Women's Soccer USA

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

July 30, 2007

2007 W-League All-League Team

2007 W-League All-League Team

Goalkeeper of the Year – Melanie Wilson (Atlanta Silverbacks)
Defender – Francesca DeCristoforo (Long Island Rough Riders)
Defender – Lisa Gomez (San Diego Sunwaves)
Defender – Jaclyn Raveia (Richmond Kickers Destiny)
Midfielder – Formiga (Jersey Sky Blue)
Midfielder – Lori Lindsay (Washington Freedom)
Midfielder – Tina Murphy (Charlotte Lady Eagles)
Midfielder – Kelly Parker (Ottawa Fury)
Forward – Lara Dickenmann (Jersey Sky Blue)
Forward – Tiffeny Milbrett (Vancouver Whitecaps)
Forward – Jen Parsons (Richmond Kickers Destiny)

W-League vs. WPSL

The National Soccer Hall of Fame announced today that the Washington Freedom will be pitted against the SoccerPlus Connecticut Reds in the Hall of Fame Game to be held on August 26th, in conjunction with Induction 2007. The match will feature appearances by the newest Hall of Famers, Mia Hamm and Julie Foudy, as well as former teammates such as Hall of Famer (Class of 2006) Carla Overbeck.
The Freedom, coached by former Olympic and National Team player Jim Gabarra, currently plays in the United Soccer Leagues W-League where they are in the League Championship Playoffs. “This historic game needs to be on every soccer fan’s calendar!” said Gabarra.

July 29, 2007

W-League playoffs

Washington 1, Ottawa 0
For the first time in five seasons, the Fury will not be going to the W-League Championship Final Four. A Christie Welsh goal in the 24th minute was enough to send the Washington Freedom, 1-0, to next weekend’s finals in Rochester, NY as the Eastern Conference champions. The Freedom will join the Atlanta Silverbacks, Seattle Sounders and host Rochester Rhinos in the final four.

WPSL Championship

FC Indiana 3, New England 0

Marred by a red card to New England's Megan Cunningham in the 58th minute - and the subsequent ejections of Mutiny head coach Tony Horta and his assistant for protest - F.C. Indiana scored on the ensuing possession for a two-goal lead and would eventually run on to a 3-0 victory over the East Conference champions to win the 2007 WPSL Championship. This is the second WPSL Championship in the past three years for F.C. Indiana, as they also won the 2005 title.

2007 ALL-WPSL FINAL FOUR TOURNAMENT TEAM: GK Stephanie Labbe (New England); D Brooke O'Hanley (Ajax America), D Elisabetta Tona (F.C. Indiana), D Karyn Riviere (New England Mutiny), D Paulina McIntosh (Tampa Bay Elite); M Maria Ruiz (F.C. Indiana), M Fatima Leyva (F.C. Indiana), M Elena Terekhova (F.C. Indiana), M Lauren Molinaro (New England Mutiny); F Lindsay Brauer (Tampa Bay Elite), F Kandace Wilson (Ajax America).

2007 FINAL FOUR MOST VALUABLE PLAYER: Maria Ruiz (F.C. Indiana).

July 28, 2007

USA 4, Japan 1

The United States has never lost to Japan and never lost in Spartan Stadium. Both streaks remained intact Saturday as the Americans scored early and dominated throughout a 4-1 victory in a tuneup for this year's Women's World Cup.

WPSL playoffs

FC Indiana 2, Ajax America 1
New England 2, Tampa Bay 1

FINAL
FC Indiana vs. New England, Sunday 1:00PM

W-League playoffs

Ottawa 4, Jersey Sky Blue 0
Washington 6, Toronto 1
Atlanta 5, Minnesota 2

FINAL FOUR
Rochester, Seattle, Atlanta and Washington/Ottawa

July 26, 2007

2007 All-WPSL teams announced

The Women's Premier Soccer League (WPSL) has announced their 2007 All-WPSL Teams.

FIRST TEAM ALL-WPSL:
F Kandace Wilson (AJAX AMERICA)
F Tiffany Weimer (SOCCERPLUS CT)
F Cindy Schofield (TAMPA BAY ELITE)
MF Ouying Zhang (SAN DIEGO W.F.C. SEALIONS)
MF Fatima Leyva (F.C. INDIANA)
MF Meghan Schnur (NEW ENGLAND MUTINY)
MF Maureen Whitney (CALIFORNIA STORM)
D Elisabetta Tona (F.C. INDIANA)
D Dani Collins (ATLANTIC CITY DIABLOS)
D Sue Weber (LONG ISLAND FURY)
GK Karen Bardsley (AJAX AMERICA)
GK Stephanie Labbe (NEW ENGLAND MUTINY)

July 25, 2007

W-League playoff preview

‘Always a bridesmaid, never the bride’ is a phrase most women despise. The veteran players on the Ottawa Fury, unfortunately, know that all too well having advanced to the W-League Championship tournament the past four years only to finish fourth, third, second and second respectively.

