Last week, WPS announced their annual award winners. There were several good candidates in each category and no clear cut choice in any. However, the winning candidate was certainly deserving in each case.
Michelle Akers Player of the Year - Veronica Boquete, Philadelphia Independence
Boquete scored five goals and four assists after joining the Independence in June. She scored the only goal in three 1-0 victories over a four game stretch in late July. The Independence had a 9-1 regular season record with her in the starting lineup. Boquete was definitely a major factor on Philly's strong challenge for first place.
My choice would have Boquete as well, but with Christine Sinclair almost even with her.
WPS Defender of the Year - Whitney Engen, Western New York Flash
Engen played the full 90 minutes in 17 of the Flashes' 18 matches. She was able to shut down many of the league's top forwards and helped Western New York to becoming the best defensive team in the league with a 1.00 goals against average.
My choice would have been Engen, but there were several good candidates including Engen's teammate Ali Riley and Nikki Krzysik from Philadelphia. I thought that Jen Buczkowski was overlooked in the nominating process and should have been given top consideration as well.
US Coast Guard Goalkeeper of the Year - Ashlyn Harris, Western New York Flash
Harris led the league in goals against average with 1.00 average per match. She also tied for the league lead in shutouts with five, while playing every minute of every match for the Flash. Her quick reflexes enabled her to make many great saves during the season.
My choice would probably have been Jen Branam. While her goals against was quite a bit higher than Harris', her defense was often a patchwork with players being injured or away with national team duty. However, I can't really argue with Harris, who was a deserving choice.
US Soccer Federation Rookie of the Year - Christen Press, magicJack
Press scored eight goals in her rookie season, the fifth best total in WPS. The Stanford alum is one of only four players ever to score a hat trick in league play, doing so in 4-0 victory over Boston on July 30. She uses her great speed to get behind defenses and is becoming more adept at timing her runs to greatest advantage.
Press would have been my choice as well. Keelin Winters, Sinead Farrelly, and Alex Morgan all had great rookie seasons, but to me, Press had the biggest impact on her team's performance.
WPS Coach of the Year - Paul Riley, Philadelphia Independence
Riley wins the award for the second consecutive year and deservedly so. He is one of the game's best strategists and gets the most out of his roster, one that has far fewer national team players than either Western New York or magicJack.
Riley was definitely my choice, but consideration must also go to Aaran Lines who did a fine job with the expansion Flash.
Citi Sportswoman of the Year - Nikki Krzysik, Philadelphia Independence
On the field, Krzysik was as solid as a rock, playing all 1620 minutes of the regular season in helping the Independence to finish second in WPS. Off the field, Krzysik has helped lead international philanthropic efforts that took her overseas with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes where she led clinics and shared her experience and love of the game with the participants of the women’s soccer league in Honduras. She has proven to be a leader both on and off the field.
This award was voted on by players and coaches only. But even though we could not vote on this award, I believe Krzysik was an outstanding choice.
PUMA Golden Boot Award - Marta, Western New York Flash
Marta wins this award for the third consecutive year. She scored 10 goals for the season, with seven coming in the last six matches, when the Flash were battling the Independence for first place. She edged out teammate Christine Sinclair, who played in one more match than Marta did. Interestingly, although Sinclair played in one more match, Marta actually saw one more minute of action than Sinclair.
Showing posts with label Veronica Boquete. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Veronica Boquete. Show all posts
August 22, 2011
August 7, 2011
Last Second Goal Lifts Philly over Shorthanded Sky Blue
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Labels: 2011 WPS, Eniola Aluko, Jen Branam, Joanna Lohman, Leigh Ann Robinson, Lianne Sanderson, Nicole Barnhart, Philadelphia Independence, Sky Blue FC, Tasha Kai, Tobin Heath, Veronica Boquete
Labels: 2011 WPS, Eniola Aluko, Jen Branam, Joanna Lohman, Leigh Ann Robinson, Lianne Sanderson, Nicole Barnhart, Philadelphia Independence, Sky Blue FC, Tasha Kai, Tobin Heath, Veronica Boquete
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.
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.
July 31, 2011
Independence Regain 1st Place with Victory over Beat
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Labels: 2011 WPS, Allison Whitworth, Amy Rodriguez, Atlanta Beat, Lori Chalupny, Nicole Barnhart, Philadelphia Independence, Tasha Kai, Veronica Boquete
Labels: 2011 WPS, Allison Whitworth, Amy Rodriguez, Atlanta Beat, Lori Chalupny, Nicole Barnhart, Philadelphia Independence, Tasha Kai, Veronica Boquete
Veronica Boquete scored her fifth goal of the season and it proved to be the game winner as the Philadelphia Independence defeated the Atlanta Beat 1-0 in Chester on Sunday. A crowd of 4162 saw the Independence regain sole possession of first place with a three point lead on Western New York.
In the first half of action, Atlanta appeared to be the more dangerous club. In the 25th minute, Lori Chalupny got around Kia McNeill to go in one-on-one against Nicole Barnhart from the left side of the box. Barnhart did a great job of cutting down the angle and then deflected Chalupny's shot wide.
But if the Beat held their own in the first half, the second half was all Philadelphia. Just a couple of minutes into the half, Nikki Krzysik sent Tina DiMartino in alone on a breakaway, but with Atlanta keeper Allison Whitworth coming out, she place her shot just wide of the left post. In the 56th minute, an Amy Rodriguez cross found the head of Tasha Kai, but Whitworth made a diving save on the shot headed just inside the left post.
Boquete finally put Philly up 1-0 on a great individual effort. Rodriguez nodded a header forward to Boquete, who cut toward the right side of the penalty area with Kat Reynolds on her shoulder. Whitworth made a very good save on Boquete's first effort, but the Spanish striker was able to outfight Reynolds for the rebound and put it in the back of the net.
Whitworth was able to keep the game close in spite of the Independence having several 1 v. 1 opportunities against her in the second half. She stopped Boquete with a big save in the 74th minute.
Atlanta had few chances in the second half, but Lori Chalupny's one-timer from 18 yards forced Barnhart to dive near post to block the ball away in the 76th minute.
Philadelphia followed with several more chances in the last 10 minutes. Whitworth stopped one-on-one chances from Kai, Lianne Sanderson, and Boquete in the closing minutes of the match.
Veronica Boquete once again proved to be the difference maker for Philadelphia. The Independence raised their league-leading record to 10-3-3, now three points ahead of Western New York. However, they have just two games remaining, while the Flash have four. Philly hosts Sky Blue next Sunday.
