow Women’s First Team opened in a bit of heartbreaking fashion on Father’s Day Sunday as they fell 3-2 to visiting Westside Timbers.

The hosts found themselves chasing the game right from the start with the Timbers jumping in front just two minutes into the affair on a goal from Nicole LaTourette. The Timbers worked the ball up the left and the sequence finished with Eva Benedetti slipping the ball to LaTourette as they crossed paths outside the penalty arc. Benedetti ran onto it and cut a shot back inside the left post as Mercedes Cullen came out to challenge.

The advantage was short-lived, though, as Chloe Gellhaus would even things up in the fifth. She collected a throw-in from Marrisa Bankey near midfield on the right side and proceeded to drive diagonally across the field, avoiding several defenders before sending a surprising left-footed effort from about 27 yards that soared over the fingertips of Kylee Sekiguchi.

The match continued in a back-and-forth nature throughout with both seeing close chances.

The visitors again capitalized early in the second half. Nedya Sawan, cornered by a pair of defenders on the right flank of the box, appeared marginalized, but the striker fired an unexpected effort across the six and it slipped under the reach of Cullen to the far post to put them back in front.

Just after the hour mark the hosts pulled even. Maddy Lasher took the ball forward up into the right corner before putting the brakes on and dropping the ball straight back to Marrisa Bankey, who first-timed a pass diagonally to Livvy Moore. Moore took a controlling touch at the edge of the box and ripped a shot to the back left corner of the net to tie it up. It was her third goal of the season.

But Westside proved was resilient and a patient build-up in the 68th led to the winner. A couple quick passes up the middle resulted in Taylor Krueger finding Benedetti with a short delivery. Benedetti took a few touches to move along the top of the box before letting loose a pacey shot that was beyond the reach of Cullen.

Battling to find yet another equalizer Spokane put forward chance after chance, but each of the close calls went agonizingly just off the mark.

Photo Gallery: 2022 WPSL Spokane v Westside Timbers 0619

Video Highlights (incl 1 goal each): https://youtu.be/HiYDWHK5ywY

WT: Nicole LaTourette (Eva Benedetti) 2
S: Chloe Gellhaus 5
WT: Nedya Sawan 47
S: Livvy Moore (Marissa Bankey) 61
WT: Eva Benedetti (Taylor Krueger) 68