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WUSA Playoff Race Heats Up

July 29, 2002 - Women's United Soccer Association (WUSA) News Release


THE PLAYOFF RACE HEATS UP: With only two weeks remaining in the 2002 season, the WUSA playoff race is really heating up. Six teams are currently battling for four playoff spots. Two teams (Philadelphia and Carolina) hope to clinch playoff berths this week with victories on Wednesday. Below is a breakdown of the WUSA playoff race heading into this week:

Philadelphia Charge (10-2-5, 35 pts. - 1st place): For Philadelphia it's pretty simple - win or tie and they're in. If the Charge defeats or ties the San Jose CyberRays on Wednesday, July 31, Philadelphia will clinch a playoff spot. Philadelphia has a shot at clinching home-field advantage in the playoffs on Wednesday. If Philadelphia wins and Atlanta loses, the Charge will not only clinch a playoff spot, but will host a game at Villanova Stadium on August 17.

Carolina Courage (10-4-3, 33 pts. - 2nd place): Carolina is in the same boat as Philadelphia. A Courage victory over Washington on Wednesday will result in Carolina clinching a playoff spot. If Carolina can win both of its matches this week, they too will clinch home-field advantage in the playoffs.

Washington Freedom (8-5-5, 29 pts. - 3rd place): Washington will need some help if they are to clinch a playoff spot this week. The Freedom must win both games this week coupled with a loss or a tie by the San Jose CyberRays to get into the playoffs.

Atlanta Beat (9-7-1, 28 pts. - 4th place): Atlanta's scenario will rely on the misfortunes of either San Jose or Washington. If San Jose were to lose both of their matches this week and Atlanta were to win just one, the Beat would clinch a playoff spot. If the Beat were to collect five points this week and Washington were to lose both of its matches, Atlanta would clinch a spot in the playoffs.

San Jose CyberRays (7-6-4, 25 pts. - 5th place): The CyberRays have little room for error if they are to defend the Founders Cup. Unfortunately, San Jose cannot clinch a playoff spot this week. The CyberRays will have to wait till next before they can clinch a spot in the playoffs.

San Diego Spirit (4-9-4, 16 pts. - 7th place): San Diego is in a must-win situation for the remaining four games this season. A loss or a tie in any of the final four matches for the Spirit will result in San Diego being eliminated from playoff contention.

Note: New York and Boston are officially eliminated from playoff contention. KATIA KEEPS SCORING: On Saturday, July 27, San Jose striker Katia, the week's WUSA Player of the Week, scored two goals to lead the San Jose CyberRays 4-1 over the New York Power. The Brazilian also recorded an assist in the match for a total of five points on the evening (a first in her WUSA career). The five points moved Katia into first place among the WUSA scoring leaders with 30 points. The two-goal performance was the fourth of the season for the San Jose star and fifth of her career. She now holds the CyberRays record for goals in a season 14 and is the CyberRays' all-time leading goal scorer (21). With her 14 goals on the season, Katia is responsible for 47percent of San Jose's total goals scored.

CHASTAIN TO PARTICPATE IN THIS WEEK'S WUSA.COM CHAT: San Jose defender/forward Brandi Chastain will be the featured guest on this week's WUSA.com live web chat on Tuesday, July 23. The chat will begin at 8:00 p.m. (ET) and will last approximately 40 minutes. Chastain will be on hand to answer fan questions. Fans can submit questions before and during the chat. For more information, log on to www.WUSA.com.

WUSA Game Previews (Week 17)

Wednesday, July 31, 2002 - Washington Freedom (8-5-5, 29 pts.) at Carolina Courage (10-4-3, 33 pts.) - 7:00 p.m. (ET) - Fox Sports South (Carolina); CSN-DC (Washington)(Season Series: Carolina leads 1-0-1) (All-time Series History: Washington leads 2-1-1)
Washington looks to capitalize on Carolina's loss to the Atlanta Beat this past Saturday at Herndon Stadium, which ended the Courage's record-setting winning streak on the road (5). The last time these two teams met, Washington recorded its first ever loss to Carolina falling 3-1 on Saturday, June 22 at RFK Stadium. Carolina has made their way up in the rankings after a disappointing 2001 last place season. This year they have been sitting in first or second the entire of this season and are almost assured a play off spot.

