LA Strikers start off W-League season with a win and two losses

The LA Strikers season is underway, with a trio of results to get the 2013 USL W-League season going. With a new coach and many additions to this year's roster, there were high hopes heading into the campaign.

The Strikers started the season off on a bright note, as they downed local rival Pali Blues 2-0 May 18. Goals from Jamie Bell and LeAndra Walker gave the visitors the win, and featured two players singled out for their contributions, Bell and Rachel Daly to the W-League's team of the week following the Pali win, with Kristy Krohn meriting an honorable mention. Daly was also named W-League Player of the Week for her commanding performance, getting the Strikers off to a terrific start.

The Strikers then ventured up to the Pacific Northwest for their second match, against the Seattle Sounders Women, losing 4-2 May 27. Bell once again came up with the first goal of the match, in just the 2nd minute, before Isabel Farrell tied the score for Seattle in the 32nd minute. Tanya Samarzich put the Strikers ahead once again in the 37th minute, but an own goal by the visitors in the 50th evened the score once more, and late goals by Annie Sittauer and Allie Beahan gave the Sounders the 4-2 margin and the full three points.

The latest game came last Friday, when LA were on the road once again, this time against the Santa Clarita Blue Heat. They lost this match as well, 3-2, with Kristy Moore getting a second half brace for the Strikers.

The 1-2-0 start puts the Strikers in 5th place in the Western Conference at the moment, although three of the teams ahead of them have played between one and three games more to this point in the season.

When asked for comment about the start to the season, team General Manager Vanessa Valentine told The Goat Parade the following:

The LA Strikers have had a good start to our 2013 season. Beating Pali Blues in our season opener was a great success. Though we have recently fallen to Seattle Sounders and SC Blue Heat, both on away games, we are excited to be back at our home field for our home opener on Wednesday night at 7:30pm at Occidental College. Sure to be an exciting game in front of our home crowd on our home field, we will be facing Seattle Sounders again for a re-match. The Strikers have been working very hard to make sure this is our best season yet. Please check our website for ticket information and news and updates of our season.

Tickets for the game are $10. Be sure to check it out Wednesday evening and support local women's pro soccer if you can!

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