San Diego Spirit Game Plan vs. San Jose

July 1, 2003 - Women's United Soccer Association (WUSA)
San Diego Spirit News Release


OPPONENTS' NOTES:

* The CyberRays have played twice in a row against the same team only one previous time in their history, and that was earlier this season when they played the New York Power on June 8 and 14

* Pretinha, on Sunday, became the first player in San Jose history to be ejected, drawing two yellow cards.

* Sissi, on Sunday, scored her seventh goal of the season on a free kick.

San Jose ranks eighth in team offense (1.08 goals per game) and second in team defense (1.23 goals per game).

THE OUTLOOK

The Spirit and San Jose are meeting in the second game of a home-and-home series and for the final time this season. Wednesday's game originally was scheduled for July 13, but it was rescheduled when the USA-Brazil Women's World Cup tune-up game was announced for the same date in New Orleans. With a win, the Spirit would sweep the season series for the first time ever. With Sunday's result and the teams meeting twice in four days, expect the rivalry to be enhanced on Wednesday night at Spartan Stadium. On Sunday, two players were ejected; Joy Fawcett for San Diego and Pretinha for San Jose, both teams will have to compete without those key players. San Diego is 5-9-5 all-time without Fawcett in the lineup. Spirit defender Kim Pickup will once again have to keep the Spirit backline together, as she did after Fawcett exited the match in the fifth minute on Sunday. Wednesday's match starts a important three-game stretch on the road for the Spirit. A win against San Jose would give the Spirit an significant boost before heading East to play Philadelphia and Atlanta and further increasing their playoff chances. San Diego will have the services of all five players that were called into national team duty for the July 13th U.S. vs. Brazil game in New Orleans. Joy Fawcett, Julie Foudy, Jaime Pagliarulo, Aly Wagner and Brazil's Daniela will be available for the match at the Atlanta Beat on Wednesday, July 9th, and then will travel to New Orleans on July 10th to join their respective national teams for the match on the 13th.

2003 INDIVIDUAL SPIRIT STREAKS BRANAM...has a win in 1 game. FLEETING... has two goals in 1 of 2 games...has a goal in 2 games...has a goal in 6 of 9 games...has multi-pts in 6 of 9 games...has a point in 6 of 9 games ...has a goal in 2 of 4 road games...has points in 3 road games...has a point in 2 games. FOUDY... has an assist in 1 of 2 games... has a point in 1 of 2 games...has a point in 3 of 6 games. PAGLIARULO ... has won 1 game...is unbeaten in 7 of 9 games. WAGNER.... has a goal in 1 game...has two assists in 1 of 2 games, has an assist in 1 of 2 games...has multi-pts in 2 games...has a point in 2 games. ZHANG... has a goal in 1 of 2 games...has an assist in 1 of 2 games...has a points in 1 of 2 games.

STAT BREAKDOWN Spirit CyberRays
GOALS FOR: 17 14
GOALS AGAINST: 15 16
SHOTS: 164 152
LEADING SCORER: Fleeting, 16 pts. Pretinha, 14 pts.
STREAK: Won 2 Lost 1

SPIRIT QUICK SHOTS...A victory would:
* Put San Diego three games over the .500 mark for the first time ever.
* Give San Diego a three-game winning streak for the first time ever.
* Give San Diego six wins in the fastest time ever (13 games).
* Give San Diego a series sweep over San Jose.



Women's United Soccer Association Stories from July 1, 2003


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