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CyberRays finally return home, look to recover against New York

June 2, 2003 - Women's United Soccer Association (WUSA)
San Jose CyberRays News Release


SAN JOSE (June 2, 2003) – The CyberRays return to Spartan Stadium on Sunday for the first time in a month to face the New York Power. After Saturday's loss at Boston, it's a victory the fifth-place CyberRays need to stay within striking range of the top of the standings. The first-place Washington Freedom is four points ahead of the CyberRays, and fourth place – the last playoff berth – is one point away. April Heinrichs, who will coach the U.S. Women's National Team in this fall's FIFA Women's World Cup, and Lynn Morgan, president and CEO of the WUSA who will work with U.S. Soccer in staging the World Cup, will be available for media interviews at halftime and following Sunday's game.

Week 9 in review: Lack of scoring dooms CyberRays Although the CyberRays out-shot the Boston Breakers on goal 8-6, the only shot that went in the net Saturday was one by Boston's Norwegian forward Dagny Mellgren, who beat out-of-place goalkeeper LaKeysia Beene in the 84th minute. The game ended a three-game road trip.

Coming in Week 10: Getting points on the road Sunday's game against New York is the first of a home-and-home series against the Power. The CyberRays and New York will meet at the Mitchell Athletic Complex in Uniondale, N.Y., at 4 p.m. June 14. It will be the last game before the WUSA All-Star break. Season series: First meeting. All-time series: 6-0-1, (3-0-0 in San Jose). Top scorers: CyberRays – Pretinha (3g+1a=7pts); New York – Christy Welsh (4g=8pts), Tiffeny Milbrett (3g+2a=8pts). This week's training schedule at West Valley College: Today off. Tuesday-Friday, 1:30 p.m. Saturday 10 a.m. at Spartan Stadium. Sunday 3 p.m. game vs. New York Power.

CyberRays-New York series notes: The New York Power is the only team in the WUSA that has never beaten the CyberRays. New York's best game in the series was the very first, June 10, 2001 in New York, when the teams played to a scoreless tie. CyberRays defender Brandi Chastain did not play in that game because she was serving a one-game suspension for too many yellow cards. Goalkeeper LaKeysia Beene saved a penalty kick by New York forward Tiffeny Milbrett in that game. The CyberRays have won all six of the remaining games between the teams. One was a 3-2 victory over New York in the 2001 WUSA semifinals played at Spartan Stadium. ... The CyberRays' highest goal total in any game is four, and they reached that level in both games against New York last season in Spartan Stadium. The CyberRays won 4-3 and 4-1. ... Milbrett is one of two players to get a hat trick against the CyberRays. Hers came in the 4-3 loss on June 15 last season. ... New York's head coach is Tom Sermanni, who was a CyberRays assistant last season. Tom's wife Alison was the CyberRays' finance manager. Key matchup: CyberRays forward Katia vs. New York central defender Christie Pearce. The CyberRays' 2002 Offensive Player of the year is off to a very slow start, just one goal in eight games, and is due to break out against the league's weakest defense.

Ian Sawyers on facing his previous assistant, New York coach Tom Sermanni: ``That's going to be fun. He's such a great guy, and he's done such great job with that progam. But after a back-breaking -breaking loss, it's going to be interesting to see how our players rebound.''

Game notes

New York-CyberRays connections: New York midfielder Sheryl Salisbury, who is from New Castle, Australia, and CyberRays defender Dianne Alagich from Adelaide, Australia are teammates on the Australia national team and are expected to represent their country in the World Cup this fall. Both players were coached by New York coach Tom Sermanni when he was national coach in their homeland. ... New York midfielder Shannon Boxx and CyberRays LaKeysia Beene and Kelly Lindsey were all teammates on the 1999 Notre Dame team that finished second in the NCAA tournament.

Viva Brazil: As was the case in 2002, the CyberRays' Brazilian trio of Katia, Pretinha and Sissi are dominating the team's offensive production, accounting for more than half the team's goals and total points. A Brazilian has played a role in each of the CyberRays' eight goals this season: Date Opponent Time Goal (Brazilians in bold)

4/5 vs. Philadelphia 32nd Katie Barnes (Katia, Pretinha)

4/27 @ San Diego 49th Tisha Venturini-Hoch (Sissi, Ann Cook)

5/3 @ Atlanta 69th Brandi Chastain (Sissi)

5/10 vs. Carolina 53rd Pretinha (Katia)

65th Katia (Michelle French, Sissi)

67th Sissi (Michelle French, Brandi Chastain)

5/24 @ Philadelphia 40th Pretinha (Katie Barnes, Brandi Chastain)

61st Pretinha (Mandy Clemens, Sissi)

Here's another breakdown of the Brazilians' offensive contribution:

Players G % total A % total pts % total

Brazilians 5 62.5 7 50.0 17 56.7

Everybody else 3 37.5 7 50.0 13 43.3

Katia's struggle: Though she's part of the CyberRays' Brazilian offensive force, Katia is third among her countrywomen in scoring, which is very unusual. She has only one goal and two assists this season for four points. Last season she was voted by her teammates as Offensive Player of the Year after scoring a league-leading 15 goals and a WUSA-record 36 points. After the first eight games of 2002, Katia had four goals and one assist for nine points. Three of her goals came in Games 6 and 7.

Where are the goals? Despite the contribution of the Brazilians, the CyberRays' offense is last in the WUSA in scoring, two goals behind the Philadelphia Charge, which is last in the season standings. This is a historical trend that has held true regardless of the CyberRays' place in the regular-season standings. It should be noted that eight goals in the first eight games ties the pace of the 2001 season and is only one less than at the same point of 2002.

road losing streaks: Saturday's loss at Boston was the CyberRays' second in a row at Nickerson Field, tying their current two-game losing streak at the Carolina Courage's SAS Stadium in Cary, N.C. for the team's longest at another WUSA stadium. Here's the CyberRays' current streak at each league venue:

Stadium Opponent Streak

Spartan Stadium DNA Won 1

Herndon Stadium Atlanta Beat Lost 1

Mitchell Athletic Complex New York Power Won 2

Nickerson Field Boston Breakers Lost 2

RFK Stadium Washington Freedom Lost 1

SAS Stadium Carolina Courage Lost 2

Torero Stadium San Diego Spirit Lost 1

Villanova Stadium Philadelphia Charge Won 1

Season starts: The CyberRays' 4-4 start this season is their best ever.

Yellow card jeopardy: By playing at Boston without drawing a yellow card, Katie Barnes and Keri Sanchez erase their yellow-card accumulation this season. WUSA players who draw yellow cards in three straight games or accumulate a total of four must serve a one-game suspension. Four games without a yellow card wipes a players' slate clean. CyberRays players have been booked 11 times this season, most in the league.

CyberRays injury update

TBA.

Quote of the week

``This is a heartbreaking loss. We felt like we dominated. If you don't make critical plays at critical times offensively or defensively, you're going to get punished in this league because there are too many good players around.''

- Ian Sawyers after loss at Boston.

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Women's United Soccer Association Stories from June 2, 2003


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