Kaya Crawford, Gonzaga University ’26
Spokane Zephyr FC is hitting the road for their final six matches of the fall schedule, starting with a rematch with Brooklyn FC on Thursday.
Zephyr will kickoff against Brooklyn at Columbia University at 4:30 p.m. PDT. The game will be streamed on Peacock.
Spokane sits sixth in the USL Super League standings with a 2-3-3 record. Brooklyn is second with a 5-3-2 record.
The first meeting between the two sides on Sept. 8 ended in a 1-1 draw. It was Brooklyn’s first-ever match and Spokane’s second. Both clubs had little knowledge of each other. Spokane is looking forward to the rematch.
“They like to play possession like we do,” said Zephyr head coach Jo Johnson. “I wish we would have got three points at home against them, but it’ll be a good matchup. And I’m excited to see them.”
Brooklyn was without an official head coach during the Sept. 8 match. Brooklyn appointed Jessica Silva as head coach on Sept. 23 and has a 3-3-1 record since.
Zephyr will be without Emina Ekić, Sophia Braun and Riley Tanner, who have been called up for international duty. Ekić is representing the Bosnia and Herzegovina National Team in Women’s Euro qualifying knockout matches against Serbia, while Braun is playing for Argentina in a friendly against the U.S. Women’s National Team on Wednesday. Tanner is representing Panama in international friendlies.
Zephyr enters the match against Brooklyn off a 1-0 victory against Tampa Bay Sun FC last Sunday. Marley Canales buried a top right corner shot from outside the penalty box in the 64th minute to call the match, scoring her first goal of the season.
Four Zephyr players made their debuts against Tampa Bay, with Hope Hisey and Julianne Vallerand gaining their first starts. Mollie Rouse and Wayny Balata came off the bench in the second half to make their first appearances this season. Hisey earned a clean sheet in her debut, the second clean sheet of the season for Spokane.
Brooklyn FC also won their last match with a 3-1 victory over Fort Lauderdale United FC on Sunday. Brooklyn’s Jessica Garziano has three goals on the season, tied for fourth-most goals in the USL Super League.
Zephyr is on the road for their final six matches of the fall slate before taking a winter break and then resuming the 2024-2025 season in February. Following Brooklyn, they will face Carolina Ascent at 1 p.m. PST on Nov. 9 at American Legion Memorial Stadium. The match will be streamed live on Peacock.