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.
Showing posts with label Casey Nogueira. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Casey Nogueira. Show all posts
July 24, 2011
June 23, 2011
Sky Blue Shuts Out Beat
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Labels: 2011 WPS, Allison Whitworth, Atlanta Beat, Casey Nogueira, Jen Branam, Megan Rapinoe, Sky Blue FC
Labels: 2011 WPS, Allison Whitworth, Atlanta Beat, Casey Nogueira, Jen Branam, Megan Rapinoe, Sky Blue FC
Casey Nogueira scored her third goal of the season, this one directly off of a corner kick, to give Sky Blue FC a 1-0 victory over the Atlanta Beat on Wednesday evening. The victory stretched Sky Blue's unbeaten streak to five games and moved them into a tie with the Boston Breakers for fourth place.
Sky Blue had several early opportunities to break out on top, but Beat goalkeeper Allison Whitworth made stops on Nogueira, Laura Kalmari, and Allie Long in the opening half.
Nogueira's goal came in the 26th minute as her corner kick attempt went directly into the net over Whitworth.
The Beat turned up the pressure in the second half and ended up outshooting Sky Blue by a 17-10 margin, but New Jersey keeper Jen Branam was up to the task and kept Atlanta off the board.
The victory boosts Sky Blue's record to 3-3-3, good for 12 points. Their next match is on July 6 at Philadelphia against the second place Independence. Atlanta drops to 1-8-3. The Beat travels to Boston to take on the Breakers on July 10.
magicJack Obtains Rapinoe
magicJack has traded for the rights to Megan Rapinoe from the Philadelphia Independence. The USWNT winger played in four matches this year, starting two. She had one goal.
Rapinoe was originally a first round draft choice of the Chicago Red Stars back in 2009.
magicJack also waived both Meghan Schnur and Rebecca Moros. Moros had been a member of the team since its inception as the Washington Freedom in 2009. Schnur was signed as a free agent in the offseason.
magicJack meets the Philadelphia Independence this Saturday.
Sky Blue had several early opportunities to break out on top, but Beat goalkeeper Allison Whitworth made stops on Nogueira, Laura Kalmari, and Allie Long in the opening half.
Nogueira's goal came in the 26th minute as her corner kick attempt went directly into the net over Whitworth.
The Beat turned up the pressure in the second half and ended up outshooting Sky Blue by a 17-10 margin, but New Jersey keeper Jen Branam was up to the task and kept Atlanta off the board.
The victory boosts Sky Blue's record to 3-3-3, good for 12 points. Their next match is on July 6 at Philadelphia against the second place Independence. Atlanta drops to 1-8-3. The Beat travels to Boston to take on the Breakers on July 10.
magicJack Obtains Rapinoe
magicJack has traded for the rights to Megan Rapinoe from the Philadelphia Independence. The USWNT winger played in four matches this year, starting two. She had one goal.
Rapinoe was originally a first round draft choice of the Chicago Red Stars back in 2009.
magicJack also waived both Meghan Schnur and Rebecca Moros. Moros had been a member of the team since its inception as the Washington Freedom in 2009. Schnur was signed as a free agent in the offseason.
magicJack meets the Philadelphia Independence this Saturday.
June 4, 2011
Late Goal Gives Sky Blue Tie Against WNY
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Labels: 2011 WPS, Allie Long, Ashlyn Harris, Caroline Seger, Casey Nogueira, Christine Sinclair, Gemma Davison, Laura Kalmari, Sky Blue FC, Therese Sjögran, Western New York Flash
Labels: 2011 WPS, Allie Long, Ashlyn Harris, Caroline Seger, Casey Nogueira, Christine Sinclair, Gemma Davison, Laura Kalmari, Sky Blue FC, Therese Sjögran, Western New York Flash
Casey Nogueira scored in the 88th minute of the match, as Sky Blue forced Western New York to a 2-2 draw at Sahlen Stadium on Sunday evening. It was only the second time all season that the Flash had not come away with a victory.
The first quarter of the match saw no goals and few opportunities. Both sides were missing players to national team duty, Whitney Engen and Alex Morgan for WNY and Heather O'Reilly and Tobin Heath for Sky Blue. In addition, Flash defender Candace Chapman was out with an injury.
Western New York struck first in the 39th minute. A Gemma Davison cross found the head of Christine Sinclair and the Canadian striker made no mistake in finishing her fifth goal of the season.
Just five minutes later, it was Sinclair setting up Caroline Seger, who had broken free from her mark and Seger made it 2-0 just before halftime.
Sky Blue nearly drew even in the 60th minute, but Flash goalkeeper Ashlyn Harris was able to make consecutive saves on Nogueira and Therese Sjögran to keep Sky Blue off the scoreboard.
The Flash maintained their lead until the 65th minute, when they were whistled for a hand ball in the box and Sky Blue was awarded a shot from the penalty spot. Sky Blue's Allie Long converted the penalty to put Sky Blue within one.
As in the previous week, it was late game heroics for Sky Blue. Laura Kalmari sent a cross to the middle and Casey Nogueira was able to collect, flick the ball over the head of McCall Zerboni and finish with a volley to tie the match at two. And that is how the match ended.
Sky Blue's record goes to 2-3-2 and they have collected seven points in their last three outings. Western New York, still unbeaten, suffered only the second blemish to their schedule for the season and stand at 6-0-2, still nine points clear of second place magicJack who plays in Boston on Sunday.
Excerpts for this story were taken from WPS press releases.
