Mallory Swanson of the Red Stars opened the season with a goal in a 3-2 loss to San Diego on Saturday, March 25. Photo by IMAGN
Pro Sports Report | Alex Morgan converts PK and Wave tops Red Stars in opener
By Jeff Vorva
Staff Writer
Two of the best scorers in the NWSL made great first impressions to begin the 2023 season.
The Chicago Red Stars’ Mallory Swanson, coming off a scoring explosion in the SheBelieves Cup earlier in the year, scored a tying goal on a penalty kick in extra time in the first half of the season-opening road game against San Diego.
Unfortunately for the Stars, the league’s leading scorer in 2022 plays for the Wave and had some last-minute heroics up her sleeve. Alex Morgan scored in the 89th minute with a penalty kick of her own and San Diego came up with a 3-2 triumph over the Stars in front of 30,854 fans at Snapdragon Stadium on March 25.
Red Stars coach Chris Petrucelli had mixed emotions after the opener.
“It’s a hard thing,” he said. “I’m proud of them and they played their butts off in a tough environment against a good team. But in the end, we walk home with no points. That’s disappointing.
“I’m happy with how we played, I’m just not real happy with the result.”
Last year, the Wave beat the Stars, 2-1 in San Diego, 1-0 at Soldier Field and 2-1 in the NWSL quarterfinals.
Yuki Nagasato scored Chicago’s first goal of the season at the 17-minute mark. Swanson scored to close out the first half but the Stars were blanked over the final 45 minutes.
Casey Krueger (maternity leave) and Tierna Davidson (injury) were back after missing the 2022 season, but Krueger had to leave the game in the 13th minute with a head injury. Davidson had leg issues and didn’t train all week, but was given clearance to play and was on the field for 84 minutes.
“We saw some good things with the team, and we saw some things we need to work on,” Davidson said. “That’s generally what you get from a first game.”
Davidson said she had a few nerves heading into the game. She also said she felt bad for Krueger’s early exit.
“It was definitely tough, we definitely wanted to see her play a lot of minutes because she’s a great player and she hasn’t played in a while,” Davidson said. “We were excited for her to return. But losing any player on the field you have to make the adjustments and move players where they fit in.”
Jaedyn Shaw, 18, scored her fourth career goal — two of which have come against the Stars. Amirah Ali added a goal for San Deigo.
Also starting for the Wave was Danielle Colaprico, who spent eight seasons with the Stars.
The Stars had a 15-9 shot advantage in the setback.
Orland Park’s Tatumn Milazzo moves the ball up the field for the Chicago Red Stars against San Diego on Saturday, March 25. This is her third year with Chicago. Photo by IMAGN
Up next
The Red Stars will host Houston at 1 p.m. on April 1.
Houston opened the season with a 0-0 draw with Louisville on March 26.
Last year, the Red Stars were thumped 4-1 by the Dash in Houston on July 16 and dropped a 1-0 decision to Houston on Sept. 17 in Bridgeview. Ebony Salmon scored in both games for the Dash.
Seawolves swamp Hounds
Seattle played like it wants to make a return trip to Bridgeview on July 8.
That’s when SeatGeek Stadium hosts the Major League Rugby Championship game.
The Seawolves (5-0-0) looked championship-worthy when they took a 27-5 halftime lead against the Hounds (1-4-0) and that lead stood as lighting and rain forced the cancellation of the rest of the game.
Chicago’s Matt O’Keefe became the 40th player in MLR history to achieve 50 caps a.k.a. appearances.
The Hounds will host their fourth straight game at 1 p.m. on Sunday, April 2, when they face Houston (4-1-0).
The SaberCats beat Rugby Atlanta, 40-28, on March 25.
Fire II
The Chicago Fire II ended its inaugural campaign in 2022 with a 1-0 victory over Miami CF II to end a rough MLS NEXT Pro season on a high note.
