WPSL Provides Summer Play for Patriots
July 17, 2088

This summer, three members of The University of Texas at Tyler women’s soccer team are spending their break playing in the Women’s Premier Soccer League. Sophomore Ashley Crawford (Colleyville, Texas) and freshman Emily Bechdol (Cedar Hill, Texas) are playing for Vitesse Dallas, while their UT Tyler teammate, sophomore Kasey Kemp (Colleyville, Texas), is playing for Fort Worth FC.

Despite the growing popularity of soccer in America, there remain very few opportunities for players to compete outside of soccer clubs and school teams. This is not the case for other sports, such as baseball. Baseball is equipped with a large farm system, numerous independent leagues and summer leagues at which college players can hone their craft during the off-season.

It was on this notion that the WPSL was founded in 1998. The WPSL gives women collegiate soccer players from all over the nation the chance to play soccer during the summer against quality competition.

This year the WPSL is composed of 50 teams divided among five conferences, with teams spanning from San Diego, California to Bangor, Maine.

Both teams featuring Patriots compete in the South Division of the Big Sky Conference, along with two teams from Oklahoma and one team from the Houston area.

Going into the final weekend of the season, Fort Worth FC is sitting at second place in the division with a record of 2-3-1, while Vitesse Dallas is currently at 1-4.

The last match for both teams was against each other on July 5, with Fort Worth coming out on top, 2-0. Dallas and Fort Worth will meet for the final time this season on Friday, July 18. Following that match-up, both teams will end their regular season by taking on the Tulsa Spirit later in the weekend. Dallas will face Tulsa on Saturday, July 19, while Fort Worth will host the same Tulsa team on Sunday, July 20.

For more information on Fort Worth FC, Vitesse Dallas and the WPSL in general, including scores, schedules, statistics and more, log on to www.wpsl.info.

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