By Larry Snyder

Pittsburgh, Pa. – Coming into their fourth season, Steel City F.C. is an amateur sports program providing women the opportunity to sharpen their skills and excel at soccer. They participate in the Women’s Premier Soccer League, a Tier-2 division of US Soccer.

For the 2018 campaign, Steel City plays in the WPSL’S Ohio Valley Conference. The Women of Steel face off against the Columbus Eagles FC (Ohio), the Cleveland Ambassadors, FC Pride (Indianapolis), Motor City FC, Indy Saints FC, Cincinnati Sirens FC, Empire Revs (New York), and the AAFC Lumberjills (Michigan).

Three of their four home contests are at the Ellis School, 6425 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA. The Black and Gold’s third home match is at Edinboro University and helps to kickoff the PA West Soccer Open Tournament.

Head Coach Tom Ovenden enters his first season at the helm of Steel City. He spoke about coaching the former and current college players on the roster at the team’s website: “I’m looking forward to the challenge of working with the players at Steel City FC. To coach players who are either at college currently, or have recently graduated, is a challenge I have been working towards and I’m ready for. I want the game to be played as simply as possible, with purpose and high energy both on the ball and off it. We will move the ball quickly and have a very clear style where we go forward. We will look between lines as soon as possible, but only if we can remain controlled in doing so. I hope to bring a style to our play where teams will come to Pittsburgh knowing they will have a game on their hands and play to the strengths of the players we have. It will also be important for me to judge my impact by how we improve the players we have individually, for when they return to their respective colleges, player development is constantly at the forefront of my mind.”

2018 Steel City FC Schedule:

Saturday, May 26 – HOME – FC Pride Vs. Steel City FC – 3:30 p.m. – Ellis School

Saturday, June 2 – HOME – Indy Saints FC Vs. Steel City FC – 5:00 p.m. – Ellis School

Saturday, June 9 – Away – Steel City FC AT AAFC Lumberjills – 6:00 p.m. – Ann Arbor, MI

Sunday, June 10 – Away – Steel City FC AT Motor City FC – 1:00 p.m. – Rochester Hills, MI

Friday, June 15 – HOME – Cleveland Ambassadors Vs. Steel City FC – 8:30 p.m. – Edinboro University

Saturday, June 23 – Away – Steel City FC AT Cincinnati Sirens FC – 5:00 p.m. – Bethany, Ohio

Saturday, July 07 – Away – Steel City FC AT Empire Revs – 1:00 p.m. – West Henrietta, New York

Sunday, July 08 – HOME – Columbus Eagles Vs. Steel City FC – 4:00 p.m. – Ellis School

2018 Steel City FC Roster:

Emily Cekella – M/F – Gannon University
Taylor Cohen – F – Washington University in St. Louis
Carrie D’Andrea – F – Bishop Carroll High School
Jordan Daloisio – F/M – Clarion University
Rachel DeLancey – D – Spring Arbor University
Emily Indof – D/M – Duquesne University
Jansen Jamison – F/M – Edinboro University
Marina Kelly – D – Clarion University
Tori Kopchak – F – Duquesne University
Mary Lemesh – M/F – Brownsville Area High School
Sarah Lentini – M/F – Olivet Nazarene University
Gabriella Lloyd – GK – Butler High School
Lauren Malcolm – GK – St. Bonaventure University
Amanda Miller – F – Fordham University
Lauren Miller – D/M – Allegheny College
Lauren Mizik – M/F – Indiana University of Pennsylvania
Jessica Neill – GK – Seton Hill University
Kaelyn Oskin – F – West Liberty University
Sabrina Pettinato – M – Hempfield High School
Madeline Rocks – F – Johns Hopkins University
Rachel Rollman – M – Taylor Allderdice High School
Gwendolin Schemm – M – Frostburg State University
Caitlin Schuchert – D – Lock Haven University
Malak Shuman – M/F – Carlow University
Bethany Smyda – M/F – California University of Pennsylvania
Regina Stump – D/M – Messiah College
Jessie Thiessen – M/F – Allegheny College
Jorden Thornton – D/M – Duquesne University
Abby Torres – M – La Roche College
Hannah Zangara – M – Allegheny College