Late Goal Leads Charge to Tie

August 7, 2002 - Women's United Soccer Association (WUSA)
Philadelphia Charge News Release


VILLANOVA, PA (August 7, 2002) - Stacey Tullock scored her second goal in as many games as Philadelphia salvaged a 1-1 tie in its regular season home finale. The playoff-bound Charge (11-3-6, 39 pts) will host a first-round game on Saturday, August 17. Brandi Chastain scored for the CyberRays (8-7-5, 29 pts) who, with the point, remain alive in the playoff chase.

A win on Saturday would clinch the regular-season championship for the Charge. If San Jose also wins on Saturday, the CyberRays would return to Philadelphia for a WUSA semifinals match-up on the 17th.

The Charge finished the regular season with a home record of 7-1-3, best in the WUSA.

Philadelphia will conclude the regular season on Saturday when it visits Atlanta for a 4 p.m. start. The Charge defeated the Beat in both of the teams' meetings this season. Philadelphia won, 2-0, on opening day in Atlanta and again, 3-1, at home in late June.

San Jose scored the first goal of the game in the 34th minute when Katia's shot hit the crossbar and fell in front of the net. Brandi Chastain knocked in the rebound for her fourth goal of the year. Katia continues to lead the WUSA in scoring (35 points) as she recorded her fifth assist of the season. She tied Tiffeny Milbrett's single-season points record set last season.

Philadelphia got the equalizer in the 73rd minute when Stacey Tullock scored her second goal of the season. Lorrie Fair, who recorded her fifth assist of the season, started the play with a free kick. Tara Koleski got her first point with the Charge when she heeled the ball to Tullock who knocked it past CyberRays goalkeeper Lakeysia Beene. The goal broke a 252-minute scoreless streak against San Jose this season for Philadelphia.

Carolina clinched a home playoff game and moved into a tie for first place with Philadelphia by defeating New York, 2-1. Both teams have 39 points, but the Charge own the tiebreaker. With Atlanta's 1-0 loss to San Diego, the Beat remain two points ahead of San Jose for the final playoff spot. Idle Washington secured the three seed.

San Jose controlled Philadelphia in the teams' first two meetings, a scoreless tie in Philadelphia in early June and a 2-0 win in San Jose last week. The only other time Philadelphia was shut out this season was at San Diego, 1-0.

NOTES: Heather Mitts returned after missing three out of the last four games because of the hip pointer injury she suffered while with the U.S. National Team ... Tickets for the Charge's home playoff game are on sale now. The game is on August 17 at 1:30 p.m. or 4:00 p.m. Call your local Ticketmaster outlet or the Charge ticket office at 215-467-GOAL for more information.



Women's United Soccer Association Stories from August 7, 2002


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