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Washington erases two goal deficit in 3-3 tie with Saint Louis

May 3, 2009 - Women's Professional Soccer (WPS)
magicJack News Release


BOYDS, Md. (May 3) - After fighting off a second half rally last week, the Washington Freedom found itself as the team in need of the rally this week, scoring two late goals to pull off a 3-3 tie with Saint Louis Athletica at the Maryland SoccerPlex on Sunday.

After having gone three games without scoring a goal, Athletica (0-2-2, 2 pts.) got on the board early as Daniela put one past Freedom goalkeeper Kati Jo Spisak seven minutes into the match.

The Freedom (1-2-2, 5 pts.) answered back in the 29th minute when Sonia Bompastor headed in a ball from Jill Gilbeau. It was Bompastor's first goal with the Freedom while it was Gilbeau's second assist.

Daniela struck again towards the end of the first half, scoring a second unassisted goal in the 41st minute and putting Saint Louis ahead once again, 2-1.

It appeared Saint Louis put the game out of reach in the 69th as Eniola Aluko scored the team's third goal on an assist from Kerri Hanks. Now up 3-1 with 20 minutes left in the rain, Washington found itself in the position it had FC Gold Pride in last week.

Washington cut the lead to 3-2 just 10 minutes after Athletica's goal as a Lisa De Vanna header found the back of the net for her first goal with the Freedom. De Vanna was set up by Abby Wambach, her second assist of the season.

On the ensuing kickoff, Wambach slipped trying to make a tackle and got tangled up with Daniela, the latter going down with a knee injury. After being carried off the field on a stretcher, Daniela was taken to the hospital as a precaution for the injury.

"We're real sorry that Daniela went down," Wambach said. "I never want to be on that end of a collision, never want to see a player go down and I sure hope she's alright considering especially what I've been going through the last nine months."

Wambach received a yellow card for the play.

Needing a final goal to salvage a tie, Bompastor struck for the second time in the 90th minute again on a header.

"It's one of those games," Wambach said. "If it bounces your way you can get momentum, the game changes.

"I'm really proud of our team because it's not easy with 20 minutes left to come back from a two-goal deficit and at least walk away with a point."

QUOTES

Abby Wambach

On lessons learned in comeback

"I think the things that we take away from this game are all positive in terms of coming back from a two-goal deficit. Sonia, obviously, basically carried us today - put us on her back and carried us. Lisa came in, scores a big goal. I think if we were able to break this game down it was a will of who was going to let the last goal in."

Jim Gabarra

On Sonia Bompastor and Lisa De Vanna scoring on headers

"You never expect to have three goals scored from players heads and Abby not be one of them. Lisa, that's probably the weakest part of her game so it was kind of nice for her to get her first goal off her head."

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