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Spirit Suffers Setback in New York

May 29, 2002 - Women's United Soccer Association (WUSA)
San Diego Spirit News Release


Despite dominating a second aided by a brisk wind at their backs, the Spirit could not overcome and early two-goal deficit and lost, 2-1, to the New York Power at the Mitchel Athletic Complex. Shannon MacMillan scored her third goal of the season just two minutes into a second half that saw the Spirit attack relentlessly for an equalizer. The Spirit actually did put another ball in the net, but the goal was disallowed on a questionable offside call. The Spirit dropped into a tie for fifth place and suffered its first road loss of the year. San Diego will try to rebound this Saturday, June 1 with a match against the Atlanta Beat. It will be the first meeting of the year between the two Cox-owned teams and the Spirit will be looking to move back to the .500 mark as the team not sits at 2-3-2 on the year.

QUICK GLANCE

RECORD: 2-3-2, 8 points, tied for 5th place with Boston

LAST MATCH: 2-1, loss to New York on May 25, at the Mitchel Athletic Complex

LEADING SCORER: Shannon MacMillan, 3 goals, 2 assists, 8 pts. Zhang Ouying, 3 goals, 2 assists, 8 pts.

INJURY REPORT: Mascaro, broken L foot, out

NEXT ON THE SLATE: Atlanta Beat, 6/1, 3:00 p.m. PT at Torero Stadium - In a the first meeting of the season between the teams, the Spirit and the Beat come into Saturday's match with the all-time series knotted at 1-1-1. The two teams tied their first match of last season, 1-1, as the Spirit equalized on a Kim Pickup flip-throw that was punched into the net by Beat goalkeeper Briana Scurry. Each team then won its home game. In the Beat's 3-2 win in Atlanta, the Spirit gave up an early goal, roared back to take a 2-1 lead, then let it slip away on two goals from Cindy Parlow. Spirit defender Fan Yunjie scored her only goal of the season in that game. In the Spirit's 3-1 win at Torero Stadium, Shannon MacMillan scored two goals, the first off a blistering free-kick against Beat goalkeeper Melanie Wilson, who had stepped between the pips just moments earlier to replace the injured Briana Scurry.

SD v ATL Lifetime, 1-1-1; SD v ATL in San Diego, 1-0-0; SD v ATL in Atlanta, 0-1-1

2002 Leading Scorer v Atlanta - Shannon MacMillan 3 goals

Complete Match Preview on Thursday, May 30

SPIRIT NEWS:

SPIRIT ENTERS HALL OF FAME

The match ball used from the record setting sixth goal in the San Diego Spirit's 6-1 win over the New York Power is on display at the National Soccer Hall of Fame. Rookie midfielder Lori Lindsey scored the goal, which was her first as a professional. The museum is located on 18 Stadium Circle, Oneonta, New York.

KEEPING MILBRETT UNDER WRAPS

New York forward Tiffeny Milbrett failed to score again against the Spirit last Saturday. The 2001 WUSA Most Valuable Player remains scoreless in four outings against San Diego. In two matches this season, Milbrett has tallied only two assists. The Spirit is the only team aside from San Jose to keep the dynamic forward off the goal scoreboard.

CONSTANT CH...CH...CH...CHANGES

Continuity has not been in the vocabulary of the Spirit in 2002. Due to coaching decisions, injuries or national team commitments, head coach Carlos Juarez has used seven different starting lineups and six different forward-line combinations this season.

GETTING OVER THE .500 SUMMIT

San Diego fell to 0-4-4 when they have had a chance to go over the .500 mark in the past two seasons. The Spirit has a chance to get back to the .500 level for the ninth time in club history on Saturday against the Atlanta.

THREE DOT INFO...

Shannon MacMillan recorded her third goal of the season in the loss ... MacMillan (3g, 2a, 8pts.) is now tied with teammate Zhang Ouying (3g, 2a, 8pts.) for eighth among the league's leading scorers ... MacMillan is fifth in the WUSA in points per game with 1.33 ... San Diego has used seven different starting lineups and six different forward line combinations this year ... Shannon Boxx started her 28th consecutive match ... The goal allowed by the Spirit 75 seconds into the match against the Power was the second fastest goal ever allowed by San Diego ... Carolina's Staci Burt scored less than a minute into the August 12, 2001 match at Torero Stadium last season ... San Diego is tied for second in team offense (1.71 goals per game) and fifth in team defense (1.57 goals per game) ... The Spirit leads the league in goals scored at home with eight.

