Power Now Eyeing Playoffs

Published on July 14, 2003 under Women's United Soccer Association (WUSA) News Release


ATLANTA (Monday, July 14, 2003) - Following a nightmare 3-17-1 season in 2002 and some interesting personnel changes during the offseason, many soccer experts were skeptical of the New York Power's chances of climbing out of the WUSA's cellar. With less than a month remaining in the 2003 season, New York has answered the skeptics and is in prime position to return to the WUSA postseason.

Following an 0-3 start, the Power looked like the WUSA's doormat once again. However, New York has rebounded to go 7-4-2 since the team's early season woes.

The club is currently in third place (7-7-2, 23 pts.), its highest position in the WUSA table since April 20, 2002. With five games remaining, New York will likely need 7-10 points to qualify for the WUSA playoffs.

Although Tiffeny Milbrett is the Power's leading scorer, the U.S. national team striker is on pace to score a career low for goals. Her game-winning goal on Sunday against Brazil may spark her WUSA output, but Milbrett has scored just four goals after registering 16 (2001) and 10 (2002) during the WUSA's first two seasons. Milbrett's teammates have stepped up their scoring to provide a much-needed boost. In fact, New York boasts a WUSA-high 12 players that have scored in 2003. No other WUSA team has had more than nine players score this season.

The vast array of personnel changes made during the offseason are paying off. First-year Head Coach Tom Sermanni's bold move to trade the number one overall selection in the WUSA Draft to San Diego has seen dividends as the results of that trade - Shannon Boxx, Christie Welsh, Margaret Tietjen and Carly Smolak - have all contributed for the Power. Welsh, the number two pick in the 2003 WUSA Draft, leads the club with six goals and Boxx has revitalized her promising career under Sermanni.

"I think she's been the best midfield player in the WUSA this season," said Sermanni regarding Boxx's contribution. "I've never seen her dominated by any midfield player in this league this year."

But it's not just the starters that have made a difference, as 11 newcomers have seen action in 2003. Sermanni has gone deep into his depth chart at times due to injuries and national team call-ups. Reserves such as Krista Davey, Tammy Pearman and Heather Beem have led the Power to victory on multiple occasions.

With only two of the Power's remaining five games at home, New York will need to continue its success on the road. Sermanni's club is 4-4 in 2003 away from home. New York's next step toward a playoff berth begins on Saturday when the Power travels to Washington to take on the Freedom.

JAPAN CLAIMS FINAL BERTH FOR WOMEN'S WORLD CUP WITH 2-0 VICTORY OVER MEXICO: Atlanta Beat midfielder Homare Sawa's goal led Japan to a 2-0 victory over Mexico on Saturday, July 12 at Tokyo's National Stadium, earning the Japanese squad the 16th and final berth to qualify for the FIFA Women's World Cup USA 2003. Japan and Mexico had earlier played to a 2-2 draw on July 5 in the first leg of their two-leg playoff. For Japan, the victory qualifies the country for its fourth consecutive FIFA Women's World Cup, bringing to eight the total number of teams that have played in each FIFA Women's World Cup tournament since the inaugural 1991 competition (along with Brazil, China, Germany, Nigeria, Norway, Sweden and the United States). Sawa scored the opening goal past Mexican goalkeeper Pamela Tajonar on a header in the 56th minute on an assist from Emi Yamamoto. Mexico was still in it toward the end of the match, but an 83rd minute goal from second-half substitute Karina Maruyama clinched the triumph for the Japanese. The Final Draw for the FIFA Women's World Cup USA 2003 takes place Thursday, July 17 to decide all the matchups for the 32-game, 16-team, four-group tournament. WUSA President & CEO Lynn Morgan and many of the league's players will be in Los Angeles for the Final Draw on Thursday.

FIFA Women's World Cup USA 2003 Finalists AFC (4): China, Japan, North Korea, South Korea CAF (2): Ghana, Nigeria CONCACAF (2.5): Canada, USA CONMEBOL (2): Argentina, Brazil OFC (1): Australia UEFA (5): France, Germany, Norway, Russia, Sweden

WUSA STAT OF THE WEEK - The Century mark curse?: As of July 14, 2003, the WUSA has tallied 709 goals during its first three seasons, averaging 3.11 goals per game all-time. On Saturday, July 13, Atlanta's Ifeoma Dieke recorded the WUSA's 700th goal. The score came during the 26th minute of the Beat's 2-1 victory over the Washington Freedom. Of the previous milestone marks, the last four have been scored by members of the Carolina Courage. Forward Danielle Fotopoulos notched both goals 500 and 600 and midfielder Hege Riise tallied goals 300 and 400. Of the four players in WUSA history to notch each milestone goal, none are currently active on their team's roster. Fotopoulos and Riise are both out for the season with ACL tears. San Diego's Shannon MacMillan (200th goal) is also out with an ACL tear. Former Philadelphia standout Liu Ailing (100th goal) retired during the offseason. Below is a listing of these milestone goals:

Player Goal Status
Liu Ailing 100 Retired
Shannon MacMillan 200 Torn ACL
Hege Riise 300 Torn ACL
Hege Riise 400 Torn ACL
Danielle Fotopoulos 500 Torn ACL
Danielle Fotopoulos 600 Torn ACL
Ifeoma Dieke 700 On Atlanta's active roster

INTERNATIONALS HEAD LIST OF TOP SCORERS: Some of the likely stars of the FIFA Women's World Cup USA 2003 head the list of the of names atop the WUSA scoring chart. U.S. national team standout Mia Hamm is having her best WUSA season, but the scoring chart currently features an international flavor with seven of the league's top 10 scorers hailing from countries outside of the United States.

