Spokane Shadow Host WPSL West Regional Playoff

Thursday, July 11, 2024

After finishing the 2024 season with an impressive 6-1-1 (W-D-L) record in the WPSL Northwest Conference the Spokane Shadow Women’s First Team is set to host the WPSL West Regional Playoff this weekend at Whitworth University, squaring off against San Francisco Nighthawks in the Semifinals Saturday with the winner advancing to play California Storm or FC Premier Sunday in the Final.

The West Region Champion will advance to the WPSL Final Four the following weekend in Oklahoma.

WPSL West Regional Schedule – Whitworth University
Saturday, July 13
Semifinal 1 – Spokane Shadow v San Francisco Nighthawks – 3:00
Semifinal 2 – California Storm v FC Premier – 6:00
Sunday, July 14 – Championship – 3:00

After finishing the first half of the season unbeaten at home with a 3-0-1 record at Whitworth, the Shadow hit the road for the second half of the campaign and posted a 3-1-0 run on a pair of two-game road trips against tough competition, capturing the Northwest Conference title by five points.

Midseason Update [+]

On the first trip the ladies posted a 5-3 win against a talent-loaded Seattle Reign II squad, the development side of the professional NWSL team, and trekked south on the lengthy swing to Oregon for the second match. They suffered their lone loss of the campaign at Westside Metros in a test that showed the depth of the conference as the fourth-place Metros were unbeaten at home during their campaign as well.

The final weekend of the season saw them return to greater-Portland area the following weekend and avenged their lone draw at home to Portland Thorns II, another talent-laden development side, by rattling off four consecutive goals for a commanding lead en route to a 4-2 win. The following day they capped the season off in fine fashion with a 6-0 win against Vancouver Victory.

Conference Leaders

Several Shadow players finished as or among the conference leaders at the close of the season. Youth club alumni Livvy Moore finished as the leading goal scorer and points leader with seven goals and 16 points. Current G2006 player Rebecca Skinner, a Washington State University commit, was second in both categories with six goals and 13 points. Fellow alumni Kyah Le led the conference in assists with seven, which helped put her tied for fifth in points (9). Gonzaga University standout Marissa Garcia was third in goals and points with five goals and 11 points. Alumni Erin Ewers was tied for second in assists with three, also finishing among top in goals (3, tied 7th) and points (9, tied fifth).

About the Opposition

The San Francisco Nighthawks and California Storm are two classic WPSL teams that date back to the league’s founding in 1998. San Francisco finished third in the Pac North Conference with a 6-2-1 record this season. California Storm were the Pac North Champions at 6-3-0 and won their fourth league championship two years ago. The team was a dominant force in the early years of the league, winning titles in 1999, 2002 and 2004 and reaching the final in 2000, 2003 and 2005 with marquee US National Team players in the roster. FC Premier finished second in the Coastal Division of the So Cal Conference with a record of 4-3-1 and advanced to the West Regional with a 2-1 playoff victory against So Cal’s Plymouth Division runners-up San Diego Strikers, who were also 4-1-3.

Shadow Scoring Summaries – Second Half of Season

Seattle Reign II 3-5 Spokane Shadow – 6.29
SPO: Livvy Moore (Kyah Le) 7
SPO: Yacine Bitibale (Livvy Moore) 12
SEA: Hailey Still (Kolo Suliafu) 14
SPO: Yacine Bitibale (Kyah Le) 25
SPO: Livvy Moore 35
SEA: Hailey Still 66
SPO: Chelsea Le (pen) 66
SEA: Kalea Eichenberger (Aliyah Dockter) 68

Westside Metros 2-0 Spokane Shadow – 6.30
W: Natalia Blanco (Jewel Boland) 30
W: Trinity Morales 83

Portland Thorns II 2-4 Spokane Shadow – 7.6
S: Livvy Moore (Bre Koscielski) 46
S: Marissa Garcia (Livvy Moore) 53
S: Erin Ewers 62
S: Rebecca Skinner (Kyah Le) 73
P: Nedya Sawan (Riley Jeffries) 75
P: Alexis Cockerill-Gonzalez (Frances Reuland) 77

Vancouver Victory 0-6 Spokane Shadow – 7.7
S: Quinn Mueller
S: Livvy Moore
S: Rebecca Skinner
S: Rebecca Skinner
S: Makenna Stuart
S: Chloe Van Wey

Gameday Players Utilized 

Erin Ewers – Spokane Sounders / Colorado College & Gonzaga
Yacine Bitibale – Spokane Sounders / Northwest Nazarene
Baylee Trejo – Spokane Sounders / CC Spokane & Whitworth
Kyah Le – Spokane Sounders / Gonzaga & Utah Tech
Marissa Garcia – John A Rowland HS (CA) / Gonzaga
Chelsea Le – Spokane Sounders / Gonzaga
Addison Dizard – Glacier Peak HS (WA) / Whitworth
Makayla Werner – Spokane Sounders & WA Crossfire / Gonzaga
Ashlyn Chase – Spokane Sounders G07 / Idaho Commit
Peyton Bastine – WE Surf / CC Spokane & Nicholls State
Ali Vakaloloma – Spokane Sounders G08
Paige Broadrick – Peninsula HS (WA) / Whitworth
Abbie Sicilia – Spokane Sounders / Gonzaga
Addison Romey – Spokane Sounders / Eastern Washington
Bre Koscielski – Spokane Sounders / Utah Tech
Faith Shaw – Spokane Sounders / Biola
Jennah Wanner – Spokane Sounders G07 / Wyoming Commit
Lily Parker – WE Surf / Whitworth
Liv Olson – Spokane Sounders / Pacific Lutheran
Quinn Mueller – Spokane Sounders G08
Rebecca Skinner – Spokane Sounders G06 / Washington State Commit
Livvy Moore – Spokane Sounders / Oregon
Taryn Baxter – Spokane Sounders / Mercyhurst
Ellie Gusman – Punahou HS (HI) / South Dakota State
Peyton Dixon – Spokane Sounders / Grinnell
Taliya Miyama – Hillsboro HS (OR) / Whitworth
Caylee Kerr – Spokane Sounders / Montana
Makenna Stuart – Spokane Sounders G07
Olivia Azzollini – Spokane Sounders / Pacific University
Taylor Copeland – Saint Martin’s University
Mercedes Cullen – Spokane Sounders / Seattle Pacific
Chloe Van Wey – Spokane Sounders G08

—