Wps Weekly - Week 4

Published on May 4, 2010 under Women's Professional Soccer (WPS)
Boston Breakers News Release


Two teams pulled away from the pack in Week 4 with victories as none of the four games ended in a draw for the first time this WPS Season. FC Gold Pride moved into sole possession of first place with a 1-0 victory over Sky Blue FC, courtesy of a first half strike by Christine Sinclair, who now has three goals on the year, tied for the league lead.

The Philadelphia Independence were also victorious as April's WPS Player of the Month Lori Lindsey notched a goal to go with her four assists on the year for a 1-0 victory over the Atlanta Beat to move the Independence into second place with eight points. The Independence are the only undefeated team remaining in WPS this season as both Saint Louis and Boston dropped their decisions Saturday night.

Saint Louis was defeated by the Washington Freedom, which had its most complete game of the year with a 3-1 victory at RFK Stadium. The Freedom were paced by a goal and an assist from French international Sonia Bompastor, who has been moved up from defense into the left midfield position.

The Boston Breakers were blanked at home by the Chicago Red Stars, which got second half goals from rookie Casey Nogueira and Brazilian Cristiane for the team's first multi-goal output of the season and first win on the year. Five teams are now bunched in the middle of the table with positions 3-7 separated by a mere two points in the standings.

2010 WPS Regular Season Standings W L T P GF GA +/- FC Gold Pride 3 1 0 9 6 4 2 Independence 2 0 2 8 5 2 3 Freedom 2 2 0 6 8 7 1 Sky Blue FC 2 2 0 6 3 4 -1 Athletica 1 1 2 5 5 5 0 Breakers 1 1 2 5 4 5 -1 Red Stars 1 2 1 4 3 3 0 Beat 0 3 1 1 2 6 -4

League Leaders Goals Eniola Aluko (St. Louis Athletica) 3 Christine Sinclair (FC Gold Pride) 3 Allison Falk (Philadelphia Independence) 2 Tasha Kai (Sky Blue FC) 2 Casey Nogueira (Chicago Red Stars) 2 Homare Sawa (Washington Freedom) 2 Kelly Smith (Boston Breakers) 2

Assists Abby Wambach (Washington Freedom) 6 Lori Lindsey (Philadelphia Independence) 4 Shannon Boxx (St. Louis Athletica) 2 Kristine Lilly (Boston Breakers) 2 Kelley O'Hara (FC Gold Pride) 2

Saves Karen Bardsley (Sky Blue FC) 23 Hope Solo (St. Louis Athletica) 23 Allison Whitworth (Atlanta Beat) 22 Ashley Phillips (Boston Breakers) 19 Erin McLeod (Washington Freedom) 17

Sonia Bompastor is WPS's Week 4 Player of the Week French midfielder Sonia Bompastor is Women's Professional Soccer's Player of the Week for Week 4 after scoring one goal and setting up another in the Washington Freedom's 3-1 victory Saturday over Saint Louis Athletica at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C.

This is Bompastor's second Player of the Week honor. She won during Week 6 of WPS's Inaugural Season and also was Player of the Month for May last year. She's the second Player of the Week from the Freedom this year - Abby Wambach was honored two weeks ago.

Bompastor gave Washington a 19th-minute lead Saturday from Abby Wambach's feed, then sent in the corner kick Homare Sawa volleyed home to break a 1-1 draw a minute into the second half.

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)

Atlanta Beat Hold Grand Opening for New Stadium One Week Before National Television Debut One week before the team's nationally-televised home opener on Fox Soccer Channel, the Atlanta Beat held a grand opening for fans at their new stadium Sunday in Kennesaw, Georgia. The day included a special ribbon-cutting ceremony to unveil Kennesaw State University Soccer Stadium including Atlanta Beat owner and chairman, T. Fitz Johnson, Kennesaw State University President Daniel S. Papp and Norman Radow, Chairman of the KSU Foundation.

Atlanta Beat fans and the general public were treated to live music, food concessions, tours of the stadium and photo opportunities with players from the Atlanta Beat.

This coming Sunday marks the official WPS debut of the first stadium built specifically for a WPS team when the Beat host Sky Blue FC on Sunday, May 9 - Mother's Day - at 7pm ET. The $16.5 million, 8,300 state-of-the-art facility features soccer-specific sightlines with sideline, family section, on-field and suite level seating. The stadium can also accommodate up to 16,000 patrons as a concert venue.

