Cheney Leads Boston to Playoffs

Boston Breakers 2, Sky Blue FC 0

Lauren Cheney scored just 14 seconds into the match and then added another to lead the Boston Breakers to a 2-0 victory over Sky Blue. The victory moved Boston into a fourth place tie with Sky Blue, with the Breakers winning the final playoff berth by tiebreaker. The Breakers won the head-to-head matchup with Sky Blue for the season.

Cheney, who had just one goal entering the contest, wasted no time in putting Boston in the lead. Keelin Winters sent a cross to Cheney, who volleyed it one-time past Jen Branam and the Breakers led 1-0.

Cheney scored her second of the match in the 18th minute. Meghan Klingenberg sent a cross into the penalty area with Cheney getting a piece of it to redirect it into the goal for a 2-0 lead.

Sky Blue attempted to get back in the match by making early substitutions for offense. Coach Jim Gabarra brought Casey Nogueira in for defender Petra Hogewoning late in the first half, going to a three back formation. Later, Adriana subbed in for Danielle Johnson with Sky Blue going to a two back formation. But in spite of all efforts, they had dug themselves too big of a hole.

Alyssa Naeher picked up the shutout for Boston. It was her fifth of the season tying her with Jen Branam and Ashlyn Harris for the league best.

Boston ended a four game losing streak with this victory. They finish the regular season with a 5-9-4 record. It is the worst record of any team ever to make the WPS playoffs. Only two other teams with a losing record have made the playoffs. The 2010 Washington Freedom finished at 8-9-7 and were eliminated in the first round. The 2009 Sky Blue team finished 7-8-5, but went on to win three straight in the playoffs to capture the championship.

Sky Blue finishes the season with an identical 5-9-4 record, after coming within a couple minutes of clinching a playoff berth last weekend against Philadelphia.

Boston will now travel to Boca Raton to face magicJack in the first round of the playoffs on Wednesday at 7:30 pm eastern time. The game will be televised on Fox Soccer.

magicJack 2, Philadelphia Independence 1

The duo of Lisa De Vanna and Ella Masar hooked up for two goals and magicJack was able to hold on for a 2-1 win over Philadelphia. The loss ended Philly's quest for first place in WPS.

Both teams rested several regulars for the match. Karina LeBlanc got her first start in goal for the season after being a mainstay in the league the past two seasons. She rewarded coach Abby Wambach with a victory.

De Vanna was making only her third start of the season as coach Abby Wambach elected to not start herself. She opened the scoring ten minutes into the match on an assist by Masar. De Vanna added another goal in the second half, once again from Masar, to make it 2-0.

Philadelphia cut the lead to 2-1, as Amy Rodriguez scored in the 79th minute, assisted by Laura del Rio. It was Rodriguez' second of the year.

MagicJack finishes the season at 9-7-2, making the playoffs for the third time in franchise history. They made the playoffs the previous two years as the Washington Freedom, but were eliminated in the first round on each occasion. Philadelphia drops to 11-4-3 and finishes in second place.

MagicJack will now host the first round playoff match against the Boston Breakers on Wednesday evening at 7:30 pm eastern. Philadelphia will host the winner of that match next Saturday in the semifinal match.

Western New York Flash 2, Atlanta Beat 0

Western New York clinched the regular season title and then went on to defeat Atlanta 2-0 on Sunday evening in Rochester. About a third of the way through the match, the Flash knew that Philly had lost to magicJack, thus giving the Flash the regular season title.

After Atlanta had played very well early on, Western New York took the lead in the 37th minute as Caroline Seger volleyed in a Alex Morgan cross to give the Flash the lead before the intermission.

While Atlanta had played tough for most of the first half, the second was literally dominated by the Flash who created chance after chance. Only a few offsides calls and some dicey finishing kept Atlanta in the match.

The Flash finally put the game away in the 75th minute as Christine Sinclair sent a through-ball to Marta who raced onto it and touched it past Allison Whitworth. For Marta, it was her 10th goal of the season, drawing her even with Sinclair for the league lead in that category.

The Flash finish with a 13-2-3 record and will now host the WPS Championship match on August 27. Ashlyn Harris picks up her fifth shutout of the season, tying her for the WPS lead in that category. The Flash became the first WPS team to average more than two goals per game, scoring 40 times in just 18 matches.

Atlanta finishes the season with 1-13-4 record, not having scored in the last 757 minutes of the season. Their last goal was in a June 11 game against magicJack and they failed to score a goal on the road during the season.

Final WPS Regular Season Standings
(1) Western New York 13-2-3, 42 pts; (2) Philadelphia 11-4-3, 36 pts; (3) magicJack 9-7-2, 28 pts; (4) Boston 5-9-4, 19 pts; (5) Sky Blue FC 5-9-4, 19 pts; (6) Atlanta 1-13-4, 7 pts.

magicJack was penalized a point during the season.

Boston won the tiebreaker over Sky Blue based on head-to-head points.

WPS Weekend Preview: August 14

We enter the final weekend of WPS regular season play with some issues yet to be decided. Western New York needs just a single point at home to wrap up first place and home field advantage for the WPS Final, with Philadelphia still having a faint hope of moving up. The real drama will be in Cambridge where the 5th place Breakers will host 4th place Sky Blue, with Boston needing a victory to overtake the team from New Jersey.

Sky Blue FC at Boston Breakers (4 pm eastern, Sunday)
Harvard Stadium, Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Boston Breakers (4-9-4)
Coach: Tony DiCicco
Roster:
Goalkeepers: A. Naeher, A. Phillips.
Defenders: R. Buehler, A. LePeilbet, A. Scott, T. Hemmings, I. Dieke, E. Reed.
Midfielders: L. Osborne, K. Winters, M. Klingenberg, A. Sameshima, K. Schoepfer.
Forwards: L. Cheney (probable), K. O'Hara (probable), K. Smith (questionable), N. Marshall, C. Zimmeck.
Not active: J. Angeli (injured), L. Blayney, L. Bogus, S. Cox, N. Cross, K. Davis (injured), K. Moore (injured), K. J. Spisak.

Sky Blue FC (5-8-4)
Coach: Jim Gabarra
Roster:
Goalkeepers: J. Branam, K. Bardsley.
Defenders: A. Asante (probable), K. Fletcher, B. Taylor, D. Johnson, M. Wenino, P. Hogewoning.
Midfielders: C. Blank, T. Heath, A. Long, H. O'Reilly, T. Sjogran.
Forwards: E. Aluko, Adriana, C. Nogueira.
Not active: K. Arnold, J. Clark, C. Dew (suspended), S. Gray (injured), E. Guthrie, L. Johnson (injured), L. Kalmari, A. Kerr, A. Mautz.

Previous Meetings in 2011:
5/1/11 at Bos - Boston 1, Sky Blue 0
5/28/11 at SB - Sky Blue 2, Boston 1
6/12/11 at SB - Sky Blue 0, Boston 0

With a 4-9-4 record, the Breakers have to consider themselves lucky to be in contention for anything at this point. A combination of injuries, World Cup absences, and lackluster play has led to a disappointing season from Boston. Had it not been for a last minute goal by Philadelphia last weekend, they would be out of it. Instead, a victory against Sky Blue in this match and they will start the second season with a clean slate.

The Breakers enter this match with a four-game losing streak, one they would love to end on Sunday. They've only scored one goal in the last four matches, that one by Keelin Winters coming in a 2-1 loss to Western New York. But just as glaring is the fact that they have given up eight goals over the past three matches. It's time to start seeing some results from all of those national team players.

The forwards have been pretty dinged up. Kelly Smith is still listed as questionable for this match and Lauren Cheney has been nursing an injury since the World Cup. Those two have combined for just two goals this season after scoring 16 between them last year. Kelley O'Hara has been the biggest offensive threat for Boston with four goals, followed by rookie Keelin Winters with three.

Boston has rarely had their defense intact this year, but that isn't the only problem here. They haven't stopped anybody since posting three consecutive shutouts during the World Cup.

Like the Breakers, Sky Blue has been struggling as of late, losing their last three matches. The toughest of all came last weekend as a late goal by Lianne Sanderson dealt Sky Blue a 2-1 loss with the playoffs in their sights.

One player that has been hot lately is Eniola Aluko, who has scored three goals in the last two matches. The English striker has refound her form and has led Sky Blue in their last few contests. Casey Nogueira was having a fine season, but has been a bit quiet as of late. Her five goals leads New Jersey in goal scoring. Tobin Heath seems to be more involved in the offense since returning from Germany.

Defensively, Sky Blue has to be disappointed to lose their last two games on late goals by their opponent. They will face this week without Carrie Dew, who will be serving her red card suspension. Anita Asante should be back from the injury that has sidelined her. Jen Branam, as always, will be one of the keys for Sky Blue in this match. She leads WPS with five shutouts and one here would put Sky Blue in the playoffs.

Sky Blue needs just a tie to secure fourth place and the final playoff berth. If it comes to a decision, the loser will be through for the season and the winner will be headed to Boca Raton for a first round playoff match against magicJack.

Philadelphia at magicJack (4 pm eastern, Sunday)
FAU Soccer Field, Boca Raton, Florida.

magicJack (8-7-2)
Coach: Abby Wambach
Roster:
Goalkeepers: J. Loyden, K. LeBlanc.
Defenders: T. Ellertson, C. Rampone, B. Sauerbrunn, M. Dalmy, L. Vandenbergh.
Midfielders: S. Boxx, M. Rapinoe, S. Huffman, S. Schmidt, N. Washington, O. Davis.
Forwards: A. Wambach, C. Press, E. Masar, L. De Vanna.
Not active: H. Solo (injured), L. Tarpley (injured).

Philadelphia Independence (11-3-3)
Coach: Paul Riley
Roster:
Goalkeepers: N. Barnhart, V. Henderson.
Defenders: K. McNeill, N. Krzysik, L. Robinson, E. Johnson.
Midfielders: J. Buczkowski, L. Lindsey, C. DiMartino, J. Lohman, D. Adams.
Forwards: T. Kai, V. Boquete, A. Rodriguez, L. Sanderson, L. del Rio.
Not active: L. Barnes, G. DiMartino, A. Falk, S. Farrelly, L. Fowlkes, R. Jones.