In spite of strong games from Allison Whitworth and Lori Chalupny, the Beat suffered their sixth straight shutout and are now winless in their last 14 matches. Their record stands at 1-11-4 and their two remaining matches are against Western New York.
WPS Standings
(1) Philadelphia 10-3-3, 33 pts; (2) Western New York 9-2-3, 30 pts; (3) Sky Blue FC 5-6-4, 19 pts; (4) magicJack 6-6-2, 19 pts; (5) Boston 4-7-4, 16 pts; (6) Atlanta 1-11-4, 7 pts.
In the first half of action, Atlanta appeared to be the more dangerous club. In the 25th minute, Lori Chalupny got around Kia McNeill to go in one-on-one against Nicole Barnhart from the left side of the box. Barnhart did a great job of cutting down the angle and then deflected Chalupny's shot wide.
But if the Beat held their own in the first half, the second half was all Philadelphia. Just a couple of minutes into the half, Nikki Krzysik sent Tina DiMartino in alone on a breakaway, but with Atlanta keeper Allison Whitworth coming out, she place her shot just wide of the left post. In the 56th minute, an Amy Rodriguez cross found the head of Tasha Kai, but Whitworth made a diving save on the shot headed just inside the left post.
Boquete finally put Philly up 1-0 on a great individual effort. Rodriguez nodded a header forward to Boquete, who cut toward the right side of the penalty area with Kat Reynolds on her shoulder. Whitworth made a very good save on Boquete's first effort, but the Spanish striker was able to outfight Reynolds for the rebound and put it in the back of the net.
Whitworth was able to keep the game close in spite of the Independence having several 1 v. 1 opportunities against her in the second half. She stopped Boquete with a big save in the 74th minute.
Atlanta had few chances in the second half, but Lori Chalupny's one-timer from 18 yards forced Barnhart to dive near post to block the ball away in the 76th minute.
Philadelphia followed with several more chances in the last 10 minutes. Whitworth stopped one-on-one chances from Kai, Lianne Sanderson, and Boquete in the closing minutes of the match.
Veronica Boquete once again proved to be the difference maker for Philadelphia. The Independence raised their league-leading record to 10-3-3, now three points ahead of Western New York. However, they have just two games remaining, while the Flash have four. Philly hosts Sky Blue next Sunday.
In spite of strong games from Allison Whitworth and Lori Chalupny, the Beat suffered their sixth straight shutout and are now winless in their last 14 matches. Their record stands at 1-11-4 and their two remaining matches are against Western New York.
WPS Standings
(1) Philadelphia 10-3-3, 33 pts; (2) Western New York 9-2-3, 30 pts; (3) Sky Blue FC 5-6-4, 19 pts; (4) magicJack 6-6-2, 19 pts; (5) Boston 4-7-4, 16 pts; (6) Atlanta 1-11-4, 7 pts.
July 27, 2011
Philadelphia Takes Over First; Sky Blue Moves into Third
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Labels: 2011 WPS, Allie Long, Boston Breakers, Jen Branam, Laura Del Rio, Nicole Barnhart, Philadelphia Independence, Therese Sjogran, Veronica Boquete
Labels: 2011 WPS, Allie Long, Boston Breakers, Jen Branam, Laura Del Rio, Nicole Barnhart, Philadelphia Independence, Therese Sjogran, Veronica Boquete
Philadelphia Independence 1, Boston Breakers 0
Veronica Boquete's goal in the 83rd minute broke a scoreless tie and sent Philadelphia to a 1-0 victory over the Boston Breakers in Cambridge. The win moves the Independence into first place in WPS.
The goal was Boquete's fourth of the season. Laura del Rio, who had just come in as a late substitution, assisted on Boquete's goal.
Several national team players were getting their first start since returning from Germany. Amy LePeilbet, Rachel Buehler, and Stephanie Cox all saw their first action since the 2011 World Cup concluded. Aya Sameshima of the World Cup champion Japanese team made her first ever start for Boston as a midfielder.
For Philadelphia, Nicole Barnhart and Amy Rodriguez were in the starting lineup. Paul Riley decided to start Barnhart over Val Henderson and it paid off with a shutout for his team.
Philadelphia raises their record to 9-3-3, good for 30 points and a three point cushion over second place Western New York. However, the Independence have just three games remaining, while the Flash have five. Philadelphia will return to action on Sunday, at home against the Atlanta Beat.
Boston falls to 4-6-4 and are now tied for fourth place with magicJack. The Breakers presently have the edge in goal differential if it comes down to a tiebreaker. Next up for the Breakers is a Saturday clash against magicJack in Boca Raton.
Sky Blue FC 2, magicJack 0
Sky Blue took over sole possession of third place with a 2-0 victory over magicJack on Wednesday night. Midfielder Allie Long scored a first half goal to put Sky Blue in the lead and the New Jersey eleven used an own goal by Abby Wambach to seal the victory. It was the first road victory for Sky Blue this season and the first home loss for magicJack.
The first goal was set up by Therese Sjogran corner kick, with Long finishing in the 15th minute. It was Long's third goal of the season, with the first two came via penalty kick.
Sky Blue's second goal was also from a corner kick, this time in the second half. It was Casey Nogueira sending the ball into the penalty area, with Wambach's attempted clearance going into her own net.
MagicJack outshot Sky Blue by an overwhelming 27-6 margin, but the New Jersey team was able to secure the victory. Jen Branam recorded 13 saves in the shutout, her fifth of the season.
As in the night's other contest, a few national team players were seeing their first action since the World Cup. Shannon Boxx made her first start for magicJack since returning from Germany, while Megan Rapinoe was a second half substitution.
Sky Blue improves to 5-5-4 overall. They now have 19 points and are three points clear of both magicJack and the Boston Breakers for third place. They return home to play their last regular season home match on Saturday evening against the Western New York Flash.
MagicJack drops to 5-6-2. They are now winless in their last six outings. With the one point penalty assessed earlier in the season, they have just 16 points and are now tied for the fourth and final playoff spot with the Boston Breakers, a team they will face in a Saturday showdown at Florida Atlantic University.
Veronica Boquete's goal in the 83rd minute broke a scoreless tie and sent Philadelphia to a 1-0 victory over the Boston Breakers in Cambridge. The win moves the Independence into first place in WPS.
