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Beat Grabs Shutout Victory over San Jose

May 17, 2003 - Women's United Soccer Association (WUSA)
Atlanta Beat News Release


ATLANTA - The Atlanta Beat used a 7th minute Conny Pohlers goal to defeat the San Jose CyberRays 1-0 on Saturday night. The Beat played with 10 players for the final 54 minutes of the match, after Kylie Bivens was shown her second yellow card in the 36th minute.

The Atlanta Beat and San Jose CyberRays faced off for the second time in two weeks on Saturday night. The CyberRays defeated the Beat 1-0 in the team's last meeting on May 3, with Brandi Chastain heading home a Sissi cross for the game winner.

On Saturday night, Pohlers, making her first WUSA start notched the game-winning goal in the 7th minute, collecting a long pass and shooting in by CyberRays keeper LaKeysia Beene. The play began with Briana Scurry sending a 50-yard free kick up the field. Charmaine Hooper flicked the ball on with her head, right into the path of Pohlers, who took a one time shot past an on rushing Beene, from 19 yards out. The goal was the first of Pohlers' WUSA career and Scurry's assist was the second of her WUSA career.

The Beat would face an uphill battle starting in the 36th minute, when Bivens was sent off after accumulating two yellow cards. The first was received in the 27th minute for a reckless foul and the second in the 36th minute for a second reckless foul. After the ejection, the Beat brought on Ifeoma Dieke to play the right back position and took off Pohlers, Charmaine Hooper as the lone front runner.

The Beat and CyberRays combined for five cautions, one ejection and 16 fouls in the first half. The Beat out shot the CyberRays 5-2 and 3-0 in shots on goal in the opening half.

The second half was played mostly in the midfield and defensive third of the Beat, as San Jose pushed forward with one more player, but the CyberRays attack could not break the Beat defense. The CyberRays managed only one shot on goal in the game, coming from Brandi Chastain on a long-range strike in the 64th minute.

The Beat's record moves to 3-1-2 with 11 points and currently places Atlanta in sole possession of 2nd place in the league standings, one in front of the Boston Breakers who face the San Diego Spirit tomorrow. The CyberRays move to 3-3-0 with 9 points and are tied for 4th place with the New York Power.

Scurry recorded her league leading 3rd shutout and her WUSA all-time best 16th shutout. The Beat has allowed only three goals in six games and has a 0.50 goals against average, the best in the WUSA.

Notable - Three players that played in the U.S. Women's National Team's 6-0 route of England today in Birmingham, returned to Atlanta for the match. LaKeysia Beene and Brandi Chastain each played 45 minutes for the U.S. and played the full 90 minutes for the CyberRays. Cindy Parlow, who scored four goals in the U.S. win, played 58 minutes for the national team and returned to Atlanta, where she played 32 minutes for the Beat.

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Women's United Soccer Association Stories from May 17, 2003


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