Chattanooga FC Women’s season has concluded with a sixth place finish in the WPSL Southeast Conference, with a tally of nine points and a 3-5 record. The summer season had plenty of memorable moments for the Sky Blues under new head coach Tom Halsall, and a coaching staff that knows the city and club culture well.
The first two games of the season were against two of the most difficult opponents, Nashville Rhythm, who won the conference two seasons in a row, and Knoxville 865 Alliance, who ended up winning the conference this year.
The first game against Nashville saw defender Angela Gatto score the first goal of the season and her first goal in CFCW colors, off of a set-piece assisted by Billie Jean Davies.
The next game against Knoxville 865 Alliance was a competitive one against a top side in the conference. The game was back-and-forth throughout the entirety and came down to the very last kick.
Fort Finely erupted early when Eleonora Franco scored her first goal for the club in the 13th minute. Franco was relentless inside the attacking 18-yard box and took advantage of a loose ball by chipping it over the Knoxville goalkeeper.
The Sky Blues' first away game versus FC Birmingham saw CFCW get a first win of the season, in a 4-1 victory. Four different players got on the score sheet, including CFC Academy product Brady Livingston, New Zealand youth international Juliette Lucas, returning player Ava VanDoren and midfielder Janne Van Brummelen.
The game was competitive throughout, but late in regulation the floodgates opened for CFCW. VanDoren, Van Brummelen and Lucas scored in the final 10 minutes to see out a comfortable victory. Van Brummelen’s goal was a low-curled free-kick from the top of the box.
CFCW then went on a tough spell of games against three of the top five teams in the conference. Despite the losses, the matches between UFA Gunners, Georgia Impact and Decatur FC saw lots of highlights for the Sky Blues.
The game against UFA Gunners saw Franco score her second goal in front of a Chattanooga crowd. Franco was played a long ball by defender Hannah Opie, and a quick touch around her defender set up a perfectly curled finish around the goalkeeper from just inside the box.
In the second half, CFCW won a direct free-kick at the top of their attacking 18-yard box. Van Brummelen stepped up to take it, and for the second game in a row, she slotted it into the back of the net.
The final home game versus Decatur FC saw Annalisa Vincent score her first goal for the club, after a string of strong performances. Vincent received the ball one-on-one with the goalkeeper, and she stretched out for an acrobatic volley and finish from 10 yards out.
The final two games of the season saw the two best performances of the year. Back-to-back away days produced back-to-back victories to end the season on a strong note.
CFCW dominated their penultimate game versus Nashville Wolves FC, winning 7-2. Returning player and Chattanooga native Riley Brown had a spectacular performance, scoring a hat-trick.
Vincent continued her hot streak and put away two goals in the matchup, including another thunderous volley past two defenders and the goalkeeper. CFC Academy product Brooke Bolton and New Zealand youth international Lucas put away another goal each to cap off the biggest win of the year.
The final game of the season was a comeback for the ages against Atlanta Fire United. After going down 2-0 by half-time, three second-half goals saw the Sky Blues storm back in a big way.
CFC Academy products were the stars in this one, with a goal apiece from Addie Chapman and Bolton. Defender Bailie Dull scored the winner to cap off the victory and confirm a top-six finish in the WPSL Southeast Conference.
Chattanooga FC Women will return in 2025 with another summer season of play in the WPSL. Keep up to date with CFCW on Instagram @chattanoogafc_women, on X @CFC_Women and at ChattanoogaFC.com.