The stadium will also play host to the 2010 WPS All-Star Game presented by the U.S. Coast Guard on June 30, when the top 36 players in WPS will square off in a mid-summer festival featuring the world's best soccer players.

If You Missed it the First Time... Fox Soccer Channel Re-Air Schedule for WPS Fox Soccer Channel will be re-broadcasting the "WPS Sunday on FSC" game of the week throughout the summer twice or three times per week. The total re-airs include 42 hours of additional television for WPS beyond the live coverage every Sunday at 6pm ET. Below is the re-air schedule for the months of May and June (all times ET).

Day Date Time Game Monday 05/03 1pm Sky Blue FC v FC Gold Pride Wednesday 05/05 3am Sky Blue FC v FC Gold Pride Monday 05/10 1pm Atlanta Beat v Sky Blue FC Wednesday 05/12 3am Atlanta Beat v Sky Blue FC Monday 05/17 1pm Atlanta Beat v Washington Freedom Wednesday 05/19 3am Atlanta Beat v Washington Freedom Monday 05/31 3:30am Washington Freedom v Philadelphia Independence Tuesday 06/01 5pm Washington Freedom v Philadelphia Independence Thursday 06/03 3am Washington Freedom v Philadelphia Independence Sunday 06/06 11pm Chicago Red Stars v Atlanta Beat Tuesday 06/08 3pm Chicago Red Stars v Atlanta Beat Thursday 06/10 3am Chicago Red Stars v Atlanta Beat Monday 06/14 4am Philadelphia Independence v FC Gold Pride Tuesday 06/15 11am Philadelphia Independence v FC Gold Pride Thursday 06/17 4am Philadelphia Independence v FC Gold Pride Monday 06/21 4am Saint Louis Athletica v Washington Freedom Tuesday 06/22 11am Saint Louis Athletica v Washington Freedom Thursday 06/24 4am Saint Louis Athletica v Washington Freedom Monday 06/28 4am FC Gold Pride v Saint Louis Athletica Tuesday 06/29 11am FC Gold Pride v Saint Louis Athletica Wednesday 06/30 11pm WPS All-Star Game presented by U.S. Coast Guard

WPS Mother's Day Special Tennis has Kim Clijsters and the WNBA boasts Candace Parker but Women's Professional Soccer has over half a dozen mothers in the league starting with last year's Sportswoman of the Year, Christie Rampone, who led her team on an incredible championship run.

In 2009, Sky Blue FC captain, coach, mom and starting defender Christie Rampone became the ultimate multi-tasker when she took on all four roles during the last month of the season and led Sky Blue FC to the inaugural WPS Championship with a three-game sweep through the WPS Playoffs. Then, after the game, she announced to her team that she had played 3-months pregnant through it all. Rampone gave birth on March 6 and is expected to return to action in June.

Several other prominent stars in WPS are also mothers. Kate Markgraf returns from her one-year hiatus in 2009 after giving birth to twins, and is back on the field with the Chicago Red Stars this season, as well as 1999 World Cup legend Kristine Lilly with the Boston Breakers, St. Louis Athletica defender Tina Ellertson, and Norwegian international Solveig Gulbrandsen who moved her whole family to the Bay Area from Norway, including her 4-year-old son, to play in WPS.

WPS Mothers Tina Ellertson, D (Saint Louis Athletica) Daughters MacKenzie (9) & Mya Joy (2) Solveig Gulbrandsen, M (FC Gold Pride) Son Theodor (4) Kristine Lilly, M (Boston Breakers) Daughter Sidney (1 ½) Kate Markgraf, D (Chicago Red Stars) Twins Carson and Xavier (10 months) Christie Rampone, D (Sky Blue FC) Daughters Rylie (4) & Reece (2 months) Laura Kalmari, F (Sky Blue FC) Daughter Meja (2) Katie Chapman, M (Chicago Red Stars) Sons Harvey & Reilly

Christie Rampone Featured in May issue of Shape; Sky Blue FC in May's Fitness Magazine Last year's WPS Sportswoman of the Year, Christie Rampone of Sky Blue FC is featured in this month's May issue of Shape magazine in a feature titled "Our Fitness Inspiration - How a Soccer Star Reaches her Goals." The story labels Rampone as a "supermom" and lists Rampone's favorite exercise, her standard workout regimen and three rules to live by.

