Playoff Picture Shaping Up

July 21, 2003 - Women's United Soccer Association (WUSA) News Release


ATLANTA (Monday, July 21, 2003) - With less than three weeks remaining in the Women's United Soccer Association's 2003 season, WUSA clubs are now in position to have a major impact on their playoff fortunes. In fact, the Atlanta Beat can clinch a playoff berth this week, while the Philadelphia Charge is on the brink of elimination.

A look at the current WUSA playoff picture follows:

Team GP W L T Pts. GF GA Diff. YCP RCP Magic Number
1) Atlanta Beat 17 9 3 5 32 31 13 18 100 20 4 (7 homefield)
2) Boston Breakers 16 7 4 5 26 25 24 1 55 10 10 (13 homefield)
3) San Diego Spirit* 17 6 5 6 24 23 22 1 110 10 12 (18 homefield)
4) Washington Freedom* 16 7 5 3 24 30 25 5 65 20 13 (18 homefield)
5) New York Power 17 7 8 2 23 28 37 -9 80 0 2 points out
6) Carolina Courage 16 6 7 3 21 26 27 -1 60 0 4 points out
7) San Jose CyberRays 16 6 8 2 20 19 21 -2 95 10 5 points out
8) Philadelphia Charge 17 3 10 4 13 22 36 -13 55 10 11 points out

y - clinches homefield advantage in the playoffs
x - clinches playoff berth.
z - eliminated from playoff contention.

* - San Diego wins tie-breaker in head-to-head competition with Washington (1-0-0).

ATLANTA BEAT: With the most wins in WUSA regular season history (30), Atlanta can clinch a third consecutive playoff berth with a win on Saturday, July 26, coupled with a loss by San Diego on either Wednesday, July 23 or Saturday, July 26 and a loss or tie by San Jose on Sunday, July 27. Atlanta is in the driver's seat, but the Beat has three of its four remaining games on the road. However, Atlanta is a WUSA-best 2-1-4 on the road in 2003. The Beat's caliber of opponents is favorable, as Tom Stone's club has New York, Philadelphia and San Jose - three teams currently not among the top four -- on the road before closing out at home against the Power on August 10. Goalkeeper Briana Scurry and a very organized defense make scoring against the Beat next to impossible. Atlanta allows a WUSA-low 0.76 goals per game. In addition, Atlanta's roster is healthy compared to many other WUSA clubs.

BOSTON BREAKERS: The Breakers have always been known for its offense, but Pia Sundhage's club is allowing a very respectable 1.50 goals per game on the defensive end this year. The Breakers have two of their remaining five matches on the road, but Boston (like Atlanta) has done well on the road in 2003, compiling a 3-2-2 mark away from home (after going 1-8-2 in 2002). Like Atlanta, the Breakers are very healthy, as only backup goalkeeper Tracy Ducar is out due to injury. Boston's two-game swing against Washington and San Jose this week could propel the Breakers near the club's first playoff appearance after watching at home the first two years. The dynamic duo of Dagny Mellgren and Maren Meinert combine with a hot goalkeeper in Karina LeBlanc to make the Breakers a dangerous team in the stretch run.

SAN DIEGO SPIRIT: San Diego's never made the playoffs and this could be the Spirit's year to advance to the postseason, but Omid Namazi's club will need to string together a couple of victories after going 1-2-2 in the club's last five games. If they can generate some positive results, the Spirit has a shot at playing in Founders Cup III on August 24 in their own backyard. All of San Diego's remaining five games are against New York, Carolina and Washington, the three teams that are most closely battling the Spirit for the final two playoff spots. One of the WUSA's better home teams (4-2-2 at Torero in 2003), the Spirit close out with three of its four remaining games at home, including the club's final game of the season on August 9 against Washington. During the club's 1-2-2 stretch in July, Christine Latham has scored four of the Spirit's five goals in that span (and she missed the club's most recent match due to Canadian national team duty). Scottish international Julie Fleeting is always a presence, but San Diego needs a third scoring threat during the stretch run.

WASHINGTON FREEDOM: It looked like the Freedom might not be able to change the club's direction during a recent nosedive that saw Mia Hamm and company win just one of eight games, but an impressive 2-0 victory over New York on July 19 appears to have the Freedom back on track. The combination of Hamm (WUSA scoring leader) and Abby Wambach (2nd in WUSA scoring) presents major challenges to opposing offenses. Wambach has four goals in her last three games and is a woman on a mission to make the U.S. World Cup team. The loss of Emmy Barr on defense to a season-ending knee injury leaves the Freedom a little thin in the back, but goalkeeper Siri Mullinix and ironwoman Jennifer Grubb provide the necessary leadership to keep opponents' scoring down. Washington has five remaining games, including two key matches against San Diego and a road contest on Wednesday at Boston.

NEW YORK POWER: Most experts believe Power Head Coach Tom Sermanni is the top candidate for WUSA Coach of the Year honors if his team advances to the playoffs. After all, the Power has doubled last year's victory total and four games remain on the schedule. However, New York's drive to the WUSA postseason won't be easy. Australian defender Cheryl Salisbury and midfielder Joey Peters will miss the Power's next two games while competing for the Matildas in the Three Nations International Women's Soccer tournament in Asia. The good news is that injured striker Christie Welsh could see action this week after recovering from a strained calf muscle that has sidelined her since June 21 (a span of five games) and defender/midfielder Kristy Whelchel saw her first action of the season against Washington on June 19 after recovering from surgery for a torn ACL late in 2002. New York's schedule allows the Power to control its own destiny, but it is a challenging one that begins at San Diego (NY is 0-2 vs. San Diego in 2003) on Wednesday. The Power's final three games feature Atlanta (twice) and Boston (once), the top two teams in the WUSA.

