Charge Conclude Richmond Trip
Published on March 26, 2002 under Women's United Soccer Association (WUSA)
Philadelphia Charge News Release
PHILADELPHIA, PA - The Philadelphia Charge returned from Richmond, VA Monday, concluding their week-long training against the five other WUSA East Coast teams. The Charge competed in three scrimmages while in Richmond, playing to a 3-3 tie against the Washington Freedom on Wednesday at a rain-soaked Striker Park, falling 1-0 to the Carolina Courage on Saturday at the University of Richmond Stadium and then dismantling Virginia Commonwealth University on Sunday 7-0.
"It was good to go down to Richmond," head coach Mark Krikorian. "This gave us the chance to see where we stack up against the other teams in the league. One thing we did learn was that all the clubs in the league improved from last season, including us."
Against Washington, Mandy Clemens scored twice and Kerry Connors added the other goal, helping the Charge to the tie. Clemens appears to be coming into her own as the season approaches. Following Sunday's trouncing of VCU, Clemens has nine goals in five pre-season tilts. She is showing a great deal of intensity on the field, hustling to virtually every ball and finishing goals with a high percentage rate.
On Saturday against the Courage, Philadelphia didn't play one of its best games. The team was without two key defenders in Erica Iverson and Jenny Benson. Goalkeeper Melissa Moore played well in net and outside defender Heather Mitts was solid in stopping the Courage attack, but the Charge allowed a goal in the 87th minute and couldn't get the equalizer in the closing stages of the contest.
Versus a completely overmatched VCU club, the Charge got back to their winning ways. A number of international players found the back of the net for Philadelphia, led by last year's leading scorer Liu Ailing's two goals. Benson returned to action for the Charge to provide a dimension out of the back line that Krikorian will need for the Charge to be successful this season, pushing forward on the attack and serving quality balls into the penalty area.
Two Charge players who turned heads were newcomers Marinette Pichon, a forward, and Zhao Lihong, a midfielder. The French international Pichon showed her speed and ability to finish, scoring twice against VCU, while Zhao, who is still trying to adjust to the new system after joining the club from China, is expected to turn into one of the great playmakers in the league.
The Charge are now 3-1-1 this pre-season.
Smith Stars for England in World Cup Qualifier Win Charge captain Kelly Smith, who was not with Philadelphia during its trip to Richmond, scored a goal in England's 4-1 win over Holland in a World Cup qualifying match on Saturday night. Smith's goal came in the 83rd minute and gave her team a two-goal cushion.
Smith was almost sent off with a second yellow card earlier in the game, after she pushed Daphane Koster prior to a free kick.
"I didn't think I should have been sent off because I was trying to push the girl away when she was stopping me from taking a free-kick," Smith said to a BBC reporter.
However, because Smith received her second yellow card of the tournament earlier in the half, she will miss England's final match against Germany in May. That might be best for the Charge, who will need Smith to provide offense and leadership this season.
Charge Re-launch Website
The Philadelphia Charge and TEAMtalk, Inc. have joined forces to re-launch the club's official website. New elements of the site include in-depth feature stories, real time scoring and trivia games. Additional enhancements have been made to many interactive features such as message boards, polls, live chats with WUSA players, and streaming audio and video for the ultimate online fan experience. Player features, game previews and stories, photo galleries, as well as league and team news will also be elements to each site.
WUSA.com and the official sites for the New York Power (nypower.com), San Diego Spirit (sandiegospirit.com) and Carolina Courage (carolinacourage.com) were also launched on Tuesday under the new agreement, which is for three years.
WUSA and TEAMtalk will work closely to provide timely content for the league and its teams to insure daily, fresh online information. Under the agreement, TEAMtalk will provide the new design and navigation architecture; hosting, maintenance, support services and its national network of writers to produce content. The two will also work together to produce online marketing elements.
Bobblehead Dates Announced
When the Charge open their home schedule on Saturday, May 4 against the Boston Breakers at 7 p.m., the club will giveaway Lorrie Fair bobblehead dolls to the first 2,000 fans 14 years old and under. Then, on Saturday, June 8 against the Washington Freedom, the Charge will giveaway Heather Mitts bobblehead dolls to the first 2,000 kids 14 years old and under.
The Charge unveiled the popular bobbleheads at their media luncheon last week and have received a tremendous amount of inquires surrounding the collector's items ever since.
Decision Making Time
While the trip to Richmond gave the team a chance to bond and become more familiar with the system coach Krikorian is implementing, it also gave the coaching staff a chance to get a closer look at any players who are on the bubble. The Charge currently have 22 players on their roster and have until March 30 to trim that number to 18. Then, on April 2, the league will hold a Waiver Draft, which will allow the club to select any players who were waived by other teams.
Time Change for Pre-season Home Finale
The Saturday, March 30 pre-season finale for the Charge against the University of Virginia at Villanova Stadium will be played at 9 a.m. instead of the 7 p.m. time that was originally announced. Admission is free to all Charge pre-season games at Villanova Stadium.
Opening Day Approaches
The 2002 regular-season opener is just around the corner, as the Charge will begin their quest for Founders Cup II in Atlanta on Saturday, April 13 at 7 p.m. Philadelphia had its Cinderella season come to an abrupt halt last year, falling to the Beat in double overtime 3-2 in the WUSA semifinals.
This year's contest should prove to be a physical battle once again. Atlanta, one of the pre-season favorites to walk away with the Founders Cup, is an imposing squad, boasting two of the most talented and intimidating forwards in the league in Charmaine Hooper and Cindy Parlow.
The game can be seen locally on CN8 starting at 7 p.m. with Lou Tilley giving the play-by-play and Jim Harrison providing the analysis.
Get Your Tickets Now!
The Philadelphia Charge are slated to play 11 games at Villanova Stadium this season, which is one more than the club's inaugural campaign. To order your season tickets call the Charge ticket office at 215-467-GOAL. You can also order single game tickets by calling Ticketmaster at 215-336-2000 or 856-338-9000 or 302-984-2000.
The Charge open their home schedule on Saturday, May 4 against the Boston Breakers starting at 7 p.m. The following Saturday, Philadelphia will host U.S. National Team star Mia Hamm and the Washington Freedom, beginning at 4 p.m.
Women's United Soccer Association Stories from March 26, 2002
- Charge Conclude Richmond Trip - Philadelphia Charge
- Charge Relaunch Website for the 2002 Season - Philadelphia Charge
- Gulls first round playoff dates set - San Diego Spirit
- San Diego Spirit Pares Roster to 21 - San Diego Spirit
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