Key Players to Watch: The Courage is led by standout forwards Danielle Fotopoulos (8g, 6a, 22 pts. - tied for 7th among WUSA scoring leaders) and Birgit Prinz (8g, 5a, 21 pts.- tied for 9th among WUSA scoring leaders). Carolina's "twin towers" were shut out for the second straight match following a 1-0 loss at Atlanta. Carolina will also hold strong in the midfield with by star Norwegians, Hege Riise (5g, 11a, 21pts. - tied for 9th among WUSA scoring leaders) and Unni Lehn (2g, 2a, 6pts.). Washington's Abby Wambach (9g, 5a, 23 pts. - 6th among the WUSA scoring leaders) will lead the Freedom attack versus Carolina. Hamm (4g, 2a, 10 pts.) has helped lead the Freedom to third place in the WUSA standings. Since her return to the Freedom lineup on June 12, Washington has gone 6-1-2.

Key Matchup: (Carolina forwards Birgit Prinz and Danielle Fotopoulos versus Washington defenders Jennifer Grubb and Emmy Barr) - The Freedom's back line, led by fearless and strong Jennifer Grubb and Emmy Barr, will have to find a way to deter both Prinz and Fotopoulos as their offensive skills and partnership in the front can be threatening.

The "Inside Scoop": Carolina has been known to keep the lead when scoring the first goal of the game making their total wins with a first goal (9). The Courage leads the league in wins after scoring the first goal. The Freedom is first in WUSA standings for winning when allowing the first goal. When trailing at the half the Freedom has only won one game and when leading half time Washington is second to last in the WUSA with only four wins. The Courage has seven wins (second in the WUSA) when leading at the half.

They Said it: "Carolina is a team that through some key acquisitions has improved offensively and defensively." - Washington Freedom Head Coach Jim Gabarra on Carolina.

Referee: Todd Perry. Referee Assistants: Abbas Piran, Dongho Kim. 4th Official: Daniel A. Burak.

Wednesday, July 31, 2002 - Atlanta Beat (9-7-1, 28 pts.) at San Diego Spirit (4-9-4, 16 pts.) - 10:00 p.m. (ET) - Cox 4 (San Diego) (Season Series: Atlanta leads 1-0-0) (All-time Series History: Atlanta leads 2-1-1)
In a must-win situation for the Spirit, San Diego will host the Atlanta Beat on Wednesday evening. A loss or a tie by San Diego will result in the Spirit being eliminated from playoff contention. Atlanta is coming off a 1-0 win over the Carolina Courage last Saturday. In the first and only meeting between these two teams in 2002, the Beat defeated the Spirit 2-0 at Torero Stadium on June 1. San Diego fell to Washington on Saturday 1-0, leaving the Spirit with no room for error.

Key Players to Watch: Atlanta's Charmaine Hooper (9g, 1a, 19 pts. - 11th among WUSA scoring leaders) recorded her league-leading sixth game-winning goal of the season with her 68th-minute score versus the Courage. Hooper, who has already tallied a goal versus the Spirit this season, is tied for fifth in goal scoring in the WUSA. The Canadian striker has scored a goal in three straight matches. Forward Emily Burt (4a, 4 pts.) is on a four-game point scoring streak and has assisted on a Hooper goal in three straight games. Homare Sawa (5g, 5a, 15 pts. - tied for 13th among WUSA scoring leaders) has nearly doubled her offensive output from last season (8 pts.). Goalkeeper Briana Scurry (7-6-1, 1.36 GAA) recorded five saves on Saturday en route to her league-leading fifth shutout of the season. San Diego's Shannon MacMillan (5g, 6a, 16 pts. - 12th among WUSA scoring leaders) has not scored since July 14 and will be looking to get on the board versus the Beat. Newcomer Julie Fleeting (2g, 1a, 5 pts.) has been a nice addition to the Spirit attack. Midfielder Julie Foudy (4g, 3a, 11 pts. - tied for 16th among WUSA scoring leaders) has already surpassed her point-scoring total from 2001 (7 pts.).

Key Matchup: (Atlanta forward Charmaine Hooper versus San Diego defender Joy Fawcett) - Fawcett will anchor a defense that must shut down the Beat's leading scorer in order to be successful. Hooper has scored in three straight matches and will be looking to make it four versus the Spirit on Wednesday. Fawcett and company will try to keep the team's playoff hopes alive by preventing Hooper from taking part in the Atlanta attack.

The "Inside Scoop": Atlanta has won three straight matches to remain in the fourth and final playoff spot. The Beat will be looking to eliminate the Spirit from the playoffs with a victory on Wednesday. San Diego is in a must win situation. A tie or a loss will result in the Spirit's elimination from playoff contention. A win for the Beat will tie the team record for consecutive victories (4).

They Said it: "We're hoping we can field eleven people that have their legs on Wednesday. We really spent ourselves in Saturday's game. It's going to be a real challenge to get across the country and have a good game on Wednesday." - Atlanta Beat Head Coach Tom Stone on San Diego.

Referee: Mark Arblaster. Referee Assistants: Kia Dehpaneh, Bryan Elliott. 4th Official: Sandra Belmont.

