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CyberRays hit the road for 3 weeks boosted by 2-game winning streak

May 12, 2003 - Women's United Soccer Association (WUSA)
San Jose CyberRays News Release


SAN JOSE (May 12, 2003) – Saturday's 3-1 victory over the Carolina Courage gave the CyberRays a two-game winning streak and the best start to a season in their history. Now it's back to Atlanta on Saturday, where the winning streak began, to start a three-game road swing, which will continue against the Philadelphia Charge on May 24 and the Boston Breakers on May 31. The next home game is 3 p.m. Sunday, June 8 against the New York Power and former CyberRays assistant coach Tom Sermanni.

Week 6 in review: Brazilians erupt for 3 goals None of the CyberRays' three Brazilian players had scored a goal in the first four games of the season, but Saturday against the Carolina Courage, Pretinha, Katia and Sissi each scored in a 3-1 victory. The game doubled the CyberRays' season total of goals scored and bumped the team from fifth into a third-place tie in the WUSA standings.

Coming in Week 7: Rematch in Atlanta Playing in Atlanta for the second time in three weeks will wrap up the road portion of this CyberRays' series. Atlanta is the WUSA's highest-scoring team at 2.6 goals per game, but the previous meeting on May 3 was a CyberRays shutout. Atlanta also leads the WUSA in defense, allowing just three goals in the five games it has played. Season series: CyberRays lead 1-0-0. All-time series: 3-4-1, (1-2-1 in Atlanta). Top scorers: CyberRays – Sissi (1g, 3a = 5pts), Katia (1g, 2a = 4pts); Atlanta – Maribel Dominguez (6g, 2a = 14pts). Training schedule this week at West Valley College: Off Today. 1:30 p.m. practice Tuesday-Thursday (about two hours each day). Travel Friday. Game 4 p.m. PDT Saturday in Atlanta.

CyberRays-Atlanta series notes: This will be the second match between these two teams in Atlanta in the last three games. On May 3 the CyberRays took a 1-0 decision on a Brandi Chastain goal for their first-ever victory in Atlanta. ... The May 3 victory was the first CyberRays road victory in 363 days dating to a 1-0 victory May 5, 2002 in New York. ... Atlanta is the only team that holds a series edge over the CyberRays in Spartan Stadium, 2-1-0. ... Three CyberRays – LaKeysia Beene, Thori Bryan and Brandi Chastain – as well as Atlanta's Cindy Parlow and Brianna Scurry have been called to the U.S. Women's National Team this week for its World Cup tune-up match against England on Saturday in Birmingham, Ala. Immediately after that game they will be driven by limousine to Atlanta for the CyberRays-Atlanta Beat WUSA match. One or more of these players could play 180 minutes of soccer the same day.

Key matchup: CyberRays defender Thori Bryan vs. Atlanta forward Maribel Dominguez. In the May 3 game Bryan helped hold Dominguez scoreless, the only game this season in which she failed to record a goal.

Ian Sawyers on facing Atlanta with players from both teams playing earlier in the day in the USA-England match in Birmingham, Ala.: ``Our games against Atlanta are always tough games, and they are going to be even tougher coming off two disappointing results. This game is going to be affected by the fatigue factor on both sides.''

Game notes Brazilian breakout: Saturday's 3-1 victory over the Carolina Courage was a Brazilian show from beginning to end. The CyberRays three Brazilian players – Katia, Pretinha and Sissi – each had a goal in the same game for the first time since they have been on the team together. Altogether the Brazilians combined for eight points (3g+2a) of the 10 credited to the CyberRays. The fifth game of the season is the latest first goal for Katia in her WUSA career. She scored in the second game of 2001 and the third of 2002 (also against Carolina). Pretinha scored the first goal in WUSA history – against the CyberRays – for the Washington Freedom in the inaugural game on a penalty kick and for the CyberRays in their 2002 opener. Sissi had only one goal in each of her first two WUSA seasons.

How to win a spot on the bench: Beginning with the May 3 match in Atlanta, midfielder Sissi has been used off the bench in the second half rather than as a starter, which she had been in 42 of her previous 44 WUSA games. The CyberRays are 2-0 since the switch, and all four of the goals they've scored in those games have been with Sissi on the field. She was directly involved in three of those goals.

Season starts: The CyberRays' 3-2 start this season is their best ever.

It's worth noting that the six goals the CyberRays have scored this season ties 2002 for the fewest in the first five games, but the goal differential of plus-one is the largest.

Beene playing tough: Goalkeeper LaKeysia Beene has had a solid start to her season with a pair of shutouts in the CyberRays first five games. With a WUSA career total of 14 shutouts, she ranks second only to Atlanta's Brianna Scurry, who has 15, in that category. Beene has faced 33 shots in her first five games this season, more than any keeper except Carly Smolak of the New York Power (who has played six games), but she has saved a league-high 29 shots for a save percentage of 87.9, best in the WUSA.

Frenchie heats up: Michelle French, playing left flank midfield in a 4-4-2, assisted on the second and third goals against Carolina, her first multiple-assist game of the season. It's the third two-assist game in French's WUSA career and her second as a CyberRay. Last season she assisted on Maren Hendershot-Brown's 54th-minute goal and Brandi Chastain's 66th-minute goal in a 4-3 victory over the New York Power on June 15. Playing for the Washington Freedom in 2001, Frenchie assisted on both Washington goals in a 2-0 victory over the San Diego Spirit on Aug. 1.

CyberRays injury update

Dianne Alagich (gastrointestinal virus) and Kelly Lindsey (R knee contusion) are probable.

Quote of the week

``I felt like I had a monkey on my back. I was talking to this monkey telling him `You have to get out of here!' Tonight he left me alone and let me score.''

- Katia on finally scoring her first goal in the CyberRays' fifth game.

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Women's United Soccer Association Stories from May 12, 2003


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