LOUISVILLE — Carl Woszczynski and his Phoenix Rising teammates fell just short of winning the United Soccer League Cup Thursday night, but the Columbus native was a key part of a wild and fun ride to get to the final.
The Rising won three playoff games to win the Western Conference, including a 2-1 victory at top-seeded Orange County. Louisville City edged Phoenix 1-0 Thursday night before more than 7,000 fans at Lynn Stadium and a nationally-televised audience on ESPN2.
“We had a great run in the playoffs,” Woszczynski said. “We have incredible talent on this team. On a different day, a few shots hit the frame, and we end up winning. But credit to Louisville.”
The 30-year-old former Columbus North and UAB star goalkeeper had arguably his best season as a pro this year, his fourth with Phoenix. In June, he posted a club-record five consecutive shutouts, putting up nearly 500 straight scoreless minutes.
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Woszczynski finished with 94 saves and a 0.99 goals-against average for a team that went 19-9-6 in the regular season and reached the USL Cup Final for the first time.
“We had an incredible team this year, and then individually, I had one of my most solid individual years, as well,” Woszczynski said. “I was able to stay healthy for the most part the whole year and really solidify my spot back there and help the team get to this point.”
Woszczynski and his teammates began training in early February, and the regular season began March 17. They trained two evenings and two mornings a week, sometimes in temperatures that reached 110 to 115 degrees in the summer.
The Rising went through a coaching change in June, when Rick Schantz replaced Patrice Carteron on an interim basis.
“It’s been a long year … lots of ups and downs this year with the coaching change,” Woszczynski said. “Patrice built this team that he wanted. Rick took over and did a great job, which is tough at any level, let alone the professional level. He used our guys well, got the best out of everybody, kept pushing us forward.”
In Thursday’s final, Woszczynski had a relatively quiet night, facing only three shots. He made two saves, but Louisville City snuck in a goal in the 62nd minute.
Louisville’s Oscar Himenez took a corner kick from the left side that bounced off a couple of heads. The ball landed at the feet of Luke Spencer, who put it in the left corner of the net for the game’s lone score.
“Finals are decided by scrappy moments,” Woszczynski said. “Louisville is a very, very good overall team. They’re solid everywhere. They have some great delivery on set pieces, and they’ve scored a lot of goals off set pieces recently and unfortunately got another one tonight. We just couldn’t clear our lines, and it smashed through two or three people into the goal.”
The raucous and sellout crowd at Lynn Stadium was just another in the many that Woszczynski and the Rising played in front of this season. They regularly drew more than 5,000 fans at their home matches in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Woszczynski credits that to the growing popularity of soccer in the United States.
“The growth of the league has been incredible,” Woszczynski said. “It’s great to see, coming from 75 minutes away from here, the growth of soccer not only all over the country, but in the Midwest. I think it’s just going to keep growing and getting more popular.”
Watching Louisville celebrate the title with its home fans could serve as inspiration for Phoenix to come back next year and do the same thing.
“The fire that’s burning inside of me right now to get to work and start preparing for next year is something that I know is going to help me in the difficult times next season,” Schantz said. “I’ll always be able to remember watching (Louisville) raise that Cup. That’s a moment I won’t ever forget. It’s burned in my memory, and it’s going to be drive and desire and passion to get back here and lift that Cup ourselves.”
How the Rising will look next year remains to be seen. Team captain and part-owner Didier Drogba reportedly has been considering retirement.
Woszczynski said playing with Drogba, who rose to fame while playing for Chelsea in the English Premier League and for his home country of Ivory Coast, has been incredible.
“His talent on the field speaks for itself, but the biggest thing I take is, the level that he’s been at and everything he’s won, he’s one of the best people you’ll ever meet,” Woszczynski said. “He’s invited us to his house for team barbecues, opened his doors, cooked for us for hours. He treats everybody as an equal, with respect, and that says a lot, from the guys he’s played with. Coming to the USL and treating us like that and teaching us everything that he’s learned is one of the most valuable things I’ll take from this. No matter what level you get to, you can still be humble and treat everybody with respect.”
Meanwhile, Woszczynski has a few options, including one to remain with the Rising. He is planning to meet with team officials on Monday or Tuesday and go from there.
However that turns out, Woszczynski knows he can continue playing at a high level.
“This is the best I’ve felt health-wise, body-wise in a handful of years,” Woszczynski said. “I took this year very seriously and came in as fit as I’ve ever been as a professional, and I think it showed and paid off. I definitely have a few years left in me.”
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Name: Carl Woszczynski
Age: 30
High school: Columbus North
College: UAB
Professional team: Phoenix Rising
Height: 6-foot-5
Position: Goalkeeper
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