Wednesday, July 31, 2002 - Philadelphia Charge (10-2-5, 35 pts.) at San Jose CyberRays (7-6-4, 25 pts.) - 10:00 p.m. (ET) - Fox Sports Bay Area (San Jose); CN8 (Philadelphia) (Season Series: Series tied 0-0-1) (All-time Series History: San Jose leads 2-1-1)
Currently in fifth place, San Jose needs to continue winning to gain ground on fourth place Atlanta and third place Washington. The CyberRays and Philadelphia played to a 0-0 tie June 1 in Philadelphia. That game was the only one of the four in the series in which Philadelphia's Kelly Smith played. She went out with a season-ending knee injury in the 74th minute. The CyberRays have never faced Philadelphia with the Charge's leading scorer, Marinette Pichon, in the lineup. The CyberRays-Philadelphia series was the highest scoring of any series the CyberRays played in 2001 with 13 total goals. The winner of all three matches last season scored three goals.

Key Players to Watch: San Jose's Katia (14g, 2a, 30 pts. - 1st among WUSA scoring leaders) has been on fire lately, scoring at least one goal in four consecutive games to take over the WUSA lead in scoring. A key reason for Katia's success has been Brazilian teammates Sissi (9 assists rank 4th in the WUSA) and Pretinha (4g, 2a, 10 pts.). With French standout Marinette Pichon (13g, 1a, 27 pts. - tied for second among WUSA scoring leaders) out, who will step in and take over the Philadelphia offense. Pichon sat out Saturday's 1-1 draw at Boston with an injured toe.

Key Matchup: (San Jose forward Katia versus Philadelphia defender Erica Iverson) - Katia, who leads the league in goals (14) and points (30), is considered by many WUSA coaches as the league's most creative attacker. Iverson will look for plenty of help from Jen Tietjen in stopping the high-scoring Brazilian. Iverson anchors the league's toughest defense (0.94 goals per game) and will try to keep Katia out of the San Jose attack.

The "Inside Scoop": San Jose has a tough week, hosting Philadelphia and then traveling to Carolina on Saturday. Should the CyberRays pull out two victories, look for Ian Sawyers' club to make a strong run at defending its 2001 WUSA Founders Cup title. Two losses and San Jose could be on the outside looking in come playoff time. After compiling a 10-game unbeaten streak, Philadelphia came back down to earth last week, losing at home to New York and tying Boston.

They Said it: ``It's a big game any way you slice it. They need to clinch a playoff spot, and we know from last season that the run into the final games is always testy.'' - San Jose Head Coach Ian Sawyers.

Referee: Sandra Hunt. Referee Assistants: Chris Strickland, Robert Sabella. 4th Official: Dinesh Singh.

Saturday, August 3, 2002 - San Jose CyberRays (7-6-4, 25 pts.) at Carolina Courage (10-4-3, 33 pts.) - 4:00 p.m. (ET) - PAX TV (National Broadcast) (Season Series: Carolina leads 2-0-0) (All-time Series History: San Jose leads 3-2-0)
Both teams will be coming off Wednesday games, but Carolina's Wednesday match is a home game, while San Jose will make the cross country trek to take on the Courage. The CyberRays dropped a 2-1 decision to Carolina in Cary, N.C. on July 4 when German forward Birgit Prinz scored in the 88th minute. Tisha Venturini-Hoch scored the CyberRays goal in that game. It was her sixth career goal at that point of the season, three of them coming against Carolina. Carolina got its first victory of this series April 27 at Spartan Stadium when Hege Riise put a free kick into the upper left corner of the net in the 85th minute, snapping a 1-1 tie. Carolina is the only team the CyberRays swept in 2001, winning all three matches.

Key Players to Watch: San Jose's Katia (14g, 2a, 30 pts. - 1st among WUSA scoring leaders), this week's WUSA Player of the Week, will look to continue to find the back of the net. The Brazilian forward has accounted for 47 percent of San Jose's goal scoring. Sissi (1g, 9a, 11 pts. - tied for 16th among WUSA scoring leaders) leads the team in assists and will look to continue to feed Katia. Goalkeeper LaKeysia Beene (7-5-4, 1.31 GAA) leads the league in catch/punches (80). Beene is also third in shutouts (3) and fourth in save percentage (77.2). Carolina's Birgit Prinz (8g, 5a, 21 pts. - tied for 9th among WUSA scoring leaders) has been held scoreless as of late and will look to find the back of the net for the first time in two games. Prinz' counterpart Danielle Fotopoulos (8g, 6a, 22 pts. - tied for 7th among WUSA scoring leaders) has also been shut down her last two games. Carolina's "twin towers" have combined for 16 of the club's 31 total goals scored. Midfielder Hege Riise (5g, 11a, 21 pts. - tied for 9th among WUSA scoring leaders) in tied for second in the WUSA with Boston's Kristine Lilly in assists. Goalkeeper Kristin Luckenbill (10-4-3, 1.29 GAA), leads the league in wins (10) and saves with (95). The Carolina 'keeper has also faced the most shots in the WUSA (123).

