Last Second Goal Lifts Philly over Shorthanded Sky Blue

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Schedule:
Wednesday, August 10
Western New York at magicJack

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

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

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

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

2011 Sky Blue FC Preview

Sky Blue FC
Coach: Jim Gabarra (1st year at Sky Blue, 3rd year in WPS)
2010 Record: 7-10-7 (5th place)
Home Stadium: Yurcak Field (Piscataway, NJ)

Roster:
Goalkeepers (4): Kristin Arnold(R), Karen Bardsley, Jenni Branam, Erin Guthrie.
Defenders (8): Anita Asante, Kiersten Dallstream, Carrie Dew, Kendall Fletcher, Danielle Johnson, Lindsey Johnson(R), Brittany Taylor, Michelle Wenino.
Midfielders (7): Carolyn Blank, Tobin Heath, Angie Kerr, Allie Long, Alyssa Mautz(R), Heather O’Reilly, Therese Sjögran.
Forwards (4): Eniola Aluko, Laura Kalmari, Andrea Martin Santamaria, Casey Nogueira.
(R) denotes true rookie; returning players in bold.
Probable World Cup players: Bardsley, Asante, Heath, O’Reilly, Sjögran, Aluko.

High expectations often lead to disappointment and that’s what happened last season with Sky Blue. The defending champions failed to make the playoffs, falling to 5th place. To be sure, injuries had a lot to do with their lackluster season. Perhaps because of last year’s finish, Sky Blue had a substantial turnover on their roster in the offseason. Only eight players return from 2010 and only two players from the midfield forward.

One problem Sky Blue has had for both seasons was scoring goals. They hope to have rectified this offensive shortage with a blockbuster trade and several free agent signings. The trade that brought Eni Aluko, Tobin Heath, and Angie Kerr from Atlanta should pay dividends for a team that scored just 20 goals in 24 matches during the 2010 season, tied for the lowest total in WPS.

Jim Gabarra comes over from Washington for his third year as a WPS coach. He has a lot of talent on this Sky Blue team. The trick will be getting them to play as a cohesive unit, especially early in the season. The preseason tournament in Turkey should help in that regard.

Goalkeepers: Sky Blue had a rash of injuries last season and no position was harder hit than goalkeeper. SBFC lost not one, but two starters to injury. Both Karen Bardsley and Jen Branam are back for a third season with Sky Blue.

Bardsley’s stock continues to rise, both because of her brilliant start in 2010 and her more frequent starts with the English National Team. She was the keeper of choice when Hope Powell’s Lions faced the US in a recent friendly. Bardsley recorded five shutouts before she was injured while training for the WPS All-Star match last June. She has a huge advantage over Branam in height and now, in international experience.

Branam, on the other hand, led Sky Blue to the 2009 championship. While she is one of the shortest keepers in the league, she is also one of the most aggressive, often fearless while traveling well out of the penalty area to thwart potential threats. She will certainly see a lot of action when Bardsley travels to Germany with her English teammates. Rookie Kristin Arnold and Erin Guthrie, who spent 2010 as Gold Pride’s third goalkeeper, will battle for the third spot on Sky Blue.

Defenders: Gone are starters Meghan Schnur, Christie Rampone, Daphne Koster, and Keeley Dowling, losses that would cripple most teams. Still, Sky Blue returns four defenders from 2010, plus Anita Asante who returns to New Jersey after making three stops in between. Her experience should pay off on what is otherwise a fairly youthful back line.

Probably the most prominent among the returning players is Brittany Taylor, who had a strong rookie season in 2010. Taylor showed an ability to defend one-on-one against some of the best strikers the league had to offer. Kendall Fletcher, Danielle Johnson, and Kiersten Dallstream also return. Fletcher can also play defensive mid, a position she looked very good at while in Saint Louis. Dallstream has great speed and can also play striker.

Rounding out the defensive group are Carrie Dew, picked up from Gold Pride, Lindsey Johnson, and Michelle Wenino. The question is can this squad can stand up to the pressure they are likely to face against the best attacking teams in this league.