The Fire was hoping to keep the good feelings going on Sunday March 26 in its season opener at DRV PNK Stadium in Fort Lauderdale and it did just that with a 3-1 victory.
Matteo Kidd, Billy Hency and Alex Monis scored for the Fire.
The Fire makes its SeatGeek Stadium season debut on Friday, March 31 in a 6 p.m. matchup against Toronto.
1 Comment
Local News
Here’s a sure sign of spring
Spread the loveBy Joan Hadac Your correspondent in Clearing and Garfield Ridge (708) 496-0265 • joan.hadac@gmail.com Hi everyone. How have you been surviving January? This is one month I always hope flies by. If the sun is out, the temperatures are, or feel like they are in the subzero range. If it’s cloudy, which is most…
Justice swears in new police officer
Spread the loveBy Carol McGowan The Justice Village Board approved the recommendation of the Justice Fire and Police Commission to hire Police Officer Kady Sassenger at its January 10 meeting. Her move from the Coal City Police Department to Justice is considered a lateral move, which means the officer transfers from one department to another…
Medeisis promoted to fire battalion chief in Bridgeview
Spread the loveBy Steve Metsch The Bridgeview Fire Department has a new battalion chief. Michael Medeisis, 55, was promoted from the rank of lieutenant at the Jan. 5 meeting of the Bridgeview Village Board. “Hey, hot diggity dog, we’ve got a great guy (promoted),” village Trustee Michael Pticek said. Trustee James Cecott said the promotion…
Retired village employee appointed to Lyons ZBA
Spread the loveBy Steve Metsch The Karasek family has a long history of working for the village of Lyons dating back decades. And that history is getting a new chapter. Steven Karasek, 60, who two years ago retired after 36 years in the public works department, has been appointed by Mayor Christopher Getty to serve…
Walker teacher Eva Manzke honored by farm bureau
Spread the loveBy Carol McGowan School District 104 teacher Eva Manzke was recently honored by the Cook County Farm Bureau for her work with teaching students about agriculture. Students at Walker Elementary in Bedford Park, and Manzke herself were surprised when Principal Amanda Venegonia said they were gathered to honor Manzke, as she had been…
Moraine Valley’s Tom Diaz earns All-Conference honors
Spread the loveBy Carol McGowan Tom Diaz is a freshman at Moraine Valley Community College, and is making big strides with their cross country team. Diaz is also a 2021 graduate of Argo Community High School, and is the first Argonaut to earn All Region honors while pursuing his cross country career. MVCC’s Men’s an&…
Summit native marks decade with the Harlem Globetrotters
Spread the loveBy Carol McGowan Saul White Jr., better known as Flip White to basketball fans, has been with the famed Harlem Globetrotters for just over 10 years, and has no intention of stopping the entertainment he provides for his fans. White, who grew up in Summit, attended Wharton School and Graves Junior High (now…
A heavenly sound
Spread the love In what is arguably the most ornate and beautiful house of worship on the Southwest Side—St. Joseph Church in Back of the Yards–the Polonijna Orkiestra Chicago played liturgical music selections last Sunday. Founded in 2011, the orchestra is designed to teach young musicians Polish music and culture. St. Joseph parishioner Konrad Pawelek…
Crime images spark outrage in Gage Park
Spread the loveRobbed at gunpoint in his own garage By Tim Hadac Home-security camera images of a 48-year-old Gage Park man being robbed at gunpoint in his own garage outraged a number of Southwest Siders this week. Images showed the man driving his car down the alley in the 5500 block of South Richmond at…
Here’s the skinny: Trimmed-down Lawrence helps Oak Lawn top Evergreen
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Staff Writer Oak Lawn senior basketball player Davion Lawrence is 45 pounds lighter than he was last season, but insists his eating habits are the same. He has, however, changed up his training habits. Heading into football last fall, Lawrence and a few fellow seniors wanted to get in the…
Neighbors
Democrats muscle through changes to ballot access, advisory questions
By JERRY NOWICKI HANNAH MEISEL & PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois news@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Supermajority Democrats in the Illinois House moved quickly Wednesday to push through a change to state election laws that partially limits ballot access and adds three nonbinding referendums to the 2024 general election ballot. It’s a move that caused minority party…