The goal was Boquete's fourth of the season. Laura del Rio, who had just come in as a late substitution, assisted on Boquete's goal.
Several national team players were getting their first start since returning from Germany. Amy LePeilbet, Rachel Buehler, and Stephanie Cox all saw their first action since the 2011 World Cup concluded. Aya Sameshima of the World Cup champion Japanese team made her first ever start for Boston as a midfielder.
For Philadelphia, Nicole Barnhart and Amy Rodriguez were in the starting lineup. Paul Riley decided to start Barnhart over Val Henderson and it paid off with a shutout for his team.
Philadelphia raises their record to 9-3-3, good for 30 points and a three point cushion over second place Western New York. However, the Independence have just three games remaining, while the Flash have five. Philadelphia will return to action on Sunday, at home against the Atlanta Beat.
Boston falls to 4-6-4 and are now tied for fourth place with magicJack. The Breakers presently have the edge in goal differential if it comes down to a tiebreaker. Next up for the Breakers is a Saturday clash against magicJack in Boca Raton.
Sky Blue FC 2, magicJack 0
Sky Blue took over sole possession of third place with a 2-0 victory over magicJack on Wednesday night. Midfielder Allie Long scored a first half goal to put Sky Blue in the lead and the New Jersey eleven used an own goal by Abby Wambach to seal the victory. It was the first road victory for Sky Blue this season and the first home loss for magicJack.
The first goal was set up by Therese Sjogran corner kick, with Long finishing in the 15th minute. It was Long's third goal of the season, with the first two came via penalty kick.
Sky Blue's second goal was also from a corner kick, this time in the second half. It was Casey Nogueira sending the ball into the penalty area, with Wambach's attempted clearance going into her own net.
MagicJack outshot Sky Blue by an overwhelming 27-6 margin, but the New Jersey team was able to secure the victory. Jen Branam recorded 13 saves in the shutout, her fifth of the season.
As in the night's other contest, a few national team players were seeing their first action since the World Cup. Shannon Boxx made her first start for magicJack since returning from Germany, while Megan Rapinoe was a second half substitution.
Sky Blue improves to 5-5-4 overall. They now have 19 points and are three points clear of both magicJack and the Boston Breakers for third place. They return home to play their last regular season home match on Saturday evening against the Western New York Flash.
MagicJack drops to 5-6-2. They are now winless in their last six outings. With the one point penalty assessed earlier in the season, they have just 16 points and are now tied for the fourth and final playoff spot with the Boston Breakers, a team they will face in a Saturday showdown at Florida Atlantic University.
July 17, 2011
WPS Weekend Wrap
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Labels: 2011 WPS, Ashlyn Harris, Atlanta Beat, Beverly Goebel, Christine Sinclair, Philadelphia Independence, Sky Blue FC, Val Henderson, Veronica Boquete, Western New York Flash
Labels: 2011 WPS, Ashlyn Harris, Atlanta Beat, Beverly Goebel, Christine Sinclair, Philadelphia Independence, Sky Blue FC, Val Henderson, Veronica Boquete, Western New York Flash
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.
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.
June 26, 2011
Philadelphia Closes in on WNY with 3-1 Victory
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Labels: 2011 WPS, Christen Press, Kia McNeill, magicJack, Philadelphia Independence, Tasha Kai, Val Henderson, Veronica Boquete
Labels: 2011 WPS, Christen Press, Kia McNeill, magicJack, Philadelphia Independence, Tasha Kai, Val Henderson, Veronica Boquete
The Philadelphia Independence were only able to match half of last week's output, but it was more than enough as they defeated magicJack 3-1. The depleted magicJack squad only had 13 players active for the match.
Kia McNeill opened the scoring in the 29th minute. A corner kick opportunity led to the goal, with Danesha Adams getting the assist. It was McNeill's first WPS goal.
Veronica Boquete doubled the lead just six minutes later. Tina DiMartino sent Boquete through and Phiadelphia had equaled their halftime lead of a week ago.
Tasha Kai scored her fourth goal of the season just after the start of the second half, on a header after Joanna Lohman had sent in a cross.
Christen Press got magicJack on the scoreboard in the 56th minute, but that was all magicJack was to get. Val Henderson gets the victory in goal for Philadelphia.
Philadelphia raises their record to 5-2-3, good for 18 points and second place behind Western New York. magicJack falls to 5-4-0 and they remain in 3rd place at the halfway point in their season. The Independence now have a short break before facing Sky Blue in a midweek match on July 6. magicJack's next match is also against Sky Blue on July 9.
WPS Standings at the World Cup Break:
(1) Western New York 6-1-2, 20 pts; (2) Philadelphia 5-2-3, 18 pts; (3) magicJack 5-4-0, 14 pts; (4) Sky Blue FC 3-3-3, 12 pts; (5) Boston 3-5-3, 12 pts; (6) Atlanta 1-8-3, 6 pts.
Kia McNeill opened the scoring in the 29th minute. A corner kick opportunity led to the goal, with Danesha Adams getting the assist. It was McNeill's first WPS goal.
Veronica Boquete doubled the lead just six minutes later. Tina DiMartino sent Boquete through and Phiadelphia had equaled their halftime lead of a week ago.
Tasha Kai scored her fourth goal of the season just after the start of the second half, on a header after Joanna Lohman had sent in a cross.
Christen Press got magicJack on the scoreboard in the 56th minute, but that was all magicJack was to get. Val Henderson gets the victory in goal for Philadelphia.
Philadelphia raises their record to 5-2-3, good for 18 points and second place behind Western New York. magicJack falls to 5-4-0 and they remain in 3rd place at the halfway point in their season. The Independence now have a short break before facing Sky Blue in a midweek match on July 6. magicJack's next match is also against Sky Blue on July 9.
WPS Standings at the World Cup Break:
(1) Western New York 6-1-2, 20 pts; (2) Philadelphia 5-2-3, 18 pts; (3) magicJack 5-4-0, 14 pts; (4) Sky Blue FC 3-3-3, 12 pts; (5) Boston 3-5-3, 12 pts; (6) Atlanta 1-8-3, 6 pts.
June 19, 2011
Lopsided Win for Independence
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Labels: 2011 WPS, Danesha Adams, Holmfridur Magnusdottir, Lianne Sanderson, magicJack, Philadelphia Independence, Tasha Kai, Val Henderson, Veronica Boquete
Labels: 2011 WPS, Danesha Adams, Holmfridur Magnusdottir, Lianne Sanderson, magicJack, Philadelphia Independence, Tasha Kai, Val Henderson, Veronica Boquete
The Philadelphia Independence moved into second place and wrote their name to the record books as well, taking a 6-0 decision over magicJack. Danesha Adams scored twice and Tasha Kai, Lianne Sanderson, Veronica Boquete, and Frida Magnusdottir each added a goal.
