Women's Soccer USA

Coverage of women's soccer in the US. If it's not here...it's not important...

June 30, 2007

Bennett and Seitz to represent U.S. Soccer in China

U.S. Soccer referees Jennifer Bennett and Kari Seitz have been named to the final list of referees for the 2007 FIFA Women's World Cup in China. The announcement was made by FIFA Vice President Angel Maria Villar Llona, the chair of the FIFA Referees Committee.
Overall, FIFA named 12 referees and 23 assistant referees from across the globe, with an additional six referees assigned as reserves. The U.S. is the only country to be represented by two referees.

June 27, 2007

Sky Blue destroy Freedom 3-0

Casey Nogueira scored twice and Lara Dickenmann contributed assists on all three goals as Jersey Sky Blue rolled past the Washington Freedom 3-0 at the Maryland SoccerPlex in a battle for supremacy in the W-League's Northeast Division.

June 25, 2007

US Open Cup semi-finalists set

Open Cup Semi-finals, August 4, 2007

Soccer Plus vs. Ajax California
FC Indiana vs. Dallas Roma FC

June 24, 2007

Santa Clara' Smith Signs Seven-Year Deal

Santa Clara University women's soccer head coach Jerry Smith signed a new seven-year deal. The new deal ensures that Smith will remain at the post through at least the 2013 season.

June 23, 2007

USA 2, Brazil 0

The U.S. Women’s National Team got a goal just 58 seconds into the game by team captain Kristine Lilly and rolled to a 2-0 win over Brazil in the first meeting between the teams since the 2004 Olympic gold medal game.

June 20, 2007

Ottawa 3, Jersey Sky Blue 2

Playing in front of their largest crowd of the season, the Ottawa Fury prevailed over the Jersey Sky Blue 3-2 in W-League exhibition play. Two goals from Annie Hamel and a third from Carmelina Moscato put the Fury into a three goal lead. A lead they would need as Sky Blue battled back with two goals from Casey Noguiera.

Washington Freedom 1, New Jersey 1

The New Jersey Wildcats maintain their undefeated status improving their home game record to a 30-0-2 with a 1-1 tie with the Washington Freedom.

June 18, 2007

USA 1, Jersey Sky Blue 0

Heather O'Reilly's 61st minute goal was the difference as the US had tough time against a resolute W-League team.

June 16, 2007

USA 2, China 0

The U.S. soccer team couldn't find a way to score against China — until Abby Wambach leaped into action. Wambach scored twice on headers in the second half to give the Americans, ranked No. 1 in the world, a 2-0 win Saturday night.

Sky Blue 5, Western Mass. 0

Jersey Sky Blue matched its offensive output from its previous three games Friday night with a five-goal outburst as the team posted a 5-0 victory over the Western Mass Lady Pioneers. With the victory, Sky Blue improved to 4-1.
Sky Blue returns to action on Saturday night when it travels to Framingham, MA to face the Boston Renegades at 4 p.m. at Bowditch Stadium.

June 13, 2007

Jersey Sky Blue 0, China 0

Sky Blue Select and China overcame a wet weather night to put on an entertaining match for a hearty crowd of 3,472 at Rutgers University. Despite a combined 22 shots, the teams finished tied 0-0 in an exhibition match.

June 12, 2007

Impact players

W-LEAGUE
Jennifer Parsons (Richmond) - continues where she left-off last season.
Melanie Wilson (Atlanta) - without her Atlanta finishes 3rd or 4th. With her 1st.
Lori Lindsey (Washington) - Washington's engine.
Formiga (Jersey) - experience and class.
Carmelina Moscato (Ottawa) - doing it all for the Fury.
Sophia Perez (San Diego) - the catalyst of San Diego's early success.

WPSL
Meghann Burke (River Cities) - 2 shotouts in three matches.
Elena Danilova (Indiana) - European U19 champion and top scorer continues poaching goals in the US.
Meghan Schnur (New England) - a key player for the Mutiny.
Brooke O'Hanley (Ajax California) - former Carolina Courage player scoring regularly.
Danielle Slaton (FC Twente3) - playing well in Chicago, 2 times TOTW.
Tiffany Weimer (Soccer Plus) - scoring key goals for Tony DiCicco's squad.
Sissi (California Storm) - still setting-up goals and directing in midfield.

June 11, 2007

Early season thoughts

An intriguing early season in WPSL and W-League, much more competitive than one might have thought.
W-LEAGUE
Atlantic Division
In a mediocre division Atlanta, Richmond and Cocoa are the favorites.
Midwest Division
Probably the weakest division in the league. Michigan and Minnesota will fight for the first place again.
Northeast Division
Washington has been the outstanding team of the season so far. They have played the most stylish, entertaining soccer. Featuring by far the most impressive attack, at times Washington has blown teams off the field, and is a serious favorite to take the title away from Vancouver.
Northern Division
Ottawa will win it again.
Western Division
Without Canada WNT, I really didn't expect much from Vancouver, and they've fully achieved that. Newcomers San Diego just might do it.