The first quarter of the match saw no goals and few opportunities. Both sides were missing players to national team duty, Whitney Engen and Alex Morgan for WNY and Heather O'Reilly and Tobin Heath for Sky Blue. In addition, Flash defender Candace Chapman was out with an injury.
Western New York struck first in the 39th minute. A Gemma Davison cross found the head of Christine Sinclair and the Canadian striker made no mistake in finishing her fifth goal of the season.
Just five minutes later, it was Sinclair setting up Caroline Seger, who had broken free from her mark and Seger made it 2-0 just before halftime.
Sky Blue nearly drew even in the 60th minute, but Flash goalkeeper Ashlyn Harris was able to make consecutive saves on Nogueira and Therese Sjögran to keep Sky Blue off the scoreboard.
The Flash maintained their lead until the 65th minute, when they were whistled for a hand ball in the box and Sky Blue was awarded a shot from the penalty spot. Sky Blue's Allie Long converted the penalty to put Sky Blue within one.
As in the previous week, it was late game heroics for Sky Blue. Laura Kalmari sent a cross to the middle and Casey Nogueira was able to collect, flick the ball over the head of McCall Zerboni and finish with a volley to tie the match at two. And that is how the match ended.
Sky Blue's record goes to 2-3-2 and they have collected seven points in their last three outings. Western New York, still unbeaten, suffered only the second blemish to their schedule for the season and stand at 6-0-2, still nine points clear of second place magicJack who plays in Boston on Sunday.
Excerpts for this story were taken from WPS press releases.
April 10, 2011
Philly and Sky Blue Play to a 2-2 Draw
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Labels: 2011 WPS, Amy Rodriguez, Brittany Taylor, Casey Nogueira, Laura Kalmari, Lianne Sanderson, Nicole Barnhart, Philadelphia Independence, Sky Blue FC, Tina DiMartino
Labels: 2011 WPS, Amy Rodriguez, Brittany Taylor, Casey Nogueira, Laura Kalmari, Lianne Sanderson, Nicole Barnhart, Philadelphia Independence, Sky Blue FC, Tina DiMartino
Tina DiMartino's goal in stoppage helped the Philadelphia Independence overcome an early deficit and tie Sky Blue 2-2 in a match played at Yurcak Field in Piscataway.
Early on, it was all Sky Blue as the home side put together a solid first half and dominated possession. Philadelphia did have the first scoring chance of the match 13 minutes in. Lianne Sanderson crossed the ball from the right side with Kai closing fast on the back post. Kai, was able to get her foot on it, but the pass was a bit to hot to get solid control and Kai's touch went over the net from the six.
For the remainder of the 1st half, Sky Blue did a nice job of controlling the tempo of the game, stringing together several passes at a time. In the 18th minute, Allie Long found Brittany Taylor alone on the right side. Taylor took one touch to control and then hit a low cross with pace as Laura Kalmari got inside the defender and finished lower right from inside the six. It was an excellent sequence from the 2009 champions.
Sky Blue made it 2-0 in the 37th minute. Casey Nogueira curled a free kick from 25 yards just over the head over Nicole Barnhart and into the upper left corner of the net. The half ended with Sky Blue apparently in full control and a 2-0 lead.
Coach Paul Riley inserted Amy Rodriguez into the lineup to start the second half and Philly seemed to pick up the pace as the match wore on.
It was Rodriguez who cut the Sky Blue lead in half at the 56 minute mark. Lianne Sanderson did a nice job of keeping possession at the half line and sent a beautiful ball up the right sideline to Tasha Kai. Kai quickly released a pass to the middle to Rodriguez who had beaten the defense and calmly dribbled into the box and touched the ball into the lower left side of the net as an onrushing Jen Branam was unable to do anything to stop it.
More substitutions followed with Lori Lindsey entering the game for the Independence and Danielle Johnson and Tobin Heath entering the match for Sky Blue.
Casey Nogueira nearly increased the lead back to two, as she ripped a shot from the top of the box, but Barnhart made the save of the match, diving to push the ball wide of the goal.
Both teams made one final substitution with a hobbled Kendall Fletcher coming off in favor of Angie Kerr and Laura del Rio entered the match for Estelle Johnson. As it turned out, del Rio would play a part in the tying goal.
The sequence started with a free kick from the left sideline for Philadelphia, as Amy Rodriguez was able to draw a foul. The free kick taken by Lindsey was nearly headed in by Kai, as Allie Long was able to stop the ball just a yard short of the goal. Sky Blue was able to clear the ball out of bounds.
However, on the ensuing throw in, Sinead Farrelly gained possession in the box and tried to dribble toward the middle. Farrelly was taken down, with no call being made, but the ball deflected right to del Rio who touched it back to DiMartino. DiMartino hit it solidly from 12 yards and the ball deflected off Anita Asante's foot, over a diving Jen Branam, and into the net.
Sky Blue had a late chance on a corner kick, but in spite of Philadelphia struggling briefly to clear, SBFC was unable to score.
Philadelphia hosts magicJack next Saturday, while Sky Blue travels to Atlanta.
Early on, it was all Sky Blue as the home side put together a solid first half and dominated possession. Philadelphia did have the first scoring chance of the match 13 minutes in. Lianne Sanderson crossed the ball from the right side with Kai closing fast on the back post. Kai, was able to get her foot on it, but the pass was a bit to hot to get solid control and Kai's touch went over the net from the six.
For the remainder of the 1st half, Sky Blue did a nice job of controlling the tempo of the game, stringing together several passes at a time. In the 18th minute, Allie Long found Brittany Taylor alone on the right side. Taylor took one touch to control and then hit a low cross with pace as Laura Kalmari got inside the defender and finished lower right from inside the six. It was an excellent sequence from the 2009 champions.