WUSA LEADERS - POINTS SCORED
PLAYER TEAM GP GOALS ASTS PTS
1 Meinert, Maren (Germany) BOS 15 8 6 22
Mellgren, Dagny (Norway) BOS 14 10 2 22
Pichon, Marinette (France) PHI 12 10 2 22
4 Hamm, Mia (USA) WAS 12 7 7 21
Hooper, Charmaine (Canada) ATL 15 7 7 21
Prinz, Birgit (Germany) CAR 14 9 3 21
7 Fotopoulos, Danielle (USA) CAR 12 7 6 20
8 Dominguez, Maribel (Mexico) ATL 12 7 4 18
Wambach, Abby (USA) WAS 11 7 4 18
10 Fleeting, Julie (Scotland) SD 13 7 3 17

ATLANTA ON A ROLL; BEAT HITS THE ROAD FOR FIVE STRAIGHT: The Atlanta Beat won its fourth match in the club's last five games with a 2-1 win over Washington on Saturday, July 12 to improve to 8-3-4 (28 pts.) on the season (first place). Now, the Beat hits the road to try and win the WUSA's regular season championship. Atlanta will play five consecutive games away from Herndon Stadium before returning home for the Beat's final regular season match against New York on Sunday, August 10. The future looks bright for the Beat, as Head Coach Tom Stone's club is the only WUSA team to have a winning record on the road all-time in WUSA regular season play. Atlanta is 11-9-6 on the road during the WUSA's three seasons. Carolina (at 11-11-6) is the only other WUSA team to have a non-losing record on the road in WUSA history. Atlanta has a shot at eclipsing the WUSA's record for points in a season if the Beat can make a run during the latter part of the season. Carolina's 40 points in 2003 are the most in one season.

the most prolific scoring tandem in wusa history: Scoring a combined 55 goals and 37 assists for 147 points Boston's Dagny Mellgren and Maren Meinert are the most prolific scoring tandem in WUSA history. Meinert (third all-time in points in the WUSA) is one of only two players (Carolina's Danielle Fotopoulos the other) to have registered 20 goals and 20 assists during her career. Meinert, the WUSA's all-time leader in assists, is one helper away from becoming the first player to reach 30 assists. Mellgren (fifth all-time in points in the WUSA) became the third player in WUSA history to register 30 or more goals during her career. The Norwegian international notched the Breakers' first hat trick on July 13, making her the league's all-time leading goal scorer (32). The two are responsible for 61 percent of the Breakers all-time goals scored (55 of 90) and 49 percent of the team's all-time points (147 of 303). Both Meinert and Mellgren have tallied either a goal or an assist in the same game 25 times during their WUSA careers. Of Meinert's 53 career games played in the WUSA, the German international has registered a point in 38. Mellgren has notched a goal or an assist in 30 matches during her career. In 2003, Boston is 7-2-3 when either Meinert or Mellgren registers a point. Both are tied (with Philadelphia's Marinette Pichon) for the league lead in scoring this season (22 points).

Grubb continues to be the ironwoman of the wusa: Washington's Jennifer Grubb has played every minute of every match for the Freedom during her WUSA career (5,040 - 5,220 including the playoffs). Not only is Grubb the only WUSA player to have never missed a minute of action since April 13, 2001 but, she is the only player to have played in every match in her team's history. Grubb has played and started in all 56 matches during the Freedom's history.

Carolina's Nel Fettig has played in every single match for her club (57). However, Fettig was waived by the New York Power prior to the start of the 2002 season and was claimed by the Courage. During her career, Fettig played in all 21 matches (starting in all 21) for the Power in 2001 and has never missed a match for Carolina, seeing action in 36 games in her two seasons with Carolina.

THE "NATURAL" (HAT TRICK): Boston's Dagny Mellgren became the eighth player in WUSA history to record a hat trick with her three-goal performance versus Philadelphia on Sunday, July 13. The league's all-time leading goal scorer (32) netted goals number eight, nine and 10 of the 2003 season in a 20-minute span. With no other player recording a goal on either team during that span, Mellgren's hat trick became the fourth natural hat trick in league history. All three hat tricks during the 2001 season (Tiffeny Milbrett - 6/22/01; Liu Ailing; Charmaine Hooper - 8/9/01) were natural hat tricks. Of the nine total hat tricks in WUSA history, four (the most in one season) have been recorded during the 2003 season. Prior to Sunday, July 13, Atlanta's Maribel Dominguez (4/12/03) and Cindy Parlow (6/22/03), and Washington's Abby Wambach (5/10/03) all recorded hat tricks this season.

