K-W United News Release - www.kwunitedfc.com
Thursday, May 23, 2013
WATERLOO, Ont. - In their inaugural game as K-W United FC, the W-League team fought back to tie the game late into extra time, claiming a draw with the London Gryphons, 1-1.
Maxine Murchie, a Kitchener, Ont., native, found the ball after a scramble at the top corner of the box and sent it into the net to tie the game in the third minute of extra time.
"The dressing room was very intense and I was a little bit nervous, obviously, but as a team we supported each other," Murchie said. "We said it's the first game as K-W United, first game ever, and we just said 'lets kick butt out there, let's do our thing.'"
The first half of the game began slow for United, as it struggled to find momentum and bring the ball up the half. However, Emma Kruse stood tall in net for K-W and came up big on a London corner kick in the 37th minute and a free kick in the 45th minute to finish the half.
K-W United came out flying in the second half, with Kruse playing big in net and Scotland native Anne Houliston having two big chances. First, she broke down the left side, but was called offside in the 72nd minute. Five minutes later, Houliston had a clean shot on London goalkeeper Miranda Horn, but Horn got a hand on it to send it wide.
The teams played even for the following 10 minutes until in the 88th, when London's Alex Charlebois beat Kruse to put the visitors up 1-0.
In the 90th minute, however, Murchie's goal brought them even to pick up a point.
"I just hauled my butt up there and luckily Courtney [Conrad] dug in with the goalie and I was just there for the rebound and got it in," Murchie said.
Wednesday's game was K-W United FC's first game, and the team has only been training together for two weeks. The team is comprised of elite women's players from throughout Canada, the United States, and Europe.
The W-League team's next game is next Wednesday at home against the Toronto Lady Lynx. Game time is 7 p.m. and tickets are still on sale.