Brooklyn, NY – Zephyr FC battled Brooklyn FC to a 1-1 Draw on Wednesday, with a last minute goal in the 90th minute completing a comeback by Spokane.
The first half was a defensive standoff between both clubs, with only nine shots between Zephyr FC and Brooklyn FC in the first 45 minutes. Spokane’s best scoring opportunity in the half came off a header shot by forward Cam Tucker in the 25th minute, which was saved by Brooklyn goalkeeper Breanna Norris.
Brooklyn FC ended the first half with a quality look on goal, with forward Rebecca Cooke getting a one on one opportunity with Spokane goalkeeper Hope Hisey in the 44th minute. Cooke fired a right-footed shot on target, which was deflected by Hisey to keep the match scoreless going into halftime.
Spokane defender Ginger Fontenot spoke on the flow of Wednesday’s match and the club’s resilience.
“Through the ebbs and flows of the game I think our identity shined through,” said Fontenot. “This is a group that’s going to fight to the very last minute.”
Brooklyn FC started the second half strong, with midfielder Emma Loving scoring the match’s first goal in the 56th minute to give Brooklyn FC a 1-0 lead. Loving launched a long shot outside the box, layering it over Hisey and into the top left of the net.
Brooklyn FC controlled the match’s momentum for the majority of the second half, limiting Zephyr FC’s offensive opportunities to level the score. Spokane only attempted three shots in the second half, with none from inside the penalty area.
Zephyr FC’s interim head coach Josh McAllister spoke on the momentum shift following Loving’s goal in the second half.
“Once Brooklyn scored, we stopped playing the way we wanted to play,” said McAllister. “For about 20 minutes we started playing more direct.”
That all changed in the 90th minute, when Spokane midfielder Emma Jaskaniec nailed a perfect shot outside the box to level the match at 1-1 in its final minutes. Jaskaniec placed her shot into the top right corner of the net and over Norris’s outstretched arms to secure a draw for Zephyr FC.
Jaskaniec was pleased with her club’s performance on Wednesday and is excited to carry this momentum over to Spokane’s next match on Saturday.
“I’m really proud of the way we battled as a team tonight, everyone left it all on the field, and that’s what makes this group so special” said Jaskaniec. “We’re excited to build on this and bring that same energy into our home opener on Saturday.”
McAllister credited his team for sticking with it and always playing with a level of resilience, which was on display Wednesday night.
“Even when we aren’t at our best, we know that this group never stops playing,” said McAllister. “I’m proud of the group for playing until the end.”
Following Wednesday’s draw, Spokane Zephyr FC will return to the Pacific Northwest for their home opener against Fort Lauderdale United FC on September 6, 2025. The match is set to kickoff at 6 PM PT and can be streamed on Peacock. For tickets to the match, visit Zephyr FC Tickets – USL Spokane