Other Hat Trick notes: Tiffeny Milbrett is the only player in WUSA history to record multiple hat trick matches... San Diego is the only team to have never been involved in a hat trick match (neither recording one or having one recorded on them)... During the previous two WUSA seasons, the league's Most Valuable Player has recorded a hat trick during the season... Atlanta is the only team in WUSA history to have a hat trick recorded by two different players in the same season... Three of the four hat tricks in 2003 have been recorded against Philadelphia. atlanta closing in on the century mark: The Atlanta Beat is looking to become the first team in WUSA history to record 100 points. The Beat sits atop the all-time WUSA standings with a 29-16-12 record for 99 points. No other WUSA club has tallied more than 90 points to date.

who will be the first team to 100 goals?: Five teams are closing in on the 100-goal mark. The Atlanta Beat is five goals away (95 total) followed by the Carolina Courage, Washington Freedom and Philadelphia Charge (seven goals away - 93 total) and the Boston Breakers (10 goals away - 90 total). During the first three seasons of the WUSA, Atlanta has averaged 1.67 goals per game in 57 matches. Carolina and Philadelphia averages 1.63 goals per game in 57 matches. Washington averages 1.66 goals per game in 56 matches and Boston averages 1.58 goals per game in 57 matches.

KLUEGEL TO BE ON WUSA.COM CHAT THIS WEEK: Boston defender Jena Kluegel will be the featured guest on this week's WUSA.com live web chat on Tuesday, July 15. The chat will begin at 4:00 p.m. (ET)/1:00 p.m. (PT) and will last approximately 30 minutes. Kluegel 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 Sixteen)

Wednesday, July 16, 2003 - Atlanta Beat at Philadelphia Charge - 7:00 p.m. (ET) - No TV; (Season Series: Atlanta leads 1-0-0) (All-time Series History: Atlanta leads 3-2-2)

Atlanta extended its home-unbeaten streak to four games with a 2-1 victory over Washington on Saturday, July 12 at Herndon Stadium. Philadelphia dropped its second straight match with a 3-1 loss to Boston on Sunday, July 13 at Nickerson Field. The last meeting between these two teams resulted in a 4-2 victory for the Beat on June 22, 2003 at Herndon Stadium. Forward Cindy Parlow registered her first career hat trick, leading Atlanta to its fifth win of the season.

Key Players to Watch: Atlanta's Charmaine Hooper (7g, 7a, 21 pts. - tied for 4th among WUSA scoring leaders) is the only Beat player to record 20 or more points in each of the team's first three seasons. Atlanta's all-time leading scorer (30g, 13a, 73 pts.), Hooper has never registered a goal versus the Charge (the only WUSA squad). Forward Parlow (3g, 4a, 10 pts.) is the only Atlanta player to record two or more goals versus Philadelphia all-time (six matches). All three of Parlow's goals have been scored versus the Charge this season. Goalkeeper Briana Scurry (7-3-3, 0.92 GAA) will return to Atlanta's lineup after U.S. national team duty (1-0 victory over Brazil) on Sunday, July 13. Scurry leads the WUSA in all-time victories (25). Philadelphia's Melanie Hoffmann (4g, 5a, 13 pts.) leads the Charge in assists during the 2003 season. All four of Hoffmann goals this season have been scored on the road. Midfielder Stacey Tullock (3g, 4a, 10 pts.) had her two-game goal scoring streak snapped on July 13. Tullock has increased her scoring output from the 2002 season by 60 percent. Defender Jennifer Tietjen-Prozzo (1g, 1a, 3 pts.) is the only player in Philadelphia history to record two or more assists versus Atlanta. Her two assists versus the Beat are the most versus any WUSA club during her career.

Key Matchup: (Atlanta forward Cindy Parlow versus Philadelphia defender Jenny Benson) - Parlow has had more success versus the Charge than any other Atlanta player in team history (4g, 1a, 9 pts.). Parlow notched her first-ever WUSA hat trick versus the Charge during their last meeting (June 22). Parlow is responsible for 40 percent of Atlanta's scoring all-time versus Philadelphia. Benson and the Philadelphia defense ranks last in the WUSA, allowing 2.20 goals per game.

The "Inside Scoop": The series between these two teams is tied 1-1-1 all-time at Villanova Stadium. Philadelphia will likely be without the services of its all-time leading scorer Marinette Pichon due to a bruised sciatic nerve. Atlanta will be looking to become the first team in WUSA history to record 30 wins. The Beat is 29-16-12 all-time. Philadelphia has already surpassed its goals allowed total for both 2001 (28) and 2002 (22) with 30. Atlanta has won the last two matches versus Philadelphia, outscoring the Charge 6-2.

They Said it: "Philadelphia is a much better team than their record says. We'll have a lot of things going against us this week, including limited rest, a small field and turf to contend with, so we'll need everyone to rally for these games." - Atlanta Beat Head Coach Tom Stone on Philadelphia.

Referee: Jennifer Bennett. Assistant Referees: Ed Marco, Adam Smeltz. 4th Official: Stanford Nagle.