Sky Blue made it 2-0 in the 37th minute. Casey Nogueira curled a free kick from 25 yards just over the head over Nicole Barnhart and into the upper left corner of the net. The half ended with Sky Blue apparently in full control and a 2-0 lead.
Coach Paul Riley inserted Amy Rodriguez into the lineup to start the second half and Philly seemed to pick up the pace as the match wore on.
It was Rodriguez who cut the Sky Blue lead in half at the 56 minute mark. Lianne Sanderson did a nice job of keeping possession at the half line and sent a beautiful ball up the right sideline to Tasha Kai. Kai quickly released a pass to the middle to Rodriguez who had beaten the defense and calmly dribbled into the box and touched the ball into the lower left side of the net as an onrushing Jen Branam was unable to do anything to stop it.
More substitutions followed with Lori Lindsey entering the game for the Independence and Danielle Johnson and Tobin Heath entering the match for Sky Blue.
Casey Nogueira nearly increased the lead back to two, as she ripped a shot from the top of the box, but Barnhart made the save of the match, diving to push the ball wide of the goal.
Both teams made one final substitution with a hobbled Kendall Fletcher coming off in favor of Angie Kerr and Laura del Rio entered the match for Estelle Johnson. As it turned out, del Rio would play a part in the tying goal.
The sequence started with a free kick from the left sideline for Philadelphia, as Amy Rodriguez was able to draw a foul. The free kick taken by Lindsey was nearly headed in by Kai, as Allie Long was able to stop the ball just a yard short of the goal. Sky Blue was able to clear the ball out of bounds.
However, on the ensuing throw in, Sinead Farrelly gained possession in the box and tried to dribble toward the middle. Farrelly was taken down, with no call being made, but the ball deflected right to del Rio who touched it back to DiMartino. DiMartino hit it solidly from 12 yards and the ball deflected off Anita Asante's foot, over a diving Jen Branam, and into the net.
Sky Blue had a late chance on a corner kick, but in spite of Philadelphia struggling briefly to clear, SBFC was unable to score.
Philadelphia hosts magicJack next Saturday, while Sky Blue travels to Atlanta.
December 23, 2010
Sky Blue Signs Nogueira
Casey Nogueira, who spent last season with the Chicago Red Stars, has signed with Sky Blue FC. The forward out of North Carolina was originally drafted by the Los Angeles Sol in 2010 and then selected by Chicago in the dispersal draft.
Nogueira scored three goals and four assists last season for the Red Stars. At North Carolina, where she was known for her clutch scoring, she had 55 career goals. Nogueira has capped five times for the USWNT.
Nogueira scored three goals and four assists last season for the Red Stars. At North Carolina, where she was known for her clutch scoring, she had 55 career goals. Nogueira has capped five times for the USWNT.
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.
April 7, 2010
Chicago Red Stars 2010 - Enigmatic Stars Go Young
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Labels: 2010 WPS, Brittany Klein, Casey Nogueira, Chicago Red Stars, Cristiane, Formiga, Jillian Loyden, Karen Carney, Kate Markgraf, Katie Chapman, Kosovare Asllani, Megan Rapinoe, Whitney Engen
Labels: 2010 WPS, Brittany Klein, Casey Nogueira, Chicago Red Stars, Cristiane, Formiga, Jillian Loyden, Karen Carney, Kate Markgraf, Katie Chapman, Kosovare Asllani, Megan Rapinoe, Whitney Engen
Coach: Emma Hayes
2009 Record: 5-10-5 (6th place)
Postseason: Out of the playoffs.
Returnees (10): Karen Carney, Cristiane, Marian Dalmy, Ifeoma Dieke, Brittany Klein, Kate Markgraf, Ella Masar, Megan Rapinoe, Natalie Spilger, Lydia Vandenbergh.
Draft Choices (5): Whitney Engen, Jessica McDonald, Kelsey Davis, Michelle Weissenhofer, Jackie Santacaterina.
LA Dispersal Draft (1): Casey Nogueira.
International Signings ( 3): Kosovare Asllani, Katie Chapman, Formiga.
Free Agents (1): Julianne Sitch.
Trades (1): Jillian Loyden.
Of all WPS teams last season, the Red Stars were the one team I couldn’t figure out. They just looked like they should have been better. How can a team with Cristiane, Rapinoe, Tarpley, Carney, Lloyd, and Masar have trouble scoring? Twice this team went nearly 400 minutes without scoring a goal and they were shut out 11 times.
Chicago seems to be going to a youth movement, with 5 draft picks plus Casey Nogueira from the dispersal draft and international signee Kosovare Asllani joining the Red Stars. The exceptions were the signings of former Gold Pride midfielder Formiga and English international Katie Chapman. Chicago will also welcome back Kate Markgraf, who missed all of last season. With Lloyd and Tarpley gone, it means that Chicago is the only team that never had their 3 USWNT allocations on the field at the same time.
Goalkeeping-The Red Stars made a bold move prior to the January draft, trading USWNT player Lindsay Tarpley to Saint Louis for Jillian Loyden. Loyden’s stock has risen rapidly over the past 12 months. First, she won the backup role to Hope Solo in Saint Louis and shut out 2 of 3 opponents she faced in 2009. Then, she ventured to Australia where she won the W-League Goalkeeper of the Year. Since then, she has made the US National Team as a backup. To solidify the goalkeeper position, Chicago drafted Kelsey Davis out of the University of Portland. Davis has experience on US junior teams and should provide the Red Stars with a quality backup. At press time, the Red Stars didn't have a developmental keeper.