Midfielders: Only Heather O’Reilly returns in the midfield for Sky Blue. Still only 26 years old, it seems as though O’Reilly has been on the national scene forever, earning 141 caps for the USWNT. She has scored three goals and eight assists over two WPS campaigns.

While the rest of the midfield has changed, it is certainly not lacking in talent. Sky Blue was able to secure a loan agreement for Therese Sjögran, a veteran of the Damallsvenskan and the Swedish National Team. Her all around play, leadership, and experience may well be what this team needs. She will be joined in the middle by the number one overall pick in the 2010 draft, Tobin Heath. Heath missed most of 2010 with injuries, but 2011 seems to be starting out on the right foot with her making several national team appearances.

Another key addition to Sky Blue is former Freedom attacking mid Allie Long. Long has four career WPS goals and has matured as a player a great deal from the 21-year old that took the field for the Freedom in 2009. Two refugees from the Beat, Carolyn Blank and Angie Kerr, also join SBFC. Blank showed potential at defensive mid last season. Kerr, once a national team player, generally plays outside and passes the ball with great accuracy. Rookie Alyssa Mautz out of Texas A & M also joins the team and has a great deal of offensive potential.

Forwards: It’s not surprising, given Sky Blue’s difficulty in putting the ball in the net, that the team decided to go in another direction for 2011. The only returning forward is Laura Kalmari, who tied for the team lead in goals with five. One of the things I like best about Kalmari is that she always seems to put herself in good position to receive passes and score goals, which is sometimes one of the hardest things for a forward to learn. She already appears to be in midseason form, scoring a hat track against Rutgers in a recent exhibition game.

The biggest addition at forward is English striker Eniola Aluko. Aluko was virtually gifted to Sky Blue by Atlanta, the team with whom she finished 2010. Aluko has an impressive track record, 15 goals in two WPS seasons and 11 goals for England. She is very fast, sometimes too fast for AR’s in my opinion. She will lead the WPS in offside calls, but she is one of the league’s most exciting players.

The other two additions to Sky Blue have international experience as well. Spanish striker Adriana joins SBFC, coming off of an excellent run in UEFA World Cup qualifying. She scored 16 goals in just eight qualifying matches, including one against England last June. The other forward is Casey Nogueira, who spent her rookie season with Chicago. There has never been much doubt about Nogueira’s talent, only her consistency. She had a knack for scoring big goals on the college level and added a spark for the Red Stars a few times last season.

Outlook: One of the things that has to improve this season is scoring. Twenty goals in 24 matches, with two being penalties and another being an own goal, is just not enough. Sky Blue brought in the players to correct that problem. With Sjögran and Heath controlling the middle and more attacking options available, this team should score some goals. Aluko has great speed and her presence alone, should occupy opposing defenses.

The other problem for Sky Blue is protecting their own goal. While Bardsley and Branam are both capable keepers, they will not survive the onslaught of shots that Sky Blue faced last season for very long. Game in, game out for a good part of the 2010 season, Sky Blue was outshot two to one, often worse. With the defensive turnover that this team is facing, one wonders if they can protect Bardsley and Branam enough to give the offense a chance to win games.

Sky Blue is a team that must control possession and the midfield in order to be successful, which of course is true of most teams. The tendency with a speed burner like Aluko is to play kick and run long ball tactics, but I think Gabarra will keep his team from falling into that trap. The key will be how quickly Sky Blue can become familiar with one another before we see a sharp, crisp passing game that they need, especially since the team will lose much of its midfield to the World Cup.

Biggest Off-Season Player Moves in WPS

I have just written an article for the WPS website about the biggest off-season player moves.

My list of top off-season moves are (not necessarily in any order):

1) Marta, Western New York Flash
2) Christine Sinclair, Western New York Flash
3) Ali Riley and Kandace Wilson, Western New York Flash
4) Rachel Buehler, Boston Breakers
5) Eniola Aluko, Tobin Heath, Angie Kerr trade, Sky Blue FC
6) Therese Sjögran, Sky Blue FC
7) Christie Rampone, Washington Freedom
8) Caroline Seger, Western New York Flash
9) Shannon Boxx, Washington Freedom
10) Johanna Rasmussen & 3rd overall pick in 2011 draft, Washington Freedom

Please check it out, along with all the latest WPS news, interviews, and information at http://www.womensprosoccer.com/.