Hamel has been a part of three missed Fury titles (Randy Smith)This year though, the Vancouver Whitecaps and New Jersey Wildcats sides that have gotten in Ottawa’s way of winning a championship are not in the playoff mix and the Fury are, for once, the regular season champion heading into the postseason. Players like Kelly Parker, Leah Robinson, Marie-Eve Nault and Annie Hamel know they can’t relax and expect to cruise through the conference playoffs to another Final Four, however, given the strength of the teams not only in their division, but the new powers that have arisen in the Northeast Division in the form of expansion Jersey Sky Blue, led by former Wildcats head coach Charlie Naimo and a number of the same players, and the Washington Freedom, the legacy of the former WUSA club. The two clubs, between them, only had three losses on the year.

And even if they reach the W-League Championship, the clubs who will advance out of the Central and Western Conferences could pose a significant threat. Minnesota comes into the postseason with just one loss and previous playoff experience under their belt while Atlanta and Richmond both boast players of international pedigree. And out west, the expansion San Diego Sunwaves and Seattle Sounders are in the playoffs because they locked out the juggernaut Whitecaps and star American striker Tiffeny Milbrett.

July 24, 2007

WPSL Final Four set

The field for the 2007 Women's Premier Soccer League (WPSL) Final Four has been set, as F.C. Indiana finished their regular season with a 2-0 win at F.C. St. Louis last Saturday, qualifying them for their second Midwest Conference title in the past three seasons. The South Conference champions Tampa Bay Elite qualified for the tournament they will host July 28-29 at Pepin-Rood Stadium (Univ. of Tampa) in Tampa, FL with a 2-1 road win over Southwest champ Denver Diamonds on the same day while the No. 17-internationally ranked & undefeated New England Mutiny (North Division) won its fourth East Conference Championship in five seasons with a 2-1 double-overtime win over the Mid-Atlantic Division champion Atlantic City Diablos.

No. 7-internationally ranked F.C. Indiana will go up against No. 2-internationally ranked & West Conference champion Ajax America (Los Angeles, CA) in the first WPSL National Semifinal at 6:30 p.m. this Saturday, July 28th.

Tampa Bay will take on New England in the second WPSL National Semifinal this Saturday, July 28th at 8:30 p.m.

July 23, 2007

WWC roster

GOALKEEPERS (3): Nicole Barnhart (Gilbertsville, Pa.), Briana Scurry (Dayton, Minn.), Hope Solo (Richland, Wash.);
DEFENDERS (6): Marian Dalmy (Lakewood, Colo.), Tina Ellertson (Vancouver, Wash.), Stephanie Lopez (Elk Grove, Calif.), Kate Markgraf (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.), Christie Rampone (Point Pleasant, N.J.), Cat Whitehill (Birmingham, Ala.);
MIDFIELDERS (7): 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.), Leslie Osborne (Brookfield, Wis.), Aly Wagner (San Jose, Calif.);
FORWARDS (5): Natasha Kai (Kahuku, Hawaii), Kristine Lilly (Wilton, Conn.), Heather O’Reilly (East Brunswick, N.J.), Lindsay Tarpley (Kalamazoo, Mich.), Abby Wambach (Rochester, N.Y.).

July 22, 2007

WPSL playoffs

New England Mutiny 2, Atlantic City 1

FINAL FOUR
Ajax California
New England Mutiny
Tampa Bay Elite
River Cities FC or FC Indiana

July 21, 2007

WPSL playoffs

New England Mutiny 6, Northampton 0
AC Diablos 3, Long Island 1

July 19, 2007

WPSL playoffs

Long Island 3, Soccer Plus 2 ET
The Long Island Fury survived an exhausting 120-minute first round playoff game with the Connecticut Reds at humid Mitchel Athletic Complex in Uniondale. Long Island won in double overtime, 3-2.

July 18, 2007

Case Against Dorrance Heads to Supreme Court

A 9-year-old sexual harassment suit against the UNC Women's Soccer head coach could be headed to the U.S. Supreme Court.
The lawsuit was dismissed in 2004, but earlier this year, an appeals court ruled that Jennings should have a trial for her claims.
Lawyers in the state attorney general's office have filed a petition for the supreme court to hear the case.

July 15, 2007

WPSL match abandoned

A Women's Premier Soccer League match, played Saturday afternoon in Chicago, between River Cities and Chicago Breeze was abandoned in the 72nd minute after players from both teams clashed on the field.
The referee immediately abandoned the match. The teams never came back out on the field.
It was not immediately clear whether the result would stand or what WPSL's response was.

WUSA 2001

Although there have been professional and semi-professional women's soccer leagues in Sweden, Germany, Italy, Japan, and a few other countries for some years, the quality of play in those places is equivalent, at best, to American Division I collegiate-level soccer, and most of the players hold down day jobs in order to earn a living.

WUSA 2008

After a five-year absence, the WUSA is coming back. Scheduled to return in April of 2008, the WUSA will have seven teams — Dallas, Los Angeles, St. Louis, Chicago, New Jersey, Boston and Washington D.C. Each team will play 21 games, and the playoffs will be the final weekend in August.

