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Tokashiki and Storm in Playoff, Reign FC Survives

Ramu Tokashiki. NAPost archive

By The North American Post Staff

Ramu Tokashiki of the Seattle Storm played 17 minutes in the Sunday game to help the team win over the Los Angeles Sparks. The 78-60 win by the Storm secured a playoff spot as the team is now third in the Western Conference and seventh in the league.

Tokashiki, who was cheered on by the fans from the local Japanese community, scored four points and three rebounds.

Tokashiki increased her playing time after returning from the Olympics, where she played for the Japanese national team. She played over 27 minutes on Sept. 4 against the Atlanta Dreams. She also marked 15 points and seven rebountds in 22 minutes on Sept. 2 against the Chicago Sky.

Need a Win for Reign FC

The Seattle Reign FC of the National Women’s Soccer League still seeks a final spot for the playoff series. The team beat the league-leader Washington Spirit 2-0 on Sunday and now is in fifth place, only two points behind from the Western New York Flash.

Japanese player Rumi Utsugi started as a defender but played aggressively and created scoring opportunities a few times, threatening the Spirit defense. Another player, Naho Kawasumi, was sent to the field as a substitute in the second half.

The Reign FC will meet the Houston Dash for the final game of the season on Sept. 24. The team must win for the playoff spot and wait for the result of the Flash game.