Previous Meetings in 2011:
5/1/11 at mJ - magicJack 2, Philadelphia 1
6/18/11 at Phi - Philadelphia 6, magicJack 0
6/25/11 at Phi - Philadelphia 3, magicJack 1

Philadelphia enters this match with an outside chance to win the regular season title, but they will need help from Atlanta to accomplish that. MagicJack comes in with third place secure, but with maybe a few lingering memories of a couple of losses to Philly in June.

One has to be at least a little impressed that magicJack earned their way into a playoff berth rather than relying on other teams losing. They won three straight matches, earning nine points against their closest rivals, Sky Blue and Boston. Their streak was snapped by Wednesday's loss to Western New York.

As has been her tradition the past couple of years, Abby Wambach has gotten the scoring touch down the stretch. This year, she's netted five goals in her last four matches. She now has nine on the year, with many coming via her favorite weapon, the header. Rookie Christen Press perhaps has the inside track for Rookie of the Year with eight goals, including a hat trick against Boston. Ella Masar and Lisa De Vanna give magicJack excellent depth up front.

Sophie Schmidt scored her first WPS goal on Wednesday. Megan Rapinoe has been a fine addition to magicJack. She has been a very big part of their offense since returning from Germany. Shannon Boxx is the veteran of the group.

MagicJack seems to have finally gotten things sorted out on the defensive end, with a change in formation being a big part of the solution. Another plus was the return of veteran Christie Rampone. Jill Loyden has been magicJack's goalkeeper since her return from the World Cup.

There have been lots of good stories on this Philadelphia team and the Independence has had outstanding contributions from much of their roster. However, the addition of Vero Boquete seems to be what makes them a championship contender. Philadelphia is a perfect nine for nine with her in the starting lineup. She has five goals and four assists since her arrival. Tasha Kai is also having a great season with nine goals, just one behind the league lead in that category.

But the Independence have gotten contributions from a lot of players. Last weekend's hero was Lianne Sanderson, who scored the game winner in stoppage. Danesha Adams has also scored three goals and Laura del Rio has added two. And all of this is in addition to last year's leading scorer, Amy Rodriguez.

The defense has been the surprise for Philadelphia. They have given up less than a goal a game, all without the benefit of a national team player on their back line. The goalkeeping has very strong with Nicole Barnhart and Val Henderson.

To be realistic, this game means very little to either team. Philadelphia's chances at the regular season title are very slim. Still, there has to be some pride on the line here. MagicJack took a couple of big losses to Philly earlier in the season, including a 6-0 shellacking. I'm sure they would like some measure of payback for that loss and to send Philadelphia a message in what could be a semifinal matchup between the two teams next week.

Atlanta at Western New York (6 pm eastern, Sunday)
Sahlen Stadium, Rochester, New York.

Western New York Flash (12-2-3)
Coach: Aaran Lines
Roster:
Goalkeepers: A. Harris, B. Cameron.
Defenders: C. Chapman, W. Engen, A. Riley, R. Moros, G. Lewandowski, K. Wilson.
Midfielders: Y. Averbuch, B. Edwards, C. Seger, B. Bock, M. Zerboni, B. Goebel.
Forwards: Marta, C. Sinclair, A. Morgan, G. Davison.
Not active: A. Bowers, K. Brandao, K. Fountain, Maurine, A. Sahlen.

Atlanta Beat (1-12-4)
Coach: James Galanis
Roster:
Goalkeepers: A. Whitworth, A. Lipsher.
Defenders: C. Whitehill, K. Reynolds, A. Marquez, H. Mitts, C. Flanagan.
Midfielders: C. Lloyd, M. Jesolva, K. White, K. Wright, A. Salem.
Forwards: L. Chalupny, K. Parker, L. Sesselmann.
Not active: B. D'Agostino, K. Dowling (injured), K. Fraine, M. Lenczyk, J. Sitch, I. Trotter.

Previous Meetings in 2011:
4/24/11 at Atl - Atlanta 2, Western New York 2
5/1/11 at WNY - Western New York 3, Atlanta 0
8/6/11 at Atl - Western New York 2, Atlanta 0

Western New York needs just a tie in this match to clinch the regular season title. That should not prove too difficult given that Atlanta has not scored on the road all season and haven't hit the net in their last 667 minutes.

Christine Sinclair still leads WPS with ten goals, but Marta has scored four goals in the last two games, putting her at nine for the season. Rookie Alex Morgan, Caroline Seger, and McCall Zerboni have all scored four this season. Becky Edwards is having a very good season in the midfield, scoring three goals and playing very well defensively.

Defensively, the addition of Rebecca Moros at midseason has given the Flash even more depth on their back line. Whitney Engen and Ali Riley are both candidates for Defender of the Year. Ashlyn Harris easily leads the league in goals against average.

I don't know what else can be said about Atlanta. The effort is there, but there are just too many young players and not enough overall talent. The Beat tried to add more experience midway through the season with Kacey White and Kelly Parker, but it just hasn't been enough. White's goal for Atlanta, the last one they have scored, is now a distant memory.

Goalkeeper Allison Whitworth has kept her team in several games and her defense is improving, but there is just too much to overcome here. The Beat have a lot of work ahead of them in the offseason.

Western New York will be looking to clinch an automatic berth to the finals, while Atlanta will be looking for a goal, something to salvage what remains of the 2011 campaign.

Wednesday Result: Western New York 2, magicJack 1

Western New York moved to the verge of clinching the regular season title with a 2-1 victory over magicJack on Wednesday. Marta scored both goals for the Flash, while Sophie Schmidt netted her first for magicJack.

Last Second Goal Lifts Philly over Shorthanded Sky Blue

Lianne Sanderson scored in stoppage time to give Philadelphia a 2-1 victory over Sky Blue FC on Sunday. It was the third goal of the season for the English striker, who came into the match as a substitute in the 77th minute of action. The victory brings the Independence level with Western New York, but the Flash still have the inside track for first place with two games remaining to Philly's one.

Sky Blue played a player down for almost the entire second half as Carrie Dew picked up a second yellow card for taking down Danesha Adams early in the second half. She had picked up her first in the opening minutes of the first half.

Philadelphia came out buzzing and put good pressure on the Sky Blue goal in the opening minutes of the match. Veronica Boquete's free kick from 24 yards was heading just under the crossbar, but Jen Branam managed to tip the ball over the net in the 2nd minute. On the ensuing corner kick, Boquete started back in the center circle and found herself wide open as she charged toward the penalty area unmarked. But her shot from just outside the box went over the crossbar.

The Independence broke on top in the 17th minute. Leigh Ann Robinson sent a beautiful long ball up the center of the field for Tasha Kai. The ball had spin on it and took a hop to the right. Kai took time to measure it and then placed a beautiful shot in the upper left side over Branam to make it 1-0.

Sky Blue tried to pull even just three minutes later, but Eni Aluko's shot from a tough angle was saved by Nicole Barnhart. However, four minutes later, Tobin Heath made a run up the center of the field. Drawing the defense toward her, she pushed a nice little through pass to Aluko, who finished with her right foot past Barnhart and into the right side of the net to tie the score.

Branam made a nice save on Boquete a few minutes later as Kai's header hit the Spanish striker in stride. Boquete's blast from 20 yards was saved by the agile Branam. In the 41st minute, Adams laid the ball off for Tina DiMartino, whose shot from 22 yards was also saved by Branam.

Sky Blue nearly took the lead just before intermission. A Heather O'Reilly cross went over the head of several players to bounce right to Brittany Taylor. She flicked a header just wide of the left post.

Dew picked up her second yellow card of the match as she slid late into Adams who was dribbling up the center of the field. It did appear that Dew attempted to put on the brakes, but it was too late and Adams went tumbling over the Sky Blue defender and referee Ted Unkel pulled out the yellow and dismissed Dew from the match.

Sky Blue caught a bit of a break in the 67th minute, as Amy Rodriguez chipped a shot over a diving Branam into the right post. With Branam laying on the ground, the ball bounced right back into her lap.

Philadelphia continued to pressure as the half wore on. Laura del Rio hit a hard shot from 15 yards, but Kendall Fletcher headed it clear. In the 77th minute, Branam made a nice save on Rodriguez' shot inside the near post. Branam later made two big saves in one-on-one situations with del Rio to keep the game level at one.

But just when it appeared that Sky Blue might hang on for the tie, one that would have clinched a playoff berth for them, Philadelphia got the game winner. Amy Rodriguez nodded a header forward from the edge of the eighteen. The ball appeared to deflect slightly off of Tobin Heath's head to the front of the goal where three Philly players were waiting against one defender and Branam. Joanna Lohman was able to touch the ball past Branam to Sanderson who finished just before a lunging Kendall Fletcher could get there and the Independence had scored the winner.

For Sky Blue and especially for Jen Branam, it was a harsh result. They needed just a tie to clinch a playoff berth, but were denied in the closing moments. Branam certainly made several great saves to keep her team even until that last second goal. They now face a one game do-or-die contest in Boston next week, still needing only a tie to advance to the playoffs.

Philadelphia's record goes to 11-3-3, good for 36 points and tied with Western New York. They have clinched second place and still have an outside shot at the top position, but the Flash have the inside track with an additional match remaining. The Independence close the season next Sunday in Boca Raton against third place magicJack.

Note: Philadelphia is a perfect 9-0-0 with Veronica Boquete in the starting lineup.

Correction: It was Danielle Johnson, not Kendall Fletcher, who was the last defender trying to block the shot on the game winning goal.

WPS Standings
(1) Western New York 11-2-3, 36 pts; (1) Philadelphia 11-3-3, 36 pts; (3) magicJack 8-6-2, 25 pts; (4) Sky Blue FC 5-8-4, 19 pts; (5) Boston 4-9-4, 16 pts; (6) Atlanta 1-12-4, 7 pts.

Schedule:
Wednesday, August 10
Western New York at magicJack

Sunday, August 14
Philadelphia at magicJack
Sky Blue FC at Boston
Atlanta at Western New York

Playoff Scenarios:
Sky Blue needs a tie or win against Boston to clinch 4th place. Boston needs to win in order to clinch 4th place.

Philadelphia and Western New York are tied for 1st place, with Philadelphia owning the tiebreaker at this point. Western New York has a game in hand.

magicJack has clinched 3rd place and will host the first round of the playoffs.

Flash and magicJack Post Victories

magicJack 3, Sky Blue FC 2

MagicJack took over sole possession of third place by defeating Sky Blue 3-2 tonight in Boca Raton. Abby Wambach scored twice and Megan Rapinoe got the game winner for magicJack.