Sky Blue Obtains Aluko, Kerr, and Heath from Beat

Sky Blue FC completed a blockbuster trade sending two draft picks and future considerations to the Atlanta Beat for Eniola Aluko, Tobin Heath, and Angie Kerr. Atlanta received the number four and number eight selections in the 2011 draft and unnamed future considerations.

Aluko has been one of the top offensive players in WPS over the past two seasons. She scored nine goals in 2010, splitting time between Atlanta and Saint Louis, after scoring six in the 2009 campaign for Athletica. She is also a top forward for the English national team. She will turn 24 in February.

Heath was the number one overall draft selection in 2010, but played just three games before suffering a season-ending injury. Before that, she was a star for perennial college power North Carolina, helping them to three national championships. Heath was also a gold medalist in the 2008 Olympics for the USWNT.

Kerr, formerly Angie Woznuk, has also spent time with the USWNT. She was drafted by Saint Louis in the 2008 general draft and played all of 2009 for Athletica, before being traded to Atlanta before the 2010 season. She played in 22 games for Atlanta last season, starting 19 of them. She scored one goal and posted three assists. Before that, Kerr was a top college player at Portland.

This trade follows several other moves by Sky Blue FC. They've just finished signing Allie Long (formerly with the Washington Freedom), Carolyn Blank (formerly with Saint Louis Athletica and Atlanta Beat), and Anita Asante (originally with Sky Blue, but formerly with Saint Louis Athletica, Chicago Red Stars, and Washington Freedom).

Update on Tobin Heath's Ankle

There has been a further update on Tobin Heath's ankle injury. Her tests came back negative as far as ligament damage goes, however she does have an ankle sprain. According to a press release from the Atlanta organization, Beat General Manager Shawn McGee gave the estimation of recovery time at "anywhere from four to six weeks." Heath had injured her ankle early in Saturday night's game against FC Gold Pride.

WPS - Injury Update & Change in Injured Reserve Rules

Carli Lloyd of Sky Blue FC has been placed on 30-day injured reserve with a broken ankle, suffered in the match with the Chicago Red Stars. Lloyd suffered the injury to her left ankle in the 27th minute of last Sunday's win when she slipped on the surface at Toyota Park and landed awkwardly on her ankle. After getting herself to the Sky Blue FC sideline, she was unable to return to the match. She is expected to fully recover and return to action later this season.

Tobin Heath of Atlanta suffered an injury to her right ankle in the 18th minute of Saturday night's match at FC Gold Pride. The latest word on her is that the ankle was not broken, but further tests will be made to determine the full extent of the injury.

Athletica midfielder, Daniela, has now joined the team, but the exact timetable for her return is unknown at this point. She had been placed on the 60-day injured reserve list, however, that rule has just been changed to a new 30-day injured reserve status.

League Approves Changes to Injured Reserve Policy to “30-day Injured Reserve List”
from WPS press release...

At April’s WPS Board meeting, the league owners approved changes to the WPS Injured Reserve Policy from the previous 60-day Injured Reserve List.

Now, an injured reserve list called “30-day Injured Reserve” is available for players who experience a major injury. Once placed on the list, a player may not play in a league game for a minimum of 30 days. After the initial 30 days, up to a maximum number of days until June 30 (the day before player contracts are guaranteed), the player may remain on the IR or be activated, if the team chooses to do so.

For a player on the IR as of the last day before semi-guaranteed player contracts become guaranteed, the team must either activate the player or declare her to be a season-ending injury. During the time the player is on the IR, the player’s salary continues to count against the in-season total team salary compensation. If the team elects to replace the player while she is on the IR, they may do so, and the salary of the replacement player does not count against the cap.

The 60-day Injured Reserve policy is no longer in place. However, the season-ending injury policy remains unaltered: rostered players who are listed with season-ending injuries will not have their salaries count towards total team compensation and can be replaced by replacement players.

