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For Spirit, 'Playoffs' Start Sunday

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


It is not technically the postseason yet, but for the San Diego Spirit beginning with Sunday's "playoff-type" game at home against the defending Founders Cup champion Carolina Courage it is. With only two home games remaining the Spirit are in difficult, but not dire circumstances. If San Diego can win their match against Carolina, who is trailing the Spirit by one point with four games remaining and win vs. Washington on August 9, who is tied for second place with 28 points and three games remaining, they have a good chance at making the playoffs for the first time ever. However, if San Diego falters in either contest, the road to Founders Cup III (Torero Stadium, August 24, 1 p.m.) becomes very tough and the team will have to rely on other clubs to help them advance. First-place Atlanta has almost punched their ticket to the WUSA playoffs, leaving six teams fighting for the remaining three postseason berths. Philadelphia is the only team eliminated for contention. The Spirit are also battling Boston (28 points with three games remaining), New York (25 points with two games remaining), and San Jose (21 points with four games remaining) to make the playoffs. Many things can happen during the final two weeks of the WUSA season, but if San Diego can take care of business at home, they will have done everything possible to extend their season. Please see PLAYOFF UPDATE on page two.

NEXT ON THE SLATE: Sunday, August 3, vs. Carolina, Torero Stadium, 5 p.m. PT

The Spirit face the Carolina Courage in what should be a match with major playoff implications. The winner of the game takes the season series and thus, the first tiebreaker should the two teams be tied on points at the end of the season. The last match between the Spirit and the Courage was a frustrating, 1-0, loss on July 19 in Cary, N.C., in a game that was dominated by Carolina in the first half and the Spirit in the second.

DAYLIGHT WINNING TIME - San Diego is 5-1-1 in games played before 6 p.m. in 2003 and 1-5-6 in games starting after 6 p.m. The Spirit's final two games are daylight games, taking place at 5 p.m. and 1 p.m. The Spirit will need every advantage as they try to make the postseason.

"AIR SCOTLAND" TO RETURN TO LINEUP - Julie Fleeting, who missed last week's game in Washington, will return to the lineup after being cleared by doctors on Monday. "Air Scotland" leads the team in scoring with nine goals and four assists, and is tied for seventh in the WUSA in scoring. Her 22 points is the second most ever scored by a Spirit player in a season. She is only the second San Diego player to record 10 or more goals during her career (Shannon MacMillan is the other). She was on pace to surpass Shannon MacMillan's record of 12 goals in a single season.

SEASON SERIES UPDATES - With the playoffs approaching and the first tiebreaker being season head-to-head competition, it is important for teams to win the season series against their opponents. The Spirit has won the season series against San Jose, 2-0-1, and New York, 2-0-1; while losing to Atlanta, 0-1-2, Boston, 0-1-2, and Philadelphia, 0-2-1. San Diego is tied with Washington 1-1-0 and Carolina 1-1-0 with the season series to be determined in the next two weeks.

SEASON RECORDS MAY FALL - The Spirit are on the brink of setting some new club single-season records. The team tied the record for most home wins in a season with four on July 16. The total wins (7), total points (28), and goals for (29) records are in danger as well.

FOUNDERS CUP III MEDIA CREDENTIAL APPLICATIONS ARE AVAILABLE -The credential application process for media wishing to cover FOUNDERS CUP III at Torero Stadium in San Diego, CA on August 24, 2003, 1 p.m. PT is underway. All applicants will be notified via email as to the status of their request by Friday, August 15. ALL CREDENTIAL APPLICATIONS MUST BE COMPLETED BY: Wednesday, August 13.

FOUNDERS CUP III TICKETS AVAILABLE TO GENERAL PUBLIC - Tickets for the WUSA championship game, Founders Cup III, are on sale now to the general public, with prices ranging from $23 to $150. The 2003 WUSA FOUNDERS CUP Weekend in San Diego will be a three-day extravaganza of soccer-themed events and programs. The festivities will culminate with the championship match, FOUNDERS CUP III, on Sunday, August 24, 2003 at 1 p.m. PT.

SPIRIT SNAPSHOTS - San Diego has a four-game home unbeaten streak...San Diego is 14-0-0 when leading at the 75th minute mark...Joy Fawcett became the fourth Spirit player in club history to be ejected from the game on June 29...Jenni Branam became the third Spirit GK in club history to play in three consecutive games...San Diego finished scoreless on the road for the final 280 minutes...San Diego is now 4-23-10 all-time in games where the opponent scores first...San Diego has allowed eight goals in the first 10 minutes of games this year...San Diego finished the month of July with a 1-3-3 record.

QUOTES

San Diego Head Coach Omid Namazi: "We just have to win our two games at home. If we win those two games, we get to the playoffs. Now we've made it so difficult for ourselves. We've had plenty of opportunities, but haven't been able to take advantage of them."



Women's United Soccer Association Stories from July 29, 2003


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