Chicago Union Fall to Pittsburgh Thunderbirds on the Road
By Elise Gan
Photography by Noah Moell
The Chicago Union dropped a tough road game Sunday, losing to the Pittsburgh Thunderbirds 22-18 in a Central Division matchup. Each team entered the contest desperate for a win to stay in the hunt for the Central Division crown. Coming off a program milestone of their 100th win last week, the Union traveled to Pittsburgh with momentum to turn around their season, but couldn't hold off a relentless Thunderbirds squad.
Chicago got off to a slow start, trading early goals before Pittsburgh pulled ahead 4-2 at the end of the first quarter. The Union responded emphatically in the second, with Andrew Sjogren igniting a four-goal scoring run that flipped the lead to 7-5 Union. Sam Kaminski was a force throughout the quarter, contributing two assists and a goal, while Jack Shanahan added three assists. Chicago carried an 11-8 advantage into halftime.
The third quarter belonged entirely to Pittsburgh. The Thunderbirds opened the half with two straight goals, and despite an answer from Sjogren, the home team dominated the frame 7-2 to reclaim the lead at 15-13. Chicago trimmed the deficit to one early in the fourth quarter on a Kaminski-to-Benjamin Preiss connection, but Pittsburgh answered immediately with a two-goal burst. The Union kept battling to keep the score 18-16 before the Thunderbirds delivered the knockout blow, three unanswered goals to push the lead to 5. Chicago added two late scores, but Pittsburgh closed out the 22-18 victory. Shanahan and Kaminski each finished with four assists, while Jayden Feagans led the team with four goals.
The Union return to action next weekend with two games, visiting the Indianapolis AlleyCats on Saturday before hosting the Madison Radicals in Evanston this Father’s Day on Sunday, June 21st at 6pm. Fans who attend the match-up will receive a free measuring tape, while dads and their children can participate in a half-time scrimmage. You can purchase tickets at https://shop.gochicagounion.com/collections/tickets or watch live at WatchUFA.TV.