Wambach opened the scoring in the 5th minute, assisted by Marian Dalmy. The hosts went into halftime with a 1-0 lead.

The floodgates opened in the second half, as both teams scored twice. Eni Aluko scored her second goal of the season, assisted by Heather O'Reilly in the 56th minute to tie the match for Sky Blue.

Wambach again gave magicJack the lead in the 77th minute, with the assist this time coming from Canadian National Team midfielder Sophie Schmidt. It was Wambach's 7th goal of the season.

Once again, Aluko was able to draw Sky Blue even as she scored in the 84th minute to tie the match at two, with Adriana assisting.

But midseason acquisition Megan Rapinoe scored the game winner in the 86th minute on an assist from Matilda's star Lisa De Vanna.

Jill Loyden got the victory in goal for magicJack, while Karen Bardsley took the loss for Sky Blue.

MagicJack improves to 7-6-2, good for 22 points after their point deduction suffered earlier in the campaign. They need just one more point to secure a playoff position. They will face the Breakers in Boston on Saturday evening.

Sky Blue falls to 5-7-4 and 19 points to their credit. They are still clinging to the fourth and final playoff berth, just three points ahead of Boston. Sky Blue travels to Philadelphia to play the Independence on Sunday, before facing the Breakers in their final regular season match in what could be a do or die game.

Western New York Flash 2, Boston Breakers 1

The Flash were able to pull even with league leading Philadelphia on Wednesday night, by defeating the Boston Breakers 2-1 at Sahlen Stadium. Christine Sinclair and Becky Edwards were able to net first half goals and then the Flash were able to withstand a Boston comeback to hold on for the victory.

Sinclair scored the game's first goal on an assist from Marta in the 21st minute. The tally pushes Sinclair's league-leading total to 10 goals.

The Flash made it 2-0 just seven minutes later. Becky Edwards headed in an Ali Riley cross and Western New York appeared to be on their way to victory.

Boston had other ideas, however, as they cut the lead in half in the opening minutes of the second half. Rookie Keelin Winters scored her third goal of the season, assisted by Kelley O'Hara to put the Breakers right back in the match.

Kelly Smith nearly tied the match in the 54th minute, but her shot from 30 yards hit the crossbar with Flash keeper Ashlyn Harris barely getting her hand on it. From then on, Western New York was able to hold on to capture three points.

The match saw two key Breakers players return to action. The aforementioned Smith came on at halftime, seeing her first action since the World Cup quarterfinals in Germany. Lauren Cheney made her first start since her ankle injury in the World Cup final for the United States.

Western New York is now in prime position to win the WPS regular season crown. They are tied with Philadelphia at 33 points and have a game in hand. They will face cellar dwelling Atlanta on Saturday at KSU Stadium.

Boston's situation is desperate at 4-8-4, but they do still control their own destiny. They will face magicJack in Cambridge on Saturday, before finishing the season at home against Sky Blue FC.

WPS STANDINGS
(1) Western New York 10-2-3, 33 pts; (1) Philadelphia 10-3-3, 33 pts; (3) magicJack 7-6-2, 22 pts; (4) Sky Blue FC 5-7-4, 19 pts; (5) Boston 4-8-4, 16 pts; (6) Atlanta 1-11-4, 7 pts.

WPS Midweek Preview: August 3

We are down to the final two weeks of WPS regular season action and both of Wednesday's matches have huge playoff implications. One is a battle for third place between magicJack and Sky Blue FC. The other is a matchup between 2nd place Western New York and 5th place Boston, with the Breakers fighting to keep their playoff hopes alive.

Sky Blue FC at magicJack (7 pm eastern, Wednesday)
FAU Soccer Field, Boca Raton, Florida.

magicJack (6-6-2, 19 pts)
Coach: Abby Wambach
Roster:
Goalkeepers: J. Loyden, K. LeBlanc.
Defenders: T. Ellertson, C. Rampone, B. Sauerbrunn, M. Dalmy, L. Vandenbergh.
Midfielders: S. Boxx, S. Huffman, N. Washington, M. Rapinoe, S. Schmidt, O. Davis.
Forwards: A. Wambach, C. Press, E. Masar, L. De Vanna.
Not active: H. Solo (injured), L. Tarpley (injured).

Sky Blue FC (5-6-4, 19 pts)
Coach: Jim Gabarra
Roster:
Goalkeepers: J. Branam, K. Bardsley.
Defenders: B. Taylor, K. Fletcher, A. Asante (questionable), C. Dew.
Midfielders: C. Blank, H. O'Reilly, A. Long, T. Sjogran, T. Heath, A. Kerr.
Forwards: Adriana, E. Aluko, C. Nogueira, L. Kalmari.
Not active: K. Arnold, J. Clark, S. Gray (injured), E. Guthrie, P. Hogewoning, D. Johnson, L. Johnson (injured), A. Mautz, M. Wenino.

Prior Meetings in 2011:
7/9 at SB - Sky Blue 2, magicJack 2
7/27 at mJ - Sky Blue 2, magicJack 0

Both teams enter the match with 19 points. Sky Blue has only three matches left, while magicJack has four. Sky Blue has the edge in the season series with a win and a tie. The winner of this match will be in the driver's seat for third place. The loser will try to fend off Boston for fourth place. This should have the feel and intensity of a playoff match.

MagicJack's victory over Boston on Saturday was their first win in nearly two months and it came just in time as it looked like they could miss the playoffs. Now they are in control of their own destiny and look to move into sole possession of third place.

MagicJack added veteran Canadian keeper Karina LeBlanc to their roster to help make up for the loss of Hope Solo. It will be interesting to see whether they stay with Jill Loyden in goal or turn to LeBlanc.

MagicJack exploded for four goals in their last match, three of them by rookie of the year candidate Christen Press. Abby Wambach scored the other, her first since returning from Germany. Ella Masar and Lisa De Vanna give magicJack a wealth of options up front.

Two of the most recent additions, Nikki Washington and Megan Rapinoe, give magicJack a couple of dangerous attacking weapons out of the midfield to go with veterans Shannon Boxx and Sarah Huffman.

Defensively, magicjack has one of the most veteran back lines in WPS, no matter if they play three or four in back. Christie Rampone, Tina Ellertson, and Becky Sauerbrunn all have USWNT experience. Marian Dalmy, who has played a lot of midfield for magicJack, returns to her more natural position on the back line in the four back set.

Sky Blue has veteran Jen Branam in goal. She has five shutouts on the season, leading WPS in that category. English National Team starter Karen Bardsley backs up Branam.

Defensively, Sky Blue has been vulnerable at times this season. Several of their defenders have had injury problems and Anita Asante is listed as questionable for this match. Brittany Taylor could be the key to the Sky Blue defense.

Sky Blue must get some offense out of their midfield, especially the trio of Heather O'Reilly, Therese Sjogran, and Allie Long. Coach Jim Gabarra has tried many different combinations up front, using Eniola Aluko, Adriana, Laura Kalmari, and Casey Nogueira with varying degrees of success. Gabarra prefers to bring Nogueira and midfielder Tobin Heath off the bench.

These teams are fighting for third place and the possibility of a home playoff match. With one less game remaining, Sky Blue is a little more under the gun at this point. They have played reasonably well against magicJack this season. Abby Wambach would just as soon forget that she put one in her own goal the last time these two teams met, just a week ago.

Boston at Western New York (7:30 pm eastern, Wednesday)
Sahlen Stadium, Rochester, New York.

Western New York Flash (9-2-3, 30 pts)
Coach: Aaran Lines
Roster:
Goalkeepers: A. Harris, B. Cameron.
Defenders: C. Chapman, W. Engen, A. Riley, R. Moros, G. Lewandowski, K. Wilson.
Midfielders: Y. Averbuch, B. Edwards, C. Seger, M. Zerboni, B. Bock, B. Goebel.
Forwards: Marta, C. Sinclair, A. Morgan, G. Davison.
Not active: A. Bowers, K. Brandao, K. Fountain, Maurine, A. Sahlen.

Boston Breakers (4-7-4, 16 pts)
Coach: Tony DiCicco
Roster:
Goalkeepers: A. Naeher, K. J. Spisak.
Defenders: R. Buehler, A. LePeilbet, S. Cox, A. Scott, I. Dieke.
Midfielders: L. Osborne, K. Winters, M. Klingenberg, A. Sameshima, K. Schoepfer, L. Blayney.
Forwards: K. O'Hara (probable), T. Hemmings, N. Marshall, L. Cheney (questionable), K. Smith (questionable).
Not active: J. Angeli (injured), L. Bogus, N. Cross, K. Davis (injured), K. Moore (injured), A. Phillips, E. Reed, C. Zimmeck.

Prior Meetings in 2011:
4/17 at Bos - Western New York 2, Boston 1
5/13 at WNY - Western New York 3, Boston 2
7/24 at Bos - Boston 2, Western New York 2

The 4-0 loss to magicJack put Boston in a situation where there is now no margin for error. Western New York is now in good position to win the WPS regular season title, in spite of being three points down to Philadelphia. They have two more games remaining than Philly and have two matches left with last place Atlanta.

One thing that must be said is that Boston has given the Flash a lot of problems this season in spite of having only one tie to show for their efforts. The Breakers have scored five times against Western New York, with Kelley O'Hara getting two in their last match against the Flash.

Lauren Cheney and Kelly Smith are both listed as questionable for the match and without them, Boston is severely limited in scoring options. In fact, if Cheney and Smith are not able to play, the Breakers are missing their top five scorers from the 2010 season. Jordan Angeli was injured in the first game of the season, while Kristine Lilly retired and Lindsay Tarpley signed with magicJack.

So where then does the scoring come from for Boston? O'Hara is obviously the first option. She leads the Breakers with four goals. Katie Schoepfer is having a very good season with the Breakers and has two goals to her credit. Keelin Winters also has two goals for Boston, as does Kasey Moore, but she is out with an injury as well. Boston does have a couple of offensive weapons in former magicJack players Meghan Klingenberg and Nikki Marshall.

Defensively, the Breakers must improve against Western New York, which is no easy task. They have given up seven goals in just three games, which is about the league average against the Flash. Boston boasts a strong, veteran back line, but they need to be especially sturdy in this match. Alex Scott is the best offensive threat out of the back. Alyssa Naeher is second in WPS in both goals against average and shutouts.