Wednesday, July 16, 2003 - Washington Freedom at San Diego Spirit - 10:00 p.m. (ET) - Cox 4 (San Diego); CSN-DC (Washington - tape-delayed at 1:30 a.m. ET); (Season Series: First Meeting) (All-time Series History: Washington leads 3-2-1)

Two teams currently tied for the fourth and final playoff position battle for the first time in 2003. Washington is coming off a tough 2-1 loss at Atlanta on Saturday, July 12, while San Diego had the weekend off. The Spirit's last match was a 2-0 loss on the road to Atlanta on Wednesday, July 10. However, key players from both clubs saw plenty of action in Sunday's USA vs. Brazil match in New Orleans. San Diego went 2-0-1 against Washington in 2001, but the Freedom swept the Spirit 3-0 last year (an 8-0 scoring margin). It's been nearly one year since the two clubs met, as Abby Wambach scored the lone goal in a 1-0 victory on July 27, 2002 in the last meeting between these two teams.

Key Players to Watch: Washington's Abby Wambach (7g, 4a, 18 pts. - tied for 8th among WUSA scoring leaders) has four goals in three career games against San Diego. The powerful striker is trying to earn a spot on the U.S. World Cup team and her WUSA performances during the next month may be what earns her a place on April Heinrichs' roster. The always dangerous Mia Hamm (2g, 2a, 6 pts. in five career games against the Spirit) is tied for fourth in WUSA scoring (7g, 7a, 21 pts.) in 2003. The Freedom's versatile Steffi Jones (1g, 2a, 4 pts.) is one of the WUSA's best two-way players. San Diego counters with Scottish international Julie Fleeting who is 10th in WUSA scoring (7g, 3a, 17 pts) and steady defender Joy Fawcett. The Spirit's Aly Wagner (2g, 3a, 7pts) and Julie Foudy (3g, 2a, 8pts) are the midfield orchestrators for one of the league's most creative offenses.

Key Matchup: (San Diego defender Joy Fawcett versus Washington forward Abby Wambach) - Wambach is a woman on a mission ... to earn a spot on the U.S. World Cup team. She realizes each performance during the next month will have an impact on April Heinrichs' decision regarding the final roster. Wambach has had success against the Spirit in the past, but Fawcett is as good as they get in the center of the defense. Look for the 5-foot-9 Kim Pickup to also see plenty of action against the 5-foot-10 Wambach.

The "Inside Scoop": This match will have a major impact on the standings with both clubs currently tied for the fourth spot. More importantly, it is the first of three meetings against each other (essentially half of each team's remaining schedule). With Shannon MacMillan still sidelined with a knee injury, San Diego does not have any current players that have scored a goal against Washington. MacMillan had four of the Spirit's seven all-time goals, while two former Spirit players had the other three goals. Look for Christine Latham (three goals in her last three contests) to challenge the Freedom's back line. How will the U.S. national team players and San Diego's Daniela respond after battling in New Orleans for the U.S. vs. Brazil match on Sunday? San Diego's Joy Fawcett, Aly Wagner, Julie Foudy and Daniela (Brazil) each played Sunday, while Washington's Mia Hamm and Abby Wambach also saw action for the U.S. against Brazil. San Diego continues to struggle at night in 2003. The Spirit is 0-3-5 in games starting after 6 p.m. in 2003. The Spirit is 5-1-1 in games started prior to 6 p.m.

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 Wednesday's match with San Diego.

Referee: David Simon. Assistant Referees: Raymundo Prisco, Kia Dehpanah. 4th Official: Bryan Elliott.

Saturday, July 19, 2003 - Atlanta Beat at Boston Breakers - 4:00 p.m. (ET) - PAX TV (National Broadcast); (Season Series: Atlanta leads 2-0-0) (All-time Series History: Atlanta leads 5-2-1)

Boston maintained its second place position in the WUSA standings with a 3-1 victory over the Philadelphia Charge on Sunday, July 13 at Nickerson Field. Atlanta will enter its match versus the Breakers after battling with Philadelphia in a midweek game on Wednesday, July 16. The last meeting between these two teams resulted in a 3-1 victory for the Beat on May 25, 2003 at Nickerson Field. Charmaine Hooper tallied two goals in Atlanta's fourth straight victory over the Breakers.

Key Players to Watch: Atlanta's Hooper (7g, 7a, 21 pts. - prior to the July 16 match versus Philadelphia) is the team's all-time leading scorer versus the Breakers (4g, 3a, 11 pts.). Twelve of Hooper's 30 goals all-time have been game-winning goals. Midfielder Homare Sawa (3g, 2a, 8 pts. - prior to the July 16 match versus Philadelphia) will return to the Atlanta lineup after scoring the game-winning goal to send Japan to the 2003 FIFA Women's World Cup this fall. Sawa is the Beat's all-time leading goal scorer versus the Breakers (five goals in seven matches). Forward Maribel Dominguez (7g, 4a, 18 pts. - prior to the July 16 match versus Philadelphia) registered her first multiple-goal game (a hat trick on April 12, 2003) and first multiple-assist match (two assists on May 25, 2003) of her WUSA career versus Boston. Dominguez missed Atlanta's last three matches due to Mexican national team duty. Boston's Dagny Mellgren (10g, 2a, 22 pts. - tied for 1st among WUSA scoring leaders) became the league's all-time leading goal scorer (32) after recording her first-career WUSA hat trick on July 13. Mellgren's three-goal performance made her only the third player in WUSA history to record 30 or more goals during her career. Forward/midfielder Maren Meinert (8g, 6a, 22 pts. - tied for 1st among WUSA scoring leaders) recorded her league-leading 29th assist during her career on July 13. Meinert has registered a team-high eight points (2g, 4a) versus the Beat all-time (eight matches). Midfielder Kristine Lilly (3a, 3 pts.) is the only other Boston player (Mellgren and Meinert the other two) to have two or more goals recorded all-time versus Atlanta. Lilly will return to the Breakers' lineup after U.S. national team duty on July 13.

