Civic Park was alive this week for back to back home matches versus West Seattle. First, the women hosted the Rhodies on Wednesday night, then the men battled Junction just 24 hours later.
The match between Lane United FC and the Rhodies opened with an evenly matched first half. Both teams had moments of solid possession, with Lane looking composed early on. A yellow card outside the box in the 34th minute put Lane under pressure, and the Rhodies capitalized with a headed goal in the 36th minute. Lane answered quickly in the 41st minute with a composed finish by Rin Choi after strong pressure on the Rhodies’ back line. “She’s just that good, she’s very cheeky, she brings that energy, and she’s a very, very smart player who encourages those around her,” said Coach Halle Meadows, awarding Choi as player of the match. Just as it seemed Lane had regained momentum, the Rhodies reclaimed the lead with another headed goal in first-half stoppage time.
Lane came out with intensity and control in the second half, immediately applying pressure with front handspring throw-ins by Julia Martin and sharp offensive pushes. Lane continued to dominate possession and tempo, showing strong defense and tight control in midfield that gave them the edge. Their efforts paid off when Alyssa White shot a ball from outside the box, landing in the upper right corner to equalize the match. “I saw the goalkeeper off the line and was like, this is the time to hit it,” said White after the game. Lane also racked up more corner opportunities, shots on goal, created several close chances, and controlled the flow of play. With momentum clearly on their side, Lane looked hungry for the winning goal as they pushed relentlessly to the final whistle. Despite their dominance in the second half, the match ended in a 2–2 draw.
Just 24 hours later, Lane United FC Men took on West Seattle Junction FC at Civic Park with a 2–0 shutout victory. It was an aggressive match and a tough fight from both sides, but Lane secured the win with two goals from Bautista Rossi-Molinas.
Lane United came out strong in the first half, maintaining solid possession. While momentum shifted occasionally, Lane largely dictated the pace of the match. Junction FC put up a tough fight with moments of pressure, but Lane consistently held more possession and created more opportunities in the attacking third. By the 40th minute, Lane had 9 shots on goal, while holding Junction FC to 3. The half ended scoreless at 0–0, but with Lane clearly in control.
The breakthrough came early in the second half when Lane was awarded a penalty in the 55th minute after a foul on Rossi-Molinas, who stepped up and gave Lane the lead. In the 69th minute, Rossi-Molinas struck again—intercepting a ball near Junction’s 25-yard line with a brave tackle on Junction’s keeper, and burying it into the back of the net. “He’s a pressing machine. He has a nose for goals. He’s a competitor. He hates to lose. He just wants to fight for the club,” said Head Coach John Galas about the standout performance of Rossi-Molinas. After the match, Rossi-Molinas reflected on the support from fans, saying, “It’s awesome that people came here to support us. It doesn’t matter the weather, the day, if it’s the weekend. It’s Thursday, Wednesday. They don’t care. They are here.” Lane ended the match with 14 shots on goal, doubling Junction’s total and showcasing their dominance.
Story Written by Lauren Langvin