Christine Sinclair leads the league in both goals and assists heading into the final two weeks of the season and must be considered one of the frontrunners for league MVP. Marta is having a "quiet season", but by her standards only. She has five goals and four assists. Alex Morgan has four goals and two assists for WNY in very limited action.

With Caroline Seger back in the midfield, the Flash machine has returned to full strength. They easily defeated a strong Sky Blue team 4-1 over the weekend and are starting to once again look like the second coming of FC Gold Pride. McCall Zerboni has scored twice against the Breakers this season.

The Flash rank second in the league in defense, with Ashlyn Harris playing every minute of the season in goal. She has a great center back tandem of Whitney Engen and Candace Chapman in front of her. Ali Riley, like Scott for Boston, is one of the best outside backs in the world and always a threat on the offensive end as well.

While a loss would not eliminate the Breakers from playoff contention, it would certainly make things very, very hard for them. Luckily, their two remaining games after this one are against the two teams they are chasing in the standings, magicJack and Sky Blue.

A victory for Western New York would pull them even with Philadelphia with a game in hand, putting them in the driver's seat for the WPS regular season championship.

Capacity Crowd Sees Sky Blue Fall to Flash

A crowd of 5065 saw the host Sky Blue side fall to Western New York by a 4-1 margin. The victory boosts Western New York into a tie for first place, while Sky Blue falls into a third place tie with magicJack.

The Flash tried to get on the board quickly as Christine Sinclair nearly scored in the opening minute, but her shot hit the post.

Sky Blue took the lead midway through the first half. Therese Sjogran fed Spanish striker Adriana and she slid her shot past Flash goalkeeper Ashlyn Harris for a 1-0 lead.

However, Western New York came back with a vengeance, scoring three goals in less than ten minutes. McCall Zerboni tied the score in the 29th minute as she was able to sneak a hard shot past Sky Blue keeper Jen Branam. Just six minutes later, Yael Averbuch set up Marta to give the Flash the lead. Three minutes later, the Flash scored off of a Candace Chapman free kick as Sinclair headed it home to make it 3-1.

The score stayed that way until the waning moments of the match as Alex Morgan scored in stoppage time on an assist by Beverly Goebel.

Western New York outshot Sky Blue by a 21-8 margin and held the edge in shots on goal as well with a 10-4 advantage.

The Flash improve their record to 9-2-3 and they are now tied with Philadelphia for 1st place with a game in hand. The Independence play Atlanta on Sunday. Sky Blue falls to 5-6-4, but still have a share of third place.

Western New York hosts Boston on Wednesday night. Sky Blue travels to Florida to meet magicJack in a battle for third place, also on Wednesday evening.

Jen Branam announced before the match that she would be retiring at the end of the season. Branam has been a member of Sky Blue since the beginning and helped lead them to the 2009 WPS championship. Sky Blue plans to retire her number 23 jersey.

WPS Weekend Preview: July 30-31

Western New York at Sky Blue FC (7 pm, Saturday)
Yurcak Field, Piscataway, New Jersey.

Sky Blue FC (5-5-4)
Coach: Jim Gabarra
Roster:
Goalkeepers: J. Branam, K. Bardsley.
Defenders: A. Asante, C. Dew, B. Taylor, K. Fletcher, P. Hogewoning.
Midfielders: C. Blank, H. O'Reilly, T. Sjogran, A. Long, T. Heath, A. Kerr, A. Mautz.
Forwards: Adriana, E. Aluko, C. Nogueira, L. Kalmari.
Not active: K. Arnold, J. Clark, S. Gray (injured), E. Guthrie, D. Johnson, L. Johnson (injured), M. Wenino.

Western New York Flash (8-2-3)
Coach: Aaran Lines
Roster:
Goalkeepers: A. Harris, B. Cameron.
Defenders: C. Chapman, W. Engen, A. Riley, R. Moros, K. Wilson.
Midfielders: B. Edwards, Y. Averbuch, C. Seger, M. Zerboni, B. Bock, B. Goebel.
Forwards: C. Sinclair, Marta, A. Morgan.
Not active: A. Bowers, K. Brandao, G. Davison, K. Fountain, G. Lewandowski, Maurine, A. Sahlen.

Prior Meetings in 2011:
5/6/11 at WNY - Western New York 3, Sky Blue 1
6/3/11 at WNY - Western New York 2, Sky Blue 2
7/17/11 at SB - Western New York 2, Sky Blue 0

Western New York finds themselves in 2nd place, but have five matches left to make up the three points they trail Philadelphia by in the standings. However, with the Independence facing Atlanta this weekend, the Flash will want to win this one to keep pace.

Sky Blue is now all alone in 3rd place entering this match, with Boston and magicJack not far behind. This will be Sky Blue's last regular season home match, so they need to take advantage of it. They enter this match on a two-game winning streak.

For the first time since the World Cup, the Flash are at full strength as midfielder Caroline Seger returns after missing the last few matches with an injury suffered in Germany. Her presence in the midfield make the Flash an even more formidable side. She already has two goals against the Sky Blue this season.

Western New York has absolutely lit up the scoreboard against Sky Blue, scoring seven goals in three matches. In addition to Seger, Alex Morgan, Christine Sinclair, Beverly Goebel, and Marta have all score goals against New Jersey this season. Sinclair is tied for the league's best with eight goals in 2011. The Flashes' speed has given Sky Blue lots of problems in back.

Sky Blue's Jen Branam will have something to say about the outcome of this match. She now leads WPS with five shutouts in just 12 starts and is third in goals against average, just three one-hundredths of a point behind Alyssa Naeher.

Sky Blue has been using Casey Nogueira as their supersub. Nogueira leads the team with five goals scored on the season, two ahead of midfielder Allie Long. Both have scored this season against Western New York, with Long's coming on a penalty.

Ashlyn Harris will be in goal for the Flash. She is second in goals against average and has posted three shutouts. WNY has a solid back line, with Candace Chapman and Whitney Engen in the center and Ali Riley and Rebecca Moros outside. Becky Edwards is a fine two-way player in the midfield.

Sky Blue will need to find a way to slow down the Flash in this match if they want to win this match. Their midfield will likely be key with Carolyn Blank being the defensive-minded one of the group. They will also need a good match out of Swedish veteran Therese Sjogran.

Boston at magicJack (7 pm eastern, Saturday)
FAU Soccer Field, Boca Raton, Florida.

magicJack (5-6-2)
Coach: Abby Wambach
Roster:
Goalkeepers: J. Loyden, B. Maron.
Defenders: T. Ellertson, C. Rampone, B. Sauerbrunn, L. Vandenbergh.
Midfielders: S. Boxx, M. Dalmy, S. Huffman, S. Schmidt, M. Rapinoe, N. Washington.
Forwards: A. Wambach, E. Masar, C. Press, L. De Vanna, J. Rasmussen.
Not active: H. Solo (injured), L. Tarpley (injured).

Boston Breakers (4-6-4)
Coach: Tony DiCicco
Roster:
Goalkeepers: A. Harris, A. Phillips.
Defenders: R. Buehler, A. LePeilbet, S. Cox, A. Scott, K. Moore (probable), T. Hemmings.
Midfielders: L. Osborne, A. Sameshima, K. Winters, M. Klingenberg, K. Schoepfer, L. Bogus.
Forwards: K. O'Hara (probable), K. Smith (questionable), K. Schoepfer, N. Marshall.
Not active: J. Angeli (injured), L. Blayney, L. Cheney (injured), N. Cross, K. Davis (injured), I. Dieke, E. Reed, K. J. Spisak, C. Zimmeck.

Prior Meetings in 2011:
4/23/11 at MJ - magicJack 1, Boston 0
6/5/11 at Bos - Boston 2, magicJack 1

These two teams enter the match tied for the fourth and final playoff berth. It is a crucial match for both sides, but especially for Boston since magicJack has a game in hand. They have split the previous two meetings, with the home team winning both matches.

Both teams will be missing key personnel due to injuries. Magicjack will be without USWNT goalkeeper Hope Solo. Kelly Smith is still listed as questionable for the Breakers. She missed the match on Wednesday against Philadelphia and with the Breakers already without Lauren Cheney, Smith's presence is greatly needed by Boston.

In Smith's absence, Kelley O'Hara has been the focus of the offense. She has four goals on the season and leads the Breakers in that category. Katie Schoepfer is having a breakout season with two goals and two assists in 2011. Nikki Marshall adds speed to the Boston front, while Meghan Klingenberg is a threat from the wing. Aya Sameshima is a recent addition to the midfield group, after helping Japan win the World Cup in Germany.

Defensively, the Breakers are ranked second in the league behind Philadelphia. Alyssa Naeher ranks second in shutouts and is first in goals against average in WPS. She has the solid wall of Alex Scott, Rachel Buehler, Amy LePeilbet, and Stephanie Cox in front of her. Leslie Osborne is one of the league's best defensive players in the midfield.

Once battling for the top position in the league, this has been a tale of two seasons for magicJack in 2011. They started the year at 5-2, but have been 0-4-2 since. Their last three victories have come against the Atlanta Beat and they haven't beaten any other team since May 1.

Defense has been a problem for magicjack. They have given up two or more goals in seven of their last eight matches. Formation would appear to be part of the problem as they have used three in back for most of those matches. They have solid performers in Christie Rampone, Becky Sauerbrunn, and Tina Ellertson on their back line. Jill Loyden starts in goal in Solo's absence.

The attack has been the strong point for magicJack for most of the season, but they have suffered two shutouts in a row. Christen Press leads with five goals, followed by Ella Masar and Abby Wambach with four each. Lisa De Vanna adds speed at forward. Nikki Washington has contributed an assist since coming over from Boston.

Look for a tough battle in the midfield throughout this match. Shannon Boxx and Sarah Huffman lead a veteran group for magicJack. Leslie Osborne and rookie Keelin Winters are strong, physical midfielders for Boston.

A win for magicJack puts them in the driver's seat as far a playoff spot goes. Boston almost must get at least a point out of this match, if not more. This all important battle for fourth place will be key to deciding the final playoff berth.

Atlanta at Philadelphia (6 pm eastern, Sunday)
Leslie Quick Stadium, Chester, Pennsylvania.

Philadelphia Independence (9-3-3)
Coach: Paul Riley
Roster:
Goalkeepers: N. Barnhart, V. Henderson.
Defenders: N. Krzysik, K. McNeill, E. Johnson, L. Robinson.
Midfielders: J. Buczkowski, S. Farrelly, C. DiMartino, L. Sanderson, L. Lindsey, J. Lohman, G. DiMartino.
Forwards: T. Kai, A. Rodriguez, V. Boquete, L. del Rio, D. Adams.
Not active: L. Barnes, A. Falk, L. Fowlkes, R. Jones.