WPSL
East-North Division
The main feature of this division is that it is so tightly contested. This is by far the most competitive division in the league. Looks like New England is back, winning convincingly. Massachusetts and Long Island will not be easy.
Mid-Atlantic
Atlantic City is a shoe-in.
Midwest Division
Give it to one of the biggies; Indiana or River Cities.
South Division
In a division of minnows your guess is as good as mine.
West Division
Nothing ever changes here; California Storm or Ajax California will finish first.

Massachusetts stings SoccerPlus

The Massachusetts Stingrays scored twice in the final 10 minutes of the first half, then used a big break to pull away in the second half en route to a 3-1 win over the Soccerplus CT Reds on Saturday night in a WPSL contest.
The Reds fall to 2-1-1 with the loss, but Reds' coach Tony DiCicco was pleased with his team's effort.
"I felt bad because we were in total control of this game then their first shot went in for a goal, and they got another half-chance that they turned into another goal. That's the game of soccer," he said. "I felt bad for our group but we needed to put the game away."

June 10, 2007

Key weekend scores

W-LEAGUE
Jersey Sky Blue 0, New Jersey 1
Washington 4, Boston 0
Vancouver 2, San Diego 2

WPSL
Ajax 2, San Francisco 1
River Cities 1, Indiana 0
Massachusetts 3, Soccer Plus 1
New England 5, New York 0

June 08, 2007

Washington Freedom

The Washington Freedom is playing 15 games in the W-League, the highest level of women's soccer in the country. The Freedom won its first two games, and the team opens its home schedule this weekend with games in Germantown. The games are fun, fast-paced and let kids get close to the players as well as the action on the pitch.
The Freedom has two games this weekend:
· Saturday at 7 p.m. against the Western Mass Lady Pioneers.
· Sunday at 6 p.m. against the Boston Renegades.
Tickets are $10 each for everyone ages 5 and older. All games are played at the Maryland SoccerPlex in Germantown.
The team is loaded with top stars including forward Christie Welsh, the high scorer on the 2005 U.S. women's national team. Lots of the Freedom players are local stars who also coach area teams.

June 07, 2007

U.S. women's soccer team preps for World Cup

"It's like being a lion tamer," the assistant coach says. "Sometimes you have your head in the lion, and you don't want them to snap down on you. These girls are tough."

June 05, 2007

Ryan names 24

U.S. Women’s National Team head coach Greg Ryan has reduced the Residency Training Camp roster to 24 players as the team makes final preparations for its six-game 2007 Women’s National Send-Off Series, commencing on June 16 against China at Cleveland Browns Stadium in Cleveland, Ohio.
GOALKEEPERS (3): Nicole Barnhart (Gilbertsville, Pa.), Briana Scurry (Dayton, Minn.), Hope Solo (Richland, Wash.)
DEFENDERS (7): Marian Dalmy (Lakewood, Colo.), Tina Ellertson (Vancouver, Wash.), Stephanie Lopez (Elk Grove, Calif.), Kate Markgraf (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.), Christie Rampone (Point Pleasant, N.J.), India Trotter (Plantation, Fla.), Cat Whitehill (Birmingham, Ala.)
MIDFIELDERS (8): Shannon Boxx (Redondo Beach, Calif.), Lori Chalupny (St. Louis, Mo.), Angela Hucles (Virginia Beach, Va.), Marci Jobson (St. Charles, Ill.), Carli Lloyd (Delran, N.J.), Joanna Lohman (Silver Spring, Md.), Leslie Osborne (Brookfield, Wis.), Aly Wagner (San Jose, Calif.)
FORWARDS (6): Natasha Kai (Kahuku, Hawaii), Kristine Lilly (Wilton, Conn.), Heather O’Reilly (East Brunswick, N.J.), Lindsay Tarpley (Kalamazoo, Mich.), Abby Wambach (Rochester, N.Y.), Christie Welsh (Massapequa Park, N.Y.).

June 03, 2007

Key match-up results

W-LEAGUE
Washington 4, Northern Virginia 1
Jersey Sky 3, New York 0
New Jersey 1, Boston 0

WPSL
FC Indiana 2, River Cities FC 0
New England 4, Bay State 1
Soccer Plus 2, Adirondack 1

June 01, 2007

Sky Blue select team to host China

Sky Blue Soccer announced today that the Bedminster, NJ-based company will be assembling a select team to play against the Women’s National Team of China in an international friendly match. The Sky Blue Select team will host China on Tuesday, June 12 at 7:30 p.m. at Yurcak Field on the campus of Rutgers University in Piscataway, NJ.