After a dominant start to the new season, FC Tucson Women take the pitch Saturday at Kino North Stadium for the first time in 2024 — against the reigning conference champions, no less.
FC Tucson (2-0) opened its season May 25 at the El Paso Surf with a 4-0 win and then beat RSL Southern Arizona 5-0 on Wednesday at Tucson High.“It’s been challenging balancing this week in terms of training, travel and then actually playing,” FC Tucson assistant coach Caylee Carter said. “Luckily we’re blessed to have a robust training squad and also deep squad, so we’re fortunate that we have great facilities and we have great resources.”
FC Tucson, which finished third last year in the Desert Conference, hosts the conference’s defending champion, Phoenix-based SC del Sol (2-0), Saturday night in the club’s home opener.
FCTW heads into the match tied with del Sol with six points but ahead on goal differential — FCTW is at plus-nine, compared to del Sol’s plus-four.
FC Tucson’s MacKenzie Moring gets congratulated after hitting her hat trick in the second half against RSL Southern Arizona in their WPSL game Wednesday at Tucson High School.
“It’s huge. It’s huge — especially because our goal is to win the conference,” FC Tucson forward MacKenzie Moring said. “We’re locked in, just ready to take on any opponent and just punish any opponent, so it’s really big to get six points.”
Much of that goal differential edge came from Moring, who had a hat trick at RSL Southern Arizona. Moring is slated to be a junior on the University of Arizona’s NCAA Division I team this fall, but didn’t play in 2023 after seeing just 22 minutes of action as a freshman in 2022.
“I’m just trying to build momentum and continue to just work hard and just work for my teammates just continue to grow and develop as a player,” Moring said.
Moring had a promising spring for the Wildcats after dealing with injuries. She said she talked to UA head coach Becca Moros for an hour the other day, and “she’s really excited about what (FC Tucson) is gonna do.”
“I feel like I’m gaining more confidence. I feel like that’s really important for me as I continue to move forward,” she continued. “Here at FC Tucson we have a younger team and I feel like it’s just important that I’m able to continue to work with everybody as well as grow and everybody’s just getting better.”
RSL’s Keylilah Gutierrez makes a grab as FC Tucson’s Yajaira Cervantes scoots by near midfield in the first half of their WPSL game Wednesday at Tucson High School.
Moring is the latest Wildcat to star at FC Tucson; past Wildcats playing for FC Tucson included former UA midfielder Gabi Stoian and goalkeeper Hope Hisey, a fourth-round pick of NWSL’s Kansas City Current earlier this year.
“It’s just amazing to be here honestly,” Moring said. “I’ve really been enjoying myself this summer so far and I’m just excited to see where we go from here, we got a big game on Saturday against del Sol and I think we’re gonna get the dub, I think we’re gonna give them a run for their money and I think we’re gonna do well.”
Also scoring a goal on Wednesday was midfielder Yajaira Cervantes, who just finished her junior year at Tucson High.
“It felt amazing because it was my first game,” Cervantes said.
Cervantes, who also plays for FC Tucson Youth, often played against RSL’s youth teams.
“Most of the girls are familiar faces,” Cervantes said. “I know most of them, so there’s that connection.”
FC Tucson coach Roberto Garcia gives some last minute instructions as he prepares to make wholesale changes in the first half against RSL in their WPSL game Wednesday at Tucson High School.
Carter, who played for FC Tucson and served as an FC Tucson Youth coach, joined the staff last month. New head coach Roberto Garcia took over for Kelly Pierce to become FCTW’s third head coach.
Garcia, who led five separate FC Tucson Youth sides to state championship game appearances in 2019, looks to return the FC Tucson Women back to the top. FC Tucson won the conference (or division as it was called in 2018 and 2019) three straight seasons from 2018-21 (there was no season in 2020) and four times overall in FCTW’s 10-year history.
“It feels great,” Cervantes said about the team’s start. “I feel like we’re gonna do good this season, we’re gonna make it deep.”
Corner kicks
RSL Southern Arizona (0-2) hosts its other natural rival in Royals AZ (0-2) on Saturday at 6 p.m. at Tucson High. The club’s full name is Utah Royals FC AZ, and the team falls under the umbrella of the Utah Royals FC of the NWSL.
The Utah Royals have the same owners as Real Salt Lake of the MLS.
The FC Tucson men rallied to draw with Arizona Arsenal 3-3 on the road on Thursday night to remain undefeated. The Men in Black (1-0-2) are starting the regular season with a five-match road trip after going 3-0 in their friendlies, which they won by an aggregate score of 20-0.
FC Tucson will host a “Barrio 2 Barrio” event of the year on Sunday from 6-8 p.m. at Lincoln Regional Park. It will feature a free soccer clinic for kids ages 6-12, music and food trucks. There are 100 total spots available; register at fctucson.com.
FC Tucson Women's Ashly Martinez scores a goal against RSL Southern Arizona in a 5-0 FCTW win May 29, 2024 at Tucson High School. (James Kelley, Special to the Arizona Daily Star)
FC Tucson Women's Yajaira Cervantes scores a goal against RSL Southern Arizona in a 5-0 FCTW win May 29, 2024 at Tucson High School. (James Kelley, Special to the Arizona Daily Star)
FC Tucson Women forward MacKenzie Moring, who plays during the academic year for the University of Arizona NCAA Division I soccer program, scores her first of three goals against RSL Southern Arizona in a 5-0 FCTW win May 29, 2024 at Tucson High School. (James Kelley, Special to the Arizona Daily Star)
FC Tucson Women forward MacKenzie Moring, who plays during the academic year for the University of Arizona NCAA Division I soccer program, scores her second of three goals against RSL Southern Arizona in a 5-0 FCTW win May 29, 2024 at Tucson High School. (James Kelley, Special to the Arizona Daily Star)