Key Matchup: (Carolina forward Birgit Prinz versus San Jose defender Kelly Lindsey) - Prinz has been shut out recently, but the German striker has the skill, speed and strength to score at any time. Most WUSA teams look to defender her with multiple players. Look for Thori Bryan to also spend a great deal of time marking Prinz.

The "Inside Scoop": Depending on the outcome of Wednesday's match, Carolina could be trying to clinch home-field advantage in the playoffs with a victory over the CyberRays. San Jose has little room for error in the quest for fourth and final playoff spot. This match will be the first of a three-game road-trip to close out the season for the CyberRays.

Referee: Misail Tsapos. Referee Assistants: Sharon Wheeler, Bill Dittmar. 4th Official: Sandra Serafini.

Saturday, August 3, 2002 - San Diego Spirit (4-9-4, 16 pts.) at Philadelphia Charge (10-2-5, 35 pts.) - 7:00 p.m. (ET) - CSN (Philadelphia); Cox 4 (San Diego) (Season Series: San Diego leads 1-0-0) (All-time Series History: Philadelphia leads 2-1-1)
Philadelphia will be looking to avenge an earlier 1-0 loss to San Diego on May 19. Since then, the Charge has not lost on the road in five straight matches (as of July 29). Both teams will be coming off a mid-week match heading into Saturday's game at Villanova Stadium. Depending on Wednesday's outcome both Philadelphia and San Diego could be battling for playoff positioning. If the Charge defeats San Jose on Wednesday, Philadelphia could be battling to host a home playoff match. A win for San Diego on Wednesday will keep the Spirit playoff hopes alive.

Key Players to Watch: San Diego's Shannon MacMillan (5g, 6a, 16 pts. - 12th among WUSA scoring leaders) is the team's leading scorer and has recorded an assist versus the Charge this season. Julie Foudy (4g, 3a, 11 pts. - tied for 16th among WUSA scoring leaders) recorded her first career WUSA goal versus the Charge on May 19. Midfielder Lori Lindsey (2g, 5a, 9 pts.) recorded an assist versus the Charge earlier this season. However, the San Diego rookie has been held scoreless in the last for games. With forward Marinette Pichon (13g, 1a, 27 pts. - tied for 2nd among WUSA scoring leaders) Philadelphia will look to forward Mandy Clemens (2g, 2a, 6 pts.) and midfielder Liu Ailing (2g, 2a, 6 pts.) to carry the team's offense. Both players have registered the last three score for the Charge. Liu has scored a goal in two straight matches. Melissa Moore (10-2-5, 0.94 GAA) continues to be one of the top 'keepers in the WUSA. Moore leads the league in goals against average (0.94), winning percentage (73.5) and wins (10).

Key Matchup: (San Diego forwards Shannon MacMillan and Julie Fleeting versus Philadelphia defenders Jenny Benson and Erica Iverson) - Benson and Iverson will lead the league's stingiest defense (0.94 goals per game) against two very dangerous offensive threats. Both Fleeting and MacMillan will look to take advantage of a Philadelphia's back line, which will be without Heather Mitts (hip pointer).

The "Inside Scoop": San Diego enters the week in a must-win situation with each of the team's last four games. The Spirit has been able to hold the Charge scoreless this season (as the only score for Philadelphia versus San Diego in 2002 came on an own goal). Philadelphia could be looking at trying to clinch a home playoff game with a win over Spirit. A key component of this match is the loss of Philadelphia forward Marinette Pichon (41 percent of the Charge's goal scoring this season).

They Said it: "The Spirit is a technically sound team that has played well against us all season. They have been playing better and better under Kevin and we will need to be at our best if we expect to win." - Philadelphia Charge Head Coach Mark Krikorian on San Diego.

Referee: Terry Vaughn. Referee Assistants: Diane Driggers, William Delaney. 4th Official: Tony Russo.

Sunday, August 4, 2002 - New York Power (3-14-1, 10 pts.) at Boston Breakers (4-8-7, 19 pts.) - 4:00 p.m. (ET) - AT&T 3 (Boston); MSG (New York) (Season Series: Boston leads 2-0-0) (All-time Series History: New York leads 3-2-0)
Both teams have been eliminated from playoff contention, however neither team will back down as the Power travel to Boston to face the Breakers on Saturday. Boston is the only team in the WUSA who is undefeated at home (3-0-5). The last meeting between these two teams was on June 22. In that match, the Breakers set a team record for goals scored (5). Boston defeated the Power 5-2 at Nickerson Field. Boston is riding a two-game unbeaten streak and would like to extend it to three with a win over New York.

