Sky Blue Offensive Struggles Continue In Loss to Seattle

Sky Blue FC goaltender Brittany Cameron (Sky Blue Photo/Robyn McNeil)

Head coach Jim Gabarra and his Sky Blue team suffered their fourth loss of the season at an away game in the hands of Seattle Reign. Sky Blue was shutout by Seattle at Moda Pitch Memorial Stadium 3-0.

Leading the way for Seattle’s attack were Keeling Winter, Kim Little, and Jess Fishlock. Seattle opened up the scoring early in the game in the eighth minute when Fishlock fed a through ball past the Sky Blue defenders to Winters for her first goal in the 2015 season. Just seven minutes later, Meg Morris of Sky Blue beat her defender, and unluckily hit the post.

In the twenty-eighth minute, Fishlock put away a header goal from a corner cross by Steph Cox and Seattle headed into the locker room with a two-goal advantage at halftime.

The beginning of the second half was pretty even, with the ball being played in both halves of the field. In the seventy-sixth minute of play, off of a free kick by Little, Seattle was awarded a penalty kick because of a handball in the box after Little’s strike. Little put away the penalty kick to make it 3-0 in favor of the home team.

Sky Blue was outshot by the Reign 19 shots to four, with 12 of them being on target by Seattle, and only one for Sky Blue. Sky Blue goalkeeper, Brittany Cameron, made a total of nine saves. This game was the second of three regular season games between the teams. In May, they finished a game at a 1-1 draw, and the teams will play once again on August 29 at Yurcak Field. Sky Blue stands at a record of 1-4-4 with seven points.

Sky Blue FC have only scored six goals all season long (in the span of nine games), and have not scored more than a goal in a game. Because of the World Cup, Sky Blue suffered a loss to their lineup. Four starters, Kelley O’Hara (USA), Christie Rampone (USA), Caitlin Foord (AUS), and Samantha Kerr (AUS), are on their international duties. The National Women’s Soccer League is taking a two week break for the group stages of the World Cup.

Sky Blue returns home on June 28 against the Chicago Red Stars at Yurcak Field at 6:00 PM EST. Hopefully this two week break will allow Sky Blue to recuperate, fine tune where they are struggling offensively and defensively, and bounce back for the remainder of the season.