CyberRays Knocked out of Playoff Contention

Published on August 7, 2003 under Women's United Soccer Association (WUSA)
San Jose CyberRays News Release


SAN JOSE, CA – It's all over but the playoff matchups in the WUSA.

The Atlanta Beat's 1-1 tie Wednesday night against the San Jose CyberRays in Spartan Stadium:

Knocked the CyberRays out of the final open playoff berth,

Put the San Diego Spirit into the playoffs for the first time in their history,

And gave Atlanta and the Boston Breakers home semifinal games.

Saturday's and Sunday's WUSA play will determine to which cities San Diego and the Washington Freedom will travel for their semifinals.

The CyberRays will close their season Sunday in a home match against Boston while Atlanta will return home to close against the Philadelphia Charge.

Atlanta went up 1-0 in the 10th minute on a Charmaine Hooper penalty kick. The kick was awarded when CyberRays defender Keri Sanchez took down Atlanta forward Maribel Dominguez in the penalty box. Dominguez had gotten a pass behind the CyberRays' back line and then successfully eluded onrushing goalkeeper LaKeysia Beene for what would have been a wide open shot on goal.

Katia pulled the CyberRays even 15 minutes later when Brandi Chastain looped a short cross into the left side of the penalty box, which Katia flicked to the far post with a header. The goal was Katia's fifth of the season, tying her with Pretinha, out for the season following ACL surgery, for the team's goal scoring lead. Four of her goals have come in the last seven CyberRays games.

The best defensive series of the first half came in the 43rd minute when a Dominguez shot was blocked on the goal line by Sanchez's head. The rebound came out to Hooper who cracked a header on frame that defender Amanda Cromwell blocked.

Atlanta lost a goal on a strange call in first-half stoppage time when referee Sandra Hunt whistled the half over with a Kylie Bivens free kick in the air. Dominguez got onto the end of the kick and headed it into the net, but too late.

Both teams had chances in the second half but couldn't convert. Chastain headed a Sissi corner kick into the crossbar in the 46th minute, and Dominguez had a pair of point-blank shots snuffed in the 82nd when first Beene saved a shot without controlling the rebound, and then Dominguez's second try was stopped when defender Thori Bryan tackled the ball away.

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Women's United Soccer Association Stories from August 7, 2003


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