Boston Breakers Fall to FC Kansas City at Home

Published on July 9, 2015 under National Women's Soccer League (NWSL)
Boston Breakers News Release


HANOVER, Mass. (July 9, 2015) - A 79th-minute goal from FC Kansas City's Shea Groom proved to be the deciding goal Thursday night a 3-2 Breakers loss in front of 2,525 fans at Soldier's Field Soccer Stadium in Allston.

In an offensive game that saw both teams dominate in stretches and trade goals, the Blues' game-winner came at an unsuspecting time. In an attempt to clear the ball, FCKC found itself building towards the Boston net, and Jen Buczkowski threaded the ball to a running Groom, who squeezed it between Jami Kranich and the right post for the winner.

"We found ourselves in a situation at 2-2 and where we got caught off guard on a counter," Boston Breakers head coach Tom Durkin assessed.

Boston tied the game 20 minutes earlier in the 60th minute as a result from of some work on the right wing from Maddy Evans.

Evans got a ball near the end line from Kristie Mewis and worked to send it back in to the box off of some FCKC players. Mewis fired the ball to the low right corner of the net for Mewis' fourth goal of the season and a 2-2 score.

Evans created a number of opportunities for the Breakers from the right wing over the course of the game, as the third-year pro kept sending in some dangerous crosses. In the 12th minute, Evans served a ball up in the box, one that Mollie Pathman was able to strike hard and low. FC Kansas City keeper Katelyn Rowland made a kick save with her left fot to keep the game tied.

In the 19th minute, Evans gave the Breakers two chances to go up on the Blues, but Rowland was up to the task. First, Mewis just missed back heeling it past Rowland, and it was deflected out, and then a few seconds later, Evans lofted a cross in that was head for the top left corner but the 5-foot, 11-inch Rowland timed her jump and was able to pull it in with her right hand.

"We still have to finish the chances that we create. We're creating chances by the basketful in each half, and we just have to capitalize on the chances," Durkin said.

The first half started and ended with goals, as it didn't take long for the Blues to get on the board when Erika Tymrak poked it in for her first of two on the night. The play had developed back at midfield when Frances Silva beat the left side of the Breakers defense and fed a running Groom near the box. Groom was able to send in a cross that bounced around in the box where it landed at Tymrak's feet and eventually in the net to make it 1-0.

The Breakers responded quickly, as they took advantage of the first corner of the game to knot it at 1-1. Mewis sent the ball to the far post where it bounced from Julie King's head to an off-guard Rowland. Rowland was unable to stop it from finding another head, this time Morgan Marlborough, who redirected it into the net for her third goal of the season.

The goal sparked the Breakers, who fired 18 shots and eight shots on goal, and saw them go on a tear, churning out chance after chance, but had trouble finding the back of the net.

"I think it was good that we came back and scored and created so many chances in the first half. I think if we had put some of those away it would have been a completely different game," Marlborough said.

FC Kansas City threatened to retake the lead in the 24th minute when Caroline Kastor turned and fired from 20 yards out, but Kranich, who was forced to fully extend to her left on the shot, kept the game tied. However with seconds left in the half, the Blues went up, 2-1, when Groom beat multiple Boston defenders on the end line and slotted it to Tymrak, who took it to the top right for the brace.

Kranich finished the game with three saves on six shots to Rowland's six saves on eight shots on goal.

McCaffrey and Mewis both found themselves on the scoring doorstep - McCaffrey in the 12th minute when she was fed over the top but unable to get a shot off and Mewis in the 22nd when she nearly beat Rowland from 35 yards out - but neither were able to find the back of the net.

Boston almost took the lead in the 74th minute when Riley Houle, making her professional debut, ran in on Rowland but took a heavy touch and couldn't slot it home.

"It would have been nice to catch that goal and win 3-2," Durkin said. "It's frustrating because the kids played really well during the game tonight and did some good things. We've got to find a way to close these games out."

The Breakers return to action Saturday, July 18, at Chicago before returning home on Wednesday, July 22 to host Chicago. To purchase tickets, visit www.breakerstickets.com.

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