Atlanta Beat (1-10-4)
Coach: James Galanis
Roster:
Goalkeepers: A. Whitworth, A. Lipsher, K. Fraine.
Defenders: C. Whitehill, K. Reynolds, H. Mitts, A. Marquez, C. Flanagan.
Midfielders: K. Wright, L. Chalupny, K. White, M. Jesolva, A. Salem, B. D'Agostino.
Forwards: K. Parker, L. Sesselmann.
Not active: K. Dowling (injured), M. Lenczyk, C. Lloyd (yellow card accumulation), J. Sitch, I. Trotter.

Prior Meetings in 2011:
5/15/11 at Atl - Philadelphia 2, Atlanta 1
6/4/11 at Phil - Philadelphia 0, Atlanta 0
7/16/11 at Atl - Philadelphia 1, Atlanta 0

You would think with the last place team traveling to the first place team, this game might be a mismatch. Atlanta has not won since their second match of the year and haven't scored a goal on the road yet. But one thing the Beat have done is play the Independence tough every single time they've met this season. There has been a tie and two one-goal Philadelphia wins in this series leading up to this match.

Not having scored on the road, Atlanta faces a tough task on Sunday. In Philadelphia, they will be facing the league's leading defensive side, giving up just one goal per game and they have already posted six shutouts this season. Meanwhile, Atlanta will be looking to stop their unfortunate record of 487 consecutive scoreless minutes dating back to June 11, when Kacey White scored in Atlanta's 3-2 loss to magicJack.

If Atlanta is to provide some offense in this match, it will be without the services of Carli Lloyd, who is suspended for the match due to yellow card accumulation (four in just eight matches). Canadian striker Kelly Parker and the midfield trio of Lori Chalupny, Megan Jesolva, and White will have to be the attacking force in this match.

Defense is one area that the Beat have shown improvement as the season has progressed. They have given up just four goals total in their last five matches and have two shutouts over that stretch. Allison Whitworth has played very well in goal over the past two months for the Beat. With Heather Mitts returning, it gives Atlanta two veteran defenders with center back Cat Whitehill.

While Atlanta has limited offense, the Independence has abundant options up front. Eleven different players have scored for Philadelphia this season. Tasha Kai leads WPS with eight goals and is having her best professional season ever.

Veronica Boquete has been one of the league's best players since coming over from Spain with four goals and four assists in just eight matches. USWNT striker Amy Rodriguez is now back from national team duty to add another dose of speed to Philly's arsenal. And the Independence doesn't lose anything when Laura del Rio and Danesha Adams enter the match.

Philadelphia has a talented midfield and one that is very strong defensively, starting with Jen Buczkowski and Sinead Farrelly. The Independence defense has been solid this season and that is without any national teamers on their back line. Philadelphia has been alternating at goalkeeper, with Nicole Barnhart starting most of the early matches until she left for Germany and Val Henderson getting the starts in Barnhart's absence. Both are very good.

Philadelphia has a three point lead on Western New York, but the Flash have two games in hand, meaning that a win is essential in this match. Atlanta has given the Independence problems this season, but they will need to find a way to score if they are to get any points out of this match.

WPS Midweek Preview - July 27

Wednesday night's WPS action features two matches having huge playoff implications. Boston, presently in a three-way battle for third place, will host Philadelphia, who is tied with Western New York for the top spot in WPS. Meanwhile, magicJack returns home where they will play five of their last six regular season matches, starting with Sky Blue FC on Wednesday evening.

Philadelphia at Boston (7 pm eastern, Wednesday)
Harvard Stadium, Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Boston Breakers (4-5-4)
Coach: Tony DiCicco
Roster:
Goalkeepers: A. Naeher, A. Phillips.
Defenders: A. Scott, R. Buehler, A. LePeilbet, S. Cox, A. Sameshima, K. Moore (probable).
Midfielders: L. Osborne, M. Klingenberg, K. Winters, K. Schoepfer.
Forwards: K. O'Hara (probable), K. Smith (questionable), N. Marshall, T. Hemmings, L. Bogus, C. Zimmeck.
Not active: L. Cheney (injured), I. Dieke, E. Reed, N. Cross, L. Blayney, K. J. Spisak, J. Angeli (injured), K. Davis (injured).

Philadelphia Independence (8-3-3)
Coach: Paul Riley
Roster:
Goalkeepers: V. Henderson, N. Barnhart.
Defenders: E. Johnson, K. McNeill, N. Krzysik, L. Robinson.
Midfielders: J. Buczkowski, L. Lindsey, C. DiMartino, S. Farrelly.
Forwards: T. Kai, A. Rodriguez, L. del Rio, L. Sanderson, D. Adams, V. Boquete.
Not active: R. Jones, L. Barnes, A. Falk, L. Fowlkes, J. Lohman, G. DiMartino.

Prior Meetings in 2011:
5/8 at Phi - Philadelphia 2, Boston 0
5/22 at Bos - Boston 1, Philadelphia 1

With just five games remaining, Boston is in a real fight for one of the last two playoff berths. They enter the match with a battered front line, but with their defense restored to full strength. Lauren Cheney, who scored the Breakers' only goal against Philadelphia this season, is out with the ankle injury she sustained at the World Cup. Kelly Smith is listed as being available, but questionable for this match.

Kelley O'Hara scored two goals in the Sunday match against the Flash and she leads the team with four for the season. The addition of Nikki Marshall gives the Breakers more speed up front. The key question is will Smith be able to play and if so, how effectively. Katie Schoepfer has been very good lately and she will likely see action in this match, either as a starter or off the bench. Meghan Klingenberg has looked very promising since coming over from magicJack.

Boston has experience in the middle with Leslie Osborne, one of the league's toughest defenders in the midfield. Keelin Winters is having a fine rookie season for the Breakers and has started all but one match for Boston. There is a possibility that coach Tony DiCicco might move Japanese defender Aya Sameshima to midfield as well.

Defensively, Boston will be at full strength for the first time in ages. Amy LePeilbet, Rachel Buehler, and Stephanie Cox all return to join Alex Scott on the back line for the stretch run. Alyssa Naeher is having a steady year in goal for the Breakers and will need to be on her game against the high-powered Independence offense.

Philadelphia made one roster change this week, mutually terminating the contract of Holmfridur Magnusdottir, a versatile player that has been a member of the Independence since their inception.

The Independence may have the deepest set of forwards in the league. Tasha Kai is having her best WPS season yet with eight goals. Kai has scored twice against Boston already this season. She is joined by USWNT forward Amy Rodriguez, who might see her first start since returning from Germany.

Then there are the Spanish duo of Veronica Boquete and Laura del Rio. Boquete was Player of the Week a couple of weeks ago, but was not active for Philly's last match. Another striker, Danesha Adams, has a knack for scoring big goals in big games.

The midfield group for Philadelphia is very good overall and strong defensively. Jen Buczkowski is a rugged defensive midfielder. Lori Lindsey is the veteran of the group and a member of the USWNT. She is excellent at distribution and controlling the tempo in the midfield. Tina DiMartino is one of the best with the ball at her feet and good at setting up teammates as well. Sinead Farrelly, like her opponent Winters, is having a very solid rookie season.

The back line is a rugged group, especially in the middle with Nikki Krzysik and Kia McNeill. Lee Ann Robinson can attack from her outside position. Estelle Johnson has played well in her second year with the Independence. Paul Riley went with Val Henderson in goal for the last match, instead of the returning Nicole Barnhart. It will be interesting to see if he goes back to Barnhart in this one.

Philadelphia has a lot of speed on the offensive end and could give Boston's stellar defense some problems in this match. Boston is very good at attacking from the wings, especially with Klingenberg and O'Hara. Boston has a five-match unbeaten streak on the line and have been very tough at home this season. Philadelphia's six-match winning streak was stopped by Sky Blue their last time out. This should be a very good match.

Sky Blue FC at magicJack (7 pm eastern, Wednesday)
FAU Stadium, Boca Raton, Florida.

magicJack (5-5-2)
Coach: Abby Wambach
Roster:
Goalkeepers: J. Loyden, B. Maron.
Defenders: T. Ellertson, C. Rampone, B. Sauerbrunn, M. Dalmy, L. Vandenbergh.
Midfielders: S. Boxx, M. Rapinoe, S. Huffman, S. Schmidt, N. Washington, O. Davis.
Forwards: A. Wambach, E. Masar, C. Press, L. De Vanna, J. Rasmussen.
Not active: H. Solo, A. Gunning, L. Tarpley (injured).

Sky Blue FC (4-5-4)
Coach: Jim Gabarra
Roster:
Goalkeepers: J. Branam, K. Bardsley.
Defenders: B. Taylor, K. Fletcher, C. Dew, A. Asante.
Midfielders: H. O'Reilly, A. Long, T. Heath, T. Sjogran, C. Blank, A. Kerr.
Forwards: C. Nogueira, Adriana, E. Aluko, L. Kalmari.
Not active: L. Johnson (injured), S. Gray (injured), K. Arnold, E. Guthrie, D. Johnson, M. Wenino, J. Clark, P. Hogewoning, A. Mautz.

Prior Meetings in 2011:
7/9 at SBFC - Sky Blue FC 2, magicJack 2

It comes down to three teams for the final two playoff berths over the last three weeks of the season. MagicJack's next four matches will be against the two teams they are battling with, Boston and Sky Blue. This will be their first home match in nearly two months.

It is interesting that magicJack's remaining schedule can work both ways for them. They have the advantage of having one more game remaining than either Sky Blue or Boston and the advantage of playing five of their last six at home. But they also have the disadvantage of playing six games in 19 days, quite a brutal stretch and five of those matches will be played in the heat and humidity of southern Florida.

With Abby Wambach at the helm, magicJack heads down the stretch with high hopes for third place. They have most of their team back and intact, with the exception of Hope Solo, who is bothered by shoulder and wrist injuries, and Lindsey Tarpley, who was lost to the team with a torn ACL.

The injury to Solo means Jill Loyden will be front and center in the next few matches. She played very well subbing in for Solo two years ago for Athletica. Last year, she had an uneven season with the Red Stars. Now, with everything on the line, it's her turn to show what she can do in tense playoff-like matches.