What makes Cummings feel this time around will be different?

"The business plan is based upon the hard numbers between 2001 and 2003, whereas the launch in 2001 was based on hoped-for numbers," Cummings said this week while watching one of his former Boston Breakers, Wilton's Kristine Lilly, practice with the U.S. national team at the Farmington Sports Center.
"So the revenue numbers now are something that we can look to as being consistent from year to year. On the expense side, we've taken a good look at the expenses and adjusted them to match the proposed revenues.

"Salaries have also been adjusted across the board for both players and staff. It's not just that alone, but the projections for the sponsorship dollars now match up with what the sponsorship dollars were in 2003. Everything is coming on line."

Slowly but surely, the WUSA is starting to inch itself back into the public eye. Already, Cummings says, the Breakers have sold over 100 season tickets (even though they don't formally have a stadium to play in). They have an office and are assembling a staff, and most importantly, the Web site www.bostonbreakers.com is up and running.

July 14, 2007

USA 1, Norway 0

The U.S. Women’s National Team got a second half goal on a header from midfielder Carli Lloyd to edge long-time rival Norway, 1-0, in one of the toughest tests of the summer as the U.S. continues its run toward the 2007 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

July 12, 2007

San Diego slaughters Vancouver

While the weather in San Diego may have been mercifully cool Wednesday night, the host Sunwaves found another way to turn up the heat on the visiting Vancouver Whitecaps. San Diego scored two early goals on their way to a 4-1 victory, as they moved into top spot in the W-League Western Conference.

WUSA

"I certainly hope that we will have something to announce within the next four weeks," Tonya Antonucci says.

USA U17 3, Denmark U19 0

The match does not count as an official international.

USA 7, Paraguay 1

The US U-20s competing in PanAmerican Games won 7-1 over Panama.

July 07, 2007

Jersey Sky Blue 2, Washington Freedom 3

Christie Welsh’s two goals and one assist propelled the Washington Freedom past Jersey Sky Blue 3-2 in Basking Ridge, New Jersey avenging the 3-0 defeat the Freedom suffered at the Maryland SoccerPlex back on June 27.

Ajax California 2, California Storm 0

Ajax defeated its arch-rival Storm, improved its season record to 10-0-0 and virtually secured its place in the WPSL finals in Orlando, FL.

July 06, 2007

Boston Breakers

Though they are still 10 months away from getting back on the soccer pitch for real, the revival of the Boston Breakers is gaining momentum. General manager Joe Cummings said yesterday he plans to announce the coach of the women’s pro soccer club sometime next week.

July 05, 2007

Ryan announces roster for Norway

GOALKEEPERS (2): Briana Scurry (Dayton, Minn.), Hope Solo (Richland, Wash.);
DEFENDERS (6): Marian Dalmy (Lakewood, Colo.), Tina Ellertson (Vancouver, Wash.), Stephanie Lopez (Elk Grove, Calif.), Kate Markgraf (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.), Christie Rampone (Point Pleasant, N.J.), Cat Whitehill (Birmingham, Ala.);
MIDFIELDERS (6): 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.), Leslie Osborne (Brookfield, Wis.);
FORWARDS (4): Natasha Kai (Kahuku, Hawaii), Kristine Lilly (Wilton, Conn.), Lindsay Tarpley (Kalamazoo, Mich.), Abby Wambach (Rochester, N.Y.).

July 04, 2007

Jersey Sky Blue 2, New Jersey Wildcats 0

Casey Nogueira and Lara Dickenmann connected for goals as Sky Blue scored once in each half to claim a 2-0 victory over the New Jersey Wildcats. The shutout was the fifth straight for Sky Blue, which improved to 8-1 for the season and moved into first place in the Northeast Division with 24 points - two points ahead of the Washington Freedom. Sky Blue held a 19-7 advantage in shots and keeper Jillian Loyden needed just one save to secure the shutout - the team's eighth of the season.

July 02, 2007

PanAm roster announced

GOALKEEPERS (2): Chantel Jones (Virginia), Alyssa Naeher (Penn State);
DEFENDERS (5): Lauren Barnes (Upland, Calif.), Kaley Fountain (Wake Forest), Nikki Marshall (Colorado), Brittany Taylor (Connecticut), Lauren Wilmoth (UCLA);
MIDFIELDERS (5): Becky Edwards (Florida State), Tobin Heath (North Carolina), Teresa Noyola (Palo Alto, Calif.) Nikki Washington (North Carolina), Kylie Wright (Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.).
FORWARDS (6): Lauren Cheney (UCLA), Michelle Enyeart (Portland), Melissa Henderson (Garland, Texas), Jessica McDonald (Phoenix College), Casey Nogueira (North Carolina), Kelley O’Hara (Stanford)

July 01, 2007

WUSA 2008

"I hope it works out for them, but my suspicion is that it is still a money "down the drain" proposition. People barely care about the men's game, and I don't see a groundswell of demand for this entertainment product."