CAROLINA COURAGE: Can the defending champions actually overcome a 0-4 start and season-ending injuries to two key players to qualify for the playoffs? With five games remaining, Carolina will likely need three or more wins to earn a postseason berth. Only two of the remaining five matches are at home, but Carolina is 3-2-2 on the road in 2003. The Courage has injury-depleted Philadelphia twice and San Jose, San Diego and Boston remaining. Look for Carolina's playoff hopes to come down to the club's final regular season game - an August 9 home match against Philadelphia.

SAN JOSE CYBERRAYS: Many soccer fans thought the CyberRays' chances of qualifying for the playoffs were slim heading into the July 20 match against Philadelphia, but San Jose persevered with a 2-1 victory over the Charge despite missing Brandi Chastain (strained quad) and Pretinha (season-ending ACL injury suffered July 13). Chastain is expected return later this month and Katia's return to the scoring column provide San Jose with hope. The CyberRays have three of five remaining games at home where the club is 4-2-1 this season. With Boston (twice - both at Spartan Stadium), Atlanta, Carolina and Washington on the remaining schedule, San Jose can make a major impact in the final WUSA standings. However, the CyberRays will likely need four wins in those five games to earn a postseason berth.

PHILADELPHIA CHARGE: Philadelphia is one of only two WUSA teams to qualify for the playoffs (Atlanta is the other) during the league's first two seasons. Due to numerous injuries, the Charge will likely be watching the playoffs on television in 2003. A loss or a tie by Philadelphia on Saturday, July 26 eliminates the Charge from playoff contention. In fact, Philadelphia could be eliminated this week depending on the results generated by other teams. The Charge has nine players on the club's injured list heading into Sunday's 2-1 loss at San Jose. Head Coach Mark Krikorian's club has the opportunity to play spoiler, as Carolina (twice), Atlanta and Washington remain on Philadelphia's schedule.

WOMEN'S WORLD CUP SCHEDULE SET: The United States and 15 other countries received their competition schedules last week as the 2003 FIFA Women's World Cup Draw was held on July 19 at The Home Depot Center. The top-ranked U.S. national team will open Group A play against the No. 5 team in the world, Sweden, on Sept. 21 at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C. Following that game, the U.S. will play matches against Nigeria on Sept. 25 at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia and against North Korea on Sept. 28 at Columbus Crew Stadium in Columbus, Ohio.

Should the U.S. advance to the quarterfinals, the team will play one of the top two teams from Group B at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Mass., on Wednesday, Oct. 1. Both semifinals will be played at PGE Park in Portland, Ore., on Sunday, Oct. 5, while the final and third place will be played as stand alone games on Oct. 11 and Oct. 12, respectively, at The Home Depot Center in greater Los Angeles.

In the rest of the draw, the other teams ranked in the top four in the first ever FIFA Women's World Ranking - China, Norway, Germany - were given top seeds in the other three groups. Joining Norway in Group B are Brazil, France and South Korea. Joining Germany in Group C are Canada, Japan and Argentina. And finally, in Group D with China are Ghana, Russia and Australia. The top two teams in Group C and D will face each other in the quarterfinals at PGE Park. Each team plays the other three countries in the group. The top two teams from each group advance to the tournament quarterfinals. Nearly 50 WUSA players are expected to compete in the Women's World Cup. For complete details on the 2003 FIFA Women's World Cup, soccer fans can go to www.FIFAWorldCup.com.

In other World Cup news, the WUSA's four Australian World Cup team members - San Jose's Dianne Alagich, New York's Cheryl Salisbury and Joey Peters, and Washington's Kelly Golebiowski -- travel to Japan this week to compete in the Three Nations International Women's Soccer tournament against fellow World Cup competitors Japan and South Korea. The Matildas take on South Korea on July 25 and Japan on July 27.

The Canadian national team defeated Brazil in two matches last week. Boston goalkeeper Karina LeBlanc was in goal on July 17 in a 2-1 victory over Brazil. On Sunday, July 20, Atlanta's Charmaine Hooper and San Diego's Christine Latham played the entire 90 minutes in another 2-1 win over Brazil. The 35-year-old Hooper played her second game in two days as she went the distance in a 0-0 draw at Boston on Saturday.

Big week for Katia: 2003 has been a struggle for Katia and the entire San Jose CyberRays, but the Brazilian star had a big week, beginning Wednesday when she took home honors for Best Female Soccer player at the ESPY Awards.

Katia, who set a league record with 36 points in 2002, entered Sunday's game against Philadelphia with only six points (two goals, two assists). But with leading scorer Pretinha lost for the season and the CyberRays needing a win to keep their slim playoff hopes alive, Katia scored a second-half goal to lead San Jose to a 2-1 win. The CyberRays also played without star defender Brandi Chastain.

The ESPY honored Katia's 2002 performance, and she may have to match that output during the final five games to put San Jose back in the playoffs for the first time since winning the inaugural Founders Cup in 2001.

The CyberRays, sitting in seventh place, are four points out of the top four and play three of their final five games at home.

Players to handle Game of Week's commentary: San Diego's Julie Foudy and New York's Shannon Boxx will provide commentary for the PAX Saturday Game of the Week pitting the Spirit against the Power.