Defensively, magicJack switched to a four-in-back formation against Atlanta their last time out. They did shut out the Beat, but didn't score any themselves. Now, back on the narrow confines of FAU Stadium, will they go back to the three defender formation? They have strong veterans on the back line with USWNT defenders Christie Rampone and Becky Sauerbrunn, and former USWNT backliners Tina Ellertson and Marian Dalmy.

With Shannon Boxx returning to the lineup and newly acquired Megan Rapinoe joining the midfield, we should marked improvement in this area. Veteran Sarah Huffman, Canadian National Team midfielder Sophie Schmidt, and former Breaker Nikki Washington round out a very strong midfield group.

Now that they have their full attacking arsenal back, magicJack's offense should be tough to stop. Abby Wambach leads the way and the team certainly missed her while she was in Germany. She gives magicJack the added dimension of a good attack through the air and on set pieces. Ella Masar has been one of the league's top scorers over the past two seasons and rookie Christen Press leads the team with five goals. Add speedy striker Lisa De Vanna to Sky Blue's problems that will challenge their back line in this match.

One of Sky Blue's biggest problems this season has been scoring, but forward Casey Nogueira took it upon herself to solve that problem in her last match against Philadelphia, scoring twice to lead Sky Blue to victory. Spanish striker Adriana has been a welcome addition to Sky Blue's front line. England's Eni Aluko is still looking to get untracked. Laura Kalmari is always a threat when she gets on the field.

The midfield is always Sky Blue's strength and with their three national team players, Heather O'Reilly, Therese Sjogran, and Tobin Heath, going against magicJack's three national teamers in Boxx, Rapinoe, and Schmidt, this should truly be one of the most interesting aspects of this match. Carolyn Blank is having a solid year as a defensive midfielder. Allie Long can be a dangerous attacking player out of the midfield.

Defensively, the return of Anita Asante certainly settles this group. Alongside are Carrie Dew, Kendall Fletcher, and Brittany Taylor. Jen Branam is tied atop the WPS leaders with four shutouts.

With these teams be so close in the standings and battling for one of the final two berths, this match should have the feel of a playoff match. Hopefully, the field will be plenty wide enough so as not to detract from two very good teams fighting it out for a playoff spot.

Sky Blue Stops Independence Streak at Six

Philadelphia's six-game winning streak came to end on Saturday evening as Sky Blue defeated the Independence 2-0 in Piscataway, New Jersey. Casey Nogueira scored both goals for the victorious hosts.

As has been the case of most recent matches, several players returning from World Cup action did not start this match. Amy Rodriguez and Lori Lindsey started the match on the bench for Philly, as did Tobin Heath for Sky Blue. Philadelphia coach Paul Riley elected to go with the hot goalkeeper and started Val Henderson over Nicole Barnhart. Meanwhile, USWNT midfielder Heather O'Reilly was in the starting lineup for New Jersey.

After a scoreless first half, Adriana nearly put Sky Blue on top in the 61st minute, but her free kick struck the post.

But it was Nogueira, who came on at halftime for Eni Aluko, that provided the scoring. She scored her first goal of the match on a feed from Adriana in the 71th minute to put Sky Blue on top 1-0. She completed the brace just 10 minutes later, with Therese Sjogran getting the assist. For Nogueira, it was her 4th and 5th goals of the season.

Jen Branam picked up the shutout for Sky Blue, while Henderson suffered her first loss of the year in goal.

The loss means that Philadelphia could fall out of first place, pending the outcome of the Western New York-Boston match on Sunday. The Independence have a slim one-point lead heading into that action. Sky Blue improves their record to 4-5-4 and moves into a tie for third place with magicJack.

With just four games remaining on their schedule, the Independence will travel to Boston to meat the Breakers in a Wednesday night match. Sky Blue heads to Florida where they will play a crucial Wednesday night game againt magicJack in a battle for third place.

WPS Weekend Preview: July 23-24

As we head down the stretch in the WPS regular season, there is a full schedule this weekend. Western New York is in a tight battle with Philadelphia for first place. Boston, Sky Blue, and magicJack are battling for the two remaining playoffs spots and Atlanta is trying to keep their slim playoff hopes alive.

Philadephia at Sky Blue (7 pm eastern, Saturday)
Yurcak Field, Piscataway, New Jersey.

Sky Blue FC (3-5-4)
Coach: Jim Gabarra
Roster:
Goalkeepers: J. Branam, K. Arnold, K. Bardsley (questionable).
Defenders: C. Dew, A. Asante, B. Taylor, K. Fletcher, D. Johnson.
Midfielders: H. O'Reilly, T. Heath, A. Long, T. Sjogran, C. Blank, A. Kerr, A. Mautz.
Forwards: Adriana, C. Nogueira, E. Aluko, L. Kalmari.
Not active: E. Guthrie, L. Johnson (injured), M. Wenino, J. Clark, S. Gray, P. Hogewoning.

Philadelphia Independence (8-2-3)
Coach: Paul Riley
Roster:
Goalkeepers: N. Barnhart, V. Henderson.
Defenders: N. Krzysik, K. McNeill, L. Robinson, E. Johnson.
Midfielders: J. Buczkowski, C. DiMartino, S. Farrelly, L. Lindsey, J. Lohman.
Forwards: T. Kai, A. Rodriguez, L. Sanderson, D. Adams, L. del Rio.
Not active: R. Jones, L. Barnes, A. Falk, L. Fowlkes, V. Boquete, G. DiMartino, H. Magnusdottir.

The Philadelphia Independence need to win this game to keep their hold on first place, while Sky Blue is in a very close battle with magicJack and Boston for playoff berths.

While most of the World Cup players will be back for this game, some of them may not play a full 90 minutes or start for that matter. The biggest surprise was that Veronica Boquete, who has played so well over the last month, is not listed as being active for Philadelphia per the roster report (which has been known to be incorrect from time to time).

Coach Paul Riley surely has a pleasant problem at goalkeeper. USWNT keeper Nicole Barnhart has returned and is available, but backup Val Henderson has played very well while Barnhart was gone. In fact, Henderson has posted four shutouts in just eight starts and the Independence have a 7-0-1 record with her in goal.

Defensively, Philly has a strong, physical back line, led by center backs Nikki Krzysik and Kia McNeill. Midfielder Jen Buczkowski is also a strong defensive player. While midfielder Lori Lindsey has barely played this season because of national team duty, Tina DiMartino and Sinead Farrelly are having strong seasons with a combined three goals and three assists between them.

Tasha Kai is now tied for the league lead with eight goals. She has plenty of support in the attacking end with Amy Rodriguez, Lianne Sanderson, Laura del Rio, Danesha Adams, and Boquete.

It seems as though Sky Blue is in this position every year. They head into the final third of the season with the playoffs in doubt. In 2009, they barely made the playoffs, then marched through three teams to win it all. In 2010, they fell just short of a playoff berth and here we are again in 2011.

Jen Branam has been in goal for 10 of the 12 Sky Blue matches this season. She is quick, agile, fearless, and adventuresome. The defense for SBFC this season can best be described as inconsistent. At times they look solid, but there have been some bumps in the road. Anita Asante's return from the World Cup should help steady the situation.

Sky Blue has always featured a very good midfield. With returning USWNT players Heather O'Reilly and Tobin Heath, along with Swedish international Therese Sjogran, we should see some improvement in their midfield play for the final six matches. Meanwhile, Carolyn Blank has provided solid defense in the midfield and has a goal to her credit.

Scoring has been a problem for Sky Blue. Again, there is a lack of consistency. No Sky Blue player has scored more than three and they have scored just 16 times on the season, with two being penalty kicks and one being an own goal by their opponent. Casey Nogueira has been the most productive forward with three goals and two assists. Spanish import Adriana has two goals and an assist to her credit.

Philadelphia will be looking to extend their WPS record six-game winning streak. This should be a very spirited battle between two teams that are separated by less than 100 miles and with playoff implications riding on this match.

magicJack at Atlanta (7 pm eastern, Saturday)
KSU Soccer Stadium, Kennesaw, Georgia.

Atlanta Beat (1-10-3)
Coach: James Galanis
Roster:
Goalkeepers: A. Whitworth, A. Lipsher.
Defenders: C. Whitehill, K. Reynolds, H. Mitts, A. Marquez, L. Sesselmann, C. Flanagan.
Midfielders: L. Chalupny, C. Lloyd, K. Wright, K. White, M. Jesolva, I. Trotter, A. Salem, B. D'Agostino.
Forwards: M. Lenczyk, K. Parker.
Not active: K. Fraine, K. Dowling (injured), J. Sitch.

magicJack (5-5-1)
Coach: Abby Wambach
Roster:
Goalkeepers: J. Loyden, B. Maron.
Defenders: T. Ellertson, C. Rampone, B. Sauerbrunn, M. Dalmy, L. Vandenbergh.
Midfielders: S. Huffman, N. Washington, S. Schmidt, O. Davis.
Forwards: A. Wambach, L. De Vanna, E. Masar, C. Press, J. Rasmussen.
Not active: H. Solo, A. Gunning, S. Boxx, M. Rapinoe, L. Tarpley (injured).

With several of their national team players nursing injuries or fatigued, magicJack faces the prospect of playing seven matches in the next 22 days to finish the regular season. Atlanta needs to win this match if they are to have even a remote chance at the playoffs.

Supposedly, USWNT star Abby Wambach will coach the team this week and for the foreseeable future. But having her back on the field is probably the most important thing. She is still hobbled by the Achilles injury and obviously had to be worn out by 600 minutes of soccer at the World Cup. Just her presence could be the shot in the arm that magicJack needs to make a final run at a playoff berth.

MagicJack does have a lot of good options at forward. In addition to Wambach, there is Australian speedster Lisa De Vanna, rookie of the year candidate Christen Press, WPS veteran Ella Masar, and Danish international Johanna Rasmussen. Press leads the team in scoring with five goals, good for third best in the league. Wambach and Masar are right behind with four goals apiece.

One problem for magicJack is that they are very thin in the midfield. With Lindsay Tarpley out for the season and Shannon Boxx and Megan Rapinoe sidelined after a tough World Cup schedule, magicJack basically has four true midfielders active for this match. Sarah Huffman, Sophie Schmidt, and Nikki Washington give them good quality in the midfield, with Marian Dalmy moving up from defense to help out at times.

