Sky Blue FC Looks for Redemption Against Rival Western New York

Erin Nayler and Leah Galton join the Sky Blue FC roster ahead of the Week 6 rematch with Western New York. Photo: Robin McNeil (top) & Erica L. Ayala, MWSports (right)

Sky Blue FC, who share an identical record with the Seattle Reign (2-2-1) will take on the Western New York Flash (2-3-0) at Salen’s Stadium in Week 6 action. The Flash made a 2nd half comeback to defeat Sky Blue FC at Yurcak Field in Week 3. Veterans Christie Rampone, Kelley O’Hara and Tasha Kai will look to lead the rookie-saturated squad to its second consecutive victory, and mature an unbeaten road streak to seven games.

Stats Through Five Games

The SBFC offense is led by Maya Hayes with two goals. Tasha Kai and rookie Kelly Cohneeney each have one goal on the season. Boston gets credit for the goal that secured New Jersey the 1-0 win last week. Collectively, Sky Blue has recorded 47 shots and a 49 percent shots on goal average. Western New York currently has taken 72 shots, but only managed to get 40% on frame for three goals. The first goal scored in the run of play was the difference in the last matchup between Sky Blue and the Flash. In order to find success this week and beyond, the team must continue to develop team chemistry and stay healthy. However, both have already been a struggle.

Keeper Notes

Last week, New Zealand National Team keeper Erin Nayler officially joined the SBFC roster. Caroline Casey, the rookie who started the first two games of the season, was released to make space for Nayler. While Caroline Stanley has been the starting keeper for the last three games, it’s likely that we will see Nayler eventually. What does this mean for building chemistry for the defense?

Head Coach Christy Holly, nor Stanley seemed too worried about that. Right now, it is Stanley that has established relationships with the back line, and the level of consistency in play that Holly wants. The Head Coach indicated that Nayler will be given time to build that. As for Stanley, she is looking to stay healthy and contribute to building a cohesive team, “I think that the team chemistry is building, and I think that, if I just keep focusing on the areas of my personal game that need to improve, [the team] will feel more confident with be behind them …”

When MyWSports asked Stanley what aspects of her game she is looking to improve, she responded that having a calm, even-keeled voice and presence, while also, “being a brute”, is her personal focus. Stanley wants to make aggressive plays to protect and support her teammates, with full confidence that her defense will continue to do the same, “It’s easy to feel confident when you’ve got Christie Rampone, Kelley O’Hara, Erica Skroski and Erin Simon on your back line [and] Sarah Killion in the front.”

Stanley, who collected her second clean sheet of the season last week against Boston, is excited to continue to learn and be challenged by her keeper peers, “[Leah] is great! She’s got a lot of caps for New Zealand under her belt. I’ve seen her play against the U.S, and she’s a positive influence for the team … I think we’ve got a good goalkeeping core here that’s not going to get stagnant, which I’m excited about.”

Dealing with Injury

As MyWSports suspected, Danielle Schulmann has made way for 2016 draft pick Leah Galton. However, it is by way of a stint of the DL, as opposed to a cut. Schulmann is one of a handful of SBFC players, Stanley included, dealing with injury. Schulmann was placed on the 45-day disabled list with a right thigh strain. With Galton’s academic career at Hofstra official finished, she is likely a welcomed fresh and healthy body to the roster. Like most of her rookie class, Galton will be asked to step into the team quickly and as seamlessly as possible.

Maneuvering through injury while also building team chemistry has been the name of the game for Sky Blue FC this season. As Christy Holly told the media after last week’s win over the Boston Breakers, SBFC was aware that new players, rookies in particular, were going to be a mainstay in the starting lineup, “A lot of the [changes] that went down in the offseason, we knew were going to happen. The big M.O was getting players that wanted to be here, get Jersey girls here that … deserve to be here.” Holly also reemphasized that having players wanting and willing to grind out wins for the fans and their teammates is the team that he was focused on building.

Becoming a Contender

No doubt, Sky Blue FC is a team with some good old moxie. They will need it to prove that they can make a run, especially as an upcoming USWNT Camp, and pair of friendlies against Japan will call Rampone and O’Hara away. Erin Simon knows the team must prove that they have staying power, “Obviously we don’t wanna just win one and then lose two again, like we did. It’s good to see that progress and continue to push forward and see those results. That’s just what we need to do.”

For now, Sky Blue is focused on Western New York, “We know we did not do ourselves any justice in the second half the last time we played Western New York, and we are anxious to correct some of those mistakes we made,” commented Holly, “We fully realize the importance of getting a result in this match, and that is exactly what we are looking to do on Saturday night.”

To catch the action live at Sahlen’s Stadium, you can purchase tickets here. Fans can also tune in on YouTube. Kick off is set for 7pm local time. For up-to-date NWSL standings and game updates, visit MyWSport.com and follow us on Twitter, @MyWSports.