The game, which could go along way in determining which teams qualify for the playoffs, will be played at 10 p.m. ET Wednesday, July 23 at San Diego's Torero Stadium. PAX will broadcast the game at 4 p.m. ET Saturday, July 26 and the telecast will air features about the teams and players that will provide WUSA fans an in-depth perspective of the league, including behind-the-scenes accounts and best-of compilations from the season.

Foudy and Boxx will provide their commentary while viewing the post-produced game on Thursday, July 24 at a production facility in San Diego. Foudy, a regular in the broadcast booth from the 1998 men's World Cup, believes fans will enjoy this innovative format.

"There are moments that happen in a game that people don't know about if they are just watching on TV," Foudy said. "It's a unique perspective to be able to talk about momentum, what was being said on the field, or why a person was thinking a particular thing during a play on the field. You can give a true insider's perspective that can you can't get with a normal commentator."

Both teams have played 17 games and New York trails San Diego by one point for the fourth WUSA playoff spot.

LATHAM TO BE ON WUSA.COM CHAT THIS WEEK: San Diego forward Christine Latham will be the featured guest on this week's WUSA.com live web chat on Tuesday, July 22. The chat will begin at 4:00 p.m. (ET)/1:00 p.m. (PT) and will last approximately 30 minutes. Latham will be on hand to answer fan questions. Fans can submit questions before and during the chat. For more information, log on to www.WUSA.com.

WUSA Game Previews (Week Seventeen)

Wednesday, July 23, 2003 - Washington Freedom at Boston Breakers - 7:30 p.m. (ET) - CN8 (Boston); (Season Series: Boston leads 1-0-1) (All-time Series History: Boston leads 3-1-4)

Washington went 1-1-0 last week as the Freedom fell to the San Diego Spirit 2-1 on Wednesday, July 16 at Torero Stadium and defeated the New York Power 2-0 on Saturday, July 19 at RFK Stadium. Boston battled Atlanta to a 0-0 draw on Saturday, July 19 at Nickerson Field. The last meeting between these two teams resulted in a 1-1 tie on July 3, 2003 at Nickerson Field. Boston's Heather Aldama recorded her first career WUSA goal in the 66th minute to draw the match even.

Key Players to Watch: Boston's Maren Meinert (8g, 6a, 22 pts. - tied for 2nd among WUSA scoring leaders) is one assist away from being the first player in WUSA history to reach 30 assists during her career. Meinert leads the Breakers in game-winning assists this season with three. Forward Dagny Mellgren (10g, 2a, 22 pts. - tied for 2nd among WUSA scoring leaders) is the Breakers' all-time leading scorer versus the Freedom (3g, 3a, 9 pts. in seven matches). Mellgren is the only Boston player to record 10 or more goals in each of the team's first three seasons. Goalkeeper Karina LeBlanc (7-4-5, 1.50 GAA) recorded her second shutout of the 2003 season on July 19. LeBlanc holds a 1-1-3 record with a 1.00 goals against average versus the Freedom all-time (five matches). Washington's Mia Hamm (7g, 9a, 23 pts. - 1st among WUSA scoring leaders) notched her league-leading ninth assist on July 19. Hamm scored the only game-winning goal for Washington in the series versus Boston (June 12, 2002 at RFK Stadium). Forward Abby Wambach (9g, 4a, 22 pts. - tied for 2nd among WUSA scoring leaders) became the 12th player in WUSA history to record 50 or more points during her career with a two-goal performance versus the Power on July 19. Wambach is the only Washington player to record two or more goals versus the Breakers all-time.

Key Matchup: (Washington defender Jennifer Grubb versus Boston forward Dagny Mellgren) - The WUSA's all-time leading goal scorer (32), Mellgren is tied for the league lead in goals scored for the 2003 campaign (10). The Norwegian international is the Breakers' all-time leading scorer versus the Freedom with nine points (3g, 3a, in seven matches). Grubb, the WUSA's ironwoman, anchors a defense that has been able to hold Mellgren to just one assist this season (three games).

The "Inside Scoop": Washington has never beaten Boston at Nickerson Field. The Breakers lead the all-time series 3-1-4 with their only loss to the Freedom taking place on June 12, 2002 (RFK Stadium). This match will feature the two most potent tandems in the WUSA this season (Boston's Maren Meinert and Dagny Mellgren - 18 goals, 8 assists, 44 points combined; Washington's Mia Hamm and Abby Wambach - 16 goals, 13 assists, 45 points combined). Boston is unbeaten in the last three meetings with the Freedom (1-0-2).

They Said it: "They're traditionally the team that's played the most attractive soccer, with very dangerous attacking personalities and very mobile midfielders.

Against Boston we have had a tendency to be outplayed but still have managed to get results. They're a scary team for us." - Washington Freedom Head Coach Jim Gabarra.

Referee: Misail Tsapos. Assistant Referees: Brenda Wright, Kim Oberle. 4th Official: Jenn Bennett.

Wednesday, July 23, 2003 - New York Power at San Diego Spirit - 10:00 p.m. (ET) - PAX (game will air on Saturday, July 26 at 4 pm ET); (Season Series: San Diego leads 2-0-0) (All-time Series History: San Diego leads 4-2-2

Both teams enter this matchup coming off a loss on Saturday, July 19. Third place San Diego is just one point ahead of fifth place New York, making this contest extremely critical as both club's look to secure a playoff berth. San Diego is coming off a 1-0 loss at Carolina on Saturday. New York suffered a 2-0 loss at Washington on Saturday.

