Oakland Soul season came to a tragic end on Friday night, suffering a 2-1 loss to FC Olympia at Pioneer Stadium in the first round of the W League Western Conference playoffs. It marked Soul’s first-ever loss at home.
Olympia got its goals as a product of costly mistakes. In the 59th minute, McKenna Martinez capitalized on a giveaway in the back to slot in a low shot. Then, in the 95th minute in the first period of extra time, Olympia scored on an own goal after Layla Armas tapped a ball into her teammate and into the net.
Soul got its goal in the 64th minute in Jordan Geis’ first game since her four-goal appearance against Academica. It was on a beautiful right footed shot on her first touch on the right side of the penalty area.
Here are our initial takeaways.
Initial Takeaways
- Missed chances, good goal keeping
Oakland had a lot of chances, but the theme of the night was just couldn’t find the finishing touch on several 1-on-1 situations. Shae Murison had a huge chance in the 18th minute, but her shot was saved. Murison then had another shot inside the area in the 36th, but Olympia’s goal keeper made another athletic diving save.
Sam Tran had a 1-on-1 look in the 84th minute which would’ve likely been the winning goal, but Olympia’s keeper was there to make the save, once again.
But the play of the game was in the 109th minute of action in extra time, when Geis had a wide-open opportunity in front of net all alone. On the right side of the six-yard box, Geis tried to go across the keeper to the far post, but the keeper made a terrific kick save to stick her toe out at the ball.
Oakland dominated possession, notably in the first half, but it seemed the Soccer Gods were speaking with every missed chance.
- All-in-all, a terrific season
It was an unfortunate end to an otherwise terrific season. Oakland Soul went undefeated in its regular season to qualify for the playoffs, which is a huge accomplishment when the odds were stacked against them with the most difficult schedule in the W League’s toughest division, the Nor Cal.
Soul and coach Jessica Clinton continued to put the stamp on the team’s identity and winning mentality. Oakland isn’t just a summer-league team for NCAA players to warm up ahead of the fall like countless clubs across the county; it’s a real culture. It’s a testament to Clinton and the club helping instill a passionate roster in just a short month-and-a-half span.
Clinton reflected on the season.
“This year is a lot more heart and grit, I think a lot of it has to do with the returning group buying in. There was a lot more buy-in to what we are doing and as we were going through the season, they spent a lot more time together this year compared to last. We upped our training sessions to 3-4 times a week after having around two per week last year, so they had more time together,” Clinton said.
“But, also, how they self-recruited. They brought friends in who were the right people. I think there’s just a handful of teams who have a culture. It’s unique, we have players who aren’t from the area but they bought in. You typically see that for a college team, not a summer team. That’s the culture we build on; there’s heart and a passion in what we are doing.”
- Super League ahead and the page turns
With the Super League ahead, there are a lot of changes on the horizon. With the SL playing a longer Fall-to-Winter schedule from August through December, players become professional, paid, and have an inherent higher average of talent than W League rosters.
Being a professional season starting in the fall, this likely means we’ll no-longer see players who are competing at the college level. That’s the majority of Soul’s roster, like Layla Armas, Jordan Geis, Tatiana Cunningham, Kyah Coady, Kennedy Schoennauer… the list goes on.
It also means post-college players like Sam Tran, Henar Urteaga, Sydney Shepherd and Miranda Nild will turn focus towards their non-playing careers. And if it is the last day for Sam, Miranda, Henar, Sydney and Kaytlin Brinkman–they will forever have a place in Oakland Roots and Soul history as the trailblazers for The Town’s first professional women’s soccer team.
It was an honor to cover each players’ time in Oakland.
Starting Lineup
- Oakland Soul Starting 11
Not many surprises, but Aki Yuasa gets her first start in the midfield. Shae Murison starts up top fresh off of her hat trick, but Jordan Geis returns to the subs list. Katie O’Kane starts at the CAM spot with Nild on the left and Tran on the right. Coady at LB, Jones and Shepherd at CB, and Zoe Franks at RB.
Notably, no Henar.
Timeline
GAME TIME!!!! Can Soul win its first playoff game?
Soul asking questions early with some work in the box – 2′
Soul wants a PK after Cunningham pulled down. No call.
Soul with a heavy press, not letting Oly out – 8′
Soul corner – 13′
Aki ball in claimed
O’Kane blocked, handball – 15′
About 20 yards above area. Ball in goes straight to keeper
Oly corner – 16′
Shot pushed away by Layla.
Ball falls around, leads to a shot very wide
Shae big chance missed, knows she missed a big chance – 18′
O’Kane shot wide – 35′
Shae shot on target forces diving save – 36′
Soul corner – 36′
Halftime notes:
Oakland has had a couple of good chances, notably a pair to Shae Murison. Olympia has looked better as the game went on, but nothing too challenging to write about. Soul dominating possession, let’s see how things change in the second half.
Geis and Garcia for Shae and Sydney – 46′
Oly shot wide – 50′
Oly corner -54′
O’Kane shot high – 56′
Oly shot forces diving save – 57′
out for a corner
Oly corner – 57′
leads to a header very wide, not a challenge
Oly goal – 59′
Oly on the counter, slots in a shot on the left side of the area to the far post. Olympia leads
Soul corner – 61′
SOUL GOAL – 68′
JORDAN GEIS WITH ANOTHER BEAUTY. Gets fed a pass on the left side, wraps her right foot around it for the goal.
Geis another shot on target – 69′
Cunningham off for Vranesh – 72′
Oly way wide – 76′
Sam shot on target – 79′
Sam huge chance in 1-o-1, big save – 84′
Leads to a shot on target by O’Kane for a leaping save
Bad pass back. Oly free kick on top of area. Huge chance – 86′
shot goes wide. Whewwwww
Sam shot high- 88′
Geis target Nild for a header – stoppage
Full time.
Soul had chances, could be a 4-1 game right now. Sam with a huge 1-o-1 chance stopped. Very good game, Olympia playing em close. Jordan Geis an instant impact
Oly corner – 94′
leads to an own goal. Unfortunate. Layla leaps for it, gets a glove on it but it hits off a Soul defender an into net.
Nild shot wide – 96′
Oly corner – 97′
Sam shot on target – 102′
Oly slow shot on target – 105′
O’Kane shot high – 107′
Geis shot in front STONEWALLED. Kick save and a beauty – 109′
Soul corner – 110′
Schoennauer shot blocked, Nild shot in scrum goes wide – 116′
Nild shot wide – 118′