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CyberRays head into tough 3-game stretch

April 28, 2003 - Women's United Soccer Association (WUSA)
San Jose CyberRays News Release


SAN JOSE (April 28, 2002) – The CyberRays are getting ready to learn the road to Atlanta. In their next three games, beginning with Saturday's 4 p.m. PDT match, the CyberRays will travel to Atlanta's Herndon Stadium twice to play the undefeated Beat, which is the WUSA's hottest team with its hottest player.

Week 4 in review: Own goal sinks CyberRays The CyberRays grabbed the early lead on a 49th minute goal by Tisha Venturini-Hoch, her first of the season, but they couldn't hold on in San Diego against the Spirit. The crushing blow came from San Diego defender Kim Pickup, whose flip throw-in sailed all the way into the six-yard box where goalkeeper LaKeysia Beene couldn't control the ball in a crush of leaping players. The throw-in glanced off Beene's hands into the goal for a 2-1 San Diego victory. It was at least the second time in WUSA history that one of Pickup's throw-ins has been misplayed into a goal by a keeper. Atlanta's Brianna Scurry was charged with an own goal in a 1-1 tie with San Diego on May 12, 2001.

Coming in Week 5: Atlanta and Dominguez await Maribel Dominguez is not your typical WUSA rookie. Three games into her first Atlanta Beat season, the Mexican forward has: (a) one hat trick, (b) scored in every game, (c) taken the league lead in goals with five, and (d) taken the league lead in points with 12. Other than that, however, she's struggled, as has her team, which finally suffered the first blemish on its 2003 record Saturday with a tie against the Washington Freedom. Season series: First meeting. All-time series: 2-4-1, (0-2-1 in Atlanta). Top scorers: CyberRays – Katie Barnes (1g = 2pts), Tisha Venturini-Hoch (1g=2pts); Atlanta – Maribel Dominguez (5g, 2a = 12pts). Training schedule this week at West Valley College: Off Today. 1:30 p.m. practice Tuesday-Thursday (about two hours each day). Travel Friday, 4 p.m. PDT game Saturday at Herndon Stadium in Atlanta.

CyberRays-Atlanta series notes: The CyberRays have never won in Atlanta. Their best result in Georgia was a 1-1 tie May 27, 2001, in their first game there. Christina Bell scored the CyberRays' goal at Georgia Tech's Grant Field. ... Tisha Venturini-Hoch scored the CyberRays' only goal at Herndon Stadium in a 2-1 loss in last season's only trip to Atlanta. ... Saturday's game is the first of a three-game stretch in which the CyberRays will travel twice to Atlanta. The second match is Saturday, May 17. The second game had originally been scheduled for a mid-week date in June but changed to take advantage of the weekend date. ... Atlanta is the only team that holds a series edge over the CyberRays in Spartan Stadium, 2-1-0.

Key matchup: CyberRays defender Thori Bryan vs. Atlanta forward Maribel Dominguez. Bryan has been effective since moving inside from the flank, but Dominguez has been a rookie sensation, getting a hat trick in her second WUSA match and leading the league with five goals, scoring in every game she's played.

Coach Ian Sawyers on his missing Brazilians: ``It was a significant loss. We have one of the top goal scorers in the league with Katia, and Pretinha is playing well this year, so it was a huge impact on our game (against San Diego). But it gives (other players) a huge opportunity to step up.'' Both players will be available in Atlanta.

Game notes

Bryan's streak ends: Defender Thori Bryan had played every minute of every CyberRays' game until Sunday, when she was subbed out in the 78th minute against San Diego. Her streak of consecutive minutes played thus ended at 4,233 minutes. The Washington Freedom's Jen Grubb, who has played every minute of every Washington game, takes over the WUSA lead for consecutive minutes played in regular season and playoff games with 4,320 minutes. Kelly Lindsey was the player who replaced Bryan in the San Diego game.

Series even: With its victory Sunday, San Diego evened its all time record against the CyberRays at 2-2-3 and in Torero Stadium at 1-1-2.

2nd own goal: The own goal charged to goalkeeper LaKeysia Beene on Sunday was only the second suffered by the CyberRays in 45 league games. Beene was charged with the own goal in the 61st minute when a throw-in from San Diego defender Kim Pickup glanced off her hands and into the goal. The previous own goal was charged to Kelly Lindsey in the 56th minute of a 3-2 loss to the Washington Freedom on July 21, 2001. It was Washington's second goal of the game.

Season starts: This is the second straight season the CyberRays have started off 1-2. Following that start in 2002, the CyberRays defeated the New York Power 1-0 on the road. In their inaugural season the CyberRays didn't win until their fourth game.

Tish's start: Tisha Venturini-Hoch, voted by her teammates as last season's MVP, played in the first two CyberRays' games this season as a substitute. The right knee she injured in the 2002 WUSA All-Star Game limited her playing time. The San Diego game was her first start of 2003, and she scored her first goal of the season in the 49th minute. Tish's six goals last season were second most on the team.

First CyberRays appearances: Two players made their first official appearances Sunday as CyberRays. In addition, two others, CyberRays veterans Dianne Alagich and Kelly Lindsey, got into a game for the first time this season. Rookie Melinda Carter entered the San Diego game in the 89th minute for Ann Cook. Amanda Cromwell, who played in 2001 for the Washington Freedom and last season for the Atlanta Beat, came in for Mandy Clemens in the 65th minute. Alagich replaced Christina Bell in the 72nd minute. She missed this season's opener while on national team duty with Australia and the Washington game last weekend with bronchitis. Lindsey subbed for Thori Bryan after missing the first two games of the season with a right knee contusion.

Cookie cashes in: Ann Cook finally got her first point as a CyberRay in her second stint with the team. Cook was credited with an assist on Tisha Venturini-Hoch's goal Sunday, her first point as a CyberRay but second in the WUSA. That point – an assist on an Abby Wambach goal in 2002, when she played for the Washington Freedom – also came against San Diego.

CyberRays injury update

F Katie Barnes (right calf strain) is questionable; D Kelly Lindsey (right knee contusion) and M Tisha Venturini-Hoch (right knee contusion) are probable.



Women's United Soccer Association Stories from April 28, 2003


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