Defensively, magicJack's three back defense has not proven to be the answer, at least not on the wider fields that they face on the road. MagicJack does have excellent defenders on the back line with Tina Ellertson, Becky Sauerbrunn, and Christie Rampone, but they are often overmatched by superiors numbers from the opposing team.

MagicJack will definitely miss Hope Solo and her status for the rest of this season is unknown. She revealed last night on "Lopez Tonight" that her wrist may be severely injured which would be a huge blow to magicJack. USWNT keeper Jill Loyden will step in for Solo.

Atlanta has been a better home team and far more competitive at FSU Stadium than on the road. The return of one of their most dangerous offensive weapons in Carli Lloyd should boost a Beat team that has scored just seven goals this season. The only other players with two goals are midfielder Lori Chalupny and forward Meghan Lenczyk. The Beat have gone 397 minutes without a goal and could break the record of 451 minutes set by the 2009 Chicago Red Stars.

The Beat will need contributions from their recent acquisitions, Kelly Parker and Kacey White, if they are to improve their offensive punch. Megan Jesolva is having a fine rookie season, but has been nursing an injury the past couple of weeks. Defensively, the return of Heather Mitts could help a team that has given up nearly two goals per game. Allison Whitworth has been the Beat's keeper as of late.

With only four games remaining, Atlanta must almost win out to have a decent chance at the playoffs. Even then, it would be an uphill climb. But they would like to give a good performance for their home crowd. MagicJack has more matches left than any other team and they must take advantage of that by picking up as many points as possible, starting with this match on Saturday evening.

Western New York at Boston (6 pm eastern, Sunday)
Harvard Stadium, Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Boston Breakers (4-5-3)
Coach: Tony DiCicco
Roster:
Goalkeepers: A. Naeher, A. Phillips.
Defenders: A. Scott, S. Cox, I. Dieke, K. Moore (probable), E. Reed, N. Marshall.
Midfielders: L. Osborne, M. Klingenberg, K. Winters, K. Schoepfer, L. Blayney, N. Cross, L. Bogus.
Forwards: K. O'Hara, T. Hemmings, C. Zimmeck.
Not active: K. Davis (injured), K. J. Spisak, R. Buehler, A. LePeilbet, A. Sameshima, J. Angeli (injured), L. Cheney (injured), K. Smith (injured).

Western New York Flash (8-2-2)
Coach: Aaran Lines
Roster:
Goalkeepers: A. Harris, B. Cameron.
Defenders: C. Chapman, W. Engen, A. Riley, R. Moros, K. Wilson, G. Lewandowski.
Midfielders: Y. Averbuch, B. Edwards, B. Bock, M. Zerboni, B. Goebel.
Forwards: C. Sinclair, Marta, A. Morgan.
Not active: A. Bowers, K. Brandao, A. Sahlen, C. Seger (injured), Maurine, G. Davison, K. Fountain.

The Flash have now moved back into position where they can challenge Philadelphia for first place. With the exception of midfielder Caroline Seger, they are reasonably healthy heading into their final six matches.

Boston has been beset by injuries throughout the season. Add to the list Lauren Cheney, who suffered a sprained ankle in the World Cup final against Japan and English striker Kelly Smith. In addition, several of their national team players will be sitting out this match after a grueling World Cup schedule, including Aya Sameshima, a member of the champion Japanese team.

The goalkeeper matchup in this one should be good. Boston's Alyssa Naeher and WNY's Ashlyn Harris are currently in a battle for the lowest WPS goals against average (among those players that qualify). In addition, Naeher is tied for the league lead in shutouts with four.

Defensively, Boston will still be missing Rachel Buehler, Amy LePeilbet, and Aya Sameshima according to the roster report. While defense is one of the deepest areas for the Breakers, that is still a lot of talent out of the lineup. It will be interesting to see if coach Tony DiCicco uses newly acquired Nikki Marshall on defense or as a striker.

In the Breaker midfield, Leslie Osborne has been steady, as has rookie Keelin Winters. The acquisition of Meghan Klingenberg gives Boston a strong threat from the wing. With Smith and Cheney out, Boston's scoring punch has been severely reduced. USWNT reserve Kelley O'Hara is probably their biggest threat.

With their high-powered scoring triumvirate of Christine Sinclair, Marta, and Alex Morgan, the Flash look to be a very tough team to defend against as the season approaches the home stretch. Sinclair scored twice on Wednesday to bring her total to eight goals and she added an assist as well. Marta and Alex Morgan bring lightning speed to the front line. Marta has scored only four goals to this point, but look for her to close the season strong.

The Flash midfield will miss Seger, who was injured at the World Cup. McCall Zerboni is having a very good season, as is Becky Edwards. Yael Averbuch has added a strong dimension to the central midfield after missing much of the early season while trying to make the USWNT.

Defensively, the Flash are very good as well. Candace Chapman and Whitney Engen give WNY a strong central defense. Ali Riley is one of the best attackers at left back. Rebecca Moros has played outside back since being picked up in midseason.

In spite of being a point down, the Flash have a game in hand on Philadelphia and look to be the team to beat. Boston is locked in a threeway battle for the two remaining playoff spots. Look for a good game on Sunday.

WPS Weekend Wrap

Philadelphia Edges Atlanta 1-0

The Independence were able to improve their record to 8-2-3 by shutting out the Atlanta Beat 1-0 at KSU Soccer Stadium in Kennesaw, Georgia. Veronica Boquete scored the lone goal of the contest in the 71st minute on an assist from Sinead Farrelly. It was Boquete's third goal of the season.

Philadelphia outshot Atlanta by a 15-8 margin for the match. The Independence put seven of those shots on frame.

Val Henderson earned her fourth shutout of the season, tying her with Alyssa Naeher for the league lead in that category.

With the victory, Philadelphia has now won six matches in a row, which is a WPS record. Their unbeaten streak is now at seven, but is a long way from Gold Pride's record of 13 regular season matches in 2010.

Philadelphia travels to New Jersey to face Sky Blue next Saturday. Atlanta will host magicJack next Saturday.

Western New York 2, Sky Blue FC 0

After a scoreless first half, the Flash took advantage of a Sky Blue own goal to give them the lead and they went on to defeat Sky Blue 2-0 in Piscataway, New Jersey.

The Flash had a good scoring opportunity in the 11th minute as a through ball found Christine Sinclair in alone on Branam, but she came out and made a great save.

Casey Nogueira sent a through ball to Adriana in the 37th minute. She came in alone on Ashlyn Harris who made a great diving save to keep the game scoreless.

The game remained scoreless until the 81st minute. Kandace Wilson attempted a cross from the right side. The ball went to the middle of the penalty area, where Sky Blue defender Carrie Dew attempted to clear. Instead, she deflected the ball over Jen Branam and into the net for an own goal in a tough bit of luck.

Western New York put the game away in the 86th minute. A cross from the left side went through to Sinclair on the right side of the box. She chipped it back to the middle where Beverly Goebel was making a run. Goebel one-timed it into the net from eight yards to make it 2-0.

Ashlyn Harris earned the shutout for Western New York, who are now 7-2-2. They return home to play magicJack on Wednesday. Sky Blue falls to 3-5-4 and remain in 5th place. They will host Philadelphia next Saturday.

WPS Standings
(1) Philadelphia 8-2-3, 27 pts; (2) Western New York 7-2-2, 23 pts; (3) magicJack 5-4-1, 15 pts; (3) Boston 4-5-3, 15 pts; (5) Sky Blue FC 3-5-4, 13 pts; (6) Atlanta 1-10-3, 6 pts.

WPS Preview: Western New York at Sky Blue

Western New York Flash at Sky Blue FC (6 pm eastern, Sunday)
Yurcak Field, Piscataway, New Jersey.

Western New York Flash (6-2-2)
Coach: Aaran Lines
Roster:
Goalkeepers: A. Harris, B. Cameron
Defenders: A. Riley, W. Engen, C. Chapman, K. Wilson, G. Lewandowski.
Midfielders: Y. Averbuch, B. Edwards, B. Bock, M. Zerboni, R. Moros, B. Goebel, Maurine (questionable).
Forwards: C. Sinclair, Marta (questionable), G. Davison, K. Fountain.
Not active: C. Seger. A. Morgan, A. Bowers, K. Brandao, A. Sahlen.

Sky Blue FC (3-4-4)
Coach: Jim Gabarra
Roster:
Goalkeepers: J. Branam, K. Bardsley (questionable), K. Arnold.
Defenders: K. Fletcher, C. Dew, A. Asante, B. Taylor, P. Hogewoning, M. Wenino, D. Johnson, S. Gray.
Midfielders: C. Blank, A. Long, A. Kerr, A. Mautz.
Forwards: Adriana, C. Nogueira, L. Kalmari, E. Aluko.
Not active: T. Heath, H. O'Reilly, T. Sjogran, E. Guthrie, L. Johnson (injury).

Once thought to be safely in first place, Western New York now finds themselves seven points behind the Philadelphia Independence. They do have three games in hand right now and they must make the most of them starting this evening in New Jersey. Sky Blue is battling for one of the final two playoff positions with Boston and magicJack.

One of the questions heading into tonight's match is whether Marta and Maurine play. Both were listed as questionable in the WPS roster report for this weekend and are coming off of a tough quarterfinal battle with the US at the World Cup.

Sky Blue has only lost one of their last six matches, but have gained only one point in their last two matches. They have a tough schedule remaining with two games each against Western New York, Philadelphia, and magicJack, with one against Boston. Two of their three wins have come against Atlanta, who they don't play for the remainder of the schedule.

If Marta is back, the Flash will be even more dangerous on the attack with Christine Sinclair and Gemma Davison. And for the first time in nearly a month, their defense is intact with Ali Riley, Kandace Wilson, Candace Chapman, and Whitney Engen. Ashlyn Harris will be in goal for the Flash.

The bad news for Western New York is they still don't have Alex Morgan or Caroline Seger. There have to be some worries among the WNY camp about Seger, who had to miss the final two matches for Sweden with an injury.

One would think that Sky Blue might have to score a couple of goals to come away with any points here. They are still missing three midfielders, Tobin Heath, Heather O'Reilly, and Therese Sjogran. The offense will fall to the foursome of Eni Aluko, Adriana, Laura Kalmari, and Casey Nogueira. Allie Long provides attacking skills from the midfield.

Jen Branam will be the Sky Blue keeper, with an able group in front of her including Kendall Fletcher, Anita Asante, and Brittany Taylor.

This match will be televised on Fox Soccer Channel.