Defenders- The Red Stars started 2009 as one of the best defensive teams in WPS, shutting out 3 of their first 4 opponents. However, they didn’t post a shutout in the 2nd half of the season and this is certainly one area that needed improvement. The return of Kate Markgraf should go a long way in doing that. Markgraf, a USWNT veteran, missed the entire ’09 season. She is a solid, experienced defender who will anchor Chicago’s back line.
The second key addition is Whitney Engen. Engen was considered to be the top defender in college soccer last fall at UNC. The Red Stars also return Marian Dalmy, Ifeoma Dieke, and Natalie Spilger. Dalmy is a tall outside back who has some experience on the US National Team. Dieke has good speed and plays internationally for Scotland. Stanford grad Spilger played well last season in 13 starts. The Red Stars also return developmental back, Lydia Vandenbergh, who bolstered her playing experience with a stint in the Aussie W-League last fall. The additions of Markgraf and Engen should make this a top notch defensive group.
Midfielders-If you look at Chicago’s 2009 midfield group, there appeared to be a lot of talent, but it rarely translated into goals. Of that group, Carli Lloyd is no longer with the Red Stars. The returnees are Karen Carney, Megan Rapinoe, and Brittany Klein. Klein was finally recognized for her strong play, being named to the '09 all-star team. Certainly one of the smallest midfielders in the league, Klein’s not afraid to mix it up and she always has an impressive work rate. Carney and Rapinoe may be two of the most talented young wing players in the world, but 2009 saw limited output for the duo, a combined 4 goals and 4 assists. Although Carney is recovering from injury, expect to see a lot better results from the two this season. Both are very good 1 v. 1 players that can break down opposing defenses.
The two major additions in the midfield both come from the international ranks. Chicago added English international Katie Chapman and former Gold Pride midfielder Formiga. The Brazilian star struggled through a 2009 season which saw her hobbled by injuries toward the end of the season and missing the all-star game. She still has the ability to make players around her better and I expect her to rebound with a strong 2010 season, once her visa problems are solved. Chapman has 76 caps for the English National Team and just scored the game winner in a match against Spain. Chicago area native Julianne Sitch and Illinois alum Jackie Santacaterina will provide depth here as well as on the back line.
Forwards-The Red Stars signed 20-year old striker, Kosovare Asllani, from Sweden to improve Chicago’s offensive output. Asllani scored 12 goals for Linköpings last season and she will be counted on to do more of the same with the Red Stars. Her forward running mates will be Cristiane, who scored 7 goals last season (and was the only Red Star to score between April 25 and July 1) and Ella Masar who spent most of ’09 as a reserve, adding two assists.
A trio of forwards from the college ranks will provide depth. Casey Nogueira had a knack for scoring clutch goals for North Carolina and hopes to be a spark for the Red Stars. Another former UNC player, Jessica McDonald, was Chicago’s 2nd round selection. Together, Nogueira and McDonald were UNC’s top two goal scorers last fall. Another Chicago area native, Michelle Weissenhofer of Naperville and Notre Dame, adds further depth at forward.
Summary-Certainly, the Red Stars would like to forget last season. The back line was troubled with injuries, the offense was anemic, they suffered two red cards, and they finished 6th. The injection of young talent, with a sprinkling of older veterans could be a move in the right direction, although the team will certainly miss a respected veteran in Lindsay Tarpley.
If everyone plays to their potential and the team gels, this could be a very good team. There is a lot of room for improvement over last year’s squad. The Red Stars will be tested very quickly as they open on the road against defending WPS Champions Sky Blue FC and their former teammate, Carli Lloyd.
2009 Record: 5-10-5 (6th place)
Postseason: Out of the playoffs.
Returnees (10): Karen Carney, Cristiane, Marian Dalmy, Ifeoma Dieke, Brittany Klein, Kate Markgraf, Ella Masar, Megan Rapinoe, Natalie Spilger, Lydia Vandenbergh.
Draft Choices (5): Whitney Engen, Jessica McDonald, Kelsey Davis, Michelle Weissenhofer, Jackie Santacaterina.
LA Dispersal Draft (1): Casey Nogueira.
International Signings ( 3): Kosovare Asllani, Katie Chapman, Formiga.
Free Agents (1): Julianne Sitch.
Trades (1): Jillian Loyden.
Of all WPS teams last season, the Red Stars were the one team I couldn’t figure out. They just looked like they should have been better. How can a team with Cristiane, Rapinoe, Tarpley, Carney, Lloyd, and Masar have trouble scoring? Twice this team went nearly 400 minutes without scoring a goal and they were shut out 11 times.
Chicago seems to be going to a youth movement, with 5 draft picks plus Casey Nogueira from the dispersal draft and international signee Kosovare Asllani joining the Red Stars. The exceptions were the signings of former Gold Pride midfielder Formiga and English international Katie Chapman. Chicago will also welcome back Kate Markgraf, who missed all of last season. With Lloyd and Tarpley gone, it means that Chicago is the only team that never had their 3 USWNT allocations on the field at the same time.
Goalkeeping-The Red Stars made a bold move prior to the January draft, trading USWNT player Lindsay Tarpley to Saint Louis for Jillian Loyden. Loyden’s stock has risen rapidly over the past 12 months. First, she won the backup role to Hope Solo in Saint Louis and shut out 2 of 3 opponents she faced in 2009. Then, she ventured to Australia where she won the W-League Goalkeeper of the Year. Since then, she has made the US National Team as a backup. To solidify the goalkeeper position, Chicago drafted Kelsey Davis out of the University of Portland. Davis has experience on US junior teams and should provide the Red Stars with a quality backup. At press time, the Red Stars didn't have a developmental keeper.