The six goals ties a record set by FC Gold Pride in 2010, who scored six times against the Atlanta Beat on August 28. The six goal margin breaks the old record of five, also set in the same match by Gold Pride.
The Independence struck for two goals in the opening half and held that lead into the 70th minute. Then they scored four times in the final 20 minutes. magicJack goalkeeper Brett Maron was redcarded late in the contest and they finished playing ten.
Val Henderson posted her third shutout of the season for Philadelphia and the Independence has now held their opponents scoreless for 337 consecutive minutes.
Philadelphia improves their record to 4-2-3, reaching the midway point in their schedule with 15 points. It moves them one point ahead of magicJack, who is now 5-3-0, good for 14 points after subtracting their penalty. The two teams will meet again next Saturday in a makeup for the match postponed because of weather back in April.
The six goals ties a record set by FC Gold Pride in 2010, who scored six times against the Atlanta Beat on August 28. The six goal margin breaks the old record of five, also set in the same match by Gold Pride.
The Independence struck for two goals in the opening half and held that lead into the 70th minute. Then they scored four times in the final 20 minutes. magicJack goalkeeper Brett Maron was redcarded late in the contest and they finished playing ten.
Val Henderson posted her third shutout of the season for Philadelphia and the Independence has now held their opponents scoreless for 337 consecutive minutes.
Philadelphia improves their record to 4-2-3, reaching the midway point in their schedule with 15 points. It moves them one point ahead of magicJack, who is now 5-3-0, good for 14 points after subtracting their penalty. The two teams will meet again next Saturday in a makeup for the match postponed because of weather back in April.
September 8, 2010
WPS Midweek Notes - Scurry Retires
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Labels: Atlanta Beat, Boston Breakers, Briana Scurry, Chicago Red Stars, FC Gold Pride, Kelly Smith, Philadelphia Independence, Sky Blue FC, Veronica Boquete, Washington Freedom
Labels: Atlanta Beat, Boston Breakers, Briana Scurry, Chicago Red Stars, FC Gold Pride, Kelly Smith, Philadelphia Independence, Sky Blue FC, Veronica Boquete, Washington Freedom
Briana Scurry, long time goalkeeper of the US Women's National Team and member of the WPS Washington Freedom has retired from professional soccer.
Scurry was the number one keeper for the US for well over a decade. She is best remembered for her penalty shot save in the 1999 Women's World Cup in the championship match against China. In addition to that championship, she also earned gold medals in the 1996 and 2004 Olympic Games. She capped 173 times for the USWNT with the United States winning nearly 85% of those matches.
The University of Massachusetts grad was one of the most athletic goalkeepers of her era. Scurry was a member of the Atlanta Beat of the WUSA and the Washington Freedom of WPS. She started in the Freedom's first match against the Los Angeles Sol in March, 2009. However, injuries have plagued her over the past two seasons and she saw very little playing time for the Freedom. She played only 45 minutes for the Freedom this season.
Scurry is also known for her considerable work with various charitable organizations. She will go down in history as one of the best goalkeepers ever in the women's game. Best wishes on all future endeavors to Briana!
Kelly Smith - Player of the Month
Boston Breaker striker Kelly Smith has won Player of the Month honors for the month of August. Smith scored four goals and added one assist in August, while leading the Breakers to a 3-1-1 record. She scored the game winning goals in victories over Atlanta and Philadelphia, plus a game-tying goal in another match with the Independence.
It is the second consecutive month that a Breakers has won the award. Jordan Angeli won the award in July.
Boquete Earns Player of the Week
In her first week of WPS action, Veronica Boquete has won the WPS Player of the Week award. The Red Star forward scored a goal just minutes into her first match against Philadelphia, helping Chicago to a 2-0 win last Wednesday. Then she assisted on both goals in Chicago's 2-1 victory over the Freedom on Sunday.
Boquete had helped the Buffalo Flash win the W-League championship just a few weeks earlier, after which she signed with Chicago, only to have her eligibility held up for visa problems. "Vero", as she is known, is a member of the Spanish Women's National Team.
Around the League
Atlanta Beat - Eniola Aluko could end up leading two different teams in goals this season. She leads the Beat with five goals and led the now defunct Saint Louis Athletica with four.....Only Leigh Ann Robinson has played in all 23 games for Atlanta this season.....The Beat have scored more than one goal only four times this season, but they also gave up more than one goal in each of those games, with a 2-1-1 record.
Boston Breakers -During their 13 game scoring streak, ten different players scored goals for the Breakers.....Kelly Smith is the only two-time winner of the Player of the Month award. She also won in April, 2009.....The Breakers are 0-4 against Gold Pride and 10-4-5 against the rest of the league.
Chicago Red Stars - Sunday's 2-1 victory over Washington marked the first time that the Red Stars had ever scored in three consecutive matches.....Marian Dalmy completed the 2010 season having played every minute. The Red Star defender scored a goal and four assists for the year.....Formiga currently leads WPS in fouls committed with 42, seven more than Jen Buczkowski.
FC Gold Pride - Camille Abily has apparently transitioned from one the league's best goal scorers to one of the best passers. Last year, she scored 8 goals and had one assist for the Sol. This season, she has only one goal, but has added six assists for Gold Pride.....Marta has not missed a minute of action since April 25, 2009 when she was with the Brazilian National Team in Europe.....Gold Pride holds 8-0-4 record in their 12 game unbeaten streak, which is a WPS record.
Philadelphia Independence - Amy Rodriguez is second in WPS in shots on goal with 35 and third in shots with 63.....In addition to Rodriguez's three braces, Frida Magnusdottir and Tina DiMartino have one each for the Independence.....Philadelphia has scored just one goal in their last three matches, all losses.
Sky Blue FC - Rookie Brittany Taylor is Sky Blue's ironwoman having played all 2070 minutes for the team this season.....Tasha Kai and Laura Kalmari are currently tied for the team best in goals with five each.....Sky Blue has had four different starting goalkeepers this season.
