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Atlanta Beat Weekly

April 15, 2002 - Women's United Soccer Association (WUSA)
Atlanta Beat News Release


The Beat dropped its season opener 2-0 to the Philadelphia Charge in what was a rematch of the 2001 WUSA semifinals, which the Beat won 3-2 in overtime on a golden goal by Cindy Parlow and ended the Charge's season.

The Charge gained redemption for last season's loss as Kelly Smith and Zhao Lihong notched beautiful goals in Saturday's win. The loss was the Beat's first ever to the Charge. The Beat's all time regular season record versus the Charge stands at 1-1-2 and 1-0-0 in the playoffs. Atlanta opened the season highly regarded as one of the top teams in the league, but fell to Charge without recording a goal. The Beat has opened two consecutive seasons without scoring a goal. In 2001 the Beat opened at home in a 0-0 tie versus the New York Power. The Beat, regarded as one of the most physical teams in the WUSA, committed 18 fouls to the Charge's 23. The Beat also did not receive a yellow card, as the Charge was given two.

Notables
Sun Wen played the full 90 minutes in Saturday's home opener. Injured through much of the 2001 season, she did not start a match until the 5th game of the season last year and did not play an entire 90 minutes in 2001. During the off-season, Sun Wen retired from international play and it was speculated that she would not return to the WUSA for another season.

In her first WUSA appearance, Liping Wang, Chinese National team member and one the Beat's off-season acquisitions, also played the full 90 minutes on Saturday.

Marci Miller, considered by many to be one of the toughest players in the WUSA, returned to a WUSA playing field on Saturday in her first game back since tearing her left anterior cruciate ligament on June 17, 2001, versus the San Diego Spirit. Miller tallied 45 minutes of play against the Charge.

Dayna Smith, who was the only player to play in all 23 games in 2001 didn't see action in the Beat's home opener against Philadelphia.

A Look Ahead: Beat Heads to Boston Seeking First Win of 2002

Saturday, April 20 7 p.m. Atlanta Broadcast - WB-36!
All-time Regular Season Series: 1-1-1

The Beat and Breakers last faced off on August 1, 2001, in a 1-0 Boston win at Bobby Dodd Stadium in Atlanta. Maren Meinert scored the lone goal in the game on a volley from six yards out. The Beat defeated the Breakers 1-0 in the first meeting on May 5, 2001, at Nickerson Stadium. The win and the goal were the first in Atlanta Beat history. Homare Sawa scored the winning goal on an assist from Cindy Parlow and Charmaine Hooper. The second meeting, a 1-1 tie, was on June 6, 2001, at Villanova Stadium. Charmaine Hooper scored the Beat's lone goal and Maren Meinert scored the Breakers' goal. Cindy Parlow notched the assist on Hooper's goal.

Key Matchup: Beat midfielder Homare Sawa vs. Breakers midfielder Maren Meinert: Two of the top international players in the WUSA. Meinert has scored the Breakers only two goals versus the Beat and Sawa scored the Beat's game winning goal versus the Breakers in the first meeting. Sawa played only 45 minutes in the Beat's loss to the Charge, but has seen success in Boston. Meinert is coming off a strong performance in a 2-1 loss to the CyberRays, in which she had the Breakers only goal.

Coach Tom Stone on the Boston Breakers: "We must exhibit the fight and hunger that was our trademark style last year. Our forwards must be more mobile and make better decisions on the ball in the final third if we are to create more chances against Boston. Turnovers in the middle third will be punished by Boston's counterattack. We must get more players around the ball on attack and be very aware of where Meinert and Dagny are at all times if we hope to get points on the road in this game."

Beat Notes
National Team's calling. . .
Hooper, Nonen and Sawa called up for French International Tournament
The Beat's Canadian and Japanese National team members Charmaine Hooper, Sharolta Nonen and Homare Sawa just rejoined the Beat just before the season opener after serving their home countries for the French International Tournament.

Canada went 1-1-1 during the 3 game tournament, downing France 2-0, tying Australia 0-0 and losing to Japan 3-2. Japan also finished the tournament with a 1-1-1 record, defeating Canada 3-2, on a 2 goal performance by Sawa, tying Australia 0-0 and losing to France 2-0.

Parlow and Bivens named to U.S. National Team roster for April 27 match vs. Finland The recently announced U.S. Women's National Team roster for the April 27 match versus Finland contains Beat standouts Kylie Bivens and Cindy Parlow. The match, broadcast live at 10 p.m. on ESPN2, is the first part of a doubleheader, as the San Jose CyberRays face the Carolina Courage at 7:30 p.m.

Bivens and Parlow last competed with the U.S. Women's National Team at the Algarve Cup in Portugal at the beginning of March. Bivens, who has become a regular on the national team, has recorded six career caps and notched her first ever point on an assist to Shannon MacMillan versus Denmark at the 2002 Algarve Cup. Parlow, a World Cup champion and Olympic gold and silver medallist, has recorded 105 career national team caps and ranks in the top ten in three major scoring categories for the U.S., 6th in goals scored (46), 9th in assists (22) and 7th in points (114).

Nancy Augustyniak On the Mend
Atlanta Beat defender and one of the newest members of the U.S. Women's National Team player pool, Nancy Augustyniak, will begin the season on the sideline as she recovers from patellar tendonitis in her right knee. Nancy saw limited playing time in the Beat's first two matches last season, because of an injury, bur returned to help lead the Beat to the WUSA Championship. By doing so, she became a regular invitee to U.S. Women's National team training camp and showed many why she is considered one of the rising stars of the WUSA.

Atlanta Beat Injury Update:
Injured list: Nancy Augustyniak - Patellar tendonitis

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Women's United Soccer Association Stories from April 15, 2002


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