Defenders- The Red Stars started 2009 as one of the best defensive teams in WPS, shutting out 3 of their first 4 opponents. However, they didn’t post a shutout in the 2nd half of the season and this is certainly one area that needed improvement. The return of Kate Markgraf should go a long way in doing that. Markgraf, a USWNT veteran, missed the entire ’09 season. She is a solid, experienced defender who will anchor Chicago’s back line.
The second key addition is Whitney Engen. Engen was considered to be the top defender in college soccer last fall at UNC. The Red Stars also return Marian Dalmy, Ifeoma Dieke, and Natalie Spilger. Dalmy is a tall outside back who has some experience on the US National Team. Dieke has good speed and plays internationally for Scotland. Stanford grad Spilger played well last season in 13 starts. The Red Stars also return developmental back, Lydia Vandenbergh, who bolstered her playing experience with a stint in the Aussie W-League last fall. The additions of Markgraf and Engen should make this a top notch defensive group.
Midfielders-If you look at Chicago’s 2009 midfield group, there appeared to be a lot of talent, but it rarely translated into goals. Of that group, Carli Lloyd is no longer with the Red Stars. The returnees are Karen Carney, Megan Rapinoe, and Brittany Klein. Klein was finally recognized for her strong play, being named to the '09 all-star team. Certainly one of the smallest midfielders in the league, Klein’s not afraid to mix it up and she always has an impressive work rate. Carney and Rapinoe may be two of the most talented young wing players in the world, but 2009 saw limited output for the duo, a combined 4 goals and 4 assists. Although Carney is recovering from injury, expect to see a lot better results from the two this season. Both are very good 1 v. 1 players that can break down opposing defenses.
The two major additions in the midfield both come from the international ranks. Chicago added English international Katie Chapman and former Gold Pride midfielder Formiga. The Brazilian star struggled through a 2009 season which saw her hobbled by injuries toward the end of the season and missing the all-star game. She still has the ability to make players around her better and I expect her to rebound with a strong 2010 season, once her visa problems are solved. Chapman has 76 caps for the English National Team and just scored the game winner in a match against Spain. Chicago area native Julianne Sitch and Illinois alum Jackie Santacaterina will provide depth here as well as on the back line.
Forwards-The Red Stars signed 20-year old striker, Kosovare Asllani, from Sweden to improve Chicago’s offensive output. Asllani scored 12 goals for Linköpings last season and she will be counted on to do more of the same with the Red Stars. Her forward running mates will be Cristiane, who scored 7 goals last season (and was the only Red Star to score between April 25 and July 1) and Ella Masar who spent most of ’09 as a reserve, adding two assists.
A trio of forwards from the college ranks will provide depth. Casey Nogueira had a knack for scoring clutch goals for North Carolina and hopes to be a spark for the Red Stars. Another former UNC player, Jessica McDonald, was Chicago’s 2nd round selection. Together, Nogueira and McDonald were UNC’s top two goal scorers last fall. Another Chicago area native, Michelle Weissenhofer of Naperville and Notre Dame, adds further depth at forward.
Summary-Certainly, the Red Stars would like to forget last season. The back line was troubled with injuries, the offense was anemic, they suffered two red cards, and they finished 6th. The injection of young talent, with a sprinkling of older veterans could be a move in the right direction, although the team will certainly miss a respected veteran in Lindsay Tarpley.
If everyone plays to their potential and the team gels, this could be a very good team. There is a lot of room for improvement over last year’s squad. The Red Stars will be tested very quickly as they open on the road against defending WPS Champions Sky Blue FC and their former teammate, Carli Lloyd.
January 15, 2010
1st Round Completed with a Few Surprises
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Labels: Ali Riley, Alyssa Naeher, Brittany Taylor, Casey Nogueira, Kiersten Dallstream, Nikki Marshall
Labels: Ali Riley, Alyssa Naeher, Brittany Taylor, Casey Nogueira, Kiersten Dallstream, Nikki Marshall
The first round of the WPS draft has been completed and there were a few more surprises toward the end of the round.
6. Sky Blue-Brittany Taylor, D, Connecticut
7. Washington-Nikki Marshall, F/D, Colorado. Washington has already said that she would most likely be a defender in the WPS.
8. Los Angeles-Casey Nogueira, F, North Carolina. Nogueira falls all the way to 8th, but not necessarily a big surprise given Sky Blue and Washington's need for defense.
9. Los Angeles-Kiersten Dallstream, F, Washington State. A bit of surprise to me, but a very good player. I had pegged Kaley Fountain for this selection and basically Dallstream is similar in that she is a forward, but has some background as an outside defender.
10. Gold Pride-Ali Riley, D, Stanford. Strangely enough, this is who I chose for Gold Pride in Bleacher Report's mock draft last weekend. But I chose Riley because Becky Edwards was gone by that time. Edwards is still very available today, so I was a little surprised, but I really like Riley's two way ability.
11. Boston-Alyssa Naeher, GK, Penn State-Boston needed at least a backup keeper, but Naeher will certainly challenge Lipsher for the number one spot. This could start a run on keepers.
I now look for Gold Pride to select either defensive mid or one of the top keepers, Kelsey Davis or Ashlyn Harris. We'll see.......
6. Sky Blue-Brittany Taylor, D, Connecticut
7. Washington-Nikki Marshall, F/D, Colorado. Washington has already said that she would most likely be a defender in the WPS.
