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Beat to Face San Diego on Wednesday and Washington on Saturday

July 7, 2003 - Women's United Soccer Association (WUSA)
Atlanta Beat News Release


ATLANTA (July 7, 2003) - The Atlanta Beat has two important home matches this week, as the final third of the season nears and points become increasingly important. The Beat, coming off a 3-2 loss on the road to the Carolina Courage, faces the San Diego Spirit at home on Wednesday, July 9 at 7 p.m. The Beat then faces the Washington Freedom at home on Saturday, July 12 at 4 p.m.

The Beat's record stands at 6-3-4 with 22 points and places Atlanta in a tie with the Boston Breakers in the standings, although the Beat holds the edge in goal differential and head to head match up. In the final eight games of the season, the Beat will face six teams, who are a combined 3-1-6 versus Atlanta this season.

Atlanta Beat vs. San Diego Spirit Preview - Wed., July 9, 7 p.m. ET, - Herndon Stadium The Atlanta Beat faces the San Diego Spirit for the third and final regular season meeting this Wednesday, July 9. The Beat and Spirit have played to a 1-1 tie in both meetings this season. This match comes as each team is preparing to enter the final third of the season. The Beat sits in a tie for first place in the points standing, with a 6-3-4 record and 21 points. The Spirit is only one point out of first place with a 5-3-6 record and 21 points.

Scottish forward Julie Fleeting, who has registered seven goals and three assists for 17 points, leads the Spirit. Fleeting scored the Spirit's only goal in the May 10 meeting in Atlanta. The Beat was leading the second meeting 1-0 at San Diego, until a late penalty kick was awarded to San Diego. Julie Foudy notched the goal in the closing minutes and secured a 1-1 tie with Atlanta.

The Beat and Spirit have met eight times during the regular season, with the series tied at 3-2-3. The Spirit has not advanced to the WUSA playoffs, while the Beat has advanced in both seasons. The Beat will be without three key players for Wednesday's game, as Maribel Dominguez and Homare Sawa will be with their national teams preparing for Saturday's match to determine the final berth in the 2003 FIFA Women's World Cup. Kylie Bivens will be training with the U.S. Women's National Team in preparation for its Sunday match versus Brazil in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Key matchup: Charmaine Hooper vs. Joy Fawcett - Atlanta forward Charmaine Hooper is having a terrific middle half of the season. In the past eight games, Hooper has tallied six goals and three assists. She's the Beat's all-time leading goal scorer versus San Diego with four, and with two goals last Friday she tied New York's Tiffeny Milbrett for the league's all-time lead in goals scored (30). Fawcett is the defensive leader for San Diego. She'll need to organize the defense and play strong individual defense to stop Hooper and the Beat attack.

Atlanta Beat vs. Washington Freedom Preview - Sat., July 12, 4 p.m. ET, - Herndon Stadium

Atlanta faces a tough Washington team on Saturday, only three days after facing the Spirit. It will be the shortest time in between contests the Beat has had this season. The Beat will also be without four players for the game versus Washington. Maribel Dominguez and Homare Sawa will be with their national teams, as Mexico faces Japan on July 12, in Tokyo. Two American stars, Briana Scurry and Cindy Parlow, will be with the U.S. Women's National Team, as they prepare for a Sunday match versus Brazil. Kylie Bivens will return from national team duty to face the Washington Freedom on Saturday, July 12.

The Beat leads the season series versus the Freedom 1-0-1. The Beat and Freedom last played on June 28, with Charmaine Hooper notching the only goal in the contest. The Beat had not defeated the Freedom since April 27, of 2002. Since then, the Freedom had defeated Atlanta twice and earned a tie in the first meeting of this season.

With a win, the Beat will wrap up the season series versus Washington and will gain some valuable points towards the playoff race. The Beat is 5-2-1 all-time versus Washington.

Key matchup: Conny Pohlers vs. Jennifer Grubb - With some of the Beat's main attacking players out, Pohlers and Hooper will look to lead the Beat's attack. While Hooper is the Beat's all-time leading scorer versus Washington, Pohlers will look to take advantage of the Freedom defense keying in on her fellow forward. Jenn Grubb leads the Freedom defense and will need to organize well on Saturday, to stop the Beat's combination of strength and quickness up front.

