Sporting KC

Swope Park Rangers are set to host USL Western Conference semifinal Sunday

Kris Tyrpak (left) helped the Swope Park Rangers beat the LA Galaxy II in the first round of this season’s United Soccer League Playoffs.
Kris Tyrpak (left) helped the Swope Park Rangers beat the LA Galaxy II in the first round of this season’s United Soccer League Playoffs. Nick Tre. Smith/Special to the S

After securing the first playoff victory in franchise history last weekend, the Swope Park Rangers took on an even more unfamiliar moniker.

Postseason favorite.

The top three seeds in the United Soccer League Western Conference lost in the opening round of the playoffs last week, leaving fourth-seeded Swope Park with homefield advantage until a potential date in the USL Cup.

The Rangers will play host to eighth-seeded Orange County FC at 3 p.m. on Sunday at Swope Soccer Village in the Western Conference semifinals.

Swope Park is a first-year team owned by Sporting Kansas City, serving as an affiliate for the MLS club. The Rangers finished 14-10-6 in the USL regular season.

A week ago, Swope Park defeated LA Galaxy II 3-0 in its inaugural playoff match with a goal from Kris Tyrpak followed by a pair from Mark Anthony Gonzalez. Swope Park was the only expansion team to win in the first round.

A day later, Orange County upended top-seeded Sacramento in a penalty-kick shootout in the Western Conference quarterfinals, giving Swope Park at least one more home game.

This story was originally published October 7, 2016 at 7:07 PM with the headline "Swope Park Rangers are set to host USL Western Conference semifinal Sunday."

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