8. Los Angeles-Casey Nogueira, F, North Carolina. Nogueira falls all the way to 8th, but not necessarily a big surprise given Sky Blue and Washington's need for defense.
9. Los Angeles-Kiersten Dallstream, F, Washington State. A bit of surprise to me, but a very good player. I had pegged Kaley Fountain for this selection and basically Dallstream is similar in that she is a forward, but has some background as an outside defender.
10. Gold Pride-Ali Riley, D, Stanford. Strangely enough, this is who I chose for Gold Pride in Bleacher Report's mock draft last weekend. But I chose Riley because Becky Edwards was gone by that time. Edwards is still very available today, so I was a little surprised, but I really like Riley's two way ability.
11. Boston-Alyssa Naeher, GK, Penn State-Boston needed at least a backup keeper, but Naeher will certainly challenge Lipsher for the number one spot. This could start a run on keepers.
I now look for Gold Pride to select either defensive mid or one of the top keepers, Kelsey Davis or Ashlyn Harris. We'll see.......
January 14, 2010
A Final Preview of the WPS Draft
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Labels: Ali Riley, Brittany Taylor, Casey Nogueira, Kelley O'Hara, Lauren Cheney, Tobin Heath, Whitney Engen, WPS 2010 Draft
Labels: Ali Riley, Brittany Taylor, Casey Nogueira, Kelley O'Hara, Lauren Cheney, Tobin Heath, Whitney Engen, WPS 2010 Draft
A year ago, I sat in an overcrowded room at America's Center in Saint Louis and watched as WPS Commissioner Tonya Antonucci announced Amy Rodriguez as the 1st selection in the 2009 WPS Draft. It was an exciting day to be sure and a landmark day in the history of the league. Tomorrow, the drama will be in Philadelphia for the 2010 WPS draft.
Looking back at my mock draft from last year, I wasn't very accurate. My 2009 mock draft was as follows:
1. Boston-Amy Rodriguez (everyone got this one right).
2. Chicago-Carrie Dew (Chicago chose Megan Rapinoe instead. Dew was drafted in the 2nd round by FC Gold Pride).
3. FC Gold Pride-Megan Rapinoe (With Rapinoe gone, FCGP selected Tina DiMartino. I had DiMartino pegged for Washington at the 8th pick).
4. Sky Blue FC-Yael Averbuch (my 2nd correct pick in the 1st round).
5. Los Angeles-Kerri Hanks (LA took Hanks' teammate Brittany Bock instead).
6. Saint Louis-Brittany Bock (I had the 5th and 6th picks switched).
7. Washington-Nikki Krzysik (Washington chose Allie Long who I thought would be picked in the 2nd round. Krzysik was picked at no. 13 by Chicago).
I am hoping I will do better this year, but I'm not counting on it. There are a lot of question marks, primarily what Boston will do at number two. Then there is always the possibility of a trade or two. So here is my final pre-draft analysis of the 1st round:
1. Atlanta Beat-Tobin Heath, MF, North Carolina
Atlanta desperately needs defenders and this is their only selection in the first two rounds. Still, it's hard to see them passing on Heath, pretty much the consensus as the most talented player in this year's draft. I think she is the type of player who will have immediate impact and will make the players around her better. There are other possibilities, although they are probably long shots. Atlanta could take Kelley O'Hara who is from the Atlanta area or they could trade down to pick up some additional picks in the opening rounds. Still, I think it's Heath.
2. Boston Breakers-Lauren Cheney, F, UCLA
Here is where things get complicated, because Boston could go a lot of different directions. They also need defenders to go with LePeilbet and Scott. The best available center back is Whitney Engen of North Carolina. But like the 1st pick, Cheney may be too good to pass up. She's a strong forward who can get a shot off in tight space. Cheney strikes me as being very composed and she has a lot of national team experience. She is equally adept at passing or scoring. Boston could take Engen or even possibly Kelley O'Hara, but I think they take Cheney.
3. FC Gold Pride-Kelley O'Hara, F, Stanford
Gold Pride was the lowest scoring team in the league last year and O'Hara could give them a boost on offense. I think she would pair very well with Sinclair. She's fast and tenacious. O'Hara has big time scoring ability (26 in her senior year at Stanford). I don't think this pick can go any other way, unless either Atlanta or Boston pulls a surprise.
4. Chicago Red Stars-Casey Nogueira, F, North Carolina
The Red Stars also had trouble scoring last year and could stand to add a forward, but the signing of Cristiane and Asllani may change their thinking. Also, if Boston would opt for Engen, then Cheney or O'Hara could fall to this position. Nogueira is one of the greatest clutch players in women's soccer. But she has been inconsistent and at times, a bit of an enigma. The potential is there for her to be a star, but she might be a risky selection. However, she could be the kind of player that Emma Hayes could bring off the bench late in the game to make a difference.
5. Los Angeles Sol-Whitney Engen, D, North Carolina
With Franko and Falk gone, the Sol need to solidify their central defense and Engen could be the answer. By many accounts, she is far and away the best defender in this year's draft. She is a very solid defender, who is one of the toughest tacklers in college soccer. I still think there is a chance that Los Angeles packages some of their picks to move up. They have 6 of the first 25 selections.
6. Sky Blue FC-Brittany Taylor, D, Connecticut
Rampone's pregnancy and Asante's injury make center back more of a priority than it ordinarily would have been for Sky Blue. In 2009, Taylor played for Sky Blue's affiliate, Hudson Valley Quickstrike Lady Blues and that connection could well be a factor here. That aside, Taylor is a talented center back who was recently called up for the US National Team camp. This seems like the perfect fit.
