The Pali Blues (9-0-3) finished the regular season with a victory over the Seattle Sounders (3-3-6) at the Palisades High School Stadium-by-the-Sea. Though Seattle struck first, the Blues showed their resilience and came back for the 4-1 win.

“I was glad to see the team respond to being a goal down with four unanswered,” remarked Blues head coach Charlie Naimo. “We are going into the playoffs averaging 3.5 goals per game in the last four and have all players available so the feeling around here is positive. This is just a great group and I want to see them succeed. They deserve it.”

The Seattle Sounders had a few scoring opportunities in the first half and got on the board first in the 36th minute. The Sounders beat a failed attempt at an offside trap and forward Erin Redwine got a quality serve that Blues goalkeeper Ashlyn Harris got a hand on but was unable to secure. Sounders midfielder Michelle French was able to score the rebound. But the Blues rallied and with seconds to go in the first half, Kelly O’Hara got around a handful of defenders on a breakaway and scored to tie the game.

Forward Jodie Taylor came out strong in the second half and scored two quick goals to put the Blues ahead. In the 52nd minute, Taylor received Iris Mora’s pass off her chest and volleyed the ball into the goal. Just two minutes later, she chipped the ball over Sounders goalie Kati Hultin and got past a defender to put the ball in the net. The Pali Blues put the exclamation point on the game with a goal in the closing minutes. In the 89th minute, midfielder Christen Press smashed the ball in by the near post, proving her ability to score from just about anywhere on the field.

The Pali Blues will carry this momentum with them into the playoffs. The Blues will face the Colorado Force in the first round of the W-League playoffs on Saturday July 25 at 7 pm at the Palisades High School Stadium-by-the-Sea. Tickets for the game can be purchased by calling 310-264-4649 or by visiting www.bluessoccerclub.com.