Match Report:

By Alan Douglas/whitecapsfc.com

Vancouver Whitecaps FC women recorded their first win of the USL W-League season, as they downed Ventura County Fusion 3-1 in Southern California on Saturday night.

Forward Kate Qually scored the winner just before halftime, while youngster Nikki Wright added the insurance goal for the visiting Blue and White. Ventura County's Jazmarae Strozier opened scoring early in the match, and then cancelled out the Fusion's advantage with an own goal.

Head coach Alan Koch made three changes from Thursday's starting line-up at Los Angeles Legends. 19-year-old goalkeeper Stephanie Panozzo made her W-League debut, while Sophie Schmidt flew in to rejoin the team. She returned to central midfield in a 4-3-3 formation, with Amy Vermeulen pushing up front to replace Kirsteen Buchan. Finally, defender Carmelina Moscato was a late scratch through illness, and was replaced by Rachael Pelat.

Vancouver took the match to their hosts from the outset, and ended up out shooting them 8-2. However, the Fusion opened the scoring on a counter-attack, as 18-year-old Strozier fired the home side into the lead after just eight minutes, giving Panozzo no chance.

Five minutes later, Strozier flattened midfielder Schmidt with a hard challenge to earn a yellow card. Schmidt had to come off minutes later and be replaced by Buchan.

The Whitecaps were undeterred by these setbacks and continued to push forward, with defender Pelat making some good forays down the right in particular.

On 25 minutes, off a Vancouver corner kick by Katie Thorlakson, Strozier knocked the ball into her own net under pressure from Jodi-Ann Robinson to make it 1-1.

Though chances were few for both teams for much of the first half, the Whitecaps did manage to take a 2-1 lead into the dressing room, scoring a minute before the break. Vermeulen started the play with a great tackle in midfield to win the ball, and then threaded it through for Qually. She rolled her finish wide of Fusion goalkeeper Kay Hawke and inside the post for 2-1 halftime lead.

The second half was played at a much higher tempo, with the 'Caps enjoying the majority of the play.

On 54 minutes, Hawke blocked a shot from Monica Lam-Feist, with the rebound falling to Qually, who fired over the net.

Moments later, at the other end, Panozzo made a great save off a hard shot from Loretta Nixon. Koch was very pleased with his rookie keeper's first game, saying, "She dominated the box, and looked like a seasoned veteran out there today."

Just past the hour mark, Robinson broke in one-on-one on Hawke, but lifted her shot over the net from in close.

On 77 minutes, just seven minutes after entering the game, striker Wright received a pass from Robinson, blew past her defender, and fired in her second goal of the season to make it 3-1. It was an early birthday present for Wright, who turns 19 on Monday.

Wright almost added another with ten minutes remaining, but she hit the far post from in close. Five minutes later, she was in with another chance, getting the feed from Robinson, but had her shot blocked by Hawke. The Fusion keeper then saved Buchan's shot on the rebound.

The final chance went to the home side, but a shot hit the Vancouver crossbar and was cleared away by Pelat.


Koch praised his team's effort, saying, "it was our first complete 90 minute performance this season. We thoroughly deserved the victory."

The win raises Vancouver's record to 1W-1L-4D and sees them jump up to fourth place in the W-League Western Conference. Ventura County drop to 1W-2L-2D and sit tied for fifth.

The Whitecaps conclude their three-match Southern California road swing on Tuesday night, as they pay a visit to defending W-League champions Pali Blues, whom they drew 1-1 with earlier this season.

Scoring Summary:
8' - VCF - Jazmarae Strozier
25' - VAN - own goal
44' - VAN - Kate Qually (Amy Vermeulen)
77' - VAN - Nikki Wright (Jodi-Ann Robinson)

Match Stats:
Shots: Ventura County 2 - Vancouver 8
Saves: Ventura County 3 - Vancouver 1
Fouls: Ventura County 3 - Vancouver 4
Offsides: Ventura County 1 - Vancouver 2
Corners: Ventura County 3 - Vancouver 4

Cautions:
13' - VCF - Jazmarae Strozier

Vancouver Whitecaps FC
27.Stephanie Panozzo; 3.Shannon Woeller, 8.Rachael Pelat, 11.Randee Hermus, 16.Katie Thorlakson (19.Eden Hingwing 82'); 13.Chelsea Stewart (7.Ashley McGhee 89'), 15.Sophie Schmidt (4.Kirsteen Buchan 19'), 18.Monica Lam-Feist; 2.Kate Qually (20.Nikki Wright 70'), 6.Amy Vermeulen (17.Kim McMullen 89'), 10.Jodi-Ann Robinson (9.Julie Armstrong 85')

Subs not used: 1.Sian Bagshawe

Ventura County Fusion
00.Kay Hawke; 4.Fabiane Nascimento, 9.Megan Erskine (12.Sidney Garza 45'), 10.Paula Pires, 13.Ericka Baer, 20.Loretta Nixon; 5.Randi Johns (6.Heather Vandevanter 70'), 8.Natalie Martineau (27.Faith Perry 85'), 22.Jazmarae Strozier (20.Jessica Velazquez 62'); 11.Heloisa Oliveira (18.Daisy Vazquez 85'), 21.Emily Cressy