7. Washington-Ali Riley, D, Stanford
This selection is a tough one to gauge. Washington needs to shore up it's defense which gave up a league high 32 goals last season. Riley would give them an outside left back who plays solid defensively, but can also be dangerous making forward runs up the flank. She has international experience with New Zealand. The other direction Washington might go is for a defensive mid and Becky Edwards. I could see either being a possibility, but Riley's two-way ability gives her the edge.
8. Los Angeles-Nikki Washington, MF/F, North Carolina
If it hadn't been for her injury last fall, Washington very well could have been in the top 5. She can be extremely dangerous from the right side. I feel she is one of the most exciting midfielders in college soccer. Injuries always leave a big question mark, but Los Angeles has plenty of selections and Washington is well worth the gamble.
9. Los Angeles-Kaley Fountain, F/D, Wake Forest
This is probably my biggest long shot. I just love her versatility and I think she could be another Brittany Bock, who played several different positions for LA last year. She scored 11 goals and 10 assists last year at Wake, but has also played a lot of defender over her career.
10. FC Gold Pride-Becky Edwards, D/MF, Florida State
Defensive midfielder is one of Gold Pride's biggest needs and Edwards is the top player at that position. She is a top notch college defender, who has good vision and distributes well. She spent most of her college career on the back line, but moved up to defensive mid as a senior.
11. Boston-Nikki Marshall, F/D, Colorado
Marshall is very good offensive player from Colorado, but she may well fit into Boston's back line picture. She started all 6 games at the 2008 U-20 World Cup as a center back. The coach of that team was none other than Tony DiCicco. I can see them being reunited tomorrow.
My 2nd round:
12. FC Gold Pride-Kelsey Davis, GK, Portland.....A tough call between Davis or Naeher. Very athletic keeper in the mold of Hope Solo. Extensive junior national team experience. Career goals against under 0.45 at Portland.
13. Philadelphia Independence-Katie Schoepfer, F, Penn State.....Philly needs a scorer and Schoepfer will provide that. Scored 9 goals in just 6 games for U-23 team in 2009. A good target forward.
14. Los Angeles Sol-Gina DiMartino, MF/F, Boston College.....The Sol get their 2nd DiMartino in a week. Like her sister Tina, great with the ball at her feet and an excellent passer.
15. Chicago Red Stars-Alyssa Naeher, GK, Penn State.....The Red Stars need a backup for Jonsson. Starting keeper for the 2008 U-20 World Cup champions. Decent size and excellent agility. Just called up to USWNT camp.
16. Boston Breakers-Ashlyn Harris, GK, North Carolina.....Boston also needs a keeper and they get Harris. Aggressive keeper who shut out 5 opponents in 6 NCAA tournament games in 2009.
17. Saint Louis Athletica-Kristi Eveland, D, North Carolina.....Barcellos addresses playoff weakness against Sky Blue by getting a solid right back. Great speed and size and can be a weapon on corners with her heading ability.
18. Washington Freedom-Carolyn Blank, MF, West Virginia.....A tough, aggressive defensive mid that will enable the Freedom to move Homare Sawa into the attack where she can be most effective.
19. Saint Louis Athletica-Kiersten Dallstream, F, Washington State.....Athletica adds an offensive threat to team with Aluko and Edlund. Scored 13 goals and 7 assists in 2009. Versatile...played outside defender with 2008 U-20 team.
20. FC Gold Pride-Kat Reynolds, D/F, Santa Clara.....Gold Pride also gets a versatile player who can play several positions. Adds depth defensively for FCGP.
Good luck to all players, coaches, general managers, and fans at tomorrow's draft.
Looking back at my mock draft from last year, I wasn't very accurate. My 2009 mock draft was as follows:
1. Boston-Amy Rodriguez (everyone got this one right).
2. Chicago-Carrie Dew (Chicago chose Megan Rapinoe instead. Dew was drafted in the 2nd round by FC Gold Pride).
3. FC Gold Pride-Megan Rapinoe (With Rapinoe gone, FCGP selected Tina DiMartino. I had DiMartino pegged for Washington at the 8th pick).
4. Sky Blue FC-Yael Averbuch (my 2nd correct pick in the 1st round).
5. Los Angeles-Kerri Hanks (LA took Hanks' teammate Brittany Bock instead).
6. Saint Louis-Brittany Bock (I had the 5th and 6th picks switched).
7. Washington-Nikki Krzysik (Washington chose Allie Long who I thought would be picked in the 2nd round. Krzysik was picked at no. 13 by Chicago).
I am hoping I will do better this year, but I'm not counting on it. There are a lot of question marks, primarily what Boston will do at number two. Then there is always the possibility of a trade or two. So here is my final pre-draft analysis of the 1st round:
1. Atlanta Beat-Tobin Heath, MF, North Carolina
Atlanta desperately needs defenders and this is their only selection in the first two rounds. Still, it's hard to see them passing on Heath, pretty much the consensus as the most talented player in this year's draft. I think she is the type of player who will have immediate impact and will make the players around her better. There are other possibilities, although they are probably long shots. Atlanta could take Kelley O'Hara who is from the Atlanta area or they could trade down to pick up some additional picks in the opening rounds. Still, I think it's Heath.
