Spokane, WA — Spokane Zephyr FC earned a 3-1 victory over Fort Lauderdale United FC at home on Saturday, extending its winning streak to two matches as the playoff race continues to tighten.
Zephyr FC head coach Nicole Lukic emphasized the importance of the result following a physical match.
“This was a hard-fought win—a very physical match. We got another check in the box, three to go, one at a time,” said Lukic. “Being at home is super important. We love being at One Spokane Stadium with our great fans. Every game counts and every game matters.”
Spokane generated early chances, with Katie Murray sending a shot just wide in the second minute. The physical tone of the match was established early, with both sides battling for control in the midfield.
Goalkeeper Hope Hisey reached a major milestone in the 16th minute, recording her 150th career save, becoming the first player in Gainbridge Super League history to reach the mark.
“Yeah, I was aware of it. It was pretty much everywhere all week, but it’s such a cool thing to be a part of,” said Hisey. “I think it was a pretty mundane save that ended up being the 150th, but they all count the same.”
Spokane broke through in the 26th minute on a corner kick sequence. A header inside the box deflected off defender Catherine Rapp and into the net to give Zephyr FC a 1-0 lead.
“If I’m honest, I didn’t know much about it,” said Rapp when asked about the play. “We’ve been working on that corner a lot this week. Luckily, I was in the right position to deflect the ball and it went in.”
Fort Lauderdale pushed back late in the first half, but Spokane held its 1-0 advantage heading into halftime after a series of scoring chances from both sides.
The second half opened with continued pressure from Spokane, including multiple shot attempts that were deflected away. Their persistence paid off in the 60th minute when Maya Hansen converted a penalty kick, placing her shot into the bottom right corner for her first goal of the season and extending the lead to 2-0.
Fort Lauderdale responded quickly in the 64th minute, with Kiara Locklear capitalizing on a loose ball at the top of the box to cut the deficit to 2-1. Locklear’s goal marked her sixth of the season, leading her team in scoring.
Both sides traded chances throughout the remainder of the match, with Hisey coming up with a pivotal save in the 70th minute to preserve Spokane’s lead.
Spokane sealed the result in the 89th minute when Lena Silano delivered a pass through the defense to Ally Cook, who scored and secured the 3-1 win.
Following the match, Hisey reflected on the team’s preparation as the playoff push continues.
“I think today was a good test, obviously playing a scrappy team that was a playoff team last year,” said Hisey. “To get the third (goal) and put the game to bed is a good learning step for us that maybe we haven’t done this season. Today was a really good step in the right direction.”
With the win, Zephyr FC continues to build momentum heading into the final stretch of the regular season with three matches remaining, all at home. Spokane is now tied with fifth-place DC Power FC with 32 points and is only one point behind Dallas Trinity FC who have 33 points and currently hold the final playoff spot.
Up next, Zephyr FC will host Lexington SC on May 2 at ONE Spokane Stadium. The match is set to kickoff at 6:00 PM PT and can be streamed on Peacock. For tickets to this match and future Zephyr FC home matches, visit Zephyr FC Tickets – USL Spokane.