Key Players to Watch: Forward Tiffeny Milbrett (10g, 7a, 27 pts. - tied for 2nd among WUSA scoring leaders) has been coming off the bench in the team's last two matches. Milbrett blasted first-place Philadelphia on Wednesday, as the striker netted two goals in the 3-2 upset. Emily Janss (7g, 1a, 15 pts. - tied for 13th among WUSA scoring leaders) continues provide offense for the Power. The New York midfielder has scored a goal in two straight games. Goalkeeper Saskia Webber (3-7-1, 2.67 GAA), tied the WUSA record for saves in a match after recording 13 versus San Jose on Saturday. The New York 'keeper ranks second in the league in saves (77). Boston's Maren Meinert (7g, 12 a, 26 pts.- 4th among WUSA scoring leaders) has been held scoreless in the team's last four matches. Kristine Lilly (7g, 11a, 25 pts. - 5th among WUSA scoring leaders) has recorded a goal or an assist in eight straight matches. If Lilly can record a point this Sunday, she will tie the WUSA record for consecutive game with a point (9 - held by Carolina's Birgit Prinz and Danielle Fotopoulos).

Key Matchup: (New York forward Tiffeny Milbrett versus Boston defender Kate Sobrero) - Sobrero will have her hands full trying to keep Milbrett off the score sheet. Milbrett has scored six goals and added three assists against Boston, tallying at least a point in every match against the Breakers.

The "Inside Scoop": Boston will look to defend its undefeated streak at Nickerson Field with a win over the Power on Sunday. The Breakers will face a New York team that has recorded a league-high 19 goals on the road. Boston has been held to only four goals in it s last four games. The Breakers are second in the league in shots (253) and shots on goal (132). New York has allowed a league-high 287 shots this season.

They Said it: "I was not very pleased with our last result in Boston, I do not think we played very well at all. We need to prepare a lot better for their attack and be more organized defensively for it. We also need to give them something to worry about with our attack." - New York Power Head Coach Charlie Duccilli on Boston.

Referee: Erich Simmons. Referee Assistants: Bahij Salman, Claudiu Badea. 4th Official: Mark Gorak.

Sunday, August 4, 2002 - Atlanta Beat (9-7-1, 28 pts.) at Washington Freedom (8-5-5, 29 pts.) - 4:00 p.m. (ET) - CSN-DC (Washington); WB36 (Atlanta) (Season Series: Series tied 1-1-0) (All-time Series History: Atlanta leads 4-1-0)
Currently holding the final two playoff spots, Atlanta and Washington will head into Sunday's match looking to claim three points and possibly clinch a playoff birth. As of July 29 one point separates these two teams. The Freedom defeated the Beat for the first time in the club's history with a 2-1 victory on July 3. The Freedom enter the week riding the team's longest undefeated streak (6) while Atlanta has won three straight games. If both teams win their matches on Sunday, either club could be looking at clinching a playoff with a win in this match.

Key Players to Watch: The ever-dangerous Charmaine Hooper (9g, 1a, 19 pts. - 11th among WUSA scoring leaders) enters this match looking to add to her six league-leading, game-winning goals. Homare Sawa (5g, 5a, 15 pts. - tied for 13th among WUSA scoring leaders) continues to be an important part of the Atlanta offense. The Japanese international leads the team in shots (38) and shots on goal (24). Goalkeeper Briana Scurry (7-6-1, 1.36 GAA) leads the league in shutouts (6) and is second in catch/punches (77). Washington's Abby Wambach (9g, 5a, 23 pts. - 6th among the WUSA scoring leaders) continues to find the back of the net for the Freedom. Wambach has already set a new team record for points, surpassing Mia Hamm's total of 16 last season. Hamm (4g, 2a, 10 pts.) has helped lead the Freedom to third place in the WUSA standings. Since her return to the lineup (June 12), the Freedom has gone 6-1-2. Goalkeeper Siri Mullinix (5-3-4, 1.12 GAA) continues to shine for the Freedom in net. The Washington 'keeper leads the league in save percentage (83.0 percent) and is second in goals against average (1.12).

Key Matchup: (Atlanta defender Sharolta Nonen versus Washington forward Abby Wambach) - Wambach has made a name for herself during her rookie season as dangerous goal scorer. The Washington forward is the only rookie to rank among the top 10 in scoring in the WUSA. Nonen will use her speed and skill to keep Wambach off the ball. If the Atlanta defender is unable to neutralize Wambach, it could be a long day for goalkeeper Briana Scurry.

