Courage Notebook
Published on April 29, 2002 under Women's United Soccer Association (WUSA)
Carolina Courage News Release
Kristin Luckenbill Named WUSA Player of the Week: Kristin Luckenbill put forth another sensational performance in the Courage's 2-1 victory over defending WUSA champion San Jose. Luckenbill faced a WUSA season-high 15 shots on goal and made 12 saves, tying a WUSA record. Luckenbill captured 30 points in the voting, outdistancing San Diego's Shauna Rohbock (22 pts.), Boston midfielder Bettina Weigmann (8 pts.), Philadelphia forward Kelly Smith (2 pts.) and Atlanta goalkeeper Brian Scurry (1 pt.). The WUSA's Player of the Week is selected every Monday throughout the regular season by a panel of journalists from the Professional Soccer Reporters Association.
SAS Purchases Naming Rights: SAS Institute announced today that it has purchased naming rights to Cary's new soccer complex, home of the Carolina Courage women's professional soccer team. The seven-field, state-of-the-art facility will serve as the premier soccer venue in the Southeast. SAS Stadium at the SAS Soccer Park will play host to home matches of the Carolina Courage of the Women's United Soccer Association (WUSA) and the Raleigh CASL Elite of the USL Premier Developmental League. The NCAA Women's Division 1 College Cup in 2003 and 2004 will be played at SAS Stadium, and the United States Men's National Team will be training at the SAS Soccer Park from May 1-10, before heading to Korea and Japan to compete in the 2002 FIFA World Cup.
Courage TV Show Debuts On The Deuce: The Carolina Courage Soccer Show will move to its new home on ESPN2 this Saturday at 11:30 am. A new half hour program will air each weekend, hosted by Dean Linke, the television voice of the Carolina Courage. In this week's show, the Player Spotlight shines on WUSA Player of the Week goalkeeper Kristin Luckenbill, and Staci Burt leads a video tour of San Jose in the Courage Road Journal.
Home Opener On National TV: When the Carolina Courage takes on Atlanta in its historic home opener at the SAS Stadium this Saturday, the match will be played before a national television audience. PAX will be carrying the game live at 4:00 pm.
Game Quote of the week
"I felt like I was in the zone the whole game. I seemed to know where the ball was going and felt very focused throughout the match."
Courage goalkeeper Kristin Luckenbill, whose 12 saves against San Jose tied a league record.
Upcoming in Week 4: Carolina Courage vs. Atlanta Beat @ Carolina
Television: 4:00 pm (EST) on PAX (National Broadcast)
Season Series: First meeting. All-Time Series: Courage leads 2-0-1.
Top scorers: Courage â Danielle Fotopoulos (2 g, 0 a = 4 pts); Atlanta â Charmaine Hooper, Wang Liping (1g, 0a = 2pts). Key
Players Out: Courage â Carla Overbeck, knee surgery; Atlanta â Cindy Parlow (questionable)
Carolina-Atlanta Series Notes: The Carolina Courage has never lost a regular season game to the Atlanta Beat, winning twice and tying once last season. However, the Beat did defeat the Courage 2-1 in a preseason exhibition match in Chattanooga on April 6th...Danielle Fotopoulos has enjoyed great success against Atlanta, scoring two goals and two assists in three games in 2001. In the teams' last official meeting, Hege Riise scored a dramatic game-winning goal in the final minutes to propel the Courage to victory, 3-2.
Key Matchup: Atlanta Beat goalkeeper Briana Scurry has returned to the top form she showed during the U.S. Women's National Team World Cup run in 1999. Scurry will have to be sharp to keep Courage top scorer Danielle Fotopoulos off the scoreboard. With two goals and two assists against the Beat in 2001, Fotopoulos helped the Courage achieve an unbeaten record (2-0-1) against Atlanta. This season, Fotopoulos has scored one goal in each of the Courage's first two games.
Coach McDermott's Key To Winning: "It will be very important that we match Atlanta's physical play."
Team Notes:
Historic Home Opener: The May 4th home opener will be the very first game played at the brand new SAS Stadium in Cary, North Carolina. The 7,000-seat, state-of-the-art stadium promises to be the best soccer venue in the southeast.
Slaton Back From National Team Duty: The Courage will receive a boost when current U.S. National Team defender and #1 overall pick in the 2002 draft Danielle Slaton returns to the Courage lineup.
Winning Streak Continues: The Courage now occupies first place, along with the Philadelphia Charge. Both the Charge and the Courage are undefeated at 2-0-0 and both have a game in hand, having played one less than the other teams in the league.
Luckenbill Lays Down The Law: Kristin Luckenbill put forth another amazing performance in goal in Carolina's 2-1 victory over the CyberRays. She registered a WUSA record-tying 12 saves, nine of which came in the first half. With her lightning quick reaction saves, Luckenbill snuffed out nearly every scoring opportunity created by San Jose's skillful Brazilian attack. Despite having played in one fewer game than the other goalkeepers in the league, Luckenbill has made the most saves (19) and has the highest save percentage (90.5%) in the WUSA.
Heroics >From Hege: The Courage's Norwegian midfielder Hege Riise delivered a deadly free kick in the 85th minute to help the Courage escape from San Jose with 3 points and a share of the WUSA lead. Riise's bending blast curled over the wall and into the upper right corner of the CyberRays goal. San Jose goalkeeper Lakeysia Beene did everything in her power to keep the shot from going in. She was able to get her fingertips onto the ball, but the shot had too much pace to parry.
Someday My Prinz Will Come: The Courage will have to wait until after the UEFA Women's Cup Final until German Player of the Year Birgit Prinz joins the squad. Prinz's German club FFC Frankfurt advanced to the May 23rd showdown against Swedish team Umea, after dispensing with Toulouse of France 2-1 and 0-0.
Courage Injury Update:
Overbeck (knee surgery) out.
Upcoming Events:
MEDIA DREAM CAMP TAKES PLACE SUNDAY: Following the Courage's historic home opener, members of the media will have their chances to strap on the soccer boots and train with the pros on Sunday, May 5th at SAS Stadium. Radio personalities, television reporters, and print journalists will join Coach Marcia McDermott and the entire Carolina Courage team in a dream camp for the media from 11 am - 1 pm on Sunday.
Women's United Soccer Association Stories from April 29, 2002
- San Diego Finishes April at 1-1-1 - San Diego Spirit
- Charge Implementing New Security Measures - Philadelphia Charge
- Charge Off to Another Fast Start, Sit in First - Philadelphia Charge
- SAS, CASL, Carolina Courage Announce Partnership - Carolina Courage
- Carolina's Luckenbill Named Player of the Week - WUSA
- Atlanta Beat Weekly - Atlanta Beat
- Courage Notebook - Carolina Courage
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