BELLEVUE, Wash. – Kailey Utley scored twice in the final 25 minutes of the game and Kyla Carter and Olivia Brock combined to keep a clean sheet and the Oly Town Artesians women knocked off Kirkland FC 2-0 at Wilburton Hill Park in Bellevue on Saturday afternoon. The Artesians remain unbeaten in their first season with two wins and a draw with two home games remaining.
Kirkland started the game off well forcing starting keeper Kyla Carter into an early save but were called for offside three times in the first five minutes. Haley Roberson put the Artesians first shot on goal in the sixth minute but the Kirkland keeper made the save and then the two teams traded shots throughout the first half but neither broke through to take a lead and the half came to an end in a scoreless tie.
The Artesians upped the pressure in the second half but still couldn’t find the back of the net despite numerous chances until the 68th minute when Kailey Utley made a nifty move and found some space and shot past the Goats keeper into the bottom right corner. Nine minutes later, Utley again found some room to run and dribbled up the left side and beat the defense for her second goal of the game and fourth goal as an Artesian.
Kirkland created some chances down the stretch but the Oly Town defense, including Julia Hass and Delaney Smith, kept the Goats at bay and the Artesians finished off the 2-0 win. They are now 2-0-1 in their inaugural season and will play their final two games on their home field at Black Hills High School.
Next Saturday, the Artesians women host Snohomish County FC in the first half of a doubleheader with the Artesian men. The women kick off at 3:30 PM and the men will face the Vancouver Victory at 6:30 PM. Tickets are $8 for both games and will be available at the gate.
GOALS: ’68 – Kailey Utley – Oly Town, ’77 – Utley – Oly Town
LINEUP: GK – Kyla Carter, 2 – Nikki Williams, 3 – Haley Roberson, 4 – Kailey Utley, 5 – Keila Kruse, 7 – Chloe Narolski, 10 – Lily Dose, 12 – Delaney Smith, 13 – Julia Hass, 14 – Haylee Ward, 18 – Celia Scruton
SUBS (all used): 6 – Jami Hughes, 8 – Kailey Hall, 9 – Vera Panescu-Reich, 11 – Melody Bliss, 16 – Maria Reyes, GK – Olivia Brock