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Sounders Head East, Gear Up For Playoffs

August 27, 2002 - USL First Division (USL-1)
Seattle Sounders News Release


(Seattle, WA) – The Seattle Sounders head east this week to face the El Paso Patriots and Milwaukee Rampage in the last two regular season games of their 2002 season. They face El Paso on Thursday and Milwaukee on Saturday.

The Sounders have clinched the Western Conference's No. 1 seed in the playoffs, the Pacific Division Title, the regular season title and a first round playoff bye. They gear up for second round playoff action to take place September 11-15.

Last week's game stuff: The Seattle Sounders got back on the winning track Saturday night by defeating the Calgary Storm 4-0 on Fan Appreciation Night and Guaranteed Win Night. Scott Jenkins, perhaps gaining redemption for his poor play last week, scored the Sounders first goal in the 13th minute. Andrew Gregor, back from his two-game suspension, bent a corner kick into the 18-yard box and Jenkins headed the opening goal off the crossbar and into the back of the net. The Sounders offense continued to beat up the Storm in the 25th minute. Leighton O'Brien took a 25-yard direct kick that bent through a five-man wall and past keeper Jamie Glasnovic. It was O'Brien 's 11th goal of the year to go along with his league-leading 11 assists. An offense that was stymied just a week ago woke up Saturday night. The Sounders took 11 first half shots. O'Brien struck again in the 75th minute, scoring his 2nd of the night and 12th of the season. Brian Ching stole a Storm pass and hit O'Brien, who dumped a shot over the head of Glasnovic. The barrage continued in the 79th minute. Darren Sawatzky, who moments earlier rung a shot off the crossbar, made a beautiful run down the right side. He hit Gregor just inside the 6-yard box and Gregor buried his 9th goal of the year.

Sounder specific stuff: The Sounders are 23-3-0.

The Sounders 106 points put them atop the Pacific Division of the Western Conference.

The Sounders have outscored their opponents 68-23.

By scoring 3 or more goals in 14 of their 26 games, the Sounders have 14 bonus points this year. (1 bonus point is awarded when your team scores more than 3 goals in a game). The team with the second highest bonus point total = the Minnesota Thunder who beat the Sounders on August 17th.

The Sounders were 13-1 at home this year.

Forward Brian Ching is 2nd in the league in scoring with 15 goals and 8 assists (38 points)

Captain Leighton O'Brien is 3rd in the league in scoring with 12 goals and 11 assists (35 points) – last year O'Brien had 29 total points.

El Paso specific stuff: 10-11-6, 53 points, 3rd place in the Pacific Division behind Seattle and Portland, 36 goals for, 46 against, 7-3-3 at home

Milwaukee specific stuff: 14-6-5, 66 points, 1st place in the Central Division of the Western Conference, 40 goals for, 26 against, 7-2-3 at home

El Paso/Seattle - head to head: The Sounders defeated El Paso 4-1 on May 11th, 1-0 on July 24th and 1-0 on August 14th. The Sounders are 9-4 all-time against the Patriots.

Milwaukee/Seattle – head to head: The Sounders are 6-3 all-time against the Rampage...this will be the second meeting between the teams this year. The Sounders defeated the Rampage 2-1 on August 10th, in Seattle.

What's next: The Sounders return home on Sunday, September 1st and will wait to see whom they face in the second round of the playoffs. They play the winner of the Western Conference's 4 versus 5 playoff series. The Sounders second round playoff series begins on the road on September 11, 12 or 13th. They will return to Memorial Stadium on September 15th for the back end of the home-and-home, aggregately scored series.

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