The "Inside Scoop": With the playoff race heating up, both teams will be looking to earn three points on Sunday. Depending on the outcome of both team's Wednesday matches, a playoff spot may be on the line in this match. Entering the week, the Freedom is riding a six-game unbeaten streak (longest in team history).

They Said it: "Atlanta is a very physical and hard-working team that is difficult to match up with. We love the challenge they present." - Washington Freedom Head Coach Jim Gabarra on Atlanta.

Referee: Kari Seitz. Referee Assistants: Steve Davidson, John E. Schmitz. 4th Official: Michael Stutt.

TEAM INJURY REPORTS AS OF 7/29/02
ATLANTA BEAT: PROBABLE - M Liping Wang (R knee contusion); F Sun Wen (left adductor strain); M Kylie Bivens (Plantar fascitis).
BOSTON BREAKERS: PROBABLE - Ragnhild Gulbrandsen (foot).
CAROLINA COURAGE: PROBABLE - D Danielle Slaton (inflammation L knee); F Kim Yankowski (lower back sprain); D Carla Overbeck (sore R knee).
NEW YORK POWER: None.
PHILADELPHIA CHARGE: OUT: D Heather Mitts (hip pointer); F Marinette Pichon (L big toe); QUESTIONABLE - M Stacey Tullock (back strain); PROBABLE: F Erin Martin (L knee sprain).
SAN DIEGO SPIRIT: QUESTIONABLE - F Zhang Ouying (pulled hamstring); GK Jaime Pagliarulo (strained knee); PROBABLE - D Fan Yunjie (pulled hamstring).
SAN JOSE CYBERRAYS: OUT - F Maren Hendershot-Brown (R knee inflammation); QUESTIONABLE - F Kim Clark (L ankle sprain); PROBABLE - D Kelly Lindsey (R knee surgery.); D Danielle Borgman (R knee sprain).
WASHINGTON FREEDOM: OUT - M Anne Makinen (R ankle sprain).

SEASON ENDING INJURIES: NEW YORK - D Sara Whalen (R knee ACL tear); PHILADELPHIA - F Rakel Karvelsson (R ACL tear); M Kelly Smith (R ACL tear); SAN JOSE- F Megan Horvath (L knee meniscus tear); WASHINGTON - D Lindsey Stoecker (L ACL tear).

NATIONAL TEAM DUTY AS OF 7/29/02
None Among the League's Eight Teams

suspension Summary 7/29/02

Player Team Suspension Reason

Tiffany Roberts Carolina Courage 7/31 vs. Washington Red Card 7/27 at Atlanta

Warning Summary 7/29/02

Player Team Reason

Shannon Boxx San Diego Spirit 3 Non-Consecutive Yellow Cards Accumulated (A caution in the next game will result in a 1 game suspension = 4 non-consecutive cards accumulated)

Chrisy McCann Boston Breakers 3 Non-Consecutive Yellow Cards Accumulated (A caution in the next game will result in a 1 game suspension = 4 non-consecutive cards accumulated)

TEAM-BY-TEAM NOTES

ATLANTA BEAT: The Beat went into the July 27 match versus the Carolina Courage with a two-game winning streak on the line ... Charmaine Hooper's 68th minute goal was the difference as Atlanta defeated Carolina 1-0 at Herndon Stadium ... The goal was Hooper's ninth of the season, third in as many games and league leading sixth game winner ... Hooper has scored in three straight WUSA matches and four if you count Canada's 2-2 draw with Norway a week and a half ago ... Goalkeeper Briana Scurry recorded her WUSA-leading fifth shutout of the season ... Scurry had missed two straight games with a virus and then another due to U.S. national team duty ... Beat forward Emily Burt has recorded an assist in four straight matches, the last three on goals for Hooper ... Burt, who had only three assists all of last season, has surpassed that total and is looking to set a season record with an assist in her fifth straight match ... The league's best this season is four straight games with an assist, accomplished by teammate Nikki Serlenga, and three others ... With a win on Wednesday, Atlanta could tie its win total from 2001(10 games) and on Sunday, could surpass last season's win total with a victory over the Washington Freedom ... Atlanta currently has nine wins and is tied with the Philadelphia Charge for the most wins in league history ... Both the Charge and the Beat have 19 wins in the two seasons combined ... Hooper, Atlanta's top scorer, ranks 11th in WUSA scoring with nine goals and one assist for 19 points ... Atlanta ranks eighth in the WUSA in total shots (188) and shots on goal (99).