Key Matchup: (Atlanta defenders Sharolta Nonen and Nancy Augustyniak versus Boston forwards Dagny Mellgren and Maren Meinert) The league's most prolific scoring tandem (61 percent of Boston's goals scored all-time - 55 of 90 goals) is responsible for 57 percent of Boston's all-time goals scored versus the Beat (4 of 7 goals). Nonen and Augustyniak anchor the league's top defense (0.87 goals per game allowed) that has held the Breakers to 0.88 goals per game all-time (eight matches).

The "Inside Scoop": Atlanta holds a 5-2-1 record all-time over Boston, outscoring the Breakers 16-7. The Beat has won the last four meetings between these two teams by a combined score of 13-2, including a record-setting 6-0 victory on April 12, 2003. Maren Meinert is looking to become the first player in WUSA history to record 30 assists during her career. The German international currently has 29. Three of the four players who recorded hat tricks this season will take part in this match (Atlanta's Maribel Dominguez and Cindy Parlow; Boston's Dagny Mellgren).

They Said it: "Boston has great leadership, including the captains of each All-Star team, and good leadership is what you need down the stretch. Both of our games versus Boston this season were closer than the scores reflected. We've already won the season series, so I'm sure they will be looking at this game as an opportunity to get one back." - Atlanta Beat Head Coach Tom Stone on Boston.

"Atlanta is a very good team. For us to win, we have to be smart, play with an attitude and a lot of heart." - Boston Breakers Head Coach Pia Sundhage.

Referee: Mark Arblaster. Assistant Referees: Melanie Johnson, Claudiu Badea. 4th Official: Erich Simmons.

Saturday, July 19, 2003 - New York Power at Washington Freedom - 6:30 p.m. (ET) - MSG (New York); CSN-DC (Washington); (Season Series: Washington leads 2-0-0) (All-time Series History: Washington leads 6-2-0)

New York earned its fourth road win of the 2003 season with a 2-1 victory over Carolina on Saturday, July 12 at SAS Stadium. Washington enters its match with New York after a midweek showdown with San Diego on Wednesday, July 16. The last meeting between these two teams resulted in a 4-0 victory for the Freedom. Forward Mia Hamm notched two goals and one assist to lead Washington past the Power.

Key Players to Watch: New York's Tiffeny Milbrett (4g, 5a, 13 pts.) will return to the Power lineup after scoring the game-winning goal versus Brazil on July 13. Milbrett, tied as the top scorer (with Carolina's Danielle Fotopoulos - 76 points), leads New York in points all-time versus the Freedom (4g, 1a, 9 pts. in eight matches). Defender Cheryl Salisbury (2g, 1a, 5 pts.) has scored the game-winning goal in the last two matches for the Power. This will be Salisbury's first-ever meeting with Washington. Midfielder Shannon Boxx (7a, 7 pts.) recorded her team high seventh assist on July 13. Boxx's seven assists during the 2003 season equals her career total for her first two seasons in the WUSA (5 in 2001 ; 2 in 2002). Washington's Mia Hamm (7g, 7a, 21 pts. - prior to the July 16 match versus San Diego) has recorded more goals and assists versus the New York Power than any other WUSA team (7g, 4a, 18 pts. in seven matches). The Freedom's all-time leading scorer (21g, 16a, 58 pts.) is one point shy of tying her career single-season high (22 in 2002). Forward Abby Wambach (7g, 4a, 18 pts. - prior to the July 16 match versus San Diego) has recorded a team-high five assists versus the Power all-time (five matches). The 2002 WUSA Rookie of the Year will be looking for her first-ever goal versus New York. Goalkeeper Siri Mullinix (6-3-3, 1.33 GAA - prior to the July 16 match versus San Diego) is 1-1-2 in her last four starts with a 1.50 goals against average. Mullinix holds a 6-1-0 record with a 0.94 goals against average all-time versus New York (seven matches).

Key Matchup: (New York forward Tiffeny Milbrett versus Washington defender Jennifer Grubb) Milbrett will look to use her explosive speed to add to her four career goals against Washington. In the first meeting last season, Milbrett tallied two goals, but Grubb (the WUSA's ironwoman) has been able to keep her off the scoreboard in their last four meetings.

