Sports stats



Spirit Enter Match with Four-Game Unbeaten Streak

May 16, 2003 - Women's United Soccer Association (WUSA)
San Diego Spirit News Release


The Spirit takes on the Boston Breakers for the third and final time this season, and due to a scheduling quirk, the 2003 series finishes just six games into the season. The Spirit will be looking to avenge a 2-1 opening night loss to the Breakers in a match missed by defender Joy Fawcett, who was recovering from ankle surgery, while Julie Fleeting and Zhang Ouying saw limited time, and Daniela did not play after having just arrived from Brazil. Defender Joy Fawcett, midfielders Aly Wagner and Julie Foudy and forward Shannon MacMillan face England Saturday at Legion Field in a Women's World Cup tune-up match. With a Noon CT kickoff in Birmingham, the players will travel back to San Diego and arrive around 11:30 p.m. The quartet did the same routine three weeks ago when the U.S. played Canada on a Saturday at RFK Stadium in D.C. and then played the CyberRays at Torero Stadium on Sunday.

Boston's attack is one of the most feared in the league, which features three of the most lethal offensive players in the world. International soccer's all-time caps leader Kristine Lilly, German Maren Meinert and Norwegian Dagny Mellgren form a trio with tremendous cohesiveness that is almost impossible to stop. Throw in French National Team star Stephanie Mugneret-Beghe, who adds big time pace on the flanks, and it forms one of the best attacks in the WUSA. Both Meinert and Mellgren are already among the league scoring leaders and Lilly is widely recognized as the best two-way midfielder - having impact on both offense and defense - in the history of women's soccer. Breakers goalkeeper Karina LeBlanc, the starter on the Canadian National Team, has had an up-and-down season, but was solid, if not spectacular against the Spirit in the 1-1 draw between the two teams on May 3 in Boston, denying golden chances from Julie Fleeting on two occasions. Much of Boston's success might be tied to defensive midfielder Devvyn Hawkins, who has been hampered by injuries early in the season, but provides a world-class ball-winning presence in midfield that frees up the Breakers creative players, including midfielder Angela Hucles, to concentrate on offense.

SPIRIT QUICK SHOTS...

A victory would:
* Put San Diego two games over the .500 mark for the first time.
* Give San Diego a five-game unbeaten streak.
* Even the season with Boston at 1-1-1.
* End a three-game winless streak against Boston.
* Give San Diego a two-game home winning streak.

• Discuss this story on the Women's United Soccer Association message board...

Women's United Soccer Association Stories from May 16, 2003


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central