Snohomish United women fall short of USL W playoffs

Published 9:37 pm Sunday, June 28, 2026

SEATTLE — Elora Franklin appeared to give the Snohomish United exactly what it needed to begin the second half against Salmon Bay FC at Interbay Soccer Stadium on Sunday.

While Salmon Bay dominated possession in the first half, generating corner kick chance after corner kick chance as momentum built, it was Snohomish that struck first in the opening minute of the second half. Franklin executed a give-and-go with Saleen Koszorus into the box, which set Franklin up for a shot in front to take a 1-0 lead in the 46th minute.

“We were all playing very individual (in the first half),” Koszorus said. “So we were just talking about how we need to play as a team offensively and defensively, staying connected. If one goes, we all have to go.”

United did a better job building out possession from the back compared to the first half, and they appeared to have a strong chance at wrapping up their first-ever USL W League campaign with a Northwest Division title. After entering Sunday tied atop the table with Salmon Bay, a win would give them the Northwest Division’s lone playoff spot in the USL W Playoffs.

But the hosts would not relent.

Salmon Bay grabbed the equalizer in the 59th minute, with Ameera Hussen tapping in a cross at the goal line, and Salmon Bay kept knocking on the door with multiple shots in the box before Virginia Lackey finally put them ahead in the 80th minute for a decisive 2-1 victory that crowned Salmon Bay (9-1-2) with the division title. With the loss, Snohomish (8-2-2) dropped to third behind West Seattle Rhodies FC (9-2-1).

In the end, the United roster, filled primarily with players under the age of 20, could not keep up with a Salmon Bay lineup that had multiple starters in their early-to-mid 20s, including some with professional experience.

“They’re very big, and a lot stronger than us,” said United attacker Sammy Snorsky, who plays at Gonzaga after a prolific career at Inglemoor High School. “We’re very small and quick, so we’re kind of more crafty players, so trying to force them off the ball was pretty hard.”

While the loss marked the end of the road, the 2026 season marked a positive first step for Snohomish. The USL W is a pre-professional league with over 90 total teams across the country. It operates as a summer league for elite high school and college players. United intentionally built its roster on the younger side to establish a long-lasting culture. Most of the roster expects to be back in 2027, each player with another year of experience under her belt.

“They’re super talented, but we went with a very young group that we wanted to keep for a while and build the program on top of instead of just a team,” said Snohomish United coaching director Anthony Sardon, who filled in as an assistant under head coach Bernie James on Sunday. “So I’m very proud of them. They had a great season. … We’re really excited about the potential now for us.”

Sardon credits the team’s attacking ability for its early success. United led the Northwest Division with 45 goals, averaging 3.75 goals per game. Koszorus led the division with 10 goals this season, which was tied for third-most across the entire USL W. The attacker will be playing at Stanford this fall after graduating from Bellevue High School.

For Koszorus and her teammates, this season served as a good way to keep their fitness up, build confidence and learn how to adapt to different systems and styles with new teammates. This year’s Snohomish squad in particular received direct preparation for the kind of talent and competition they can expect to face in college.

“I think sometimes we’re going up against defenders that also have speed, are also strong,” said Hailey Perkins, an incoming Vanderbilt freshman and Eastlake High School alum. “So you kind of have to switch up how you play. You can’t always use your speed. You have to have moves in your tool belt.”

This inaugural season has proven to be a valuable learning experience for the coaching staff as well. After gaining a better understanding of the differing schedules across high school and college programs — which determines when certain players have to leave the team early and when others can join the team late — the coaches can put together a better plan for the roster next season.

For example, United had to play without Maddie Maves and Vienna Whipple on Sunday because they were both called up by the U.S. Youth National Team.

“We’re super happy for them, and that’s what this program is, is to advance people,” Sardon said. “But we would have loved to have them today. … You get the program later if you’re an expansion team, so you’re already behind. So now we know, ‘Okay, go out and watch some games in the fall, sign some players, add a little bit more depth.’ Maybe bring in a couple more older players, but we want to keep the age, really, between 16 to 23 if we can. But just adding a little bit more depth, I think, will help.”

With their first season together in the books, the Snohomish United players feel optimistic that things will only get better in Year 2.

“Since it was our first year, it was a little difficult, especially with new players, putting our mojo with them,” Koszorus said. “So I’m thinking, like, future seasons (are) going to be so much better, and we’ll be back.”