How Brand New Miss Kick FC is Making Waves in the WPSL

June 24, 2022
By Rachel Gonzalez

The Women’s Premier Soccer League (WPSL) debuted a new team this summer season: Miss Kick FC. The club is already off to a beautiful start. Miss Kick FC is the latest addition to the So-Cal Conference Coastal Division, which now consists of five teams.

Miss Kick FC had its first match back in May, and despite not having had a single practice together, the first-year team dominated EDA II with a 4-1 win. As if that weren’t impressive enough, their first-ever goal came only two minutes into the game! The inaugural goal was scored by Hayley Gonzales, formerly of LA Galaxy OC, and Grace Thao and Madison Beckley were quick to follow with their own goals.

Since that first victory, Miss Kick has kept its streak going with a 3-0-1 record. Their most recent victory was a handily dealt 9-0 victory over Elite Development Academy. Nearly half of those goals were scored by forward Penelope Hocking, who is in her first WPSL season after graduating from USC. On May 29, Miss Kick FC beat FC Premier Women 4-1 and then tied with LA Surf 2-2 on June 3. Midfielder Annie Karich has also been a huge asset in the midfield.

Defender Madison Curry leads the team with assists, with almost a fourth of the club’s total goals coming off her backline before meeting the net. These stellar showings have put Miss Kick FC in first place for the So-Cal Coastal Division and second place overall for the greater So-Cal standings.

Having started their season in the most unconventional way, it’s astounding that this team has been on such a hot streak. They were thrown right into the fire and have been thriving on the field ever since. Miss Kick FC’s success really speaks to the importance of on-field chemistry.

Additionally, Miss Kick FC is coached by the former UC Irvine coach Scott Juniper. He led UCI to a historic win over UCLA last season, bringing the team to the second round of the College Cup. We are so proud of Miss Kick FC and can’t wait to see what the rest of this season holds!

Miss Kick has four more games coming up in the summer season, and we’ll be interested to see if they can come out on top against LA Surf after their tie earlier this month. If you’re interested in following WPSL, NCAA, or NWSL soccer, try Forza Football! We all know there is a ton of soccer out there, and Forza helps you keep track of it all. The app is designed to help soccer fans get their fill of the beautiful game no matter what team or league you follow,