The "Inside Scoop": Washington has won the last four matches versus the Power by a combined score of 16-8. The series is tied 2-2 at RFK all-time. Tiffeny Milbrett has scored 16 of her last 17 goals on the road. The Power has never allowed the Freedom to register a goal prior to 30th minute. This match will be the second game of a doubleheader with Major League Soccer's D.C. United.

They Said it: "They have a good winning habit, and are a tough team to beat. They are very well organized, and they have a couple of match winners in Abby Wambach and Mia Hamm. It's a big game for us, but a good game to play in." - New York Power Head Coach Tom Sermanni on Washington.

Referee: Todd Perry. Assistant Referees: Stan Nagle, Ed Marco. 4th Official: Jason Cullum.

Saturday, July 19, 2003 - San Diego Spirit at Carolina Courage - 7:00 p.m. (ET) - Cox 4 (San Diego); Fox Sports South (Carolina); (Season Series: San Diego leads 1-0-0) (All-time Series History: Carolina leads 4-1-2)

San Diego enters its match with Carolina coming off a midweek game versus Washington on Wednesday, July 16. Carolina dropped its first home match in three games with a 2-1 loss to New York on Saturday, July 12 at SAS Stadium. The last meeting between these two teams resulted in a 2-1 victory for San Diego on May 24, 2003. Midfielders Julie Foudy and Aly Wagner combined to lead San Diego to it third win of the season.

Key Players to Watch: San Diego's Julie Fleeting (7g, 3a, 17 pts. - prior to the July 16 match versus Washington) is the only Spirit player listed among the Top 10 in scoring in the WUSA. Fleeting is only the second San Diego player to record 10 or more goals during her career (Shannon MacMillan is the other). Forward Christine Latham (4 g, 2a, 10 pts. - prior to the July 16 match versus Washington) has scored the last three Spirit goals. The Canadian international will be looking for her first career point versus Carolina. Midfielder Julie Foudy (3g, 2a, 8 pts. - prior to the July 16 match versus Washington) has tallied all three goals this season on penalty kicks. Foudy is second only to Washington's Mia Hamm (6) in all-time penalty kick goals with four. Carolina's Birgit Prinz (9g, 3a, 21 pts. - tied for 4th among WUSA scoring leaders) has recorded two goals and an assist in Carolina's last three matches. The German international is one of nine players to record 20 or more goals during her career. Defender Nel Fettig (1g, 2a, 4 pts.) is the only Courage player to play every minute of every match this season. Fettig has never missed a match during her career (57 total - 36 with Carolina and 21 with New York). Goalkeeper Kristin Luckenbill (5-4-3, 1.58 GAA) needs to record two more saves to register 200 for her career. Luckenbill holds a 3-1-2 record with a 1.00 goals against average versus San Diego all-time (six matches).

Key Matchup: (San Diego defender Joy Fawcett versus Carolina forward Birgit Prinz) Third in goals scored in the WUSA this season, Prinz is averaging 0.64 goals per game, leading the Courage in scoring. The German international averages 2.00 goals per game versus the Spirit all-time. Fawcett and the San Diego defense rank second in the WUSA , allowing 1.33 goals per game.

The "Inside Scoop": Carolina holds a decisive advantage in the series history with a 4-1-2 record all-time versus the Spirit. San Diego's first and only victory in the series was recorded during the last meeting (May 24, 2003). Carolina leads the series 3-1-0 at SAS Stadium, outscoring the Spirit 10-5. San Diego has not won a match all season (0-5-3) when the starting time is after 6 p.m. (locally). Carolina is 2-1-1 in its last four home matches.

Referee: Jenn Bennett. Assistant Referees: Brenda Wright, Kelly Lee. 4th Official: Daniel Burak. Referee: Todd Perry. Assistant Referees: Stan Nagle, Ed Marco. 4th Official: Jason Cullum.

Sunday, July 20, 2003 - Philadelphia Charge at San Jose CyberRays - 6:00 p.m. (ET) - No TV; (Season Series: San Jose leads 2-0-0) (All-time Series History: San Jose leads 5-1-2)

Philadelphia will enter its match with San Jose after playing a midweek match with Atlanta on Wednesday, July 16. San Jose enters this match coming off a bye week last week. The last meeting between these two teams resulted in a 2-0 victory for the CyberRays on May 24, 2003 at Villanova Stadium. San Jose's Pretinha tallied two goals in the match to lead the CyberRays to their fourth win of the season.

Key Players to Watch: Philadelphia's Marinette Pichon (10g, 2a, 22 pts. - prior to the July 16 match versus Atlanta), who may miss this game due to an ailing back, will be looking for her first career point versus San Jose. The CyberRays are the only team in which the 2002 WUSA Most Valuable Player has never recorded a point against. Forward/midfielder Melanie Hoffmann (4g, 5a, 13 pts. - prior to the July 16 match versus Atlanta) will also be looking for her first career WUSA point versus the CyberRays. Hoffmann has started every match for the Charge this season. Midfielder Lorrie Fair (2a, 2 pts.) is the team's all-time leading scorer versus San Jose (1g, 2a, 4 pts.). Fair has been responsible for 50 percent of Philadelphia's scoring versus the CyberRays (4 of 8 points). San Jose's Katia (2g, 2a, 6 pts.) is the active leader in scoring versus the Charge all-time (3g, 3a, 9 pts. - seven matches). Two of Katia's three career goals versus the Charge were game-winners. Midfielder Sissi (3g, 4a, 10 pts.) has recorded more assists versus the Charge than any other San Jose player (4). Sissi is the league's all-time leader in game-winning assists (10). Goalkeeper LaKeysia Benne (5-7-2, 1.21 GAA) has played more games in net in WUSA history (54) than any other player. Beene holds a 5-1-2 record with a 0.75 goals against average all-time versus Philadelphia (eight matches).

