San Diego Union-Tribune (Sunday)
KORNIECK KEY IN SEMIFINAL
It’s great for the Wave that Alex Morgan returned from a knee injury for last weekend’s playoff opener, scored a big goal and trained this week for the National Women’s Soccer League semifinals match today in Portland.
However, when it comes to Portland, Morgan’s revival doesn’t eclipse midfielder Taylor Kornieck’s return last week.
“Taylor seems to play very well against Portland,” Wave coach Casey Stoney said.
“It’s a team she likes playing against. I’m looking forward to seeing her performance again this week.”
Kornieck, assisting last week’s 2-1 win, logged 102 minutes in her first action since missing the season’s finale with a bum ankle. Morgan broke a 1-1 tie in her 117minute performance, as the Wave edged Chicago in overtime.
Stoney deemed her team “in good shape” entering today’s contest.
Portland would prefer Kornieck miss the team flight.
Her two goals rallied the Wave to a tie in June. In the rematch, she flicked a header to set up Morgan’s goal in a 2-0 road victory.
Kornieck troubled most opponents, among them national teams this summer. She’s broadly skilled, physical and, at 6-foot-1, taller than everyone. Second in goals and assists with three of each, she effected several other Wave successes with steals and passes.
Opponents, trying to prevent headers, assigned her two, even three defenders. Learning from Morgan as a teammate and occasional understudy in two NWSL seasons — and with the U.S. squad — provided crucial mental gains, she said.
You might see Kornieck, 23, in the World Cup next year.
“She’s so hard to play against,” Stoney said, “because she’s got incredible feet and vision and can link really well with Alex — but also, she’s a threat in the air, too. She’s an unbelievable player. So, she gives defenses and midfields real problems.”
Portland (10-3-9) finished second in the 12-team NWSL and first in goals but, fumbling the regular-season title, allowed last-place Gotham three goals in its finale.
A victory sends San Diego (12-6-6) to Washington for the NWSL championship next Saturday.
“It may seem like an improbable journey for a firstyear club to be in the semifinals,” said team President Jill Ellis, who won two World Cup trophies coaching the U.S. and hired Stoney, “but the power of shared belief and commitment has made this journey possible. Together, our players, fans, and staff have brought us to another milestone, and we couldn’t be prouder to compete and support the team in this (today’s) matchup.”
As Wave executives noted, kickoff in Portland comes two-plus hours after the Padres’ playoff begins in Philadelphia and five hours before the Loyal’s playoff starts at the University of San Diego.
Joe Musgrove, wearing a Wave scarf, attended Sunday’s match in Mission Valley one day after helping pitch the Padres into the NL Championship Series.
The spirited, pink towelwaving crowd of 26,215 — comparable in its enthusiasm to Padres crowds — broke the NWSL record for a postseason match one month after the Wave attracted the NWSL’S largest crowd (32,000) in the regular season.
tom.krasovic@sduniontribune.com