Wichitans turn out to cheer on U.S. women in World Cup victory

Usually, a Wichita bar full of screaming, jumping sports fans means it’s cold outside and the Shockers are on another roll.

But on Sunday evening, more than 150 people in tank tops and shorts crowded into The Monarch to scream and jump in support of another sport – women’s soccer.

The U.S. Women’s National Soccer team secured its third World Cup trophy on Sunday with a 5-2 win over Japan. The women last took the title in 1999.

The game, which also was being watched by Wichita crowds across town at the Fox & Hound, wasn’t too suspenseful, mainly because the U.S. team scored its first four goals in the game’s first 16 minutes. It’s unusual for a team to score four goals at all in a game of that level. As the clock wound down, the fans clapped slowly, then more quickly as they chanted “U.S.A! U.S.A! U.S.A!”

The win was extra satisfying for Johnny and Aimee Ferreira, who celebrated their 20th wedding anniversary traveling to Winnipeg, Manitoba, to watch early rounds of the World Cup competition. They even got their picture taken with the team.

The Ferreiras’ 18-year-old daughter is about to start playing soccer for Barton Community College.

“It’s important to us for women’s soccer to get the attention it deserves,” Johnny Ferreira said.

Among the people watching Sunday night were buddies Bret Lyon and Billy Veges, who grew up playing soccer together in Wichita. They’ve been fans ever since.

The two secured a table for 10 right in front of The Monarch’s big-screen TV. They’d sat at the same table for the team’s Tuesday night semifinal win over Germany and reserved it for Sunday night the second that game was over.

Both laughed about how their hopes were low for the team just a few weeks ago.

“I really didn’t think they’d make it past the Germans,” Lyon said. “But once they got past that hurdle, it took a lot of pressure off of them.”

Soccer fan Doug McQueary doesn’t miss a soccer match and had watched the Men’s World Cup last year at The Monarch, which was shoulder-to-shoulder with fans, he said. McQueary played soccer as a child and still plays on an over-30 team locally.

McQueary said he was impressed by the team’s energy and was surprised the women kept it up even after they built up an early lead over the Japanese.

“They did keep attacking throughout the whole game, even though they could have just sat back on the defensive end,” he said.

Wichitan Nicole Howerton got to attend the game in person in Vancouver, British Columbia.

She and friend Marlys Gwaltney were watching the semifinal game against Germany on Tuesday and were struck with an idea.

They were trying to plan a vacation anyway. Why not drive to Vancouver and see the final game in person?

They went online and secured tickets before the prices got out of control. It took them two and a half days to make the drive.

The atmosphere was “insane,” Howerton said in a text message after the game. Even an hour after the game was over, the crowd didn’t want to leave the stadium, she said, and it was too loud for her to take a phone call.

“Seeing the stadium stay so full, even now, is incredibly touching,” she said. “It’s something the entire U.S. should feel. I think we need it. So much love. Strangers hugging strangers.”

This story was originally published July 5, 2015 at 9:02 PM with the headline "Wichitans turn out to cheer on U.S. women in World Cup victory."