Washington Freedom - Becky Sauerbrunn's consecutive minutes streak continues at 3870 minutes in regular season matches. Rookie Nikki Marshall has also not missed a minute for the Freedom this season.....Abby Wambach has scored nine of her 12 goals at the Maryland SoccerPlex and has scored in seven of the eleven games played there this season. The Freedom host Atlanta at the SoccerPlex this weekend with a chance at a playoff berth.....The Freedom have won their last three home games and are 6-2-3 for the season at home.
Correction: Abby Wambach has actually scored in seven of the ten games played at the Maryland SoccerPlex this season. The eleventh home game to be played there will be this weekend's match against Atlanta. One other home game was played at RFK Stadium.
Scurry was the number one keeper for the US for well over a decade. She is best remembered for her penalty shot save in the 1999 Women's World Cup in the championship match against China. In addition to that championship, she also earned gold medals in the 1996 and 2004 Olympic Games. She capped 173 times for the USWNT with the United States winning nearly 85% of those matches.
The University of Massachusetts grad was one of the most athletic goalkeepers of her era. Scurry was a member of the Atlanta Beat of the WUSA and the Washington Freedom of WPS. She started in the Freedom's first match against the Los Angeles Sol in March, 2009. However, injuries have plagued her over the past two seasons and she saw very little playing time for the Freedom. She played only 45 minutes for the Freedom this season.
Scurry is also known for her considerable work with various charitable organizations. She will go down in history as one of the best goalkeepers ever in the women's game. Best wishes on all future endeavors to Briana!
Kelly Smith - Player of the Month
Boston Breaker striker Kelly Smith has won Player of the Month honors for the month of August. Smith scored four goals and added one assist in August, while leading the Breakers to a 3-1-1 record. She scored the game winning goals in victories over Atlanta and Philadelphia, plus a game-tying goal in another match with the Independence.
It is the second consecutive month that a Breakers has won the award. Jordan Angeli won the award in July.
Boquete Earns Player of the Week
In her first week of WPS action, Veronica Boquete has won the WPS Player of the Week award. The Red Star forward scored a goal just minutes into her first match against Philadelphia, helping Chicago to a 2-0 win last Wednesday. Then she assisted on both goals in Chicago's 2-1 victory over the Freedom on Sunday.
Boquete had helped the Buffalo Flash win the W-League championship just a few weeks earlier, after which she signed with Chicago, only to have her eligibility held up for visa problems. "Vero", as she is known, is a member of the Spanish Women's National Team.
Around the League
Atlanta Beat - Eniola Aluko could end up leading two different teams in goals this season. She leads the Beat with five goals and led the now defunct Saint Louis Athletica with four.....Only Leigh Ann Robinson has played in all 23 games for Atlanta this season.....The Beat have scored more than one goal only four times this season, but they also gave up more than one goal in each of those games, with a 2-1-1 record.
Boston Breakers -During their 13 game scoring streak, ten different players scored goals for the Breakers.....Kelly Smith is the only two-time winner of the Player of the Month award. She also won in April, 2009.....The Breakers are 0-4 against Gold Pride and 10-4-5 against the rest of the league.
Chicago Red Stars - Sunday's 2-1 victory over Washington marked the first time that the Red Stars had ever scored in three consecutive matches.....Marian Dalmy completed the 2010 season having played every minute. The Red Star defender scored a goal and four assists for the year.....Formiga currently leads WPS in fouls committed with 42, seven more than Jen Buczkowski.
FC Gold Pride - Camille Abily has apparently transitioned from one the league's best goal scorers to one of the best passers. Last year, she scored 8 goals and had one assist for the Sol. This season, she has only one goal, but has added six assists for Gold Pride.....Marta has not missed a minute of action since April 25, 2009 when she was with the Brazilian National Team in Europe.....Gold Pride holds 8-0-4 record in their 12 game unbeaten streak, which is a WPS record.
Philadelphia Independence - Amy Rodriguez is second in WPS in shots on goal with 35 and third in shots with 63.....In addition to Rodriguez's three braces, Frida Magnusdottir and Tina DiMartino have one each for the Independence.....Philadelphia has scored just one goal in their last three matches, all losses.
Sky Blue FC - Rookie Brittany Taylor is Sky Blue's ironwoman having played all 2070 minutes for the team this season.....Tasha Kai and Laura Kalmari are currently tied for the team best in goals with five each.....Sky Blue has had four different starting goalkeepers this season.
Washington Freedom - Becky Sauerbrunn's consecutive minutes streak continues at 3870 minutes in regular season matches. Rookie Nikki Marshall has also not missed a minute for the Freedom this season.....Abby Wambach has scored nine of her 12 goals at the Maryland SoccerPlex and has scored in seven of the eleven games played there this season. The Freedom host Atlanta at the SoccerPlex this weekend with a chance at a playoff berth.....The Freedom have won their last three home games and are 6-2-3 for the season at home.
Correction: Abby Wambach has actually scored in seven of the ten games played at the Maryland SoccerPlex this season. The eleventh home game to be played there will be this weekend's match against Atlanta. One other home game was played at RFK Stadium.
September 5, 2010
WPS Weekend Wrap - The Plot Thickens
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Labels: Atlanta Beat, Boston Breakers, Casey Nogueira, Chicago Red Stars, FC Gold Pride, Philadelphia Independence, Sky Blue FC, Veronica Boquete, Washington Freedom
Labels: Atlanta Beat, Boston Breakers, Casey Nogueira, Chicago Red Stars, FC Gold Pride, Philadelphia Independence, Sky Blue FC, Veronica Boquete, Washington Freedom
The WPS season could have gone into the last weekend of the season with virtually everything decided as far as playoffs berths go, but instead things stayed interesting. So we will head into the final weekend of the season with second, third, and fourth places all up for grabs.
Chicago Red Stars 2, Washington Freedom 1
The Red Stars played one of their best matches of the season, defeating the Washington Freedom 2-1. The Freedom missed an opportunity to clinch a playoff spot, losing for the first time in six matches.
Chicago played a fairly dominating first half, controlling the tempo of the game and keeping the Freedom back on their heels. But in spite of their solid play and a nice edge in shots, the Red Stars went into halftime scoreless.
The Red Stars nearly got on the board in the opening minute of the 2nd half. A couple of bad passes by the Freedom back line gave Veronica Boquete an opportunity inside the 18. Ashlyn Harris made a great save on Boquete's blistering shot, parrying it over the net.