BOSTON BREAKERS: Boston picked up two draws last week, each 1-1 results ... Alexa Borisjuk notched her first goal in a 1-1 tie vs. Washington on July 24 ... Breakers super-sub Allie Kemp came off the bench in the 84th minute and scored in the 90th to give the Breakers a 1-1 draw with the first-place Philadelphia Charge at Nickerson Field on July 27 ... However, the tie was not enough to keep Boston in the playoff race as the Breakers will watch the postseason from home ... Kemp's goal was the first of her WUSA career ... "We have been short about eight times but we have fought to the very end," midfielder Kristine Lilly said following the draw. "Whether or not we are in the playoffs we are going to keep playing because we are fighting for jobs, fighting for pride and playing for the fans," Lilly added ... Although Boston is 1-8-1 away from Nickerson Field, the Breakers remain the lone WUSA team with an unbeaten mark at home at 3-0-5 ... Lilly continued her point-scoring streak with an assist in the 1-1 tie vs. Philadelphia ... She now has a goal or assist in eight straight games, the second longest streak in WUSA history ... Lilly, the fifth leading scorer in the WUSA, now has seven goals and 11 assists for 25 points ... Norwegian forward Ragnhild Gulbrandsen recorded her first point in the WUSA with an assist on Kemp's game-tying goal vs. Philadelphia ... Chrisy McCann and Maren Meinert are the only two Breakers to have played in every game this season ... McCann has played in 31 straight games dating back to June 16, 2001 ... Meinert (4th in WUSA scoring), Lilly (5th) and Dagny Mellgren (tied for 7th) are the WUSA's highest scoring trio ... The "Big Three" account for 77 percent of Boston's scoring.

CAROLINA COURAGE: Carolina suffered the club's second consecutive shutout when the Courage went down 1-0 at Atlanta on July 27 ... Courage captain Tiffany Roberts was sent off during injury time, while protesting the treatment of her teammates Saturday night ... Roberts will serve a one-game suspension when the Courage takes on Washington on Wednesday night ... After going scoreless two consecutive games, Carolina no longer leads the WUSA in scoring, as the Courage average of 1.82 goals per game is .06 behind Philadelphia ... After going 5-0-2 on the road, Carolina is now 5-2-2 away from SAS Stadium ... Forward Danielle Fotopoulos ranks second in the WUSA in total shots (71) and shots on goal (36) ... She also ranks third in the WUSA in fouls committed with 36 ... Goalkeeper Kristin Luckenbill's 95 saves (5.59 per game) lead the WUSA ... The Courage signed Wake Forest defender Stacy Roeck to a reserve contract and waived forward Nicole Roberts last week ... Roberts was the Courage's 3rd round pick (22nd overall) in the 2001 Inaugural Draft ... She missed all of the 2001 season due to a leg fracture ... This season Roberts saw limited action, playing in three games and logging 65 minutes ... Fewer than 300 tickets remain for the Washington Freedom's only scheduled visit to SAS Stadium on Wednesday night ... However, Mia Hamm and company would return to North Carolina for a playoff match if the standings remain the same.

NEW YORK POWER: New York snapped its nine-game losing streak with a 3-2 victory over Philadelphia on July 24 at Villanova Stadium ... The three Power goals were scored in the 83rd, 84th and 87th minutes after the Charge had jumped to a 2-0 lead ... Tiffeny Milbrett had two goals and Emily Janss had one ... Playing their third game in seven days, the Power was defeated by the San Jose CyberRays 4-1 in a game which saw late and often scoring, however this time it was by the opponent and not as the Power had done to the Charge Wednesday night ... Janss had the Power's lone goal ... She now has seven goals for the season ... Janss conversion rate of seven goals in 13 shots on goal ranks first among WUSA players with more than five shots on goal ... New York goalkeeper Saskia Webber got plenty of work in Saturday's loss ... She faced 17 shots and tied Siri Mullinix's league-record 13 saves ... Milbrett and Janss have 17 of the Power's 27 goals, equating to 63 percent of the team's scoring output ... New York has allowed a WUSA-record 52 goals, an average of 2.89 per game ... New York has allowed 16 goals in the 76-90th-minute time frame this year, double the next highest team in the WUSA ... The Power is the WUSA's highest scoring team on the road, averaging 2.11 goals per game away from home.