Key Players to Watch: San Diego will welcome back Christine Latham (four goals in her last four games) to the lineup after she missed Saturday's game on Canadian national team duty in a 2-1 win over Brazil on July 20. New York's Shannon Boxx, who played the first two seasons for San Diego, is one of the key reasons behind the Power's turnaround this year. Look for Boxx to have her hands full as she tries to contain San Diego's Aly Wagner and Julie Foudy. She's been quiet lately, but San Diego's Julie Fleeting (8g, 4 a, 20 pts - 8th in the WUSA) is one of the most dangerous forwards in the world. In fact, Fleeting may be the league's most potent scorer in the air with her head. New York's Emily Janss, who has three goals (including one on June 21) in seven all-time games against San Diego, provides a spark off the bench for the Power. Will New York forward Christie Welsh, who has been out since June 21 with a calf injury, make her return? If not, look for rookie Heather Beem out of Clemson to make her fifth consecutive start alongside Tiffeny Milbrett.

Key Matchup: (New York forward Tiffeny Milbrett versus San Diego defender Joy Fawcett) - Two of the most dominant players at their position will go head-to-head. Fawcett along with her defensive teammates, will try to keep the high scoring Milbrett off the scoreboard. Milbrett has yet to register a goal against the Spirit. In six matches against the Spirit, Milbrett has only collected four assists. However, Milbrett, who found the woodwork twice in the last meeting between these two clubs, is due for a big day.

The "Inside Scoop": These two clubs played a highly entertaining match on June 21 in San Diego, a 4-2 Spirit victory that could have gone either way. Julie Fleeting had two goals to lead the Spirit. Although held scoreless, New York's Tiffeny Milbrett hit the left post and crossbar in the second half of that match. Milbrett has not scored in six all-time games against San Diego. The Spirit is the only team that Milbrett has not tallied a goal against in her WUSA career. Milbrett has collected four assists against San Diego. The Power will look to break a three-game losing streak to the Spirit. Five of the eight games in this series have been decided by a goal or less. New York's Shannon Boxx, Margaret Tietjen and Carly Smolak return to San Diego after being traded to New York in the offseason. New York defender Cheryl Salisbury and midfielder Joey Peters will miss the game against the Spirit due to Australian national team duty.

They Said it: ""It should be an interesting game, especially with regards to the trade the two teams made last year. San Diego has a very good attacking offense and looks good on paper." - New York Head Coach Tom Sermanni.

Referee: Rachel Woo. Assistant Referees: Bryan Elliott, Sandra Belmont. 4th Official: Pat Novak

Saturday, July 26, 2003 - Atlanta Beat at New York Power - 7:00 p.m. (ET) - MSG (New York); Comcast Sports Southeast (Atlanta); (Season Series: Atlanta leads 1-0-0) (All-time Series History: Atlanta leads 5-0-2)

The Atlanta Beat battled the Boston Breakers to a 0-0 tie on Saturday, July 19 at Nickerson Field and earned three points after defeating the Charge 1-0 on Wednesday, July 16 at Villanova Stadium. New York will enter its match with Atlanta coming off a midweek match with San Diego on Wednesday, July 23 at Torero Stadium. The last meeting between these two teams resulted in a 5-0 victory for the Beat on April 5, 2003 at Herndon Stadium. Four different Beat players scored in the lopsided victory.

Key Players to Watch: Atlanta's Charmaine Hooper (7g, 7a, 21 pts. - tied for 6th among WUSA scoring leaders) is the Beat's all-time leading scorer versus the Power, notching six goals and one assist for 13 points (seven matches). Hooper is one of five WUSA players to have recorded 70 or more points during her career. Forward Maribel Dominguez (7g, 4a, 18 pts. - 10th among WUSA scoring leaders) returned to the Beat lineup last week after missing three games due to World Cup Qualifying with Mexico. Dominguez recorded her first-career WUSA goal against the Power on April 5, 2003. Goalkeeper Briana Scurry (8-3-4, 0.80 GAA) recorded two shutouts last week. The league's all-time leader in shutouts (20) tied her single-season high of seven shutouts with a 0-0 draw versus Boston on July 19. New York's Tiffeny Milbrett (4g, 5a, 13 pts. - prior to the July 23 match versus San Diego) is the only Power player to record two or more goals versus the Beat all-time. Milbrett is tied (with Carolina Danielle Fotopoulos) as the all-time leading scorer in WUSA history (76 points - 30 goals, 16 assists). Midfielder Shannon Boxx (7a, 7 pts. - prior to the July 23 match versus San Diego) is one assist away from tying the New York record for assists in a season (Milbrett with eight in 2002). Boxx will be looking for her first-career WUSA point versus the Beat (seven games). Midfielder Krista Davey (3g, 2a, 8 pts. - prior to the July 23, match versus San Diego) has tallied two game-winning goals for the Power this season. Davey came off the bench last season to score the game-tying goal in stoppage time versus the Beat (May 11, 2002).

Key Matchup: (Atlanta forward Charmaine Hooper versus New York defender Lauren Orlandos) - Orlandos should get the start in central defense, while Cheryl Salisbury is away with the Australian national team. Orlandos, the Power's second round draft pick and ninth overall, will have her hands full with Hooper. Hooper has tallied six career goals against the Power. The 5-foot-10 Orlandos will look to use her size and strength to contain the physical Hooper.

