WISL Men’s Matchups — Saturday, Nov. 22

Oly-Pen Force at Snohomish Sky
Saturday, Nov. 22 • 7 p.m. | Stream Here

It’s a battle between two 1–1 clubs as both look to secure win No. 2. For Snohomish, a victory would help rebound from a loss to Everett City, while Oly-Pen enters the match coming off a win against the Vancouver Storm.

“This will be our first match of the season in front of our home crowd. I anticipate the team to compete hard and bring home the ‘W,’” Sky coach James Doherty said. “The team consists of hardworking players who look to improve themselves and those around them. This is the mentality you hope for in a squad as they push each other in every training while building the chemistry needed for success throughout the season. I see this not only in training but in both of our games thus far.”

Which 1–1 squad will grab win No. 2—Snohomish, looking to rebound from its loss to Everett City, or Oly-Pen riding momentum after defeating the Storm?

Everett City FC at South Sound FC
Saturday, Nov. 22 • 7 p.m. |  Stream Here

Everett City FC and South Sound FC each enter the weekend at 1–1 and in search of their second win of the season. Everett is coming off a big victory over the Snohomish Sky, while South Sound looks to bounce back following a loss to the Tacoma Stars Reserves.

"We are both consistent playoff teams over the last few seasons and are usually very evenly matched. It's definitely going to be one of our more competitive games this season," said Derek Johnson with South Sound, who also added, 'We are learning to be more consistent as a team. The ability to incorporate more training sessions this season has been invaluable for our fitness level. The next step is to add more consistency and predictability in our play. We were punished for our mistakes in Tacoma last week, so we'll be looking to minimize unforced errors this week.

Which 1–1 squad will break ahead? Can Everett ride its momentum, or will South Sound bounce back in a must-win matchup to keep pace near the top of the table?

Bellingham United at Tacoma Stars Reserves
Saturday, Nov. 22 • 7 p.m. |  Stream Here

The first-place Tacoma Stars Reserves (3–0) host Bellingham United, which is seeking its first win of the season.

Since the WISL launched in 2014, only two teams have claimed the championship: the Tacoma Stars and Bellingham United. The two powerhouses have appeared in all but one final, making their clashes the league’s premier rivalry and its most anticipated matchup for more than a decade.

Bellingham fell 10–5 to South Sound in week one, and after a bye week and additional training time, the club is preparing for a rematch of last season’s championship match.

“It has been stop-start as we were away, then had a bye, and with Thanksgiving break coming up. That has given us ample training time, which is extremely beneficial, but there is no substitute for games,” Bellingham player/coach Rich Henderson said. “The squad gets better each week—both through growing in their indoor capability and through players returning. I have learned from the coaching aspect that you can’t ignore the fundamentals of the indoor game and make assumptions. The majority of goals I have seen scored, and conceded, come from not executing those fundamentals, so we have spent time on that.”

Tacoma enters the contest on a three-game winning streak, averaging 7.0 goals per game with a +16 goal differential. Their special teams have been dominant, converting at 50% on the power play while maintaining a perfect 100% on the penalty kill.

After falling in week one and recharging during their bye, can Bellingham rise to the challenge in a championship rematch against a red-hot Tacoma squad?