WPS Weekly - Regular Season Concludes This Weekend

September 8, 2010 - Women's Professional Soccer (WPS) News Release

Two teams secured their tickets during WPS Week 21 to the 2010 WPS Playoffs presented by MedImmune as the Boston Breakers and Philadelphia Independence clinched spots in the post-season. Boston secured its first-ever WPS playoff berth by virtue of a midweek victory over Atlanta, while Philadelphia earned a spot when Sky Blue FC tied in its game on Wednesday night thereby guaranteeing the expansion Independence of a home game in the playoffs.

With Boston sitting second and Philadelphia in third-place, just one point behind, the two will go down to the wire in Week 22 to see who gets a bye through the WPS First Round and earns the right to host the WPS Super Semifinal on September 23.

In the race for the fourth and final playoff berth, neither team took firm control as the Washington Freedom lost its game to Chicago on Sunday, while Sky Blue FC had a scoreless draw with Atlanta. That still leaves Washington in the driver seat as a victory at home against Atlanta on Saturday night would clinch the fourth and final berth. Sky Blue FC had two ties this week but needs a victory combined with a loss or tie by the Freedom to squeak into the playoffs.

Chicago finished its season with a two-game winning streak but was eliminated from the playoffs and was assured of being the only team to miss the WPS Playoffs two years running. For its part, FC Gold Pride continued to assert their dominance winning at home against Boston to stretch its unbeaten streak to a WPS record 12 games. The Bay Area side have not lost a game since June 27 before the All-Star break.

Sunday

Chicago 2, Washington 1

Atlanta 0, Sky Blue FC 0

FC Gold Pride 2, Boston 0

League Leaders

Goals

Marta (FC Gold Pride) 18

Amy Rodriguez (Philadelphia) 12

Abby Wambach (Washington Freedom) 12

Kelly Smith (Boston Breakers) 11

Eniola Aluko (Atlanta Beat) 9

Christine Sinclair (FC Gold Pride) 9

Assists

Christine Sinclair (FC Gold Pride) 9

Abby Wambach (Washington Freedom) 8

Lori Lindsey (Philadelphia Independence) 7

Amy Rodriguez (Philadelphia Independence) 6

Camile Abily (FC Gold Pride) 6

Saves

Hope Solo (Atlanta Beat) 98

Jillian Loyden (Chicago Red Stars) 72

Erin McLeod (Washington Freedom) 68

Nicole Barnhart (FC Gold Pride) 66

Alyssa Naeher (Boston Breakers) 66

Chicago's Boquete is WPS's Week 21 Player of the Week

Spanish national-teamer Veronica Boquete is Women's Professional Soccer's Player of the Week for Week 21 after leading the Chicago Red Stars to wins in their final two games of the 2010 season, the first successive victories in club history.

Boquete scored the first goal in a 2-0 decision Wednesday over Philadelphia, then assisted goals by Casey Nogueira and Megan Rapinoe with clever passes for a 2-1 triumph Sunday over Washington.

Both wins were important in WPS's playoff picture. Philadelphia fell from second to third with its loss, and Washington failed to secure a postseason spot with its defeat, sending the Freedom's battle with Sky Blue FC for the final berth to the last day of the regular season.

Boquete joined the Red Stars (7-11-6) after winning the final-four MVP award for leading the Buffalo Flash to the USL W-League championship in August. Wednesday's game was just her second, and her initial start, for Chicago.

She is the third Red Stars player to win the Player of the Week award this year, joining Swedish forward Kosovare Asllani, who was honored in Week 7, and forward Ella Masar, who won in Week 13. Former Chicago forward Lindsay Tarpley captured the award twice last season, and Cristiane also won in 2009.

The WPS Player of Week is selected by a panel of journalists from the North American Soccer Reporters.

Week 1: Eniola Aluko (Saint Louis Athletica)

Week 2: Abby Wambach (Washington Freedom)

Week 3: Lori Lindsey (Philadelphia Independence)

Week 4: Sonia Bompastor (Washington Freedom)

Week 5: Karen Bardsley (Sky Blue FC)

Week 6: Marta (FC Gold Pride)

Week 7: Kosovare Asllani (Chicago Red Stars)

Week 8: Amy Rodriguez (Philadelphia Independence)

Week 9: Marta (FC Gold Pride)

Week 10: Danesha Adams (Philadelphia Independence)

Week 11: Amy Rodriguez (Philadelphia Independence)

Week 12: Marta (FC Gold Pride)

Week 13: Ella Masar (Chicago Red Stars)

Week 14: Christine Sinclair (FC Gold Pride)

Week 15: Caroline Seger (Philadelphia Independence)

Week 16: Hope Solo (Atlanta Beat)

Week 17: Kelly Smith (Boston Breakers)

Week 18: Amy Rodriguez (Philadelphia Independence)

Week 19: Eniola Aluko (Atlanta Beat)

Week 20: Abby Wambach (Washington Freedom)

Week 21: Veronica Boquete (Chicago Red Stars)

The Playoff Skinny: 2010 WPS Playoff presented by MedImmune

With just three games left in the WPS Regular Season, the race for the WPS Playoffs presented by MedImmune has reached its crescendo. While FC Gold Pride, Boston and Philadelphia have secured post-season berths, positions two through three and the final playoff position are still up in the air with all four teams jousting for positions playing on Saturday. Here's a breakdown of the playoff picture:

Saturday's Games

Sky Blue FC vs. Boston Breakers, 7pm ET

Washington Freedom vs. Atlanta Beat, 7pm ET

FC Gold Pride vs. Philadelphia Independence, 8:30pm ET

1. FC Gold Pride (15-3-5, 50 points) - Has clinched WPS Regular Season Championship and the right to host the WPS Championship presented by Citi on September 26 at 2:30pm ET/11:30pm PT as the number one seed in the WPS Playoffs presented by MedImmune.

