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Fleeting Scores Winner for Spirit in Wild 2-1 Over CyberRays

June 29, 2003 - Women's United Soccer Association (WUSA)
San Diego Spirit News Release


SAN DIEGO - The San Diego Spirit came back from adverse conditions to record a huge 2-1 win over the San Jose CyberRays in a wild match that featured six yellow cards and two red cards. Sissi scored on a direct free kick in the 6th minute after Spirit defender Joy Fawcett had been ejected from the match for a foul on Keri Sanchez just outside the Spirit penalty area. Aly Wagner tied the game on a similar free kick in stoppage time of the first half after CyberRays forward Pretinha had been ejected, and Scottish international Julie Fleeting added the winning goal in the 52nd minute.

The Spirit moved to 5-3-4 on the season (19 points) and into sole possession of third place in the WUSA, just three points out of first, while the C-Rays dropped to 5-7-1 (16 points). It was the second time this season that the Spirit has come from a goal down to defeat San Jose. The mayhem began in just the fifth minute when Sanchez popped free at the top of the penalty area off a Pretinha pass. Fawcett got tangled with Sanchez and wrapped an arm around her as they both tumbled to the ground. To the Spirit's dismay, referee Arnold Baldeaux pulled a red card from his pocket and ejected Fawcett for the first time in her soccer career, ruling that she was the last defender.

The CyberRays immediately took advantage as the Brazilian free kick skipped her shot past the defensive wall and into the lower left corner from 20 yards out. Playing a woman down, the Spirit actually had more of the play for the remainder of the first half. Christine Latham had a great chance in the 40th minute as Allie Sullivan slipped a pass behind the CyberRays defense on one of the few times the Spirit beat the offside trap, but the ball rolled a little too far in front of the Canadian international and her sliding shot rolled just wide of the left post.

Wagner's tying goal came after a wild sequence in which Thori Bryan was whistled for coming over the back of Julie Fleeting on a header. Pretinha stood in front of the ball to delay the free kick and Baldeaux pulled out a yellow card, Pretinha's second of the match after she received one in the 23rd minute for undercutting Kim Pickup on a header, then a red, sending the Brazilian to the locker room. On the ensuing free kick, the ball was cleared and then came back into a pack of players at the top of the penalty area, where Fleeting was fouled. Wagner then smacked her shot just under the crossbar into the upper left corner for her second goal of the season to tie the game.

The teams played 10 v. 10 in second half, with the CyberRays controlling most of the game, but it was Fleeting's 7th goal of the season that proved to be the difference. The goal came off a corner kick that was cleared out to Spirit defender Lisa Krzykowski, who chipped a long ball back into the attacking third. Latham flicked a header over Bryan and Fleeting beat Katie Antongiovanni to the ball, stretching to poke it past LaKeysia Beene from 17 yards out.

The CyberRays had more of the possession after the Fleeting goal as the Spirit hung onto the lead with some tough defense and some great goalkeeping from rookie Jenni Branam, who made seven saves and nine catch/punches in just her third start of the season and first ever at home. In the 65th minute Brazilian Katia skidded a shot just past the left post from 20 and one minute later Sanchez hit a dangerous shot after a nifty move in the penalty box, but it flew right at Branam. In the 79th minute, a great volley from Michelle French was snagged by Branam, and the Spirit goalkeeper did well to deny Brandi Chastain in the 83rd, diving to her right to snare the shot. Chastain, who moved to forward in search of a tying goal, also had a header that struck the side netting just two minutes into the half.

The Spirit had several chances to get another goal at the end of the match, but Sullivan missed two chances from stiff angles, with Beene making a great kick save on one, and Shauna Rohbock also had a chance from a bad angle, but shot behind the goal. Defender Kim Pickup stepped up to play a stellar match in the middle after Fawcett's ejection while midfielder Kerry Connors also did very well after moving to the back when the Spirit went a woman down. The Spirit and CyberRays meet again on Wednesday in San Jose at Spartan Stadium as both Fawcett and Pretinha will sit out their one-game suspensions for the red cards.

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