Atlanta Beat 2010 - Can Youngest Team Mature Fast Enough?

Coach: Gareth O’Sullivan
2009 Record: 2010 Expansion Team

Expansion Draft (3): Leigh Ann Robinson, Amanda Cinalli, Katie Larkin.
Draft Choices (3): Tobin Heath, Blakely Mattern, Mallori Lofton-Malachi (traded then re-signed).
LA Dispersal Draft (2): Manya Makoski (IR), McCall Zerboni.
International Signings (5): Ramona Bachmann, Monica Ocampo, Johanna Rasmussen, Shelley Thompson, Mami Yamaguchi.
Free Agents (7): Stacy Bishop, Tracy Hamm, Brett Maron, Sophia Mundy, Rebecca Nolin, Marisha Schumacher-Hodge, Tracy Hamm.
Trades (3): Allison Whitworth, Kia McNeill, Angie Kerr.

While preparing to do the Atlanta preview, I was checking through their roster and something hit me, which I immediately had to recheck. If my calculations are correct, the oldest player on the Beat’s roster is Rebecca Nolin, who won’t turn 27 until the day after the season opener. Make no mistake, this is a young team and how quickly they mature and grow as a team will go a long way to indicating how successful they can be.

The inaugural version of the Atlanta Beat should also be an exciting offensive side, with a talented group of young international players. The Beat were able to sign three top players from Swedish club Umeå IK in Ramona Bachmann, Johanna Rasmussen, and Mami Yamaguchi. These three combined for 25 goals last season in the Damallsvenskan. Then Atlanta added Shelley Thompson, the leading scorer in the Frauen Bundesliga in 2004-05 with 30 goals and Monica Ocampo, a young rising star out of Mexico. For an expansion team, Atlanta will have a very good offense, but can they defend?

Goalkeeping-One of the first major moves that Atlanta made following the expansion draft was to trade for Gold Pride’s backup goalkeeper, Allison Whitworth. Whitworth performed well while stepping in for Nicole Barnhart last season. She gave up just 5 goals in 4 starts, with one of those being a penalty kick and she posted a shutout late in the season against Los Angeles. The Birmingham, Alabama native returns to play close to home for the Beat. The backup spot belongs to former Fairfield keeper Brett Maron, who saw action in 8 matches in Sweden for Kristianstads last season. Mallori Lofton-Malachi was a late addition to the roster out of South Florida and will be the developmental keeper.

Defenders-The Beat made Leigh Ann Robinson their first selection of last September’s expansion draft. The outside defender had a solid season last year for FC Gold Pride. Robinson showed the ability to get forward at times and she could develop into a top offensive threat from the back. Atlanta gave up the top selection in the LA dispersal draft for Kia McNeill and Angie Kerr. McNeill is a tall, physical defender who had a very good first season in St. Louis. Atlanta also added Blakely Mattern in the college draft. Mattern played under the radar at South Carolina, but she could develop into a good player. Tracy Hamm, Lauren Sesselmann and Rebecca Nolin were added through free agency. It appears that the Beat may use Stacy Bishop, who saw action with Boston in ‘09, on the back line.

But while Atlanta has some solid defenders, they have nowhere near the international experience found on most of the teams in WPS. This has to be a concern, especially considering the enormously talented forwards around the league. This group will have to grow into a cohesive unit in a fairly short period of time and the Beat has scheduled the busiest slate of preseason games in WPS, which should help. Whether the Beat can compete for a playoff spot may well rest with this relatively inexperienced defense.

Midfielders-There’s a lot to like about the Beat’s midfield and it starts with the face of the new franchise, Tobin Heath. Heath, who earned a gold medal before her senior season at UNC, was arguably the most talented player in college soccer last season. Atlanta didn’t pass on the chance to build their franchise around the young star. She is joined by Mami Yamaguchi, a technically adept player who is a precise passer as well. Yamaguchi was the winner of the 2007 MAC Hermann Award while at Florida State. The Beat traded for Angie (Woznuk) Kerr from Saint Louis and she has national team experience as well, although she surprisingly didn’t give Athletica a lot of offense last season.