2. Boston Breakers (10-8-5, 35 points) - Has clinched home playoff game and will clinch a place in the WPS Super Semifinal with a victory or a loss or tie by Philadelphia. Any other combination would give Philadelphia the second seed and the right to host the WPS Super Semifinal. Finishing level on points gives Boston the edge as a result of the head-to-head tiebreaker.

3. Philadelphia Independence (10-9-4, 34 points) - Has clinched home playoff game. Could clinch second seed and the right to host the WPS Super Semifinal with a win combined with a Boston loss or tie.

4. Washington Freedom (7-9-7, 28 points) - Control their own destiny and will clinch fourth with a win or with a Sky Blue FC loss or tie. Holds tiebreaker over Sky Blue FC if they finish level on points.

5. Chicago Red Stars (7-11-6, 27 points) - Eliminated from playoff contention.

6. Sky Blue FC (7-10-6, 27 points) - Must win and have Washington lose or tie in order to qualify for the playoffs in fourth place. Washington holds tiebreaker if they finish level on points.

7. Atlanta Beat (5-12-6, 21 points) - Eliminated from playoff contention.

Marta Takes Control of Race for the PUMA Golden Boot

After Philadelphia Independence forward Amy Rodriguez made a brief run at Marta in early August in the chase for the PUMA Golden Boot Award as the league's top scorer, the FC Gold Pride star has continued to pull away from the U.S. national team forward with another goal this week, stretching her lead to six over Rodriguez.

Marta now leads the league with 18 goals in 23 games - a nearly .8 goals per game average pace for the Brazilian superstar. Two more goals in league play would double Marta's output from 2009 when the league played a 20-game schedule.

While this weekend's showdown between FC Gold Pride and Philadelphia Independence could be a preview of a potential WPS Championship, it does not appear that the scoring showdown between Marta and Rodriguez will unfold unless the Philadelphia forward notches an unprecedented six goals. Six goals have only been scored once in WPS - by FC Gold Pride in mid-August against Atlanta.

WPS Week 21 Preview

Saturday, September 11

Sky Blue FC vs. Boston Breakers (7pm ET)

Yurcak Field, Piscataway, NJ

- Two teams with a lot at stake. A Boston win gives them a bye into the WPS Super Semifinal and a home game on September 23rd - just a win away from the WPS Championship.

- A win by Sky Blue FC means that only a win by Washington at home against Atlanta would keep Sky Blue FC out of the playoffs. If Sky Blue FC loses or ties against Boston, Washington will go through ahead of Sky Blue FC, regardless of the Freedom's result against Atlanta.

- The New Jersey side has really struggled on offense the entire season, notching just four multi-goal games - three of them victories.

- Sky Blue FC has dominated the Breakers over the past two years, but the Breakers finally ended their unbeaten streak against Sky Blue FC with a 4-0 trouncing of their New Jersey rivals on August 15. It was the most lopsided victory ever for the Breakers franchise.

- These teams have gone in opposite directions since the All-Star break. After racking up five wins in the first half of the season, Sky Blue FC has just 2 victories since. Boston had just one win before the mid-season All-Star Game and has nine victories in the second half of the season.

Washington Freedom vs. Atlanta Beat (7pm ET)

Maryland SoccerPlex, Boyds, MD

- The playoff mission is clear for the Washington Freedom: win and they are in as the number four seed in the WPS Playoffs.

- A loss or tie could still find them backing into the playoffs with a loss or tie by Sky Blue FC as Washington holds the head-to-head tiebreaker against Sky Blue.

- Atlanta has been eliminated from the playoffs.

- The Freedom are tough at the SoccerPlex and have the league's third-best home record at 6-2-3. They won their last three games at home scoring twice in each of the three wins since August 1.

- Atlanta was the league's second-worst team on the road this year - only the Freedom had a worse record away from their home stadium.

- Washington is 2-1 against Atlanta but the Beat did have an exciting 3-2 victory over the Freedom in the midst of Washington's 10-game winless slump in June and July.

FC Gold Pride vs. Philadelphia Independence (8:30pm ET - Fox Soccer Channel)

Pioneer Stadium, Cal State - East Bay

- A big battle for pride if not momentum heading into the WPS Playoffs.

- FC Gold Pride is looking to extend its record 12-game unbeaten streak to 13 to finish the season, while Philadelphia is looking for an outside shot at hosting the WPS Super Semifinal with a win combined with a Boston Breakers loss or tie .

- FC Gold Pride have dominated the expansion Independence thus far with two two-goal victories in June (3-1) and July (2-0)

- The Independence have lost three games in a row for the first time all season and have struggled to score during that streak with just one goal over three games.

- Independence forward Amy Rodriguez has 12 goals on the season and will unlikely be able to catch FC Gold Pride star Marta (18 goals) in the race for the PUMA Golden Boot.

- With FC Gold Pride hosting the WPS Championship presented by Citi, this final game of the 2010 WPS Regular Season will be a good test for Philadelphia as a playoff team to see where they stack up and what adjustments they need to make if they were to reach the league title game on September 26 at Pioneer Stadium.

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Women's Professional Soccer Stories from September 8, 2010

• Kelly Smith August WPS Player of the Month - WPS
• WPS Weekly - Regular Season Concludes This Weekend - WPS

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