SANDY, Utah (Saturday, October 6, 2024) - The Real Monarchs (19-12-7, 39 pts, 9th West) played to a 4-2 penalty shootout victory over Ventura County FC (8-9-11, 43 pts, 6th West), after a 1-1 draw in regulation time, in both team’s final regular-season game of the season at America First Field on Sunday Afternoon.
Striker Owen Anderson netted the hosts’ solitary goal of the opening 90 minutes, during first-half stoppage time, as the Monarchs extended its recent MLS Next Pro unbeaten run now to six games, in its final match of the 2024 campaign.
The result, thus, marks an end to the Monarchs’ 2024 domestic season responsibilities, denying Mark Lowry’s young team a spot in the MLS Next Pro playoffs for the current campaign.
Striker Anderson’s goal represented the 17-year-old’s fifth goal of the campaign ranking him as the team’s joint-top goalscorer, alongside attacker Zavier Gozo, with both representing some of the biggest highlights and best performers throughout the season in a young, budding, talented squad.
The shoot-out victory also means that Mark Lowry’s boys have now secured results in 11 of the team’s last 13 outings to end the season, a mark of the team’s steady improvement.
SLC 1 : 1 VCFC
GOAL-SCORING SUMMARY:
SLC: Owen Anderson (Griffin Dillon) 45+1’: A loose giveaway from an opposing defender created a turnover in midfield for the Monarchs, allowing Owen Anderson time and space to run through the middle of the opposition half and into its defensive half unchallenged before rifling a low, right-footed effort off the left post and into the back of the net.
VCFC: Sean Karani (Hope Avayevu) 49’: Building up from the back, Ventura midfielder Hope Avayevu was played through onside, and in behind the hosts’ defensive line, before cutting back and releasing a through ball for striker Sean Karani who arrived on scene in the six-yard at the nick of time to toe-poke an effort past Will Mackay and into the net for an equalizer.
SHOUTOUT SUMMARY:
VCFC: #87 Gabriel Arnold (Saved)
SLC: #99 Jaziel Orozco
VCFC: #21 Tucker Lepley (Saved)
SLC: #39 Aiden Hezarkhani
VCFC: #64 Jose Luis Magana Jr
SLC: #72 Zavier Gozo
VCFC: #75 Harbor Miller
SLC: #42 Keller Storlie
SLC wins 4-2
LINEUPS:
Real Monarchs (4-4-2): Will Mackay; Jazi Orozco, Erik Holt ©, Keller Storlie, Sebastian Joffre (Tommy Silva, 56); Zavier Gozo, Griffin Dillon, Noel Caliskan (Zack Farnsworth, 78), Daron Iskenderian (Aiden Hezarkhani, 56); Owen Anderson (Axel Kei, 78), Jordan Perruzza (Luca Moisa, 71)
Subs not used: Luis Rivera, Bennet Ewing, Omar Alba, Izzy Amparo
Ventura County FC (4-2-3-1): Bradu Scott ©; Riley Delgao, Ascel Essengue, Jose Luis Magana Jr, Harbor Miller; Hope Avayevu (Dylan Vanney, 84), Nicolas Schelotto;Tucker Lepley, David Diaz (Victor Casillas, 84), Ruben Ramos Jr, Sean Karani (Javier Corona Garcia, 81)
Subs not used: Erik Hernandez, Enrique Martinez, Gabriel Arnold, Owen Pratt, Victor Martin
Stats Summary: SLC / VCFC
Shots: 17 / 9
Shots on Goal: 11 / 3
Corner Kicks: 7 / 4
Fouls: 9 / 7
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY:
VCFC: Tucker Lepley (Caution 14’)
SLC: Griffin Dillon (Caution 71’)