However, Harris could not save the Freedom in the 50th minute. From the center line, Megan Rapinoe sent a long pass to Casey Nogueira, who touched the ball to Boquete. Boquete then sent a nice through ball to Nogueira, who beat the defender and hit a low shot off the inside of the left post and into the net. Just seconds later, Boquete hit a low, hard shot that was saved by Harris.
The game was a physical affair. Abby Wambach received a shot or two from Chicago midfielder Formiga, not to mention taking one ball to the face and another to the abdomen. Formiga finally received a yellow in the latter stages of the match. Sarah Huffman received a yellow early in the 2nd half for a challenge against Rapinoe and later picked up a second yellow in the 87th minute and was sent off. Brittany Bock also received a yellow for Washington.
Chicago missed a chance to go up two in the 89th minute. Boquete again made a nice move at the six, touching a pass across to Cristiane, with first Harris then Beverly Goebel saving the Freedom from going down two. It was only for a short time, however, as Megan Rapinoe scored her first goal of the 2010 season, with the assist again going to Boquete.
Washington tried to make a comeback in the closing seconds as Beverly Goebel quickly brought it to 2-1 with her first WPS goal. But there just wasn't enough time left for the Freedom to get the equalizer in this one.
For the Red Stars, it was the first time they have put together consecutive wins since July, 2009. They move to within a point of the 4th place Freedom, but they are out of games. Washington remains in 4th place, just one point ahead of Sky Blue FC. The Freedom control their own destiny and will meet Atlanta at home next Saturday.
Sky Blue FC 0, Atlanta Beat 0
Sky Blue missed an opportunity to move in front of the Freedom into 4th place, settling for a scoreless tie against the Atlanta Beat.
Sky Blue outshot Atlanta 9-8, but Atlanta held an edge in shots on goal 5-2. Hope Solo for Atlanta and Meghann Burke for Sky Blue notched the shutouts for their teams. Carli Lloyd received a yellow card in her second consecutive match after returning from an injury that kept her sidelined for much of the season.
Atlanta moves to 5-12-6 and 21 points. Sky Blue now has 27 points, one shy of Washington with both teams having one remaining game. They will host Boston next Saturday. Sky Blue must win that game and hope from help from the Atlanta Beat to make the playoffs.
FC Gold Pride 2, Boston Breakers 0
For the fourth time this year, Gold Pride defeated the Boston Breakers, this time by a 2-0 margin. Marta and Tiffeny Milbrett scored goals early in the 2nd half to give FCGP the victory. Nicole Barnhart earned the shutout, her eighth of the season.
FC Gold Pride broke a record by stretching their unbeaten streak to 12 games. They have not lost a match since late June.
Boston missed a chance to clinch second place. They will travel to New Jersey to take on Sky Blue next Saturday. A victory will still clinch second place. If they tie or lose, it will depend on the outcome of Philadelphia's match with Gold Pride as to who finishes second and third.
Standings
1) FC Gold Pride (15-3-5, 50 pts); 2) Boston (10-8-5, 35 pts); 3) Philadelphia (10-9-4, 34 pts); 4) Washington (7-9-7, 28 pts); 5) Sky Blue FC (7-10-6, 27 pts); 5) Chicago (7-11-6, 27 pts); 7) Atlanta (5-12-6, 21 pts).
Playoff Update
FC Gold Pride has clinched 1st place and will host the final.
Boston has clinched at least 3rd place and will clinch 2nd place with a victory or a Philadelphia loss or tie.
Philadelphia has clinched at least 3rd place and can finish second with a victory and a Boston tie or loss.
Washington can clinch 4th place with a victory or a Sky Blue tie or loss.
Sky Blue FC can clinch 4th place with a victory and a Washington tie or loss.
Chicago Red Stars 2, Washington Freedom 1
The Red Stars played one of their best matches of the season, defeating the Washington Freedom 2-1. The Freedom missed an opportunity to clinch a playoff spot, losing for the first time in six matches.
Chicago played a fairly dominating first half, controlling the tempo of the game and keeping the Freedom back on their heels. But in spite of their solid play and a nice edge in shots, the Red Stars went into halftime scoreless.
The Red Stars nearly got on the board in the opening minute of the 2nd half. A couple of bad passes by the Freedom back line gave Veronica Boquete an opportunity inside the 18. Ashlyn Harris made a great save on Boquete's blistering shot, parrying it over the net.
However, Harris could not save the Freedom in the 50th minute. From the center line, Megan Rapinoe sent a long pass to Casey Nogueira, who touched the ball to Boquete. Boquete then sent a nice through ball to Nogueira, who beat the defender and hit a low shot off the inside of the left post and into the net. Just seconds later, Boquete hit a low, hard shot that was saved by Harris.
The game was a physical affair. Abby Wambach received a shot or two from Chicago midfielder Formiga, not to mention taking one ball to the face and another to the abdomen. Formiga finally received a yellow in the latter stages of the match. Sarah Huffman received a yellow early in the 2nd half for a challenge against Rapinoe and later picked up a second yellow in the 87th minute and was sent off. Brittany Bock also received a yellow for Washington.
Chicago missed a chance to go up two in the 89th minute. Boquete again made a nice move at the six, touching a pass across to Cristiane, with first Harris then Beverly Goebel saving the Freedom from going down two. It was only for a short time, however, as Megan Rapinoe scored her first goal of the 2010 season, with the assist again going to Boquete.
Washington tried to make a comeback in the closing seconds as Beverly Goebel quickly brought it to 2-1 with her first WPS goal. But there just wasn't enough time left for the Freedom to get the equalizer in this one.
For the Red Stars, it was the first time they have put together consecutive wins since July, 2009. They move to within a point of the 4th place Freedom, but they are out of games. Washington remains in 4th place, just one point ahead of Sky Blue FC. The Freedom control their own destiny and will meet Atlanta at home next Saturday.
Sky Blue FC 0, Atlanta Beat 0
Sky Blue missed an opportunity to move in front of the Freedom into 4th place, settling for a scoreless tie against the Atlanta Beat.
Sky Blue outshot Atlanta 9-8, but Atlanta held an edge in shots on goal 5-2. Hope Solo for Atlanta and Meghann Burke for Sky Blue notched the shutouts for their teams. Carli Lloyd received a yellow card in her second consecutive match after returning from an injury that kept her sidelined for much of the season.
Atlanta moves to 5-12-6 and 21 points. Sky Blue now has 27 points, one shy of Washington with both teams having one remaining game. They will host Boston next Saturday. Sky Blue must win that game and hope from help from the Atlanta Beat to make the playoffs.
