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WPS Sky Blue FC

Sky Blue FC Thrills Home Fans with Victory Over Breakers

June 1, 2009 - Women's Professional Soccer (WPS)
Sky Blue FC News Release


PISCATAWAY, N.J. (May 31, 2009) - With seven weeks gone by since its last home appearance, Sky Blue FC made an impressive return to New Jersey with a 2-1 victory over the Boston Breakers. Natasha Kai and Kacey White scored goals as Sky Blue FC celebrated its debut match at Rutgers University's Yurcak Field in front of 3,493 fans.

Sky Blue FC doubled its win total with the victory improving to 2-4-2 for eight points while the Breakers fell to 3-3-2 for 11 points. Boston fell from second to third place with the loss.

Sky Blue FC came out energized in front of the home crowd and didn't waste any time taking control of the game. Less than four minutes into the game, Natasha Kai fired up the fans with her second goal of the season. Meghan Schnur played a ball behind and Kai beat the trap up the left side, cutting past a defender in the box before beating Breakers keeper Kristin Luckenbill to the near post.

Unfortunately, the lead was short lived as Boston took advantage of a miscue by Sky Blue FC keeper Jenni Branam in the 12th minute. Alex Scott sent a cross in from the left side and Branam didn't handle the ball cleanly. Kelly Smith was there for the easy finish from two yards out to tie the match at 1-1.

Branam made up for the gaffe with a number of impressive saves after that play including a diving stop at the right post on a shot by Scott from the top of the box in the 15th minute. Two minutes later, Sky Blue FC nearly regained the lead as Kai ran onto a great feed from White and ripped a shot off the right post.

White provided the home side with the margin of victory in the 29th minute off a nifty flick from 15 yards out. Once again, the Breakers offside trap failed and White, with her back to the goal, used the outside of her right foot to lob a feed from Schnur over the head of Luckenbill and just under the crossbar.

The Breakers had the best chance before the close of the opening half as Amy Rodriguez headed a cross from Kristine Lilly off the top of the crossbar and over the goal in the 42nd minute.

Sky Blue FC caught a break of sorts right before halftime as Smith, who now leads WPS in scoring with five goals, took a knock to her knee and was forced from the game.

In the second half, each team had one good chance but neither found the back of the net. In the 53rd minute, Boston took a quick free kick just outside the box on the left as Angela Hucles fed Lilly but Branam was there to stone the US Women's National Team veteran with a two-fisted save at the near post.

In the 70th minute, a Sky Blue FC counter attack left Heather O'Reilly free inside the box but Scott flew in at the last second to stuff O'Reilly's shot.

Sky Blue FC takes the road for a match next Sunday in Saint Louis before returning home for four straight matches. Brazilian star Marta returns to New Jersey with the Los Angeles Sol on Saturday, June 13th at 7 p.m. in Sky Blue FC's next home match at Yurcak Field. (888-SBFC-TIX | www.skybluestore.com)

May 31, 2009 - Yurcak Field, Rutgers University 1 2 - F Boston Breakers (3-3-2) 1 0 - 1 Sky Blue FC (2-4-2) 2 0 - 2

Lineups: Sky Blue FC -Jenni Branam; Keeley Dowling, Anita Asante, Christie Rampone, Meghan Schnur; Heather O'Reilly, Yael Averbuch, Rosana (Kelly Parker 68), Collette McCallum; Natasha Kai (Julianne Sitch 76), Kacey White. Boston Breakers - Kristin Luckenbill; Heather Mitts, Amy LePeilbet, Sue Weber, Alex Scott; Stacey Bishop (Candace Chapman 76), Angela Hucles, Kelly Smith (Maggie Tomecka 45+), Kristine Lilly; Kelly Schmedes, Amy Rodriguez (Jennifer Nobis 46).

Scoring Summary: SBFC - Kai (Schnur) 4th minute BB - Smith 12th minute SBFC - White (Schnur) 29th minute

Misconduct Summary: BB - Mitts (caution) 48th minute SBFC - Parker (caution) 90+ minute

Game Summary: Referee - Bryan Roslund Sideline Refs - Debbie Coleman; Danielle Magouirk 4th Official - Juan Carlos Rivero Attendance - 3,493 Weather - Sunny, 78 degrees

BOXSCORE (All statistics contained in this boxscore are unofficial.)

QUOTES

SKY BLUE FC INTERIM HEAD COACH KELLY LINDSEY

ON NATASHA KAI I told Kai to have some freedom, enjoy it and get after it and show us her passion and spark that she used to show in the fans. I thought she came out and did great today. It was a tribute to her to release herself and play as hard as she could.

ON THE TEAM'S PERFORMANCE Overall we talked about defensively constantly being in a good cover positions for each other so we could transition easy into our attack. I thought our team did that across the board - forwards, midfielders and defenders. It makes it easy for the backs to get forward when your team is compact and winning the ball higher on the field.

FORWARD NATASHA KAI

ON TODAY'S MATCH We're starting to move forward. We still have a lot of games left in the season and we're just looking forward from there.

ON HAVING DIFFERENT ROLES Being here and on the national team, you have different roles. Being a professional, you have to except a new role. If it's my job to come off the bench and be that player for the team, then that's my job and I'm going to do it to the best of my ability. I'm here for my girls - my team, my family. Ill do whatever it takes to help them win and lift their spirits up.

DEFENDER CHRISTIE RAMPONE

ON THE TEAM This is a different team. We had a great week of practice and had a lot of fun today in the locker room There was a lot of emotion going on but at the end of the day, we focused on soccer and we enjoyed it and you could see the passion on the field today.

ON TODAY'S MATCH We had a great game but I feel that we have more to give. We got a little slow at times but once we got the job done we got two goals in the back of the net. This team is still on the up and up.

ON NATASHA KAI It's great to see the energy back from her. I've seen it but the girls on this team haven't seen it but I know its in her and its coming out slowly. She has to play a couple different roles on this team and today she had her freedom and she ran behind the back line and did what she knows how to do. Getting that early goal was huge for us and lifted our spirits heading into the rest of the game.

FORWARD/MIDFIELDER KACEY WHITE

ON THE SKY BLUE FC FANS Today was a great turnout with great weather and we are lucky in this area to have a lot of committed fans that come see us day in and day out.

BOSTON BREAKERS HEAD COACH TONY DICICCO

ON KELLY SMITH'S INJURY I think she had a collision with her English teammate (Anita Asante). We're not sure yet. The Sky Blue FC doctor didn't think it was too serious but we'll check it out when we get back to Boston.

ON HIS TEAM'S DEFENSE I don't think we were real good defensively today. Sky Blue FC attacked our back line well and scored two good goals.

ON THE MATCH We were chasing the game. We didn't play very good soccer - kind of played direct, chasing the game and trying to flight balls. They fought hard and tried to get the equalizer but the bad thing was that we knew coming in we were going to have to bring a mentality and we didn't bring it.



Women's Professional Soccer Stories from June 1, 2009


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