Written By: Sam Palmer West Region Contributor
Starfire Stadium is tucked away in a southern corner of Seattle. It doesn’t fall under the shadow of the Space Needle or frame stunning views of Mount Rainier. In some ways it is unspectacular - but it plays an outsized role in the history and culture of Northwest soccer.
Until 2019 it housed the only WPSL team from the Northwest Conference to win a national championship, the Seattle Sounders Women. The 2012 WPSL-Elite edition of that team included international stars like Megan Rapinoe and Alex Morgan, who would stay at Starfire for the Seattle Reign’s NWSL inaugural season in 2013. Add in some legendary matches for the Seattle Sounders men’s team, which uses the venue for U.S. Open Cup matches, and the picture emerges of a soccer fortress, armored with history and prestige.
The heir to that tradition is PacNW, who are now the sole WPSL occupants of the stadium. The entire youth setup for the club is headquartered at the Starfire complex, a collage of turf and grass fields with the stadium as the crown jewel. Players grow up in the shadow of that little stadium. Visiting teams, and presumably sometimes home teams as well, will be thinking about legendary teams and players that aren’t even playing that day when they step on the stadium field.
If PacNW’s WPSL team feels any pressure from that role, it didn’t show it on May 22, when it beat OSA XF 5-2 at home.
The statement began three minutes in when PacNW scored the first goal. The ball was won in the midfield by PacNW, then spread quickly to Mireya Grey on the left. With quick, accurate passes they were able to traverse the midfield again, eventually creating an underlap that put Keeley Dockter through on its right-wing.
OSA XF’s left center back came out to cover as Dockter made for the byline, who had plenty of time to cut a ball to the penalty spot. Grey, one of the first components of the sequence, legged it into the box before pulling off intelligently into space and finishing the chance with a low, hard shot to the keeper’s left to make it 1-0.
Less than two minutes later, PacNW delivered another body blow to make it 2-0, again from the right wing. Initially well-contained by the OSA defense, PacNW did well to maintain possession and distort the opponent’s shape, eventually allowing Kailey Utley to work a cross to the near post. Though marked tightly by the OSA defender, Jadyn Edwards was simply too powerful and slotted the ball home as if she was totally alone.
OSA XF could hardly lay a glove on PacNW for the rest of the first half, as one more goal each from Grey and Edwards put the home side up 4-0 before the break. Edwards’ goal, in particular, should be singled out, as she deftly controlled a firm layoff from her teammate at the top of the box before rifling a shot in just under the crossbar.
The second half proved to be more of an even contest, with Ashlyn Ryan, the PacNW goalkeeper, pawing a ball off the goalline within minutes of the restart. Moments later, however, as if in reply, PacNW put the result beyond doubt when Kayla Adams delivered an inviting cross to the top of the six-yard box, which was duly nodded in by Hallie Bergford to make it 5-0.
The outlook improved for OSA XF in the aftermath of this goal, by closing a tough two-match weekend with two goals to make it 5-2 on the night. Ashley Roni scored OSA’s first in the 75’ minute, doing well to redirect a high cross and power it past the goalkeeper, and Cameron Bourne finished the night’s spectacle when she won the ball high on the pitch and then rocketed it into the far corner in the final minutes of the match.
OSA can take heart from its fight, grinding out two well-earned goals with almost 180 minutes in their legs The team will look to rest and recover before taking on PacNW again, this time at home, on June 12.
Taken as a whole, PacNW will be pleased not only with the three points but also with the performance - one in which its technical prowess and commitment to a passing-intensive style paid off in a big way. If its goal is to add to Starfire Stadium’s reputation as an intimidating place to play, PacNW couldn’t have asked for a better start to the season.