Key Matchup: (Philadelphia defender Jenny Benson versus San Jose forward Katia) The league's leading scorer in 2002 (15g, 6a, 36 pts.), Katia has struggled to find the back of the net in 2003. Benson and the Philadelphia defense ranks eighth, allowing 2.20 goals per game. Katia has been responsible for leading the CyberRays to four of the team's five victories over the Charge, registering two game-winning goals and two game-winning assists all-time.

The "Inside Scoop": San Jose is unbeaten in seven straight matches versus the Charge. Philadelphia has never won at Spartan Stadium (0-4-0). San Jose has outscored the Charge 10-2 at home. Katia needs just two shots to become the first player in WUSA history to record 200 shots during her career. Four of San Jose's last six matches are at home. Philadelphia has allowed the most goals in a single season in team history (30). The Charge has tied a team record for the most losses in a season (8).

Referee: Jesse Johnson. Assistant Referees: Fabio Tovar, Dinesh Singh. 4th Official: Colin Arblaster.

TEAM INJURY REPORTS AS OF 07/14/03
ATLANTA BEAT: DOUBTFUL - F Abby Crumpton (groin strain)
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); PROBABLE -D Danielle Borgman (Shin Splints).
NEW YORK POWER: OUT - D Sara Whalen (R ACL tear); F Christie Welsh (L calf strain); D Kristy Whelchel (R knee strain); PROBABLE - D Jaclyn Raveia (nose).
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); DOUBTFUL - F Marinette Pichon (Bruised sciatic nerve); QUESTIONABLE- F Emily Burt (L hip flexor strain); PROBABLE - M Erin Misaki (R groin strain).
SAN DIEGO SPIRIT: OUT - F Shannon MacMillan (R ACL tear); PROBABLE - D Kim Pickup (groin strain); F Kerry Connors (Achilles strain); GK Jaime Pagliarulo (R groin strain).
SAN JOSE CYBERRAYS: OUT - F Katie Barnes (strained hamstring); QUESTIONABLE - D Brandi Chastain (L quad strain); F Pretinha (R knee injury).
WASHINGTON FREEDOM: OUT - D Emmy Barr (L meniscus tear).

NATIONAL TEAM DUTY AS OF 07/14/03
ATLANTA BEAT: None.
BOSTON BREAKERS: GK Karina LeBlanc (Canada)
CAROLINA COURAGE: D Breanna Boyd (Canada)
NEW YORK POWER: None.
PHILADELPHIA CHARGE: None.
SAN DIEGO SPIRIT: None.
SAN JOSE CYBERRAYS: None.
WASHINGTON FREEDOM: None.

suspension Summary 07/14/03

Player Team Suspension Reason
None

Warning Summary 07/14/03

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

TEAM-BY-TEAM NOTES

atlanta beat: The Beat has won four out of the last five games and holds the number one spot in the WUSA standings... Atlanta recorded two wins at Herndon Stadium last week, defeating San Diego 2-0 on Wednesday, July 9 and Washington 2-1 on Saturday, July 12... Rookie Ifeoma Dieke notched her first WUSA career goal, and helped set up the game-winning goal against the Freedom ...Dieke is the only player in the WUSA to gain a roster spot as a "walk-on" in preseason camp...World-class goalkeeper Briana Scurry recorded another shutout on July 9... Scurry has the best goals against average in the WUSA (0.92), the most shutouts (5) and the highest winning percentage (.654) of any goalkeeper in the league... Atlanta is looking to be the first team in WUSA history to achieve 30 wins, which would consequently make Head Coach Tom Stone the first coach to reach the 30-win plateau ... Goalkeeper Briana Scurry registered her 61st career international clean sheet, shutting out Brazil 1-0 on July 13, 2003... Atlanta currently has 95 goals and could be the first WUSA team to reach the 100 goal mark in the coming week...Atlanta ranks first in team offense (2.00 goals per game) and first in team defense (0.87 goals allowed per game).

boston breakers: The Breakers propelled into sole position of second place in the WUSA standings with a 3-1 win over Carolina at Nickerson Field on Saturday, July 13... After having to come back three times in the last two weeks, Boston finally won a game outright... Forward Dagny Mellgren scored all three Boston goals and continues to be a key player in the Boston offense... Mellgren is tied for the league lead in goals scored (10) and points scored (22), and is responsible for 40 percent of the Breakers goals this season (10 out of 25) and 36 percent of all-time Boston goals (32 of 90) ...Forward Maren Meinert is tied with Mellgren as the WUSA scoring leader and is tied for fourth in the WUSA for goals (8) and assists (6)...The Meinert and Mellgren duo is responsible for 72 percent of Boston's goals this season (18 out of 25)... Goalkeeper Karina LeBlanc recorded five saves in her league-leading seventh win of the season...LeBlanc has started 15 consecutive games... LeBlanc has been called to Canadian national team duty versus Brazil (July 17 and July 20)... Boston is tied for fourth in team offense (1.67 goals per game) and ranks fourth in team defense (1.60 goals allowed per game).