The "Inside Scoop": Atlanta has never lost to New York (5-0-2), outscoring the Power 19-5. The Beat holds a 3-0-0 record at Mitchel Athletic Complex all-time. Atlanta has won three straight versus New York by a combined score of 11-1. Tiffeny Milbrett is the only New York player to have scored multiple goals versus Atlanta all-time. New York's only multiple-goal performance versus the Beat took place on May 11, 2002. Krista Davey came off the bench to score the game-tying goal in stoppage time (3-3 draw).

They Said it: "The biggest key to this weekend's game is recognizing the New York is a much improved team from when we faced them on opening day. They are playing well and playing with great confidence. We've also got to recognize that Milbrett can turn her game on at any time, so we just have to keep playing as hard as we can. This team (the Beat) enjoys playing on the road and understands what it takes to get points away from home."" - Atlanta Beat Head Coach Tom Stone on New York.

Referee: Erich Simmons. Assistant Referees: Sharon Wheeler, Steve Karaduzovic. 4th Official: TBD.

Saturday, July 26, 2003 - Carolina Courage at Philadelphia Charge - 7:00 p.m. (ET) - No TV; (Season Series: Series tied 0-0-1) (All-time Series History: Philadelphia leads 5-1-1)

Carolina kept its playoff hopes alive with a 1-0 victory over San Diego on Saturday, July 19 at SAS Stadium. Philadelphia dropped a 1-0 loss to Atlanta on Wednesday, July 16 at Villanova Stadium and a 2-1 lost to San Jose on Sunday, July 20 at Spartan Stadium. The last meeting between these two teams resulted in a 2-2 draw on May 31, 2003 at Villanova Stadium. Forward Marinette Pichon tallied two goals in that match.

Key Players to Watch: Carolina's Birgit Prinz (9g, 3a, 21 pts. - tied of 6th among WUSA scoring leaders) is tied for team lead in game-winning goals this season with two. Prinz' four points (1g, 2a) all-time against the Charge are the fewest by the German international versus a WUSA club (also against San Diego). Defender Nel Fettig (2g, 2a, 6 pts.) notched the game-winning goal for the Courage on July 19. Both of Fettig's goals this season have been game-winning goals. Goalkeeper Kristin Luckenbill (6-4-3, 1.46 GAA) registered her fourth shutout of the 2003 season on July 19. Luckenbill's three saves on July 19 put the Carolina 'keeper over the 200 saves mark for her career (201). Philadelphia's Pichon (10g, 2a, 22 pts. - tied for 2nd among WUSA scoring leaders) has recorded seven goals for 14 points all-time versus the Courage (four matches). Pichon has been held scoreless in three straight matches for only the second time in her WUSA career. Forward/midfielder Melanie Hoffmann (5g, 5a, 15 pts.) scored the Charge's only goal of the week (July 20). Carolina is the only team that Hoffmann has not recorded a point against in her WUSA career. Rookie Goalkeeper Hope Solo (1-3-0, 1.50 GAA) made her fourth start of the 2003 season on July 20. Solo has never faced the Courage in her brief WUSA career.

Key Matchup: (Carolina defender Danielle Slaton versus Philadelphia forward Marinette Pichon) - Pichon has had more success versus the Courage than any other WUSA club during her career (7 goals, 14 points in 4 matches). Despite being held scoreless in her last three matches, Pichon is still tied for the league lead in goals scored (10). In the previous meeting between Carolina and Philadelphia, Pichon registered two goals. Slaton and the Carolina defense ranks sixth in the WUSA, allowing 1.69 goals per game. Pichon leads the league in goals per game in 2003 (0.71). Carolina has never held the French international scoreless.

The "Inside Scoop": A loss or a tie by the Charge will eliminate Philadelphia from playoff contention. Philadelphia has never lost to Carolina at Villanova Stadium (3-0-1), outscoring the Courage 12-3. Marinette Pichon has recorded three of her seven career multiple-goal games versus the Courage. Birgit Prinz and Danielle Slaton are the only two players on the active Courage roster to score a goal versus the Charge. Philadelphia is winless in its last seven matches.

They Said it: "Saturday's match with Philadelphia is of extreme importance. We know that we need a victory to keep our playoff hopes alive. The last time we played the Charge, we were able to get a late goal to even the match at two and earn a much-needed point. This time, we will need three points if we want to play in the post-season." - Carolina Courage Head Coach Jay Entlich on Philadelphia.

Referee: Kari Seitz. Assistant Referees: Adam Smeltz; Kim Oberle. 4th Official: Stan Nagle.

Saturday, July 26, 2003 - San Diego Spirit at Washington Freedom - 7:00 p.m. (ET) - No TV; (Season Series: San Diego leads 1-0-0) (All-time Series History: Series tied 3-3-1)

Both San Diego and Washington will enter this weekend's match coming off midweek contests. On Wednesday, July 23, San Diego plays New York at Torero Stadium and Washington faces Boston at Nickerson Field. The last meeting between these two teams resulted in 2-1 victory for the Spirit on July 16 at Torero Stadium. Forward Julie Fleeting registered a goal and an assist to lead San Diego past Washington in their first meeting of the 2003 season.

