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EIGHT MATCHES, EIGHT WINS, AND A HEARTLAND DIVISION TITLE

Kansas City Current II Prepare for WPSL Postseason with Chance to Claim Midwest Conference Title in First Season
Published Jul 1, 2022
Written By:  Joe Chatz
             Central Region Contributor

It has been a season to remember for Kansas City Current II in its inaugural WPSL campaign. Opening the season with a 12-0 win on the road and concluding it with a 5-0 win at home, this club continuously outperformed its competition.
 

Kansas City didn’t just set a mark in its own division, the league newcomers ended its regular season with 50 goals scored with just a single goal being allowed. The 50 goals scored just edged out Downtown United Soccer Club, from the East Region’s Metropolitan Conference, for most in the league.
 

Large scorelines aside, the NWSL reserve side accomplished what it needed to as a developmental squad for the first team.

 

“Our players got to train as a group with the same ethos, same philosophy as our first team,” Huw Williams, Current II head coach, said. “It was the same principles as our first team. And also, those players got to train with those first-team players from time to time as well. So, it was a very positive experience for all concerned.”

 

Kansas City’s individual players stood out as well. Forward Caroline Kelly was essential to the team’s success as she collected eight goals and two assists during the regular season while operating at the top of the Current II attack.

 

“She’s [Kelly] got that personality, trying to create something out of nothing,” Williams said. “One of our principles was to regain possession as quickly as we can, and Caroline was the perfect example of that. She was able to win possession high, which provided opportunities for herself and teammates as well.”

 

The outstanding goalkeeping was a collaborative effort between teammates Cristina Roque and Evelyn Vitali, as the two played split halves of every match. It was up to them to determine who would start each match, forcing them to take advantage of their smaller-than-normal playing window.

 

“The challenge for them was focus,” said Williams. “The challenge was staying involved in the game and being a part of organizing our defense.”

 

Evaluating this roster for the first team was a theme throughout the season, but the large scorelines allowed Williams and his staff to evaluate these players on both a technical and mental basis.

 

“It became about how do you handle success…how do you handle being up by three or four goals…how do you react to that…are you still working hard…how do you handle the substitution patterns that we had?” Williams said. “All the things that happen within a game, we were evaluating body language too. We were evaluating how the players reacted to their own mistakes, teammate mistakes.”

 

Regardless of the evaluation process at the end of the season, KC Current II managed one of the most dominant WPSL seasons we have ever seen. Now Williams’ side must focus on a new challenge – the Midwest Conference Championship with a spot in the Central Regional Playoffs on the line.

 

On July 7, Current II will host the Lake Michigan Division Champions – FC Milwaukee Torrent who has recorded seven wins and a single loss on its regular-season schedule while outscoring its opponents 20/4.