CALENDARS: MEDIA WATCH

5/30- KPRI 102.1 - Spirit Report with Tara Koleski, 9:00 a.m.

5/30- XTRA Sports 690 - Mac & Cheese Show with John Kentera, 9:30 p.m.

6/1- Channel 4 San Diego - Atlanta @ Spirit, 3:00 p.m., live

WHAT'S HAPPENING

6/1- MATCH v ATLANTA, 3:00 p.m. PT, Torero Stadium, Live on Channel 4SD, 3:00 p.m.

SAFETY DAY AT TORERO STADIUM featuring a halftime shooting contest between the SDPD and SDFD.

TRAINING

5/30- Training, 10:30 a.m.-12:00, Allen Field

5/31- Training, 1:00-2:00, Torero Stadium

All times and locations are subject to change

UPCOMING SCHEDULE:

THE BATTLE FOR CALIFORNIA BRAGGING RIGHTS CONTINUES

San Diego returns to the site of their most dramatic moment of the 2002 season - San Jose - for the second match in the battle for California bragging rights. The Spirit takes on the defending WUSA champion San Jose CyberRays on Sunday, June 9, 3:00 p.m. at Spartan Stadium. The game will be televised live on Channel 4 San Diego beginning at 3:00 p.m. In the first meeting, San Diego's Sherrill Kester scored the equalizing goal in the 92nd minute to snatch a point on the road. The Spirit travels to the nation's capital the following week to face the Washington Freedom at RFK Stadium on Saturday, June 15, at 4:00 p.m. San Diego will be seeking revenge for a 3-0 spanking by the Freedom in San Diego on May 5. Washington forward Mia Hamm should see action against the Spirit. The match will be the first of four road contests that will not be televised this season.

QUOTE SHEET:

Carlos Juarez on the loss to New York...

"Unfortunately for us, a soccer game is 90 minutes long. We played a good last 60 minutes, but if you don't come to play a whole game in this league, you're going to lose. New York has good players. They needed this win and they went out and got it."

THIS WEEK IN SPIRIT HISTORY:

SAN DIEGO LOSES TO NEW YORK AND CAROLINA

June 2- Bay Area (San Jose) edges San Diego at Torero Stadium. The Spirit loses their third game at home, falling 1-0 to the CyberRays before 5,311 fans. Jacqui Little scored her first WUSA goal with 10 minutes remaining to seal the fate of the Spirit.

PERSONALITY PLUS: SHERRILL KESTER

Motto: "Have Fun"

Craziest Ambition: To go skydiving

She would buy a ticket to watch: Jennifer Capriati

Pre-Game Ritual: Eating a good meal three hours before a game

Pet Peeve: Traffic

She will not eat: Mussels

Favorite snack: Ritz Smores

SPIRIT MOVIE REVIEW: Sherrill Kester on "The Panic Room"

Overview: Jody Foster and her daughter buy a new house with a panic room. Three hoodlums break into the house for 3,000,000 dollars that is in the panic room.

Thoughts: It was all right, although at times it had its very good moments and at other times it was predictable. I would wait to watch it on video. Foster does a fine job and the daughter is convincing in this thriller.

Rating: ASSIST

Rating scale: Goal= Awesome & greatly recommend, Assist= Good, would recommend, Yellow Card= Average, and Red Card= Horrible, don't recommend.

INSIDE THE WUSA (wusa.com)

RESULTS

5/25- SPIRIT 1 @ New York 2 ...Philadelphia 3 @ Carolina 1...Boston 0 @ Atlanta 1

5/26- Washington 0 @ San Jose 2

SCHEDULE

6/1- Atlanta @ SPIRIT...Washington @ Boston...New York @ Carolina...San Jose @ Philadelphia



Women's United Soccer Association Stories from May 29, 2002


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