Photo courtesy of USL League Two
The Seattle soccer scene is alive and thriving as USL League Two side Ballard FC looks to secure its first-ever league title this Saturday against Lionsbridge FC at Starfire Stadium.
“It's always great when we have Seattle sports teams doing well, so all the support from Seattle Sounders to them,” said Sounders defender Alex Roldan.
It’s been a stellar season for the squad so far, capturing its first Western Conference championship and making its way to the USL League Two finals in just its second year.
“In the short amount of time that they've been in that league, they've had some good success,” said Roldan. “So, wishing them all the best.”
Ballard’s first trophy came on July 28 when the team found retribution against Ventura County Fusion, who had defeated them the season prior in the Western Conference finals. While it looked like the match was Ventura’s for the taking, with the California team up by two with less than 10 minutes to go, a persistent performance from Ballard, along with a hat trick from Stas Korzeniowski, pushed the Seattle side to a 4-3 victory and a ticket to the National Semifinal.
A Taketo Onodera strike from distance solidified the 1-0 win over Flint City in the semifinals, leading the Ballard squad to its last test of the season — a battle to decide the top team in USL League Two against the Chesapeake Division champs.
Saturday’s match will be a night to remember; with already 2,500 tickets sold for the match, this will be Ballard FC’s biggest crowd to date. Fans will also have access to food, beer and Ballard FC merchandise, making the night a can’t miss event.
Ballard’s 2023 season has been historic to say the least, and a championship win would make it that much more special.
Nevertheless, the team’s journey to this moment is something worth recognizing.
Sounders Head Coach Brian Schmetzer said it perfectly.
“We wish them luck. It's a great story.”
You can purchase tickets to Saturday’s match HERE.