After 3 years, state poised to enforce law aiming to end lending discrimination
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – In 1977, then-President Jimmy Carter signed into law the Community Reinvestment Act, a federal law that sought to wipe away the last vestiges of racial discrimination and redlining in America’s home mortgage industry. The idea was simple. By requiring lenders – primarily banks – to make…
Capitol News Illinois partners with ‘Illinois Lawmakers’ program to bring it back to air
Capitol News Illinois announced today it will produce the long-running “Illinois Lawmakers” program this spring, in partnership with longtime host and producer Jak Tichenor. “This new partnership is absolutely critical to providing Illinois residents with reliable, independent, in-depth, up to date coverage from the Illinois Capitol after many newspapers and broadcasters shuttered their Statehouse bureaus over…
Election officials to weigh whether Darren Bailey and GOP operative Dan Proft illegally coordinated
By ANDREW ADAMS & HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois news@capitolnewsillinois.com CHICAGO – A year and a half after Republican Darren Bailey lost his campaign to challenge Gov. JB Pritzker, state election officials are weighing whether he illegally colluded with conservative radio show host and political operative Dan Proft in the 2022 campaign. The State Board…
Immigrant advocates tout new report showing benefits of state-funded health plans
By PETER HANCOCK and JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois news@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Immigrant rights advocates on Friday continued to push for one of their top budget priorities: full funding for state-run health care programs that benefit noncitizens, regardless of their immigration status. Those programs offer health coverage for low-income individuals who would otherwise qualify for…
As state continues to inventory lead pipes, full replacement deadlines are decades away
By COLE LONGCOR Capitol News Illinois Clongcor@capitolnewsillinois.com Lead pipes in public water systems and drinking fixtures have been banned in new construction since 1986, when Congress amended the Safe Drinking Water Act, but they are still in use across the U.S. and in Illinois. The presence of lead pipes has persisted due in part to…
Capitol Briefs: State unveils report on racial disparities among homeless populations
By ANDREW ADAMS Capitol News Illinois aadams@capitolnewsillinois.com Tackling homelessness requires addressing racial injustice, according to a new report commissioned by the state’s Office to Prevent and End Homelessness. The report found that Black people are eight times more likely to experience homelessness than white people. Remedying this disparity, according to the report, would require “long-term…
Flooding is Illinois’ Most Threatening Natural Disaster. Are We Prepared?
by Meredith Newman, Illinois Answers Project April 16, 2024 This story was originally published by the Illinois Answers Project. The electricity in Mary Buchanan’s home in West Garfield Park was not working – again. The outage lasted four days, starting just after a crew dug up her front lawn to install a check valve in…
Bears pitch $3.2B stadium plan, but Pritzker still ‘skeptical’ despite team’s $2B pledge
By DILPREET RAJU & JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois news@capitolnewsillinois.com The Chicago Bears laid out a $3.2 billion plan for a new domed stadium on Chicago’s lakefront on Wednesday afternoon, painting pictures of future Super Bowls and other major public events while pinning their hopes on yet-to-be-had conversations with the governor and lawmakers. The Bears…
Regulators weigh future of gas industry in Illinois, while clamping down on Chicago utility
By ANDREW ADAMS Capitol News Illinois aadams@capitolnewsillinois.com CHICAGO – Natural gas is fueling a fight between consumer advocates, a powerful utility company and the state. Amid competing advertising campaigns, accusations of mismanagement and state decarbonization efforts, the Illinois Commerce Commission is starting a process that will shape how the state regulates the increasingly controversial industry. …
[…] Source link […]