Beat 2, Courage 3 - Game Recap - July 4, 2003

The Beat and Courage met in the final regular season match between the teams and the result was again, not so favorable for Atlanta. The Beat went into halftime with a 1-0 lead on a Charmaine Hooper goal, her 6th of the season. The lead would not hold up long into the second half, as the Courage scored three goals in a 16-minute span starting with a Danielle Slaton goal in the 48th minute.

The Courage then had goals from Venus James in the 53rd minute and Birgit Prinz in the 64th minute. Hooper scored what appeared to be her second goal of the game in the 71st minute, but the goal was disallowed as the linesman judged Hooper to be in an offside position.

Hooper would get her second of the game in the 74th minute, as she hit a great shot past Courage keeper Kristin Luckenbill. The goal was Hooper's 7th of the season, but it would prove not enough for the Beat, as they once again fell to the Courage. Atlanta holds a 1-6-2 all-time regular season record versus Carolina

Tom Stone's Quotes on match versus Carolina: "Our defense has kept us in every game this year, so we have to rally around them when things don't go our way. They have been the best in the league for the first thirteen games and tonight we just weren't as sharp in the back as we have been all year. The first two goals were just inexcusable."

"They are a good team, there is no secret and no curse, they are just a good team. I give them credit every time we come up here."

"Hooper was magnificent tonight. If you are Charmaine Hooper and you are thirty-five years old, what more can you do than score two goals. I think that if the rest of our team had followed suit then we probably would have walked out of here with three points because we had more than enough chances to pull ahead."

Injury Report - (Week, July 7 - July 12, 2003)
None

National Team Duty: Maribel Dominguez - Mexico, (June 30 - July 12)
Homare Sawa - Japan, (June 30 - July 12)
Kylie Bivens - USWNT, (July 8-11)
Cindy Parlow - USWNT, (July 10-13)
Briana Scurry - USWNT, (July 10-13)

Additional Notes

Japan vs. Mexico for Final Berth in 2003 FIFA Women's World Cup

Beat stars Maribel Dominguez and Homare Sawa faced off on July 5, in the first game of a home and home series between the women's national teams of Mexico and Japan. The match was played in front of nearly 100,000 fans at Mexico City's famed Azteca Stadium. The game was played to a 2-2 tie, as Iris Mora and Rubi Marlene Sandoval scored goals for Mexico and Yayoi Kobayashi and Tomoni Miyamoto scored for Japan. Dominguez and Sawa each started and played 90 minutes. The second game is being played Saturday, July 12 at the National Stadium in Tokyo. The winner will be decided on aggregate goals and will earn the 16th and final berth in the 2003 FIFA Women's World Cup.

Hooper Leader in Scoring

Beat forward and Canadian international, Charmaine Hooper is having another great year, as she currently leads the team in scoring. She was the Beat's leading scorer in the previous two seasons of the WUSA. Hooper has seven goals and six assists for 20 points. With her 7th goal this season, Hooper tied Power forward Tiffeny Milbrett for the all-time lead in goals scored in the WUSA.

Atlanta Beat Game Promotions

Clark Howard Night at the Beat - Thanks to the Clark Howard Special fans can purchase Category I tickets for $7.50 for Wednesday night's game versus the San Diego Spirit. To purchase the Clark Howard Special, call TicketMaster at 404-249-6400 or purchase online at www.ticketmaster.com. The Clark Howard Special is also available at the box office on game days.

McDonald's 4 for $40 - The McDonald's 4 for $40 ticket deal is available for Saturday's match versus the Washington Freedom at 4 p.m. The ticket offer includes four tickets to the Beat's game versus Mia Hamm's Washington Freedom and four coupons for a McDonald's Extra Value Meal. The McDonalds's 4 for $40 ticket offer can be purchased through TicketMaster or on the day of the game at the Herndon Stadium box office.

Kroger Plus Card Offer - Kroger Plus Card holders can buy one ticket and get one free for the Beat's game versus the Washington Freedom on Saturday, July 12. To redeem this offer, present a Kroger Plus card at the box office or call 1-877-SOCCER-1. Offer not available through TicketMaster.

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