FC Gold Pride 2, Boston Breakers 0
For the fourth time this year, Gold Pride defeated the Boston Breakers, this time by a 2-0 margin. Marta and Tiffeny Milbrett scored goals early in the 2nd half to give FCGP the victory. Nicole Barnhart earned the shutout, her eighth of the season.
FC Gold Pride broke a record by stretching their unbeaten streak to 12 games. They have not lost a match since late June.
Boston missed a chance to clinch second place. They will travel to New Jersey to take on Sky Blue next Saturday. A victory will still clinch second place. If they tie or lose, it will depend on the outcome of Philadelphia's match with Gold Pride as to who finishes second and third.
Standings
1) FC Gold Pride (15-3-5, 50 pts); 2) Boston (10-8-5, 35 pts); 3) Philadelphia (10-9-4, 34 pts); 4) Washington (7-9-7, 28 pts); 5) Sky Blue FC (7-10-6, 27 pts); 5) Chicago (7-11-6, 27 pts); 7) Atlanta (5-12-6, 21 pts).
Playoff Update
FC Gold Pride has clinched 1st place and will host the final.
Boston has clinched at least 3rd place and will clinch 2nd place with a victory or a Philadelphia loss or tie.
Philadelphia has clinched at least 3rd place and can finish second with a victory and a Boston tie or loss.
Washington can clinch 4th place with a victory or a Sky Blue tie or loss.
Sky Blue FC can clinch 4th place with a victory and a Washington tie or loss.
September 1, 2010
Breakers, Independence Clinch Playoff Berths
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Labels: Atlanta Beat, Becky Edwards, Boston Breakers, Chicago Red Stars, FC Gold Pride, Marian Dalmy, Natasha Kai, Philadelphia Independence, Sky Blue FC, Veronica Boquete
Labels: Atlanta Beat, Becky Edwards, Boston Breakers, Chicago Red Stars, FC Gold Pride, Marian Dalmy, Natasha Kai, Philadelphia Independence, Sky Blue FC, Veronica Boquete
Boston Breakers 3, Atlanta Beat 1
The Breakers continued their hot streak by easily defeating Atlanta 3-1. Goals by Lindsay Tarpley, Jordan Angeli, and Kristine Lilly enabled Boston to build a 3-0 lead by early in the second half. Eniola Aluko got one back in the 64th minute, but it wasn't enough. Alyssa Naeher got the victory in goal for the Breakers.
The Breakers broke a record by scoring in their 13th consecutive game, which was previously held by Philadelphia. Boston is 9-2-1 over their last 12 games, after finishing June with just seven points total.
The victory clinched a playoff berth and at least one home game for the Breakers who now have 35 points. It also moved them into 2nd place, one point ahead of Philadelphia. They will travel to the west coast to face Gold Pride on Sunday. Atlanta will host Sky Blue in their final home game on Sunday.
Chicago Red Stars 2, Philadelphia Independence 0
Veronica Boquete made an instant impact in her first start for the Red Stars, scoring in the 4th minute to help lead Chicago to a 2-0 shutout over the Independence. Boquete had signed with the Red Stars after helping the Buffalo Flash to a W-League championship, but visa issues had kept her from playing for the Red Stars until tonight.
Marian Dalmy added a second half goal on a laser from over 25 yards out to cement the victory. Jill Loyden earned the shutout for Chicago.
Philadelphia still managed to clinch a playoff berth by virtue of Sky Blue's tie against Gold Pride, but they fell out of 2nd place. Philly still needs one point to clinch a home playoff match. This marks the first time that the expansion Independence have lost three in a row. They take the weekend off before finishing their season on the road against Gold Pride on September 11.
Sky Blue FC 1, FC Gold Pride 1
Sky Blue was just minutes away from taking this game, but a late goal by Becky Edwards scored for Gold Pride in the 90th minute forced a 1-1 draw. The goal was set up by a Camille Abily free kick.
Edwards' goal countered an absolutely beautiful effort and goal by Tasha Kai in the 72nd minute. Kai received a long ball from Heather O'Reilly into the penalty area and deftly touched the ball past a defender to give her space for a shot, which she buried from 10 yards out.
With Jen Branam out with an injury, Meghann Burke got her first start in goal for Sky Blue. Burke played a strong game and looked to be headed for the shutout before it was spoiled in the closing moments.
It was devastating blow to Sky Blue's playoff chances. They now stand two points behind the Freedom for the fourth and final playoff spot. Both teams have two games left, but Washington holds the tiebreaker. Sky Blue travels to Atlanta on Sunday, while Washington plays at Chicago.
Standings:
1) FC Gold Pride (14-3-5, 47 pts); 2) Boston (10-7-5, 35 pts); 3) Philadelphia (10-9-4, 34 pts); 4) Washington (7-8-7, 28 pts); 5) Sky Blue FC (7-10-5, 26 pts); 6) Chicago (6-11-6, 24 pts); 7) Atlanta (5-12-5, 20 pts).
FC Gold Pride has clinched the top seed.
Boston and Philadelphia have clinched playoff berths.
Atlanta and Chicago have been eliminated from playoff contention.
The Breakers continued their hot streak by easily defeating Atlanta 3-1. Goals by Lindsay Tarpley, Jordan Angeli, and Kristine Lilly enabled Boston to build a 3-0 lead by early in the second half. Eniola Aluko got one back in the 64th minute, but it wasn't enough. Alyssa Naeher got the victory in goal for the Breakers.
The Breakers broke a record by scoring in their 13th consecutive game, which was previously held by Philadelphia. Boston is 9-2-1 over their last 12 games, after finishing June with just seven points total.
The victory clinched a playoff berth and at least one home game for the Breakers who now have 35 points. It also moved them into 2nd place, one point ahead of Philadelphia. They will travel to the west coast to face Gold Pride on Sunday. Atlanta will host Sky Blue in their final home game on Sunday.
Chicago Red Stars 2, Philadelphia Independence 0
Veronica Boquete made an instant impact in her first start for the Red Stars, scoring in the 4th minute to help lead Chicago to a 2-0 shutout over the Independence. Boquete had signed with the Red Stars after helping the Buffalo Flash to a W-League championship, but visa issues had kept her from playing for the Red Stars until tonight.
Marian Dalmy added a second half goal on a laser from over 25 yards out to cement the victory. Jill Loyden earned the shutout for Chicago.