Saturday WPS Round-Up

Philadelphia Independence 2, Western New York Flash 1

The Philadelphia Independence extended their first place margin to four points by defeating the Western New York Flash 2-1 in Chester, Pennsylvania.

Tasha Kai completed quite a week, following up her Wednesday hat trick with a goal in the 8th minute of this match to Philadelphia on top. Just before half time, Sinead Farrelly made it 2-0 as she knocked home a rebound of Kai's shot off the post. It was Farrelly's first WPS goal.

Canadian National Team player Christine Sinclair did make it back from Germany to play for the Flash. She entered as a second half substitution and scored the Flashes' only goal on a penalty kick in the 81st minute.

Val Henderson added yet another victory to her total in Nicole Barnhart's absence. Philadelphia has now posted five consecutive wins and are unbeaten in their last six. Their record stands at 7-2-3, good for 24 points, with just six games remaining. They will start a three-game road trip next Saturday in Atlanta.

Western New York suffers their second consecutive defeat, both at the hands of the Independence. They are now 6-2-2 and have 20 points. The Flash travels to New Jersey to face Sky Blue next Sunday.

Sky Blue FC 2, magicJack 2

Sky Blue fell behind by two goals in the opening half, but fought their way back to earn a 2-2 tie with visiting magicJack on Saturday evening in Piscataway, New Jersey.

Christen Press opened the scoring for magicJack in the 13th minute, chipping the ball over Sky Blue goalkeeper Jen Branam's head. It was the fifth goal for Press in her first WPS season. Jamaican Omolyn Davis followed with her first career goal in the 37th minute and magicJack headed into intermission with a 2-0 lead.

Adriana cut the lead in half for Sky Blue in the 66th minute. Michelle Wenino then tied the match at 2-2 a few minutes later. For Wenino, it was her first WPS goal ever.

It was the first tie of the season for magicJack who ran their record to 5-4-1, good for 15 points and third place in the standings. They have next weekend off before traveling to Western New York to play the Flash on Wednesday, July 20.

Sky Blue earns a point and their record is now 3-4-4. Their 13 points puts them in fifth place, just two points behind magicJack. They host second place WNY Flash next Sunday.

WPS Previews: Saturday, July 9

Western New York Flash at Philadelphia Independence (7 pm eastern, Saturday)
Leslie Quick Stadium, Chester, Pennsylvania

Philadelphia Independence (6-2-3)
Coach: Paul Riley
Roster:
Goalkeepers: V. Henderson, R. Jones
Defenders: K. McNeill, N. Krzysik, L. Robinson, H. Magnusdottir, E. Johnson, L. Barnes.
Midfielders: J. Buczkowski, C. DiMartino, S. Farrelly, J. Lohman.
Forwards: T. Kai, V. Boquete, L. Sanderson, L. del Rio, D. Adams, G. DiMartino.
Not active: N. Barnhart, L. Lindsey, A. Rodriguez, A. Falk, L. Fowlkes.

Western New York Flash (6-1-2)
Coach: Aaran Lines
Roster:
Goalkeepers: A. Harris, B. Cameron.
Defenders: W. Engen, K. Wilson, G. Lewandowski, K. Brandao, A. Sahlen.
Midfielders: Y. Averbuch, B. Bock, B. Edwards, M. Zerboni, R. Moros (questionable).
Forwards: G. Davison, K. Fountain, B. Goebel.
Not active: C. Chapman, C. Seger, Maurine, Marta, A. Morgan, C. Sinclair, A. Riley, A. Bowers.

This will be a battle for first place in WPS, as Philadelphia has just overtaken Western New York with their victory on Wednesday. The Flash do have two games in hand. These two teams met nearly a month ago, with Philadelphia handing the Flash their first loss of the season. WNY hasn't played a match since.

Both teams will still be missing quite a few players. Western New York's two Canadian players are still listed as unavailable, although their work at the World Cup is now done. They have added Rebecca Moros, late of magicJack, but she is listed as questionable.

Tasha Kai is coming off of a hat trick and is great form right now. She now leads WPS with seven goals, surpassing the Flashes' Christine Sinclair who had held the lead. Veronica Boquete has played very well since joining the Independence. She has scored two goals and has four assists, which also is tied for the lead league. Depth up front is phenomenol for Philly, with Lianne Sanderson, Danesha Adams, and Laura del Rio.

With Lori Lindsey gone, the midfield is a bit shorthanded. Tina DiMartino is having a strong season with two goals and Jen Buczkowski is a tough defensive player in the midfield. Defensively, the Independence are led by Kia McNeill and Nikki Krzysik in the middle. Val Henderson was having a very good season, but gave up three to Sky Blue, although one was an own goal.

Western New York will be missing their top three forwards, which means Gemma Davison will have plenty of chances on Saturday. McCall Zerboni, a Player of the Month winner, has been playing excellent soccer and attacks well from the wing. Yael Averbuch and Becky Edwards will lead the midfield in the absence of Caroline Seger.

Defensively, the Flash will be missing Ali Riley and Candace Chapman, two key players. The Flash do have good depth at that position. Whitney Engen, who just missed making the USWNT, is the leader, with Bundesliga veteran Gina Lewandowski along side. Kandace Wilson's speed could be a problem for Philadelphia on overlapping runs. Ashlyn Harris, also a USWNT finalist, will be in goal for the Flash.

With this being such a key match, it's a shame that several players will be missing. A Flash victory puts them back in the driver's seat for WPS regular season title. A victory for Philadelphia means that they will be competing for the title until the end.

magicJack at Sky Blue FC (7 pm eastern)
Yurcak Field, Piscataway, New Jersey.

Sky Blue FC (3-4-3)
Coach: Jim Gabarra
Roster:
Goalkeepers: J. Branam, E. Guthrie, K. Arnold.
Defenders: K. Fletcher, C. Dew, B. Taylor, M. Wenino, S. Gray, J. Clark, P. Hogewoning.
Midfielders: C. Blank, A. Long, A. Mautz, A. Kerr (probable).
Forwards: L. Kalmari, C. Nogueira, Adriana.
Not active: K. Bardsley, A. Asante, T. Heath, H. O'Reilly, T. Sjogran, E. Aluko, D. Johnson (injury), L. Johnson (injury).

magicJack (5-4-0)
Roster:
Goalkeepers: B. Maron, S. Myers.
Defenders: T. Ellertson, L. Vandenbergh, M. Dalmy, A. Gunning.
Midfielders: N. Washington, S. Huffman, S. Schmidt, O. Davis, A. DaCosta.
Forwards: E. Masar, C. Press, J. Rasmussen.
Not active: H. Solo, J. Loyden, C. Rampone, B. Sauerbrunn, S. Boxx, M. Rapinoe, L. DeVanna, A. Wambach, L. Tarpley (injury).

With nearly half their roster at the World Cup and sporting a two-game losing streak, things are not looking as good as they did a mere three weeks ago. They lost back-to-back matches against Philadelphia by a combined 9-1. Sky Blue's five game unbeaten streak was halted by that same Philadelphia team on Wednesday.

With their roster so depleted, one has to wonder if magicJack will have enough players to finish a match at times. In the dead of summer, they are extremely shorthanded. One thing they do have is three quality forwards in Christen Press, Ellen Masar, and Johanna Rasmussen. Press is looking like a strong rookie of the year candidate. She has four goals and is third in the league in that category.

Nikki Washington provides speed and striking ability in the midfield. Veteran midfielder Sarah Huffman is consistently strong in the middle. Defensively, Tina Ellertson is a speedy, tough-tackling center back. With their top two keepers gone, Brett Maron will likely get the start in goal.

Sky Blue scored three goals on Wednesday, but it wasn't enough. They will try to keep that scoring binge going tonight. They have Laura Kalmari, Casey Nogueira, and Adriana as their striking options up front. Rookie Alyssa Mautz scored her first WPS goal on Wednesday and will likely get another opportunity tonight. Carolyn Blank is a strong defensive mid, while Allie Long is always a threat to score out of her midfield position.

Sky Blue's defense must be sturdier in this contest. Carrie Dew anchors the back line, with Brittany Taylor being a quality outside back. Kendall Fletcher scored her first WPS goal on Wednesday as well. Jen Branam gives Sky Blue an advantage in goal.

One would think that Sky Blue would have the advantage later in the match as magicJack starts to tire. This is a battle for 3rd place in WPS and could be an important game in deciding playoff positions as the season progresses.

Kai Nets Hat Trick in Philadelphia Win

Tasha Kai got a rare WPS hat trick as the Philadelphia Independence defeated Sky Blue FC 4-3 on Wednesday evening. And to make it a perfect evening for Kai, her mother and brother were in attendance to see her performance.

The Independence temporarily take over first place, although it must be said that they have played two more matches than Western New York. Sky Blue remains in 4th place, tied with the Boston Breakers.

Kai's hat track was only the second ever in WPS play. The first was almost two years ago, on July 12, 2009, when Cristiane scored a hat trick for the Chicago Red Stars against FC Gold Pride. Kai's is the first hat trick that did not include a penalty kick. ***

Kai scored the opening goal of the match in just the third minute and later scored the game tying goal twice to bring Philadelphia back after they had fallen behind.

After Kai had scored to put Philly on top, a defensive mixup caused an own goal to the benefit of Sky Blue, which tied the match at one. Rookie Alyssa Mautz scored her first career goal, heading one home in the 20th minute to temporarily give Sky Blue a 2-1 lead.

Kai tied the match with a header of her own in the 29th minute. But the Independence surrendered the lead again before halftime, as veteran defender Kendall Fletcher also scored her first WPS goal in her 45th career game.

Kai tied the match yet again in the 57th minute on an assist by Spanish striker Veronica Boquete. But it was another Spanish striker who would get the game winner, as Laura del Rio scored in the 78th minute, just moments after she had subbed in for Kai, to seal the win for Philadelphia.

Philadelphia raises their record to 6-2-3, good for 21 points. Sky Blue falls to 3-4-3, suffering their first loss in six outings. This was the second highest scoring WPS game ever, behind a 4-4 match between Sky Blue and Washington back in 2009. Interestingly enough, Kai scored two goals in that match.

*** In fact, Kai's hat trick was the third WPS hat trick ever and the second that did not include a penalty kick. Abby Wambach scored a hat trick on May 28 of this season against the Atlanta Beat. My sincerest apologies for the error and thanks to my friend Austin for pointing that error out.