DC Power FC suffered another loss on a late goal as they fell 2-1 to Spokane Zephyr on Tuesday night at Audi Field. An 84th minute Emina Ekic was the difference in the match.

Lineups

DC Power (3-5-2): Morgan Aquino; Amber DiOrio (Myra Konte – 71′), Madison Wolfbauer, Madison Murnin; Anna Bagley, Katie Duong, Emily Colton, Carleigh Frilles (Yuuka Kurosaki – 83′), Susanna Fitch (c); Loza Abera, Gianna Gourley (Jennifer Cudjoe – 46′)
Unused Subs: Adelaide Gay, Alex Kirnos, Charlie Estcourt, Nicole Douglas

Spokane Zephyr (4-1-4-1): Hope Hisey; Haley Thomas, Sarah Clark, Sydney Cummings, Alyssa Bourgeois; Taylor Aylmer (c); Emina Ekic, Katie Murray (Emma Jaskaniec – 22′), Sophia Braun, McKenzie Weinert (Natalie Viggiano – 64′); Allison Cook (Jodi Ülkekul – 90+6′)
Unused Subs: Isobel Nino, Reese Tappan, Marley Canales, Wayny Balata

DC Power began the match very aggressive and appeared to have the opening goal just 2 minutes into the match with Gianna Gourley was able to cross the ball to the feet of Carleigh Frilles in the box for a great finish. However, it was immediately called back due to offside, as Loza Abera appeared to have affected the keeper’s ability to play the ball from an offside position.

The team continued to push and had Spokane on their back heels for the first 25 minutes, even as Spokane’s Katie Murray subbed off after 22 minutes due to injury. At that point, both teams settled into the match and each had some good chances for the rest of the half. Still, despite that, and the rain affecting some of the play throughout, the match headed to halftime scoreless.

The second half started and both teams settled in quickly. The first dangerous chance came in the 52nd minute, when Spokane’s Emma Jaskaniec was able to get free behind the defense. However, Madison Murnin was able to slide in at the last second to poke the ball away from Jaskaneic and out of danger.

In the 65th minute, Spokane drew first blood. Off a turnover in their own half, Spokane’s Natalie Viggiano, who had just entered the match, was able to take the ball the other way. She got a pass to Emina Ekic on the right side, who fired the shot home off the hands of Aquino to make it 1-0 Spokane.

Four minutes later, Spokane was able to get on the break again. This time, Allison Cook was able to get the ball in the box and get a touch before being taken down by DC Power’s Morgan Aquino for a penalty. Cook stepped up to take the penalty, but the shot screamed past the outstretched arm of Aquino to smash off the post and out to keep it 1-0.

“I think them missing the PK was really big for us,” DC Power defender Madison Wolfbauer said after the match. “[Spokane] missing the PK gave us that energy. We’re like, you know what? Maybe they didn’t deserve that moment.” DC Power had a new lease on life, and a few minutes later, their push paid off. Pressing deep inside Spokane’s penalty area, Carleigh Frilles was able to get the ball on a turnover just a couple yards from goal. However, Sydney Cummings brought her down as she attempted the point blank shot, and the referee signaled for a penalty. Madison Wolfbauer calmly stepped up to hammer the attempt home to level the match at 1-1.

“[The] last time we played Spokane at home in the fall, I took two PKs against them…I took them both the opposite ways I went tonight, so I knew [Spokane goalkeeper Hope Hisey] would dive that way, if she thought I was to step up. It was either between me and Katie [Duong]. Katie took the last one we had so I’m like, ‘you gotta switch it up,’ of course.”

DC Power almost another one immediately off the restart. They were able to collect the ball and go on the break again. Susanna Fitch was able to get off a shot that appeared to be deflected twice by Spokane before it went just over the bar.

DC continued to control possession and get behind the defense for chances, but they weren’t able to get shots off. However, in the 84th minute, disaster struck. Spokane drew a corner kick, and Emica Ekic had an Olimpico that Morgan Aquino appeared to misjudge in flight as it sailed into the goal. That made it 2-1 to Spokane Zephyr.

DC Power was able to get one more great chance deep into stoppage time, but Emily Colton’s long shot again went just over the bar. A few moments later, the whistle blew for full time.

“I’m still proud of what they were able to do out there…the resiliency, again, to fight back from being down one,” interim coach Phil Nana said after the match. “I’ll go back and look at the film and see exactly what went wrong, what needs to improve, and try to build on the things that we did well.” Both Nana and Wolfbauer expressed the feeling like it was a match they played well enough to win, but a couple of mistakes were the difference. “We’re pissed because we feel we deserve to win,” Wolfbauer stated. “It’s a different kind of anger and frustration because…I am confident we deserved to win this game.”

With the loss, DC Power drops to 5W-13L-7D. They’re back in action next Tuesday in their final home match of the 2024-25 season when they host Fort Lauderdale United FC.