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Record Crowd Sees 2-1 Spirit Loss In Opener at Torero

April 7, 2003 - Women's United Soccer Association (WUSA)
San Diego Spirit News Release


San Diego Spirit fans flocked to Torero Stadium on Saturday night. In fact, an opening day record crowd of 6,161 showed up to support their home team. San Diego dropped a 2-1 decision to the Boston Breakers, despite a spirited last-minute comeback attempt that fell a little short. The crowd was the fourth largest in team history, ranking behind the totals of 6,392, 6,358 and 6,311.

FOUDY MEETS A LEGEND

During a Spirit promotional appearance on Friday's Channel 4 San Diego's Padres broadcast, Spirit captain Julie Foudy had the chance to meet one of baseball's all-time great announcers, and also a Foudy family favorite, Vin Scully. Foudy was introduced to Scully between the fourth and fifth innings. The vivacious Scully seemed to be just as amazed to meet Foudy, as she was to meet him during their brief encounter.

SPIRIT & BUFFALO EXCHANGE TO DONATE PROCEEDS FROM SHOW

The Buffalo Exchange Fashion Show featuring San Diego Spirit players rose close to $2,000 for the TOP Soccer program and Kate Sessions Elementary School. The event, which was held on Sunday, March 31 at the Jenny Craig Pavilion, hosted a silent auction to raise the majority of the monies.

"IN THE SPIRIT WITH JULIE FOUDY" RETURNING FOR SECOND SEASON

The popular "In the Spirit with Julie Foudy" monthly TV show on Channel 4 San Diego will return for another season. The show gives fans a look at Spirit players off the soccer field with player features, Q&A segments, highlights and interviews. The first show of the second season will begin airing on Channel 4 San Diego, Sunday, April 27.

SEASON QUICK GLANCE
- RECORD: 0-1-0, 0
- LAST MATCH: 4/5, 1-2, loss to Boston
- LEADING SCORER: Latham, 1 goal, 2 points
- INJURY REPORT: Fawcett, Ankle surgery, Out

NEXT ON THE SLATE


- Game #2
- New York Power
- Saturday, April 19, 1 p.m. PT
- Mitchel Athletic Complex, Long Island, NY
- Telecast - PAX-TV, Live

After a week off, the Spirit travel to New York to take on the Power on Saturday, April 19. The game will be at 1 p.m (PT) and televised nationwide on PAX-TV. Last season, the Spirit beat the Power twice, 6-1 and 1-0, and lost once, 1-2. This season the Spirit will face the Power, led by a new Head Coach, Tom Sermanni. The New York Power feature the U.S. National Team star, Tiffeny Milbrett, the Power's all-time leader in goals (26), assists, (11), and points (63).

UPCOMING SCHEDULE

The Spirit will play three of their next four matches on the road, traveling to New York on April 19 (1 p.m. PT live on PAX), to Boston on May 3 and to Atlanta on May 10 (4 p.m. PT live on Channel 4 San Diego & Channel 3 Orange County). The only home match in between will be a battle for California as the San Jose CyberRays visit San Diego on Sunday, April 27, 5 p.m.

SPIRIT SNAPSHOTS

- The Spirit are now 0-3 in season openers.

- With the loss, San Diego head coaches are 0-3 in their Spirit debuts. Juarez, 2-0 to Philadelphia; Crow, 3-1 to San Jose and Namazi, 2-1 to Boston.

- The Spirit Communications Department has added a new and enhanced service to assist the media for the 2003 season, Spirit News+Plus. The new service, to be used in conjunction with the standard Spirit Communications Department media services, will provide media members who register the latest news about the team delivered via e-mail. QUOTE SHEET

Omid Namazi on absence of Joy Fawcett...

"The injury to Joy caused us to change our formation a little bit and we weren't really prepared for that. We were set to play on a three-back system and we had to change to a four-back system and it kind of took us out of our rhythm."

Omid Namazi on the game...

"We looked a little shaky in the first half and couldn't seem to connect on passes. In the second half, we played with a lot more energy and put them under pressure."

Shannon McMillan on playing without Joy Fawcett...

"We are going to have to work on how to play without her back there. There is such a tremendous hole when you lose someone like that. The way we played the end of the game is how we needed to play the entire game."

Shannon MacMillan on the coming from behind...

"This year we have the ability to come from behind. We have the firepower to do that this year. Hopefully, we will not have to do it that often."

Christine Latham on attitude after a loss...

"It is never easy to lose, but at the same time it is early in the season and a lot of teams are still working on a lot of things. We will learn from this and move on and work that much harder for the next game."



Women's United Soccer Association Stories from April 7, 2003


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