Rampone was also recently selected by Working Mother magazine as one of the "Most Powerful Moms in Sports" in their online special about working mothers who focus on sports as their careers.

This month's Fitness magazine also features NBC anchor Jenna Wolf, as she trains for a day with Sky Blue FC with training tips including the ball balance, soccer shuffle and toe taps. "I was nervous because I hadn't played since grade school," said Wolfe. "An hour later, every muscle in my body ached, in a hurts-so-good way."

WPS Week 5 Preview This weekend marks the start of the league's regional television coverage with CSN Washington and CSN New England featuring the Washington Freedom vs. Boston Breakers at 7pm ET on Saturday, May 8. Two other games take place Saturday as the Philadelphia Independence look to become the first team in WPS history to start the season with a five game unbeaten streak. In 2009, both Los Angeles and Chicago lost their fifth games of the season. On Sunday, the Atlanta Beat debut their new stadium on the national television game on Fox Soccer Channel at 7pm ET; the 8,300-seat stadium is the first ever built specifically for a WPS team.

Saturday, May 8 Washington Freedom vs. Boston Breakers (7pm ET - CSN Washington, CSN New England) Maryland SoccerPlex, Boyds, MD *These two teams played in week 1 with the Boston Breakers winning 2-1 courtesy of a 6th minute goal by Lauren Cheney and a long range shot just inside the box from Kelly Smith. *Cheney has not scored a goal and the Breakers have not won a game since opening day.

*Washington is coming off their best performance of the year with a 3-1 victory over Saint Louis at RFK Stadium in which WPS Player of the Week Sonia Bompastor moved up to midfield from left defense notching a goal and an assist.

*Washington has opened the season with four of its first five games at home (including a doubleheader with MLS).

* Abby Wambach leads WPS with six assists on the season as the Freedom are the most high-octane offense in WPS with 2 goals per game average.

Saint Louis Athletica vs. Philadelphia Independence (8pm ET) The Anheuser-Busch Soccer Park, Fenton, MO *Following week 4 losses by the Athletica and Breakers, Philadelphia looks to become the first team in WPS history to open the season with a five-game unbeaten streak, as the only undefeated team still left in WPS. * This will be the only visit of the regular season for the Independence to Fenton, MO, with their remaining two head-to-head matches scheduled for John A. Farrell Stadium in West Chester, PA.

*WPS Player of the Month for April Lori Lindsey as three assists and one goal for the Independence in the past two games to lead the expansion team to a 2-0-2 record in the first month.

*The Athletica have not won a game since opening day, averaging only one goal per game over the past 3 contests.

* Athletica goalkeeper Hope Solo is tied for the league lead with Karen Bardsley with 23 saves over four games.

FC Gold Pride vs. Chicago Red Stars (10pm ET) Castro Valley High School, Castro Valley, CA *FC Gold Pride is on a three-game winning streak and just one win away from matching their win total for all of 2009. * The Bay Area side will be wearing one-of-a-kind red PUMA kit to help bring awareness to heart disease and a touch of teal to bring attention to ovarian cancer. The game-worn red jerseys will be auctioned off during the match to benefit the American Heart Association.

* FC Gold Pride is only the second team in WPS history (after Los Angeles Sol) to have sole possession of first place in the WPS standings.

*Chicago is coming off its best game of the year with a 2-0 victory in Boston. Forward Casey Nogueira leads all league rookies with two goals on the season.

Saturday, May 8 Atlanta Beat vs. Sky Blue FC (7pm ET - Fox Soccer Channel) Kennesaw State University Soccer Stadium, Kennesaw, GA *The national television debut of Atlanta Beat's new 8,300-seat, $16.5 million soccer stadium in Kennesaw, GA will see the Atlanta Beat playing at home for the first time this season after four road games. * This is the first time this year that Sky Blue FC will play a team other than Chicago or FC Gold Pride, having defeated Chicago twice and lost to FC Gold Pride twice.

* The Beat and Sky Blue FC are the two lowest scoring teams in WPS with the Beat averaging .5 goals per game and Sky Blue FC averaging .75 goals per game thus far in 2010.

* Atlanta as a city has a well-known women's soccer tradition. The Atlanta Beat in WUSA were the only team to reach the playoffs all three years, Founders Cup II was held at Herndon Stadium in Atlanta (15,321 attendance) and the 1996 Atlanta Olympics is where women's soccer made its Olympics debut.

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Women's Professional Soccer Stories from May 4, 2010


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