2. Boston Breakers-Lauren Cheney, F, UCLA
Here is where things get complicated, because Boston could go a lot of different directions. They also need defenders to go with LePeilbet and Scott. The best available center back is Whitney Engen of North Carolina. But like the 1st pick, Cheney may be too good to pass up. She's a strong forward who can get a shot off in tight space. Cheney strikes me as being very composed and she has a lot of national team experience. She is equally adept at passing or scoring. Boston could take Engen or even possibly Kelley O'Hara, but I think they take Cheney.
3. FC Gold Pride-Kelley O'Hara, F, Stanford
Gold Pride was the lowest scoring team in the league last year and O'Hara could give them a boost on offense. I think she would pair very well with Sinclair. She's fast and tenacious. O'Hara has big time scoring ability (26 in her senior year at Stanford). I don't think this pick can go any other way, unless either Atlanta or Boston pulls a surprise.
4. Chicago Red Stars-Casey Nogueira, F, North Carolina
The Red Stars also had trouble scoring last year and could stand to add a forward, but the signing of Cristiane and Asllani may change their thinking. Also, if Boston would opt for Engen, then Cheney or O'Hara could fall to this position. Nogueira is one of the greatest clutch players in women's soccer. But she has been inconsistent and at times, a bit of an enigma. The potential is there for her to be a star, but she might be a risky selection. However, she could be the kind of player that Emma Hayes could bring off the bench late in the game to make a difference.
5. Los Angeles Sol-Whitney Engen, D, North Carolina
With Franko and Falk gone, the Sol need to solidify their central defense and Engen could be the answer. By many accounts, she is far and away the best defender in this year's draft. She is a very solid defender, who is one of the toughest tacklers in college soccer. I still think there is a chance that Los Angeles packages some of their picks to move up. They have 6 of the first 25 selections.
6. Sky Blue FC-Brittany Taylor, D, Connecticut
Rampone's pregnancy and Asante's injury make center back more of a priority than it ordinarily would have been for Sky Blue. In 2009, Taylor played for Sky Blue's affiliate, Hudson Valley Quickstrike Lady Blues and that connection could well be a factor here. That aside, Taylor is a talented center back who was recently called up for the US National Team camp. This seems like the perfect fit.
7. Washington-Ali Riley, D, Stanford
This selection is a tough one to gauge. Washington needs to shore up it's defense which gave up a league high 32 goals last season. Riley would give them an outside left back who plays solid defensively, but can also be dangerous making forward runs up the flank. She has international experience with New Zealand. The other direction Washington might go is for a defensive mid and Becky Edwards. I could see either being a possibility, but Riley's two-way ability gives her the edge.
8. Los Angeles-Nikki Washington, MF/F, North Carolina
If it hadn't been for her injury last fall, Washington very well could have been in the top 5. She can be extremely dangerous from the right side. I feel she is one of the most exciting midfielders in college soccer. Injuries always leave a big question mark, but Los Angeles has plenty of selections and Washington is well worth the gamble.
9. Los Angeles-Kaley Fountain, F/D, Wake Forest
This is probably my biggest long shot. I just love her versatility and I think she could be another Brittany Bock, who played several different positions for LA last year. She scored 11 goals and 10 assists last year at Wake, but has also played a lot of defender over her career.
10. FC Gold Pride-Becky Edwards, D/MF, Florida State
Defensive midfielder is one of Gold Pride's biggest needs and Edwards is the top player at that position. She is a top notch college defender, who has good vision and distributes well. She spent most of her college career on the back line, but moved up to defensive mid as a senior.
11. Boston-Nikki Marshall, F/D, Colorado
Marshall is very good offensive player from Colorado, but she may well fit into Boston's back line picture. She started all 6 games at the 2008 U-20 World Cup as a center back. The coach of that team was none other than Tony DiCicco. I can see them being reunited tomorrow.
My 2nd round:
12. FC Gold Pride-Kelsey Davis, GK, Portland.....A tough call between Davis or Naeher. Very athletic keeper in the mold of Hope Solo. Extensive junior national team experience. Career goals against under 0.45 at Portland.
13. Philadelphia Independence-Katie Schoepfer, F, Penn State.....Philly needs a scorer and Schoepfer will provide that. Scored 9 goals in just 6 games for U-23 team in 2009. A good target forward.
14. Los Angeles Sol-Gina DiMartino, MF/F, Boston College.....The Sol get their 2nd DiMartino in a week. Like her sister Tina, great with the ball at her feet and an excellent passer.
15. Chicago Red Stars-Alyssa Naeher, GK, Penn State.....The Red Stars need a backup for Jonsson. Starting keeper for the 2008 U-20 World Cup champions. Decent size and excellent agility. Just called up to USWNT camp.
16. Boston Breakers-Ashlyn Harris, GK, North Carolina.....Boston also needs a keeper and they get Harris. Aggressive keeper who shut out 5 opponents in 6 NCAA tournament games in 2009.
17. Saint Louis Athletica-Kristi Eveland, D, North Carolina.....Barcellos addresses playoff weakness against Sky Blue by getting a solid right back. Great speed and size and can be a weapon on corners with her heading ability.
18. Washington Freedom-Carolyn Blank, MF, West Virginia.....A tough, aggressive defensive mid that will enable the Freedom to move Homare Sawa into the attack where she can be most effective.
19. Saint Louis Athletica-Kiersten Dallstream, F, Washington State.....Athletica adds an offensive threat to team with Aluko and Edlund. Scored 13 goals and 7 assists in 2009. Versatile...played outside defender with 2008 U-20 team.
20. FC Gold Pride-Kat Reynolds, D/F, Santa Clara.....Gold Pride also gets a versatile player who can play several positions. Adds depth defensively for FCGP.
Good luck to all players, coaches, general managers, and fans at tomorrow's draft.
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