The Western Indoor Soccer League (WISL) kicks off this weekend with all five clubs seeing action. Four will begin league play and one is hosting a pre-season friendly. See details in the previews below!

BELLINGHAM UNITED at TACOMA STARS

Saturday November 15, Tacoma Soccer Center, 7:30 PM. The Stars and Hammers will make their WISL debuts at the place they saw each other play just two weeks ago. The Tacoma Soccer Center is expected to be packed for the return of the Stars. On November 1 the NW Indoor Soccer Invitational saw the two clubs meet in a 24-minute scrimmage. The Stars took that one, 1-0. Now it counts and the match should be a good one. BUFC has plenty of indoor experience and firepower even though this is the Hammers’ first indoor season. They were called WSA Rapids over the previous decade before merging with the outdoor BUFC this Fall. It will be fun to watch how the clubs settle in to the new league and whether the match breaks open at some point, or if the defenses rule in a low scoring affair. There are new players on both rosters but plenty of familiarity as the Stars have a group of South Sound Shock guys who have battled for division titles against the Rapids in recent times.

WENATCHEE FIRE at ARLINGTON AVIATORS

Saturday November 15, Soccer First Indoor Sports, 7:30 PM. While there might be questions about Tacoma and Bellingham becoming locked in a defensive battle, it sure seems like the Aviators and Fire are destined for plenty of goals. Last season they met in the Premier Arena Soccer League (PASL) in Wenatchee in a barnburner 20-goal match that ended in a 10-10 draw. Things are different his season for the Aviators, though. They have new head coach Dagi Kesim employing a strategic formation set that favors ball control. Will that slow down the scoring on either side? Wenatchee loves the attack and flair. The Aviators are very hard to beat at Soccer First. Last year when they hosted the Fire they took an 8-4 win. In pre-season play November 8 Arlington hosted and beat Seattle Sporting of the PASL 7-4.

SEATTLE SPORTING at OLY TOWN ARTESIANS (Friendly)

Sunday November 16, Olympia Indoor Soccer, 3:30 PM. The Artesians have scheduled a friendly against PASL side Seattle Sporting ahead of their November 22 WISL debut in Olympia against the Tacoma Stars. Oly Town performed well for the most part in the NW Indoor Invitational, but they want to have a full match under their belts and this will do the trick. The last time a local club called the OIS home it didn’t go so well. The Tumwater Pioneers won just one match and didn’t return following the 2012-13 season. While some folks from that team are still around, it’s a new era with lots of different faces that returns the Capital arena to elite indoor competition. If we play seven degrees of Kevin Bacon, or something like that, since Oly and Arlington drew 1-1 at the Invite and Arlington then beat Seattle Sporting 7-4…this clearly means that when it comes to Oly versus Sporting…fun will be had by all spectators!