OLYMPIA, Wash. – The Oly Town Artesians return home to face the defending WISL champion Tacoma Stars Reserves in the last game of 2019 on Saturday night. The Well 80 Beer Garden will be open along with the new Beer Garden porch and there will be giveaways and other Holiday festivities all game long. First kick at The Pavilion at The Evergreen State College is set for 6:35 and doors open at 5:45. Tickets are just $8 for adults, $5 for kids 5-12 years old, military, seniors and first responders.
The Artesians enter the final game of the first half with a 2-2-0 record, tied for third place in the Western Indoor Soccer League but behind the Snohomish Skyhawks on playoff tiebreakers. Alec Zimmerman leads the team with six goals and four assists but missed the game in Bellingham with an injured ankle. Four players trail Zimmerman with two goals each and Oly has spread the scoring around this season with 16 different goal scorers. JJ Olson has been solid in goal making four starts while Hunter Bowman made his Artesians debut last weekend and held Bellingham scoreless for the final eight minutes of the game.
The Stars Reserves come into The Pavilion riding a 16 game winning streak and are coming off a shutout of the Oly-Pen Force last weekend at the Tacoma Soccer Center. They are 4-0-0 this season and feature multiple players that are signed to professional contracts with the Major Arena Soccer League’s Tacoma Stars including goalkeeper Mike Arguello, Logan Jones and Ismael DeLuna. Jones and DeLuna, along with WISL veteran Nate Ford, lead the Reserves with five goals apiece. The Stars Reserves are the stingiest team in the WISL, allowing just seven goals over four games this season.
The Artesians and Stars Reserves have played some fascinating games over the years at The Pavilion. Last season, the Artesians kept it close, down by just two with 4:09 left in the third quarter before the Reserves took advantage of an injury to starting goalkeeper Bradley Hanson and outscored Oly 11-1 over the final 19 minutes to take a 17-5 victory.
Two seasons ago, the Artesians shocked the Stars Reserves with a 7-5 win. It was one of only two losses for Tacoma in the 2017-2018 regular season and Oly Town’s only win of the season. Three seasons ago, Matt Herrera scored the equalizer with 25 seconds left before Willie Spurr scored the game winner with 10 seconds left for a thrilling 6-5 victory.
For fans unable to attend the game on Saturday, the game will be webcast on the Artesians Network. Like Oly Town FC on Facebook at FB.com/OlyTownFC to access the link to the webcast.