Key Players to Watch: San Diego's Fleeting (8g, 4a, 20 pts. - prior to the July 23 match versus New York) averages 1.50 points per game versus the Freedom all-time. The Scottish international leads the Spirit in game-winning goals this season with three. Forward Christine Latham (5g, 2a, 12 pts. - prior to the July 23 match versus New York) has scored four of her five goals this season during the month of July. Latham recorded her last goal versus the Freedom on July 16. Midfielder Julie Foudy (3g, 2a, 8 pts. - prior to the July 23 match versus New York) has recorded more assists versus the Freedom than any other San Diego player all-time (3). Foudy's first-career WUSA points came against Washington on May 5, 2001 (two assists). Washington's Abby Wambach (9g, 4a, 22 pts. - prior to the July 23 match versus Boston) is the Freedom's all-time leading scorer versus the Spirit (4g, 1a, 9 pts. in four matches). On July 16, Wambach was held scoreless versus San Diego for the first time in her WUSA career. Forward Mia Hamm (7g, 9a, 23 pts. - prior to the July 23 match versus Boston) has surpassed her career-high of points in a single season (22 in 2002). Hamm is the only player in Washington history to record multiple goals and multiple assists versus San Diego during her career. Goalkeeper Siri Mullinix (prior to the July 23 match versus Boston) holds a 2-3-1 record with a 1.51 goals against average versus San Diego all-time (six matches). Mullinix is one victory away from becoming the fourth 'keeper to record 20 wins during her career.

Key Matchup: (San Diego defender Joy Fawcett versus Washington forward Abby Wambach) - Wambach averages 2.25 points per game versus the Spirit in her career (four matches). The Freedom forward was held scoreless for the first time in her WUSA career versus San Diego on July 16, 2003. Fawcett and the Spirit defense ranks second in the WUSA, allowing 1.29 goals per game this season.

The "Inside Scoop": Washington holds a 2-1-0 edge in the all-time series versus San Diego at RFK Stadium. San Diego has the worst road winning percentage in WUSA history (7-14-9, .383). Washington has won its last two matches at home. San Diego is winless in its last five road matches.

They Said it: "They've been a real hot and cold team, either playing really well or they can't find a way to get results. What they're looking for is consistency. I think we've had the upper hand but we've had a couple of bad performances against them. It's been a good matchup in the past because they haven't been a very destructive team, they want to play entertaining, possession-type soccer." - Washington Freedom Head Coach Jim Gabarra on San Diego.

Referee: Jenn Bennett. Assistant Referees: Thomas Supple, Bill Dittmar. 4th Official: Martha Sinclair. Referee: Todd Perry. Assistant Referees: Stan Nagle, Ed Marco. 4th Official: Jason Cullum. Sunday, July 27, 2003 - Boston Breakers at San Jose CyberRays - 6:00 p.m. (ET) - No TV; (Season Series: Boston leads 1-0-0) (All-time Series History: Boston leads 3-2-2)

Boston enters its match with San Jose coming off a midweek matchup with Washington on Wednesday, July 23 at Nickerson Field. San Jose kept its playoff hopes alive with a 2-1 victory over Philadelphia on Sunday, July 20 at Spartan Stadium. The last meeting between these two teams resulted in a 1-0 victory for the Breakers on May 31, 2003 at Nickerson Field. Forward Dagny Mellgren notched the game's only goal to lead Boston to its fourth win of the season.

Key Players to Watch: Boston's Mellgren (10g, 2a, 22 pts. - prior to the July 23 match versus Washington) has recorded two goals and three assist for seven points versus the CyberRays all-time (seven matches). Mellgren is one of four players in WUSA history to record 70 or more points during her career. Forward/midfielder Maren Meinert (8g, 6a, 22 pts. - prior to the July 23 match versus Washington) has had the least amount of success versus San Jose than any other WUSA team during her career (1g, 3a, 5 pts. in six matches). Meinert is one of two players in WUSA history to record 20 or more goals and 20 or more assists during her career (Carolina's Danielle Fotopoulos is the other). Goalkeeper Karina LeBlanc (7-4-5, 1.50 GAA - prior to the July 23 match versus Washington) holds a 3-1-1 record with a 0.83 goals against average versus the CyberRays all-time (five matches). Two of LeBanc's four career shutouts have been registered against the CyberRays. San Jose's Katia (3g, 2a, 8 pts.) has scored a goal in two of the CyberRays' last three games. The Brazilian international has struggled in finding the back of the net versus Boston, tallying two goals and one assist for five points (a career low) all-time (seven matches). Midfielder Sissi (3g, 5a, 11 pts.) registered her third game-winning assist of the 2003 season on July 20. Sissi is the league's all-time leader in game-winning assists (11). Goalkeeper LaKeysia Beene (6-7-2, 1.20 GAA) recorded her 25th career victory on July 20. Beene has started in net more than any other 'keeper in WUSA history (55 starts).

Key Matchup: (Boston forwards Dagny Mellgren and Maren Meinert versus San Jose defenders Kelly Lindsey and Thori Bryan) - One of the league's most potent scoring tandems, Mellgren and Meinert have scored 18 of the team's 25 goals in 2003 (72 percent). Bryan and Lindsey anchor the league's third best defense, averaging 1.31 goals per game allowed in 2003.

The "Inside Scoop": The series history between these two teams is tied 1-1-1 at Spartan Stadium. Boston holds the distinction of scoring more goals in a single game against the CyberRays in a Spartan Stadium match than any team (4) and holding the largest lead over the CyberRays in Spartan than any team (4-0). Boston is unbeaten in its last three matches versus San Jose (2-0-1). They Said it: "Boston has two of the finest goal-scorers in the world, and that's what we have to take care of first. Then we've got to figure out a way to make them pay in the middle and in the back.." - San Jose CyberRays Head Coach Ian Sawyers on Boston.