PHILADELPHIA CHARGE: The Charge managed only one point this past week after falling to the New York Power 3-2 on Wednesday, July 24 and tying the Boston Breakers 1-1 on Saturday, July 27 ... The loss to the Power snapped Philadelphia's 10-game unbeaten streak (tying the league record held by the 2001 Bay Area [now San Jose] CyberRays) ... Despite going 0-1-1 on the week, the Charge remains in first place in the WUSA standings ... Liu Ailing scored two goals for Philadelphia during the week ... Last season the Chinese international led the team in scoring (10g, 2a, 22 pts.), but has only managed two goals and two assists for six points in 2002 ... Liu has scored a goal in two straight matches ... The Charge were without the services of the team's leading scorer Marinette Pichon (due to an injury to her left big toe) on Saturday ... The Charge will also be without the services of defender Heather Mitts (hip pointer) ... Philadelphia dropped its first home game of the season in the 3-2 loss to New York on Wednesday ... Goalkeeper Melissa Moore leads the league in wins (10), winning percentage (73.5), goals against average (0.94) and is second in shutouts (4) ... Philadelphia leads the league in both team offense (1.88 goals per game) and team defense (0.94 goals per game) ... The Charge remains the only team in the WUSA that has not allowed a goal during the first 15 minutes of action ... Philadelphia's defense has allowed 190 shots this season (second fewest in the WUSA).

SAN DIEGO SPIRIT: The Spirit moved one step closer to elimination from playoff contention with a 1-0 loss to Washington on Saturday, July 27 ... San Diego has not scored a goal versus Washington since Aug. 1, 2001 ... Carly Smolak made her third consecutive start in goal for the 2002 season and her fourth career on Saturday ... Smolak set a team season-high for consecutive shutout minutes this season at 178 minutes ... Smolak earned her first loss in goal versus Washington on Saturday ... This season the Spirit has been outscored 8-0 by the Freedom ... Zhang Ouying missed her first start of the season due to a pulled hamstring ... The Spirit is 9-0-3 when scoring the first goal of the game ...The Spirit is 2-16-6 when the opponent scores first ... San Diego is 0-11-3 when trailing at the half ...The Spirit is 0-12-3 when trailing at the 75th minute ... San Diego has allowed two or more goals in 11 of 17 games ... The Spirit has trailed at the half in seven of 11 games ... San Diego has not held a lead at halftime in 11 consecutive games ... The Spirit has trailed at the 75th minute in seven of 11 games ... San Diego has allowed the opponent to score the first goal in 10 of the last 11 games ... San Diego has allowed 21 of the 33 total goals allowed during the first half this season ... San Diego's offense is ranked eighth in the WUSA (1.41 goals per game) ... The Spirit ranks seventh in team defense (2.00 goals per game).

SAN JOSE CYBERRAYS: San Jose remained in the hunt for the fourth and final playoff spot with a 4-1 win over the New York Power on Saturday, July 27 ... Katia, this week's WUSA Player of the Week, recorded two goals in the CyberRays victory ... With the two goals and an assist in the match, Katia moved into first place among the WUSA leading scorers ... The win streched the CyberRays' unbeaten streak to seven games over the Power ... Along with New York, one other WUSA team has never won at Spartan Stadium: Wednesday's opponent, the first-place Philadelphia Charge ... San Jose is 2-0-0 versus Philadelphia at Spartan Stadium ... For the first time in team history two goals were scored in the same minute (82nd) in Saturday's 4-1 victory ... The two goals were scored 56 seconds apart ... Saturday's home game pushed the all-time San Jose home attendance total past the 150,000 fan mark ... Defender Thori Bryan extended her minutes played streak to 3,615 ... Bryan has played in every minute of every match for the CyberRays (including the playoffs) ... The four goals moved San Jose to third in goals per game in the WUSA with 1.76 ... The CyberRays' team defense is tied for fourth (1.41 goals per game) ... San Jose leads the league in goals scored at home with 23 ... Conversely, the CyberRays are last in road scoring with seven goals ... San Jose continues to lead the WUSA in shots (257) and have held opponents to a league low 174 shots.

WASHINGTON FREEDOM: Washington extended its unbeaten streak to six games with a 1-0 victory over the San Diego Spirit on Saturday ... the six-game unbeaten streak is a team record ... Abby Wambach continues to shine for the Freedom ... The Washington rookie scored the game-winning goal on Saturday for her ninth of the season ... She is the only rookie to rank among the top 10 in WUSA scoring ... Mia Hamm had the assist on Wambach's goal for her second helper of the season ... Since Hamm's return to the Freedom lineup on June 12, Washington has gone 6-1-2 ... The Freedom is currently in third place in the WUSA standings and are closing in on their first-ever playoff berth ... Siri Mullinix recorded her second shutout of the 2002 season on Saturday ... The Washington goalkeeper leads the league in save percentage (83 percent) and is second in goals against average (1.12) ... Defender Jennifer Grubb, who recorded a game-saving goalmouth block on Saturday, extended her minutes played streak to 3,510 ... Grubb has played in every minute of every game for the Freedom ... Washington's defense ranks second in the WUSA (1.28 goals per game) ... The Freedom's offense is fifth in the league, scoring 1.56 goals per game.



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


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