carolina courage: Carolina fell to New York 2-1 at SAS Stadium on Saturday, July 12, dropping the Courage to sixth place in the WUSA standings...Currently 5-7-3, the Courage is 4-3-3 of the last 10 games and 10 points behind the WUSA leader...Defender Erin Baxter put one in the net for the Courage this week... Baxter's header marked the second goal of her WUSA career...Forward Birgit Prinz is the Courage's leading goal scorer (9) and is ranked third in the WUSA...Despite injuring her knee (torn ACL) on June 25, Danielle Fotopoulos is seventh in the WUSA in scoring (7g, 6a, 20 pts.)... Fotopoulos scored 7 goals before her injury and remains tied for fourth in the WUSA in assists (6) and fifth in goals scored (7)... Carolina is tied for fourth in team offense (1.67 goals per game) and sixth in team defense (1.80 goals allowed per game).

new york power: The Power moved into third place in the WUSA standings, defeating Carolina 2-1 at SAS Stadium on Saturday, July 12... New York scored two goal in seven minutes... Norwegian midfielder Anita Rapp scored the go-ahead goal for New York, the fourth of her career... Defender Cheryl Salisbury scored her second goal in as many games, also the second of her career... Midfielder Shannon Boxx notched one assist and is tied for the WUSA lead with seven assists... New York is 4-4-2 of the last 10 games and has won the last two...New York ranks third in team offense (1.75 goals per game) and seventh in team defense (2.19 goals allowed per game).

philadelphia charge: Philadelphia lost a pair of road games, falling to Washington 4-2 on Wednesday, July 9 at RFK Stadium and dropping a 3-1 contest to Boston Sunday, July 13 at Nickerson Field... Philadelphia native Darci Borski, a graduate of Nazareth Academy, scored the lone goal for the Charge against Boston... Borski is the first Philadelphia native to score for the Charge... The hat trick by Boston's Dagny Mellgren was the third allowed by the Philadelphia this season (Abby Wambach and Cindy Parlow) after not allowing any in its first two years... Marinette Pichon missed both games this week while recovering from a bruised sciatic nerve... Philadelphia is 0-3-0 this season without the reigning WUSA MVP... Pichon is still tied for the league lead in points (22) despite the missed games and leads the league in points per game (1.83)... Philadelphia ranks sixth in team offense (1.47 goals per game) and eighth in team defense (2.20 goals per game).

san diego spirit: San Diego dropped a 2-0 contest to Atlanta on Wednesday, July 9 at Herndon Stadium... The Spirit has not split a series with any of the six teams they've played more than once this season... San Diego is 2-0-1 against San Jose and 2-0-0 versus New York, while a combined 0-4-5 against Atlanta, Boston and Philadelphia...The Spirit will play the Washington Freedom, the team tied for the fourth playoff spot in the WUSA standings, for the first time this Wednesday...The two teams will meet three times during the next 24 days... San Diego has lost three consecutive times to Washington... Goalkeeper Jaime Pagliarulo needs one save to reach 50 for the season... Forward Julie Fleeting leads the league in shots on goal (31) and needs five total shots for 50...San Diego ranks seventh in team offense (1.40 goals per game) and second in team defense (1.33 goals per game).

san jose cyberrays: San Jose had a bye week after completing a five-game, 13-day stretch... Four of the team's final six games will be played at Spartan Stadium... Goalkeeper LaKeysia Beene ranks first in saves (61) and second in shutouts (4)... Forward Katia leaves Tuesday, July 15 for Hollywood to attend the ESPY awards, where she is nominated for Best Female Soccer player... Katia needs just two more shots to record 200 for her career... The CyberRays signed forward Kim Patrick of Pleasanton, CA as a developmental player, filling the team's only vacant roster position...San Jose ranks eighth in team offense (1.13 goals per game) and second in team defense (1.33 goals per game).

washington freedom: Washington ended a five-game winless skid with a 4-2 victory over Philadelphia on Wednesday, July 9 at RFK Stadium... Abby Wambach scored two goals, giving her seven for the season... Wambach tied the all-time individual record for most goals (7) and points (14) against Philadelphia in a WUSA career (Tiffeny Milbrett)... Defender Jennifer Grubb, who has played every minute of her three-year career, tied Carolina's Staci Burt for the most minutes played all-time (5040, Washington has played one less game than Carolina this season)... Grubb scored her first goal of the 2003 season on Saturday, July 12 in the Freedom's 2-1 loss to Atlanta... Mia Hamm ranks second in points per game (1.75) and Wambach is fourth (1.64)... Washington ranks second in team offense (1.64 goal per game) and fifth in team defense (1.64 goals per game).

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Women's United Soccer Association Stories from July 14, 2003


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