Referee: Arnold Baldeaux. Assistant Referees: TBD, Yader Reyes. 4th Official: Romy Kozak.

TEAM INJURY REPORTS AS OF 07/21/03
ATLANTA BEAT: None.
BOSTON BREAKERS: OUT -GK Tracy Ducar (tendinitis in both knees).
CAROLINA COURAGE: OUT - M Hege Riise (R ACL tear); F Danielle Fotopoulos (L ACL tear); D Breanna Boyd (concussion); PROBABLE -D Danielle Borgman (Shin Splints).
NEW YORK POWER: OUT - D Sara Whalen (R ACL tear); F Christie Welsh (L calf strain); F Tammy Pearman (L knee sprain).
PHILADELPHIA CHARGE: OUT - F Kelly Smith (R meniscus tear); F Deliah Arrington (R ACL tear); D Heather Mitts (broken R tibia); M Pavlina Scasna (L foot tendonitis); D Alexa Borisjuk (L hamstring strain); F Trina Maso de Moya (L ankle sprain.
SAN DIEGO SPIRIT: OUT - F Shannon MacMillan (R ACL tear).
SAN JOSE CYBERRAYS: OUT - F Pretinha (R ACL tear); QUESTIONABLE - D Brandi Chastain (L quad strain); PROBABLE - D Keri Sanchez (R hamstring strain); M Katie Antongiovanni (R Hamstring strain); D Kelly Lindsey (R knee sprain).
WASHINGTON FREEDOM: OUT - D Emmy Barr (L meniscus tear).

NATIONAL TEAM DUTY AS OF 07/21/03
ATLANTA BEAT: None.
BOSTON BREAKERS: None.
CAROLINA COURAGE: None.
NEW YORK POWER: D Cheryl Salisbury (Australia); M Joanne Peters (Australia)
PHILADELPHIA CHARGE: None.
SAN DIEGO SPIRIT: None.
SAN JOSE CYBERRAYS: D Dianne Alagich (Australia)
WASHINGTON FREEDOM: M Kelly Golebiowski (Australia)

suspension Summary 07/2103

Player Team Suspension Reason
None

Warning Summary 07/21/03

Player Team Reason

Christie Welsh New York Power 3 Non - Consecutive Yellow Cards Accumulated: A caution in the next game will result in a 1 game suspension =4 non- consecutive cards accumulated.

Shannon Boxx New York Power 3 Non - Consecutive Yellow Cards Accumulated: A caution in the next game will result in a 1 game suspension =4 non- consecutive cards accumulated.

Skylar Little Washington Freedom 2 Consecutive Yellow Cards Accumulated: A caution in the next game will result in a 1 game suspension =3 consecutive cards accumulated.

Birgit Prinz Carolina Courage 3 Non - Consecutive Yellow Cards Accumulated: A caution in the next game will result in a 1 game suspension =4 non- consecutive cards accumulated.

TEAM-BY-TEAM NOTES

atlanta beat: Atlanta began a five-game road trip with a 1-0 victory over Philadelphia at Villanova Stadium on Wednesday, July 16 and a 0-0 draw against second place Boston at Nickerson Field on Saturday, July 19...Forward Cindy Parlow scored the game-winning goal against Philadelphia, via an assist from Homare Sawa...Parlow has recorded the second highest number of assists (4) for the Beat and is fourth on the team for goals scored (4)...Goalkeeper Briana Scurry recorded her 20th career shutout (her 7th this season) this week ...Scurry has the highest winning percentage (.667), the highest saves percentage (81.5), and has the most wins (8) of any goalkeeper in the WUSA this season... The Beat became the first WUSA team in league history to reach the 30-win mark during its history as well as the first team to record 100 points... With four games left in the season, Atlanta could surpass the league record for points in one season set by Carolina (40 points in 2002)...The Beat could earn up to 12 points during remainder of the season, which would bring the team's season total to 44 points... Atlanta continues to hold the number one spot in the WUSA standings by six points, boasting the league's number one ranked defense (0.76 goals allowed per game) and number two ranked offense (1.88 goals per game).

boston breakers: The Breakers played to a 0-0 draw with Atlanta at Nickerson Field on Saturday, July 19...Boston remains in control of the number two spot in WUSA league standings, six points behind Atlanta and two points in front of third place San Diego...At 7-4-5, Boston has five games left, two at home and three on the road...The Breakers' magic number (a combination of Boston winning and or other WUSA teams tying/losing) to clinch a playoff spot is 10 and 13 to clinch homefield advantage in the playoffs... Boston is 4-2-3 at home and 3-2-2 on the road...Goalkeeper Karina LeBlanc recorded seven saves, several from point blank range in Saturday's draw with Atlanta... The shutout was LeBlanc's second of the season... LeBlanc leads the league in saves (67) and has a (72.8) save percentage... Forward Dagny Mellgren is the only player in WUSA history to record 10 or more goals in each of the league's first three season... The Breakers offense is ranked fifth in the league (1.56 goals per game) and their defense is ranked fourth (1.50 goals allowed per game).

