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Milbrett, Fleeting Score as Spirit Ties Power, 1-1

July 24, 2003 - Women's United Soccer Association (WUSA)
San Diego Spirit News Release


SAN DIEGO - The San Diego Spirit lost another huge opportunity to entrench itself in position to make the WUSA playoffs, tying the New York Power, 1-1, as Tiffeny Milbrett scored for New York and Julie Fleeting tallied for San Diego. The Spirit, which leads the league in ties, moved to 6-5-7 (25 points) and remained tied for third place while the Power moved to 7-8-3 (24 points). Both teams have three matches remaining.

The Power scored in just the 4th minute as defender Kim Pickup lost the ball to Anita Rapp on the left sideline. The Norwegian midfielder did some good dribbling to work herself free and crossed to Milbrett, who sliced a first-time volley into the net at the near post from four yards out. The goal marked the first-ever for Milbrett against the Spirit. The darting striker has now scored against all seven WUSA teams.

The Spirit dominated the rest of the way in one of the most lopsided matches in WUSA history as far as attacking chances. The Spirit out-shot New York, 22-5, and the Power put just two shots on goal the entire match. New York was playing without two starters away on national team duty with Australia and Milbrett only played the first half after feeling some tightness in her hamstring.

The Spirit had the Power scrambling for 85 minutes, but could only manage one goal despite numerous chances as soccer balls flashed through the New York penalty area the entire match.

The Spirit goal came in the 58th minute after Fleeting received a pass and drove towards the goal in the left side of the penalty area. Her cross was blocked by Jaclyn Raveia, but Fleeting went hard after the loose ball and smacked a shot that deflected off a defender and into the right corner to tie the game. It was Fleeting's ninth goal on the season, just three away from Shannon MacMillan's Spirit record of 12.

One minute later, Fleeting burst free down the right flank and crossed to Christine Latham, but her flying header went wide left.

The Power back line did a fine job of dealing with the booming kicks from Spirit goalkeeper Jenni Branam and long flip-throws from Pickup, but San Diego had them scrambling on numerous occasions to clear bouncing balls inside 10 yards from the net. Fleeting popped free for an instant inside the penalty area on several occasions, only to have her touch desert her or a Power defender get a toe on the ball.

Aly Wagner had three dangerous looking free kicks in the match from inside 20 yards, but did not put any on frame.

The Power actually scored another goal just after halftime, but it was waived off for a foul. The Power got a break late in the game when Margaret Tietjen, who might have been the last defender, took down Fleeting as she broke free at the top of the penalty area, but no card was issued. Wagner just missed the right corner with her free kick.

The Spirit suffered some bad news in the 85th minute when substitute Allie Sullivan went down with a likely ACL tear to the left knee after hopping over Shannon Boxx's tackle in the right side of the penalty area.



Women's United Soccer Association Stories from July 24, 2003


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