The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
The Spokesman-Review Newspaper The Spokesman-Review
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883
Current Temperature
27°F
Current Conditions
Broken clouds
View complete weather report

Color Scheme

Subscribe now

Spokane Zephyr shut out Brooklyn 3-0 in spring home opener

From Staff Reports

It was the Ginger Fontenot and Tori Waldeck-Zierenberg show as each scored once and recorded an assist in the Spokane Zephyr’s 3-0 shutout over Brooklyn FC at ONE Spokane Stadium on Saturday. 

The Zephyr began their first home game since Nov. 15 on the back foot early, and both teams traded multiple shot attempts for the first 20 minutes. 

Spokane blocked two of Brooklyn’s shots in the first five minutes before Reese Tappan missed the Zephyr’s first attempt of the game in the 13th. 

After Brooklyn squandered two more scoring opportunities in the 17th and 20th minutes, Spokane seized momentum and notched two goals in five shots. 

At the 23-minute mark, on a fast break, Lena Silano lobbed the ball to a running  Fontenot in the penalty area. With multiple defenders around her, Fontenot took the pass, and fired a shot that missed just a couple feet to the left of the goalpost. 

In the 32nd minute, Brooklyn goalkeeper Kelsey Daugherty made a diving save to deny Sophie Braun, who struck an on-target shot after cutting to the left and beating her defender to an open space from 20 yards away. 

The scoreless deadlock broke after a Tappan header following a corner kick in the 36th minute. Kelsey Oyler passed to Waldeck-Zierenberg along the left sideline to start the inbounds play. Waldeck-Zierenberg crossed to a crowded box where an unmarked Tappan jumped and volleyed the ball to the back corner of the net. It was Tappan’s first goal of the season. 

Five minutes later, Waldeck-Zierenberg scored off a Fontenot ground cross and Spokane took a 2-0 lead into halftime. 

Spokane’s offensive aggression continued and it sealed the game in the 61st minute. Tappan connected with Silano off a set piece from Brooklyn’s half. Silano headed a pass to Fontenot, who snuck behind multiple defenders and tucked the ball past Daugherty. 

Waldeck-Zierenberg finished with four chances created, and 81.8% passing accuracy. Fontenot had four shots, and three chances created. With her goal, Tappan was also a force on the defense with five of the Zephyr’s 22 clearances, two blocks, and one interception. 

Hope Hisey notched her seventh clean sheet of the season. 

Spokane outshot Brooklyn 16-9. 

The fifth-place Zephyr (6-7-7) look to extend their two-game winning streak against sixth-ranked D.C. Power (5-5-8) Saturday at ONE Spokane Stadium. The game will be broadcast on Peacock.