The loss of experienced midfielder Manya Makoski hurts, but Atlanta added depth with two former Sol players, McCall Zerboni and Katie Larkin, and a former Breaker, Sophia Mundy. And although Amanda Cinalli is listed as a forward, she could return as an attacking midfielder, which is where she spent most of last season in St. Louis with 2 goals to her credit, both game winners. With this group, the Beat have a chance to control many a game in the midfield.

Forwards-At just 19 years of age, Swiss prodigy Ramona Bachmann is being proclaimed as the next Marta. I don’t know if she’ll be that good, but she’s getting there. Bachmann led Umeå with 14 goals last season. She notched a goal and an assist in just 35 minutes of action against Saint Louis in the Beat’s final exhibition game. She gives Atlanta instant offense and when teamed with fellow European forwards, Johanna Rasmussen of Denmark and Shelley Thompson of Germany, will give opposing defenses a lot to worry about.

Thompson comes to the Beat with nearly a decade of experience in Germany. Rasmussen, who had 18 assists last year with Umeå, may play wing if Coach Gareth O’Sullivan chooses to play a 4-4-2. Another forward, Monica Ocampo, scored 8 goals and 11 assists last season with W-League entry FC Indiana. The Beat are loaded with offensive talent.

Summary-After watching the trio of Bachmann, Rasmussen, and Thompson cause frequent problems for Athletica’s back line last weekend, I’m convinced that Atlanta’s offense can be as good as any team in the league. The Beat were able to defeat Saint Louis without Tobin Heath’s presence. With Yamaguchi and Heath controlling the midfield, the Beat could be a formidable offensive side.

But it is with Atlanta’s defense where my concern lies. Whitworth is an able keeper as she proved last year. However, the defense has no international experience, and outside of Robinson and McNeill, very little WPS experience. The fast, skilled forwards of WPS will surely test them early and often. The key to Atlanta’s season may well hinge on how well the defense matures as a unit.

No Huge Surprises Early On in WPS Draft

The first 4 selections have been announced:

1. Atlanta-Tobin Heath, MF, North Carolina
2. Boston-Lauren Cheney, F, UCLA
3. Gold Pride-Kelley O'Hara, F, Stanford
4. Chicago-Whitney Engen, D, North Carolina

My guess is that once Chicago signed Cristiane, they had 3 solid forwards with her, Masar, and Asllani and then they decided to go with a defender at number four.

5. Los Angeles-Nikki Washington, MF, North Carolina

With Engen gone, Los Angeles takes Nikki Washington. A great player who will be a heck of a threat from the right side. Look for LA to go defensive now at selections 8 and/or 9.

Atlanta Beat Make Heath Number One

The Atlanta Beat have chosen midfielder Tobin Heath as the 1st selection in the 2010 WPS draft. Heath was a star at North Carolina and a member of the US National Team.

Heath is widely considered the most talented player in the draft and is the type of player that can make an immediate impact. She will also make the players around her better. Great skills and passer.

A Final Preview of the WPS 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.

Atlanta Beat - The Offseason So Far

For the final installment of this series, we'll look at the Atlanta Beat.

Building the Roster

Atlanta drafted 6 players in the WPS expansion draft. Of those, Sara Larsson was never signed to a contract and declared a free agent. She eventually signed with Philadelphia. The other five players were Leigh Ann Robinson, Amanda Cinalli, Katie Larkin, Sharolta Nonen, and Noelle Keselica.

Offensively, Amanda Cinalli had the best 2009 WPS season among the draftees. After missing several matches early in the season, Cinalli started 12 of the final 13. She managed two goals and an assist over that time. She has been a mainstay on the US U-23 team the past couple of years and can play attacking mid or forward. Katie Larkin got only 5 starts for LA, but she saw a lot of action off the bench. The BYU alum is normally a wing or forward, but she did play some outside defender in her rookie WPS season. Keselica saw action in 5 matches for Sky Blue.

