Lexington, KY – Spokane Zephyr FC battled to a 0-0 draw against Lexington SC on Saturday evening, with both sides showcasing their resilient defenses.
Zephyr FC Interim Head Coach Josh McAllister reflected on the match:
“The girls were mentally very strong. We talk about embracing “the suffer,” and when you are on the road, you have to do that. This point will prove to be important down the road.”
Lexington SC opened the game with heavy pressure in the early minutes of the game, testing Spokane Zephyr FC’s backline.
In the 11th minute, Lexington SC would seemingly score the opening goal, but it was called offside. Midfielder Addie McCain’s shot got past Spokane Zephyr FC Goalkeeper Hope Hisey before hitting the left post. The ball ended up right in front of the goal where Forward Sarah Griffith tapped it in with ease before the goal was called back.
Hope Hisey’s thoughts on the match:
“We fought hard to earn a clean sheet and a point on the road. We go again Wednesday night to try to come home with one more result!”
On the other end, Spokane Zephyr FC generated opportunities of their own. In the 15th minute, Midfielder Emma Jaskaniec found herself with space on the left side of the field. She dribbled herself into the penalty area where her shot from seventeen yards out traveled wide right.
The second half saw both sides exchanging chances. Hope Hisey recorded one of her three saves in this match off of a deep shot attempt from Sarah Griffith in the 47th minute. In the 53rd minute, Forward Ally Cook’s shot missed just right after receiving a well placed pass. Despite the back-and-forth game that saw sixteen shots, neither team was able to break through.
“A clean sheet is always key, so proud of the team’s defensive effort. We hope to build on this result and get three points on Wednesday,” said Ally Cook.
Each team would see one more chance in the closing minutes of the match. Zephyr FC Forward Tori Waldeck’s shot from close range was saved by Lexington SC Goalkeeper Kat Asman. The final play of the game was a Lexington corner kick, where Hope Hisey was able to grab the ball out of the air, securing a point for Spokane Zephyr FC.
“The team showed they could adapt and play in different ways to get a result. I was hoping we could steal all three points with one of our chances, but a point is still good,” said Josh McAllister.Following Saturday’s draw, Spokane Zephyr FC will travel to Charlotte for a match against Carolina Ascent FC on September 24th. The match is set to kickoff at 4 PM PT and can be streamed on Peacock. For tickets to Zephyr FC’s next home match on October 4th, visit Zephyr FC Tickets – USL Spokane
