Mount Vernon, N.Y., April 3, 2026
WSC Advances in US Open Cup, Will Host NYCFC: Bryan Vasquez converted against keeper Niklas Herceg and Connor Miller was denied by Matias Molina in penalties as WSC defeated Vermont Green 4-3 Wednesday night in Burlington, Vermont in the first match in club history decided on penalties. The match was scoreless through the extra session, with Vermont dominating play against shorthanded WSC, who were missing three players for the match. Conor McGlynn converted to give WSC a1-0 lead in penalties, before Vermont’s Alex Hall converted to make it 1-1.
Vermont actually took the lead in the fourth round, when Herceg denied Koen Blommestijn's shot and Riley Moloney put Vermont Green FC ahead at 3-2 with a Panenka finish past Molina. In round five, Josh Drack converted but Mitch Baker went way over the bar for Vermont to force a sixth round, and the final heroics. Vermont had several second half chances, the latest coming in the 73rd minute, when Alex Hall was taken down 25 yards from net. On the direct kick, Connor Miller's shot goes straight to Molina, which followed a near own goal by WSC in the 61st minute, when a Vermont low cross into the box ricocheted off several WSC defenders and Molina was in the right spot to block the redirect. Molina, in just his second start and first in US Open Cup play, turned back four shots, including three inside the box, to keep the match scoreless before his heroics on penalties.
The win advances WSC to the third round of US Open Cup for the second straight season and they will host NYCFC of Major League Soccer in the Round of 32 of the 2026 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup. The match, the first between the second-year USL League One club and an MLS club, will be held at The Stadium at Memorial Field on Tuesday April 14 at 7:30 PM and will be seen on Paramount+.
WSC Drops First Road Contest on Sunday: Azaad Liadi had two goals and an assist and Greenville Triumph built a 4-0 lead and held on for a 4-2 win Sunday night in Greenville, SC. Liadi’s first goal of the match 22 minutes in was followed by another by Rodrigo Robles at the 33 minute mark and then former WSC midfielder DeShane Beckford beat keeper Anrew Hammersley just before the half to send WSC into the break down 3-0. Liadi’s second tally pushed the score to 4-0 before Ermin Mackic and Connor McGlynn scored just five minutes apart midway through the second half to cut the deficit in half, but that’s as close as the visitors would get.
The four goals matched the most WSC has allowed in a match in their brief history, and it could have been more had Hammersley not recorded 11 saves, the highest total in WSC history and just one short of the USL League One mark of 12. Greenville outshot WSC 21-15 in the match, and defeated WSC for the second time in three contests in their history.
Quick Turns At Home: Saturday marks the first of four home matches in a five match stretch, with expansion club Sarasota following on April 8 and Portland on April 25, with a match at expansion Boise in between on April 18. WSC is looking for their first USL League One home win of the season (0-1-1) after going 3-8-4 at home in their expansion year, with seven of their last nine home matches have been decided by one goal.
Youngest, Fastest and First: The early season has brought WSC some new milestones. Dean Guezen’s goal vs Charlotte just 45 seconds into the match was the fastest in club history, while Kyle Evans became the youngest goalscorer in club history with his stoppage-time finish against One Knoxville in the opener, notching his first professional goal aged 20 years, 146 days old, surpassing the mark of Ermin Mackic (20 years, 174 days). Andrew Hammersley also notched his first career clean sheet against NY Renegades in US Open Cup play with Molina doing the same on Wednesday.
League Leaders; Andrew Hammersley’s 16 saves lead the league at this early stage.
Close Shaves Still Cut Deep: The one goal loss in the opener to Knoxville continued a pattern for WSC from their inaugural season, when they went 2-14-7 when they entered the second 45 either tied or behind and were 2-11 in one goal w/l decisions. WSC was 2-14-7 when they entered the second 45 either tied or behind with Saturday’s draw. They were 2-11 in one goal w/l decisions, and were blanked five times, three times time at home. WSC’s longest winless streak (excluding their 3-0 forfeit win over Spokane on July 16) was a 12 match streak which started after a 2-1 win at Forward Madison on June 18 and ended with a 2-1 win over Texoma on Sept. 21. That stretch included six one goal losses and three ties.
New Faces Make Debuts: Westchester Soccer Club has a decidedly young and local look in 2026 as new Head Coach and General Manager George Gjokaj has at least 14 athletes with local roots on the potential opening day roster. Four newcomers…Maximus Jennings (Montclair, NJ/Georgetown), Daniel Burko (Løvenstad, Norway/Hofstra), Charlie Dickerson (Norwich, England/Providence) and Kyle Evans (Rock Hill, NY/Marist),…have started all four USL League One matches thus far.
The others: Goalkeeper: Mattias Molina (Rosario, Argentina/Seton Hall), Defenders: Aleksei Armas (Florham Park, NY/Hofstra and Adelphi), Tim Timchenko (Kyiv, Ukraine/Iona), Mo Williams (West Orange, NJ/Notre Dame/Seton Hall), Midfielders: Aiden Borra (Syosset, NY/Sacred Heart and St. John’s), Forwards: Daniel Burko (Løvenstad, Norway/Hofstra), Miguel Diaz (Brooklyn, NY/St. John’s).
The 10 newcomers join 14 returnees on the WSC preseason roster. Amongst the returning players, Goalkeeper Andrew Hammersley (Garden City, NY/Sacred Heart), Defender Noah Powder (Edison, NJ), Midfielder Conor McGlynn (Middle Village, NY/Siena College), and Forwards Ermin Mackic (Yonkers NY/SUNY Purchase), and Samory Powder (Edison, NJ) also have ties to the New York area.
Partners for ’26: WSC’s list of partners for the season include: Northwell (Healthcare), Healthfirst (Health Insurance), Leros Transportation Group (Transportation), Meagher & Meagher, Attorneys at Law (Personal Injury Law), Breezemont Day Camp (Summer Camp), RXR (Real Estate Development), MSG Networks (Media & Broadcasting), The Taco Project (Restaurant & Food), Duck Donuts (Restaurant & Food), Score PT (Physical Therapy), Walter’s (Restaurant & Food), Keller Williams (Real Estate), ICE AIR (HVAC), Westchester Smoothie (Restaurant & Food), Saw Mill Stone & Masonry Supply (Masonry/Retail), Floor & Décor Flooring & Home Improvement (Home Improvement/Retail), The Gentleman’s Lab (Men’s Grooming / Barbershop), Agora (Social Group), CPR Foundation (Non-Profit/Foundation), Velvet Llama (Liquor), Rory Dolan’s Restaurant & Bar (Restaurant & Food), and Strategic Security Corp (Security Services).
Up Next: WSC hosts Sarasota on April 8.
