THE RIPPLE EFFECT:

Kansas City Current II Wins Midwest Conference Championship in Dominant Fashion

Kansas City Current II won the 2022 Midwest Conference Championship on Thursday evening in the team’s inaugural season. Downing the Milwaukee Torrent 7-0 in the first round of the 2022 Women’s Premier Soccer League Playoffs, the win extended Current II’s unbeaten season to 9-0-0.  
 
"It's amazing for us to finish the conference run undefeated,” said Kansas City Current II acting head coach Vasil Ristov. “Coming into this game, obviously it’s our first year and we didn’t know what to expect, but once we stepped on the field and started controlling the tempo of the game, I had no doubt that the girls were going to come out on top.” 

Despite being without a few key players, Kansas City dominated Milwaukee from the outset. Current II's experience led the way early, as midfielder Olivia Garcia opened the scoring in the 13th minute with a curled finish from just outside the goal box. The goal marked Garcia’s sixth of the season and kickstarted an impressive performance from the midfielder. Garcia finished Thursday’s match with a hat trick, adding a penalty kick in the 38th minute and her final goal of the match in the 68th minute.  

Still, Garcia’s opening goal stood through the first half water break, as Current II was unable to get past Torrent goalkeeper Quinlan Warren. In the 31st minute, though, Kansas City got some breathing room with a goal from forward Miyako Hallier in her first appearance for Current II. Fellow forward Caroline Kelly slid Hallier through on goal and, after Warren saved Hallier’s first lunging attempt, she continued her slide and sent the ball into the net.  

After Garcia’s penalty kick, forward Amelia Horton put a bow on the first half with a headed goal on an assist from forward Chelsea Wagner, and Current II led 4-0 after the first 45 minutes. The combination of both experienced players and newcomers contributing was a central theme for Current II on Thursday.  

“I think some of the older players did a very good job of taking the younger players under their wing right away and making sure they felt as comfortable as possible,” said Ristov. “And you could see some nervous [moments] in the beginning, but once they made a couple of passes, they settled in and looked like they haven’t missed a beat.” 

Current II continued to put pressure on Milwaukee’s back line as the second half began, and Garcia’s goal on an assist from midfielder Lily Farkas in the 68th minute served as the breakthrough. In the final moments of the match, Kansas City struck twice more. Forward Mary Long, also making her first appearance for Current II, nodded the ball into the goal in the 87th minute to give Kansas City a 6-0 lead. Wagner rounded out the scoring in second-half stoppage time.  

Following the victory, Kansas City Current II hits the road and continues postseason play in the Central Region Playoffs. For the latest news on upcoming matches, be sure to follow Kansas City Current II’s official twitter account, @thekccurrentii.  
 
Scoring 
13’ Kansas City Current II – Garcia (Unassisted) 

31’ Kansas City Current II – Hallier (Kelly) 

38’ Kansas City Current II – Garcia (PK) 

45’ Kansas City Current II – Horton (Wagner) 

68’ Kansas City Current II – Garcia (Farkas) 

87’ Kansas City Current II – Long (Stram) 

90+1’ Kansas City Current II – Wagner (Garcia) 

Scoring Summary 

Goals 1 2 F 

Kansas City 4 3 7 

Milwaukee 0 0 0