Breakers and Flash Battle to 2-2 Tie

In one of the most exciting matches thus far in the WPS season, the Boston Breakers and Western New York Flash played to a 2-2 draw in Cambridge. Both teams scored in the last 10 minutes and it was a match that national team players contributed heavily, as did players off the bench.

Kelley O'Hara scored a brace and it looked to be enough when she gave Boston a 2-1 lead with just over six minutes remaining, but Alex Morgan tied it just three minutes later with a brilliant goal.

Western New York held the edge in possession and territory early on, but it was Boston who created the better chances. In the 10th minute, Katie Schoepfer played the ball ahead on the right side for Alex Scott. She crossed the ball into the penalty area, but it led Liz Bogus just a little too much and she was unable to redirect it toward the net.

Boston did get the first goal just 10 minutes later. It was again Schoepfer starting the play as she sent a diagonal ball to Kelley O'Hara. The ball just barely got by a diving Whitney Engen and O'Hara had inside position on Ali Riley. O'Hara steered a rolling shot back across to the right. Flash goalkeeper Ashlyn Harris appeared to be wrong-footed on the play and the ball got by her, into the right corner of the net to make it 1-0.

Western New York continued to pressure and nearly broke through in the 36th minute. Riley sent a beautiful cross to McCall Zerboni at the six, but the Flash midfielder put her header wide of the goal.

The Flash tied the match in the 38th minute with Becky Edwards sending the ball ahead to Marta who was heading to the left side of the penalty area. Marta was able to settle the ball, and gain some space from defender Scott in the process. She set up her left-footed shot and drilled it low past Alyssa Naeher and into the right side netting to tie the match.

USWNT forward Alex Morgan subbed in to start the second half for Western New York and she made her presence known. In the 59th minute, she drove a 25-yard shot right at Naeher. Somehow, the ball got through the Breakers' keeper and rolled toward the goal line, but Naeher was able to dive back just in time before the ball crossed. Later, Yael Averbuch put her shot from inside the 18 just wide of the right post.

Boston took the lead in the 84th minute in a beautiful display of passing. Alex Scott crossed the ball from 35 yards out to Nikki Marshall who was cutting diagonally across the penalty area from left to right. With a defender on her, Marshall was unable to control the ball immediately, but ran it down on the right side of the penalty area.

With the ball rolling toward the endline, she was able to turn her body and direct her cross back to O'Hara. O'Hara passed it to 2nd half substitute Claire Zimmeck who touched it right back to O'Hara on a give-and-go. O'Hara's finish was perfectly inside the left post to give Boston a late 2-1 lead.

But just when it looked like the Breakers might secure three points, it was Alex Morgan who drew the Flash even. Marta sent a 40-yard free kick into the box. Christine Sinclair tried to head it across the box, but the Breakers temporarily cleared it, but not far enough. Another 2nd half substitute, Beverly Goebel, headed the ball back into the box toward Alex Morgan who was waiting near the penalty spot. Morgan hit a beautiful half volley with the outside of her left foot that hit the bottom of crossbar and went into the net. The score was now tied at two.

Western New York threatened again in the last few minutes. Morgan appeared to be behind the defense on a breakaway, but it was called back on a very close offsides. In the 90th minute, Boston defender Elli Reed saved the Breakers by blocking not one, but two Flash shots. First, she blocked Goebel's shot from right in front of Naeher and then the rebound went to Sinclair, who had an open net in front of her, but Reed slid over to block her shot as well.

Both teams gained very valuable point in the standings. Western New York is now 8-2-3 and tied with Philadelphia for first place with 27 points. The Flash have a game in hand on the Independence as well. Boston's record goes to 4-5-4 and they are now in a three-way tie for third place with Sky Blue and magicJack.

Boston hosts Philadelphia in a very important match for both teams on Wednesday night. Western New York's next match is at Sky Blue next Saturday, also crucial to both teams.

WPS Standings
(1) Western New York 8-2-3, 27 pts; (1) Philadelphia 8-3-3, 27 pts; (3) magicJack 5-5-2, 16 pts; (3) Boston 4-5-4, 16 pts; (3) Sky Blue FC 4-5-4, 16 pts; (6) Atlanta 1-10-4, 7 pts.

Breakers Down Atlanta

The Boston Breakers moved into a tie for third place with a 2-0 shutout over the Atlanta Beat on Sunday night.

It didn't take long for the Breakers to score, just under four minutes in. Katie Schoepfer placed her corner kick to the back post with Kasey Moore heading it back toward the middle. Rookie Keelin Winters was unmarked inside the six and placed her header into the net for an early Boston lead.

