I hope you enjoyed some of the specials that we were able to provide these last few weeks with Soccer in Our Area. If you missed any of them check out the links below!
Soccer in Our Area – Jacob Morrison (WATCH)
Lauren Flax – Orange and Blue Profile (WATCH)
Kings Hammer v Lexington SC (WATCH)
This week, the Newsletter is back to get you up to speed with all things soccer in the Queen City.
Looking Back
Valley of Difference
Kings Hammer FC finished in first place of the USL-W Valley division this season. The club was projected by USL-W staff to finish third in the division behind Racing Louisville and Indy Eleven. The club captured momentum during the fifth week of the season and never looked back. Congratulations to Kings Hammer and good luck to them as they enter postseason play!
The Dayton Dutch Lions were on the other end of the spectrum in the USL-W Valley division table. A year that will no doubt be one to forget for the organization as they finished in last place. The offense never truly clicked and the defense struggled to manage a full 90 minutes throughout the summer. However, some positives can be taken away from the season and they will surely bounce back in 2026.
Cincinnati Soccer Talk Offensive POY: Samantha Erbach | Kings Hammer
Cincinnati Soccer Talk Defensive POY: Rylie McKinney | Dayton Dutch Lions
Waving Flags
The FIFA Club World Cup came and went in the Queen City. There was a lot of passionate play on the pitch and even more passion outside the painted lines. Here is a look back some of the fun memories captured by our photography team. For more on the matches, click on the articles linked below.
Bayern Munich vs Auckland City
Borussia Dortmund vs Mamelodi Sundowns
USWNT Showcase
The USWNT came to town this past weekend. Cincinnati native Rose Lavelle made an appearance in the 85th minute and Dublin, OH native Emma Sears was able to bag an assist. The women were able to knock off Ireland 4-0 in the friendly. Cincinnati Soccer Talk’s and American Outlaw Cincy’s Kristi Kivi was the designer behind the Tifo that hung in front of the TQL Stadium supporter section. For more on the match, check out Geoff Tebbetts’s RECAP
Other Scores in Our Area
Friday 6/27:
- 2-0 | Northern KY Nitro at Pro FC
- 0-6 | Dayton Dutch Lions (W) at Indy Eleven
Saturday 6/28:
- 0-2 | Kings Hammer (M) vs West Virginia United
- 0-0 | Kings Hammer (W) at Lexington SC
Sunday 6/29:
- 0-2 | Ohio Galaxies FC vs Kings Hammer Academy
- 2-1 | Northern KY Nitro vs Danville Locomotive
Tuesday 7/1:
- 0-1 | Dayton Dutch Lions (M) vs Lexington SC
- 2-2 | Frauengiest vs Bootleggers AC
Wednesday 7/2:
- 4-3 | Cincy SC (M) vs Hoosier Futbol Club
Looking Forward
Playoff Bound
Kings Hammer’s USL-W squad claimed the Valley division title and secured the second seed in the Central Conference. KHFC will be facing a familiar foe in Detroit City FC marking their first match against each other since 2022 when they both played in the Great Lakes division. DCFC needed a late push to finish atop the Great Lakes division over their rivals AFC Ann Arbor. Key players for the motor city squad are midfielder Sophia Romine, forward Hannah Crum, and goalkeeper Allison LaPointe. LaPointe, a duel sport athlete with Central Michigan was fourth in the Central Conference in goals saved with 39.
For Kings Hammer FC their star-studded attack features three players (Sam Erbach 7G, Lauren Flax 6G, Taylor White 5G) with five or more goals on the season. While defender and collegiate All-American, Natalie Bain, returns to the squad after participating in the TST competition.
The semifinal match time is 10:30 AM on July 4th as of publication. The final will be at 7 PM on July 6th. The semifinals and final will be played at Pittsburgh’s iconic Highmark stadium.
OVPL Conclusion
The OVPL season is rapidly drawing to a conclusion. On the men’s side Northern Kentucky Nitro are in pole position with a points per match (PPM) of 2.75 and a goal differential of +22. There is an outside possibility of them slipping towards the end. But with rivals Valhalla FC coming to town this Wednesday, it’d be hard to imagine them taking their eyes off the prize.
Match Schedule
Friday 7/4
- 10:30AM | Kings Hammer (W) vs Detroit City FC | Central Conference Semifinals | Pittsburgh, PA
Sunday 7/6
- 5:00PM | Dayton Dutch Lions (M) at West Virginia United | Stream
Wednesday 7/9/25
- 4:00PM | Northern KY Nitro vs Valhalla FC
- 7:00PM | Kings Hammer (M) vs KHFC Columbus | Tickets / Stream
- 7:00PM | Dayton Dutch Lions (M) at Fort Wayne FC | Stream
What did we miss?
If there is a soccer story, club, or player you would like to see in our next Soccer in Our Area Newsletter, please email us at feedback@cincinnatisoccertalk.com or message us directly on one of our many social media accounts.
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