carolina courage: The Courage secured a much-needed 1-0 win over the San Diego Spirit on Saturday, July 19 to keep them in the hunt for postseason action... With a record of 6-7-3, Carolina sits in sixth place in WUSA standings, four points out of the last playoff spot with five games left in the regular season ...Defender Nel Fettig scored the game-winning goal for the Courage via a corner kick from defender Brooke O'Hanley...Both of Fettig's goals this season have been game-winning... Fettig is fourth on the Courage for points scored (6)...Forward Birgit Prinz leads the Courage and is tied for fourth in the WUSA in goals scored (9)... The Courage defense is ranked sixth in the league (1.69 goals allowed per game) while the offense in ranked fourth (1.63 goals per game).

new york power: The New York Power fell to the Washington Freedom 2-0 on Saturday, July 19 at RFK Stadium...At 7-8-2 with four games left in the regular season, New York sits in fifth place in WUSA standings, just two points away from one of four playoff spots... Tiffeny Milbrett and Christie Welsh are the top goal scorers for the Power, netting 36 precent (10 out of 28) of all New York goals this season ... The duo is also responsible for 27 percent of Power assists this season (25 out of 92) ...Milbrett is ranked 13th in the league (with 13 assists) and Welsh ranks 15th (with 12 assists)... Former Head Coach Pat Farmer was named the new head soccer coach at Tennessee Tech University... Australians Cheryl Salisbury and Joey Peters will both miss the Power's next two games, due to national team duty... New York is unbeaten in its last four matches (2-0-2 a new team record)... The Power defense is ranked eighth in team defense (2.18 goals per game) and third in team offense (1.65 goals per game)

philadelphia charge: The Charge remains at the bottom of the WUSA standings with a 2-1 loss to San Jose Sunday, July 20 at Torero Stadium and a 1-0 defeat to Atlanta on Wednesday, July 16 at Villanova Stadium... ...Philadelphia is winless in its last seven games (0-5-2)...It's the second time this season the Charge have lost four straight...The Charge won't finish with a winning record for the first time in team history (9-8-4 in 2001, 11-4-6 in 2002)... Marinette Pichon returned to the lineup on Wednesday, July 16 after missing two games with a back injury...The reigning MVP, who was held scoreless versus the CyberRays on July 20, has never scored against San Jose (the only WUSA team that has kept her from finding the back of the net)...Pichon still leads the league in goals per 90 minutes (0.74)... Melanie Hoffman scored the lone goal of the week for the Charge, her fifth of the season...The Charge scored only one goal in three games this season against the CyberRays (San Jose outscored Philadelphia 5-1 in the three-game sweep)...Philadelphia ranks sixth in team offense (1.35 goals per game) and seventh in team defense (2.12 goals per game).

san diego spirit: San Diego lost to Carolina 1-0 on Saturday, July 19 at SAS Stadium, days after topping Washington 2-1 Wednesday, July 16 in front of the largest crowd to ever see a game at Torero Stadium (6,733)... San Diego has been shut out three times this season, all on the road...The team has gone 190 minutes without a goal on the road...Christine Latham helped lead the Canadian national team to a 2-1 win over Brazil on Saturday, July 19...The Spirit are 0-2-1 without Latham...Against Washington, the Spirit won its first game that started after 6 p.m. (1-4-5)...Julie Fleeting had a goal and an assist and ranks eighth in the WUSA in points scored (20)... The Spirit will play the Freedom two more times (July 26 in Washington, Aug. 9 in San Diego)... Defender Kim Pickup was helped off the field late in the first half with what was described as heart palpitations... San Diego needs one win to tie a team record (7)...The final four games for the third-place Spirit are against Carolina, New York and Washington, teams 4-6 in the WUSA standings... San Diego ranks seventh in team offense (1.35 goals per game) and second in team defense (1.31 goals per game).

san jose cyberrays: San Jose came off a bye week with a 2-1 win over Philadelphia Sunday, July 20 at Spartan Stadium...Katie Barnes, who scored the game-winning goal, has two goals this season, both game-winners against Philadelphia...Brandi Chastain did not play and the CyberRays won for the first time this season without their captain (1-2-0)...The team is 2-4-1 without Chastain all-time...San Jose outscored Philadelphia 5-1 in a three-game season sweep... With Katia scoring the first goal Sunday against Philadelphia and Sissi assisting on the second, all 20 CyberRays' goals this season have been scored by, or been assisted by one of the team's three Brazilian players (Pretinha)... The streak of consecutive goals with Brazilian participation is 27... The last goal without Brazilian input was July 27, 2002, when Lisa Nañez scored the first goal unassisted in a 4-1 victory over New York...Christina Bell's assist was her first point since July 27, 2002... Bell was activated for the game because of a season-ending injury to Pretinha...Katia won the ESPY on Wednesday night (July 16) for Best Female Soccer player, honoring her performance last season when she set a league record with 36 points...San Jose ranks eighth in team offense (1.19 goals per game) and third in team defense (1.31 goals per game).

washington freedom: Washington bounced back with a 2-0 win over New York Saturday, July 19 at RFK Stadium after losing a tough 2-1 battle to San Diego on Wednesday, July 16 at Torero Stadium...Abby Wambach's two goal-performance against New York was her third multiple-goal game of the season, tying her for the league lead with Boston's Maren Meinert and Philadelphia's Marinette Pichon... Mia Hamm's assist vaulted her into the league lead in points (23)...Wambach ranks second with 22 points...Siri Mullinix, who leads the league with 68 catch/punches, recorded her fourth shutout on July 19...The Freedom is 3-5-2 in past 10 games, but still leads New York by a point for the fourth playoff spot...Washington ranks first in team offense (1.88 goals per game) and fifth in team defense (1.56 goals per game).



Women's United Soccer Association Stories from July 21, 2003


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