Atlanta actually might have had the better of play in the first half, as they were able to pressure Boston, but they just couldn't create any dangerous chances in the final third.

Boston turned up the pressure in the 2nd half. In the 54th minute, Elli Reed cut back against the defense and sent a beautiful cross into the box for Leah Blayney who headed the ball off the post from 12 yards out. A minute later, Liz Bogus sent a hard shot just wide of the right post.

Atlanta nearly drew even in the 71st minute. Kacey White sent Meghan Lenczyk in alone on goal, but Alyssa Naeher came out to cut of the angle, forcing Lenczyk to shoot wide of the left post.

In the 81st minute, Boston put the match away. Meghan Klingenberg sent the ball up the right side with Schoepfer running on to it. She released a shot from the elbow of the penalty area, just before defender Analisa Marquez was able to get there. With Allison Whitworth tending toward the near post, Schoepfer placed it beautifully just inside the left post to make it 2-0.

Atlanta had one final chance on a free kick by Cat Whitehill. Her drive from distance was heading lower left, but Naeher made the save.

Boston raised their record to 4-5-3, good for 15 points. They are now unbeaten in their last four matches and have posted three consecutive shutouts. The Breakers have next weekend off before facing Western New York on July 24 in a crucial home match.

For Atlanta, Lori Chalupny was a late scratch from the starting lineup and did not play. The Beat drop to 1-9-3 and have yet to score a road goal. Atlanta returns home to host the Philadelphia Independence next Saturday.

WPS Standings
(1) Philadelphia 7-2-3, 24 pts; (2) Western New York 6-2-2, 20 pts; (3) magicJack 5-4-1, 15 pts; (3) Boston 4-5-3, 15 pts; (5) Sky Blue FC 3-4-4, 13 pts; (6) Atlanta 1-9-3, 6 pts.

Klingenberg Helps Breakers To 2-1 Victory

There are few better feelings in sports than to get an opportunity to help beat a team that just traded you. Meghan Klingenberg did just that on Sunday evening. Klingenberg who was traded by magicJack to Boston last week, scored the game's second goal and it proved to be the difference as the Breakers defeated magicJack by a 2-1 margin.

With many national team players in New Jersey for today's USWNT match against Mexico, the starting lineups for both teams were quite different. Both principals in the recent trade, Klingenberg and magicJack's Nikki Washington, were in the starting lineup against their old teams.

Boston opened the scoring in just the 8th minute. After a nice buildup, Klingenberg sent a nice cross to the middle, but it appeared to be cleared out of trouble by magicJack's defense. However, Katie Schoepfer collected the ball just outside the eighteen and she hit a high lob of a shot that couldn't have been placed more perfectly, going just under the crossbar, just inside the right post, and just out of reach of leaping magicJack keeper Brett Maron.

The Breakers made it 2-0 in the 19th minute as Liz Bogus hit a right-footed cross from the left sideline to Klingenberg who was making a run down the center of the field. Klingenberg volleyed a one-timer from 10 yards into the left side of the net on what was one of the better goals of the season.

Boston had several chances in the final seconds of the first half as magicJack struggled to clear the ball after a cross was sent all the way through the penalty area.

Tina Ellertson was asked to mark English striker Kelly Smith and the two battled throughout the match, with Ellertson holding Smith in check for much of the time. Meanwhile, Ella Masar was once again very active on the offensive end and sent at least one shot just over the crossbar. magicJack outshot Boston in the first half, but many of their shots were from distance and harmless.

The score remained at 2-0 until the 67th minute, as Sarah Huffman sent a long ball over the top of the Boston defense. There appeared to be a lack of communication between Alyssa Naeher and her defense, and the Boston keeper got caught in no-man's land. Christen Press got just behind the defense and cut in front of Naeher intercepting the ball and finished into an empty net.

While magicJack did have chances in the closing minutes, they were unable to draw even. Their record falls to 4-2-0. They remain in 2nd place with 11 points. Boston raises their record to 3-5-1 and 10 points, good for 3rd place.

MagicJack now travels to Atlanta for a match next Saturday against the Beat. Boston must travel to New Jersey to face Sky Blue next Sunday.

WPS Standings:
(1) Western New York 6-0-2, 20 pts; (2) magicJack 4-2-0, 11 pts; (3) Boston 3-5-1, 10 pts; (4) Philadelphia 2-2-3, 9 pts; (5) Sky Blue FC 2-3-2, 8 pts; (6) Atlanta 1-6-2, 5 pts.