Leigh Ann Robinson was somewhat of a surprise as the number one pick in the expansion draft, but she did have a solid season with Gold Pride. She primarily played outside defender, scoring one goal for the season, a game winner against Sky Blue. She can be very dangerous on forward runs. Nonen, who played for the original WUSA version of the Beat, played briefly with Los Angeles late in the 2009 season. The Canadian defender has 63 caps with her national team.

The international draft saw the Beat tap into Umeå IK's talent for their top 3 selections. They have now signed all of those players and they should form the core of Atlanta's offense. Ramona Bachmann, who just turned 19 on Christmas day, might be the most exciting of these players. The young Swiss forward scored 14 goals for Umeå in 2009. At the age of 15, she played for the Swiss in the U-20 World Cup in 2006.

Of the other two Umeå imports, one is very familiar to US college soccer fans. Mami Yamaguchi, winner of the 2007 Hermann Award, starred at Florida State. She scored 24 goals in her final season with FSU. She can play forward, but I'm guessing she will fill the role of a creative midfielder for Atlanta. The third signing was Johanna Rasmussen. The veteran Danish striker has scored 17 goals over the past two seasons with Umeå.

Atlanta added Monica Ocampo to their list of signings last week. Ocampo was claimed as an international discovery player by Atlanta last fall. She has played several seasons with FC Indiana and she led the W-League in assists last season with 11 in just 9 games played. Ocampo was also a teammate of Nonen at FC Indiana.

Atlanta has been equally aggressive in signing domestic free agents, with 4 already on the roster, three of which have WPS experience. Stacy Bishop and Sophia Mundy both saw action with the Boston Breakers in 2009. Bishop started 6 games for the Breakers at midfield and earned two assists. Mundy also started two games for the Breakers. The Beat also recently signed McCall Zerboni, another midfielder. Zerboni played in 10 matches for Los Angeles and had one assist. A fourth free agent signing was that of Tracy Hamm. Hamm had been a 4th round selection of Gold Pride in the WPS General Draft in 2008. The former Cal defender has spent several seasons with the WPSL California Storm.

The Beat also made a major trade, sending two draft picks to FC Gold Pride for goalkeeper Allison Whitworth and a 3rd round choice. Whitworth got 4 starts with FCGP and had a 1.25 goals against average. The Alabama native returns to SEC territory where she played her college soccer at Auburn.

Current Roster

Goalkeepers (1)- Allison Whitworth.
Defenders (3)- Tracy Hamm, Sharolta Nonen, Leigh Ann Robinson.
Midfielders (6)- Stacy Bishop, Amanda Cinalli, Katie Larkin, Sophia Mundy, Mami Yamaguchi, McCall Zerboni.
Forwards (4)- Ramona Bachmann, Noelle Keselica, Monica Ocampo, Johanna Rasmussen.

Internationals- Bachman, Ocampo, Rasmussen, and Yamaguchi with one slot open.
Draft Choices (in first 3 rounds)- Nos. 1, 21, and 23.

Needs to Address

What do they do with the first overall selection in the draft? Their obvious glaring need is defenders and lots of them. After their trade for Whitworth, this selection is the only pick they have in the first two rounds. Whitney Engen is probably the consensus best defender in this year's draft, but I doubt that Atlanta will pass on Tobin Heath. She has too much talent and the Beat should be able build their team around her. That would mean that Atlanta must concentrate on defense with their remaining selections.

The other outside possibility is that they would trade the number one pick for a package of selections and the team they would most likely make that trade with would be Los Angeles. The Sol have 6 of the top 25 selections in this draft and may be willing to part with some of those picks to move up to number one. However, Atlanta has not given any indication that they were interested in trading the top spot. Still, nothing is definite until the selection is made on Friday morning.

Obviously, the Beat also needs a backup keeper and I would think there would still be a couple of solid choices left in the 3rd or 4th round of this draft.

I would expect that Atlanta would use 4 or 5 of their selections on defenders come Friday. They have some great offensive weapons on this team and some great international talent. Bachmann, Yamaguchi, and Ocampo are all still very young and all dangerous offensive players. They also have a lot of talented young American players in the midfield which the addition of Heath would only improve. If this team can build a solid defensive unit, they could be very good.