Philadelphia still managed to clinch a playoff berth by virtue of Sky Blue's tie against Gold Pride, but they fell out of 2nd place. Philly still needs one point to clinch a home playoff match. This marks the first time that the expansion Independence have lost three in a row. They take the weekend off before finishing their season on the road against Gold Pride on September 11.
Sky Blue FC 1, FC Gold Pride 1
Sky Blue was just minutes away from taking this game, but a late goal by Becky Edwards scored for Gold Pride in the 90th minute forced a 1-1 draw. The goal was set up by a Camille Abily free kick.
Edwards' goal countered an absolutely beautiful effort and goal by Tasha Kai in the 72nd minute. Kai received a long ball from Heather O'Reilly into the penalty area and deftly touched the ball past a defender to give her space for a shot, which she buried from 10 yards out.
With Jen Branam out with an injury, Meghann Burke got her first start in goal for Sky Blue. Burke played a strong game and looked to be headed for the shutout before it was spoiled in the closing moments.
It was devastating blow to Sky Blue's playoff chances. They now stand two points behind the Freedom for the fourth and final playoff spot. Both teams have two games left, but Washington holds the tiebreaker. Sky Blue travels to Atlanta on Sunday, while Washington plays at Chicago.
Standings:
1) FC Gold Pride (14-3-5, 47 pts); 2) Boston (10-7-5, 35 pts); 3) Philadelphia (10-9-4, 34 pts); 4) Washington (7-8-7, 28 pts); 5) Sky Blue FC (7-10-5, 26 pts); 6) Chicago (6-11-6, 24 pts); 7) Atlanta (5-12-5, 20 pts).
FC Gold Pride has clinched the top seed.
Boston and Philadelphia have clinched playoff berths.
Atlanta and Chicago have been eliminated from playoff contention.
August 1, 2010
Flash Win W-League Championship
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Labels: Amy Vermeulen, Buffalo Flash, Kelly Parker, Mele French, Vancouver Whitecaps, Veronica Boquete
Labels: Amy Vermeulen, Buffalo Flash, Kelly Parker, Mele French, Vancouver Whitecaps, Veronica Boquete
The Buffalo Flash defeated the Vancouver Whitecaps 3-1 to win the 2010 W-League Championship. The match was played Saturday evening in Santa Clarita, California.
Both teams entered the contest unbeaten. Buffalo posted a 10-0-2 regular season record, before defeating Toronto, Ottawa, and finally Atlanta in the semifinals. Vancouver had a 6-0-4 regular season mark and defeated Pali Blues in the Western Conference final, before taking a 3-1 decision over Hudson Valley Quickstrike in the semis.
After a scoreless first half in which Buffalo had the better of play, a defensive miscue by the Flash back line led to a goal by the Whitecaps. Amy Vermeulen picked up a loose ball about 30 yards out and placed a perfect shot over the outstretched arms of Flash keeper Pam Tajonar and just under the crossbar to put Vancouver up 1-0 in the 57th minute.
The lead was short-lived, however, as Buffalo tied the score in the 61st minute. After a nice buildup by the Flash, Kelly Parker passed the ball out to Gemma Davisson who took a touch to about eight yards out. Davisson then placed the shot perfectly upper right for the tying goal.
It didn't stay tied for long. The Flash forced a Vancouver turnover in the midfield. Mele French picked up the loose ball and hit a beautiful through ball to Veronica Boquete, who burst past the Whitecap defense to score from 12 yards out.
Parker nearly made it 3-1 in the 87th minute, but her shot from the right side went just past the left post. But it was only a minute later that Boquete scored her second of the game, assisted by Parker. Once again, it was Boquete's speed that got her clear of the Whitecap defense, beating Vancouver goalkeeper Siobhan Chamberlain with her finish in the lower left.
Vancouver pressured in the closing minutes, but were unable to make a dent in the Buffalo lead. The Whitecaps were playing the match without their two leading scorers, Melissa Tancredi and Jodi-Ann Robinson.
The game featured several former WPS players. In addition to Parker, who played for the champion Sky Blue FC last season, Jenny Anderson-Hammond, Mele French, Analisa Marquez have spent varying lengths of time in the WPS. Whitecap defender Martina Franko played last season with the LA Sol, before leaving the team on maternity leave.
Hudson Valley Quickstrike Lady Blues took the 3rd place match with a 3-0 victory over the Atlanta Silverbacks.
Both teams entered the contest unbeaten. Buffalo posted a 10-0-2 regular season record, before defeating Toronto, Ottawa, and finally Atlanta in the semifinals. Vancouver had a 6-0-4 regular season mark and defeated Pali Blues in the Western Conference final, before taking a 3-1 decision over Hudson Valley Quickstrike in the semis.
After a scoreless first half in which Buffalo had the better of play, a defensive miscue by the Flash back line led to a goal by the Whitecaps. Amy Vermeulen picked up a loose ball about 30 yards out and placed a perfect shot over the outstretched arms of Flash keeper Pam Tajonar and just under the crossbar to put Vancouver up 1-0 in the 57th minute.
The lead was short-lived, however, as Buffalo tied the score in the 61st minute. After a nice buildup by the Flash, Kelly Parker passed the ball out to Gemma Davisson who took a touch to about eight yards out. Davisson then placed the shot perfectly upper right for the tying goal.
It didn't stay tied for long. The Flash forced a Vancouver turnover in the midfield. Mele French picked up the loose ball and hit a beautiful through ball to Veronica Boquete, who burst past the Whitecap defense to score from 12 yards out.
Parker nearly made it 3-1 in the 87th minute, but her shot from the right side went just past the left post. But it was only a minute later that Boquete scored her second of the game, assisted by Parker. Once again, it was Boquete's speed that got her clear of the Whitecap defense, beating Vancouver goalkeeper Siobhan Chamberlain with her finish in the lower left.
Vancouver pressured in the closing minutes, but were unable to make a dent in the Buffalo lead. The Whitecaps were playing the match without their two leading scorers, Melissa Tancredi and Jodi-Ann Robinson.
The game featured several former WPS players. In addition to Parker, who played for the champion Sky Blue FC last season, Jenny Anderson-Hammond, Mele French, Analisa Marquez have spent varying lengths of time in the WPS. Whitecap defender Martina Franko played last season with the LA Sol, before leaving the team on maternity leave.
Hudson Valley Quickstrike Lady Blues took the 3rd place match with a 3-0 victory over the Atlanta Silverbacks.
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