Carolina Courage Notebook
April 16, 2002 - Women's United Soccer Association (WUSA)
Carolina Courage News Release
The 1st Annual Carolina Courage Fanfest will take place this Saturday, April 20 from 3 â 7 pm. at the Amphitheatre at Regency Park in Cary. The entire Carolina Courage team will be on hand to meet its fans, sign autographs, and conduct mini soccer clinics. The Cigar Store Indians, the high-energy rockabilly quartet from Georgia, will perform two live sets on the Amphitheatre's main stage at 4:00 pm and 5:30 pm.
There will be interactive games, raffle drawings and giveaways throughout the day. Dean Linke, the voice of the Carolina Courage, will serve as master of ceremonies. Hosted by Progress Energy, the event is free to the public.
Week in Review
Courage Gets First West Coast Victory In Franchise History
RESULT: Carolina Courage 2, San Diego Spirit 1
SEASON SERIES RECORD: Courage leads 1-0-0
ALL-TIME SERIES RECORD: Courage leads 3-0-1
RECAP: Danielle Slaton's crossing pass in the 87th minute deflected off Joy Fawcett for an own goal, giving the visiting Carolina Courage a 2-1 victory over the San Diego Spirit on Saturday. The Courage also received help on its first goal, credited to Danielle Fotopoulos. After receiving a long throw-in from Slaton, Fotopoulos fired a low, hard crossing shot that caromed off the thigh of defender Margaret Tietjen and into the goal. Courage goalkeeper Kristin Luckenbill posted seven saves, several from close range. San Diego's only tally came in the 57th minute, when Julie Foudy played a nice ball to Chinese newcomer Zhang Ouying who finished her breakaway chance nicely.
REWIND: The Carolina Courage opened its second-year campaign exactly where the first one left off - on the road against San Diego. However, this time the Courage was forced to take the field for the first time in team history without the services of Staci Burt and Carla Overbeck, who were both suspended as a result of last year's season finale. Burt, who was one of only four players to log every minute of every game last season, knew her streak would come to an end, after receiving her third yellow card in as many games in last season's finale. Overbeck, who likewise had started every game for the Courage, received a red card for elbowing San Diego's Tara Koleski. The ensuing ejection reduced the Courage to only nine players and set the stage for a wild, final 10 minutes. The Spirit needed all of it and eventually equalized in injury time from a deflected Shannon MacMillan cross.
NEW FACES:
The Courage fielded a team with five new faces in the starting eleven. Among the new additions was Norwegian midfielder Unni Lehn. Lehn had been with the team for less than one week prior to kick-off. Nel Fettig, whom the Courage claimed off waivers from New York, played 90 minutes in midfield for her new club. Fettig led the Power in minutes played last season, recording two goals and five assists.
DELIVERING THE GOODS:
The Courage's #1 draft pick, Danielle Slaton demonstrated why she was so highly touted with a gutsy performance in Saturday's opener. The U.S. National Team defender made her professional debut despite a tender left ankle, which she sprained in practice earlier in the week, and a chest cold that has plagued several members of the Carolina Courage. Slaton's tough defending kept the high-powered Spirit attack at bay and her repeated forays forward led to both goals for the Courage.
GAME QUOTE:
Coach McDermott on the favorable bounces against San Diego:
"You make your own luck. When you strike hard, low shots at the frame, they're difficult to handle and, many times, good things happens."
UP NEXT: The Courage returns to action 4/27 @ San Jose
COURAGE INJURY UPDATE:
OUT: Carla Overbeck (knee-r, post surgery recovery)
DOUBTFUL: none
QUESTIONABLE: none
PROBABLE: none
TEAM NOTES
Tiffany Milbrett may have taken top honors, but Kristin Luckenbill's seven-save performance earned her widespread praise from soccer journalists around the League. In fact, âLucks' was the second-leading vote getter in this week's WUSA Player of the Week balloting.
With FFC Frankfurt's 2-1 victory over Toulouse in the away leg of its UEFA Women's Cup semifinal match-up on Sunday, it looks like the Courage may be waiting until after the May 23rd final before German Player of the Year Birgit Prinz will don a Courage uniform. Prinz's contract with the Courage begins at the conclusion of her German club's involvement in the first-ever European club championship tournament.
Katie Barnes, the two-time Big East Offensive Player of the Year from West Virginia whom the Courage selected in the second round (9th overall) of the 2002 WUSA Draft, was recently voted a Strength and Conditioning All-American by the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA).
"COURAGE IN THE COMMUNITY" â GRASSROOTS CALENDAR
(4-17) Roary takes to the ice this Wednesday as part of the Mascot Hockey Halftime Show at the Carolina Hurricanes first round playoff game at the Entertainment and Sports Arena.
(4-18) On Thursday, Tiffany Roberts, Kim Yankowski, and Venus James will take part in the Raleigh City Museum Time Warp, the city's annual fund-raiser. The Courage's participation is quite apropos considering the museum's theme this year is "History Made and History Makers".
(4-19) The entire Carolina Courage team will be on hand to sign autographs and cheer on athletes at the Durham County Special Olympics Spring Games at the Durham Academy Upper School. The event draws nearly 500 participants and spectators annually. This is the second year the Courage has been involved.
(4-20) Come meet the team, as Progress Energy hosts the 1st Annual Carolina Courage Fanfest at the Amphitheatre at Regency Park in Cary. The event will include autograph signings, mini clinics, interactive games, and prize giveaways. There will be live music performed by the Cigar Store Indians. Admission is free.
TRAINING SCHEDULE *
Wednesday, April 17: 9:00 am â 10:30 am @ Meredith College
Thursday, April 18: 9:00 am â 10:30 am @ Meredith College
Friday, April 19: 8:00 am â 9:30 am @ Meredith College
Saturday, April 20: 10:00 am â 12:00 am @ Meredith College
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Women's United Soccer Association Stories from April 16, 2002
- Carolina Courage Notebook - Carolina Courage
- Charge Players Donate to Gia Nicole Angel Fund - Philadelphia Charge
- Spirit Suffer Dis-Courage-ing Loss - San Diego Spirit
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