Krieger and Lewandowski sign with German champions

German champions 1. FFC Frankfurt have strengthened their squad ahead of the UEFA Women's Cup with the signing of American defenders Alexandra Krieger and Gina Lewandowski.

Nevada's Patraw exploring legal options

Former Nevada women's soccer coach Terri Patraw said Wednesday night she is exploring her legal options and hopes to make a decision within the next couple of days.
Patraw said she was fired on Tuesday. Nevada athletic director Cary Groth said Patraw submitted her resignation, which was accepted. Patraw said she quickly rescinded that resignation.

X-Ray to Toe on Wambach's Right Foot Shows No Serious Damage

U.S. Women’s National Team forward Abby Wambach sustained no serious damage to her toe following a foot-to-foot tackle with a Finland player early in the USA’s 4-0 victory yesterday in the final match before the 2007 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

WUSA 2009

"Two reliable sources tell me that investors in a proposed national women's league have decided to wait until 2009 to launch the eight-team circuit. No official confirmation, but that's the buzz in U.S. soccer circles. Investors apparently felt that spring of 2008 was too soon to start a league, sign top U.S. players, identify and sign international players, finalize stadium deals, begin serious marketing campaigns, etc. What the investors need now is the American team to win the World Cup as well as the Olympic gold next year to build momentum toward the launch of the league."

Patraw out as Nevada soccer coach

Terri Patraw has left the Nevada women's soccer program and fourth-year assistant Antoinette Marjanovic will be interim head coach, Athletic Director Cary Groth announced Tuesday.

Patraw said she was fired in the midst of contract negotiations for the last two weeks.
"They offered me a contract extension and a raise on (last) Wednesday," Patraw, in her third year, said. "Cary Groth terminated me Tuesday. I told her some things she didn't want to hear."

Washington Freedom 2, Connecticut Reds 1

Welsh scored twice in a 30-second span during the second half of the Washington Freedom’s 2-1 exhibition victory over the Connecticut Reds on an overcast, muggy Sunday afternoon at At-A-Glance Field.

"I think I broke my toe" says Wambach

Boxxy gave reporters the most alarming news of the game: "I think I broke my toe," Boxx said Wambach told her as she left the field. She's getting an X-ray at a local hospital and we won't know more for a while.

USA 4, Finland 0

Sometimes the best lessons are the unplanned ones, as the U.S. women's national team found out in the 4-0 win over Finland on Saturday at the Home Depot Center.

WUSA Chicago

Very soon, it will be announced that a group of owners are going beyond the "intent" stage and are signing a firm agreement to return professional women's soccer to the United States for the first time since 2003 and to Chicago for the first time ever.

I am proud and excited to be heading up Chicago's entry in the new League. Professional women's soccer will be a tremendous addition to the Chicago sports landscape. This new League will offer the world's best women's soccer and it is my goal to build a team on and off the field that will be the very best in the world.

The team on the field will include four of the world's best international stars, several United States National Team players, outstanding players who have starred at some of the top US college programs and the very best players who have developed their skills right here in Illinois at clubs like the Eclipse, Team Chicago, Sockers, Magic and Chicago Fire Juniors.

Off the field, we are already building a world class organization. Our investor partners are a cross section of the area's soccer and business leadership. The 16,000 member Illinois Women's Soccer League has signed on as a partner that will provide all the benefits of ownership to the many young girls and women who play soccer in the state. In addition to the IWSL, our leadership includes a retired chairman of two local fortune 500 companies, a national board member of the Women's Sports Foundation and the owners of Women's Premier Soccer League power FC Indiana. A number of other
Chicagoans with local soccer ties including me are also investing in this team, because we believe in its need and its opportunity.

Maybe 2009

Women's soccer fans have waited four years for the return of a U.S. professional league. Now it appears they will have to wait a little bit longer.

The yet-to-be-named women's league that announced it planned to launch in the spring of 2008 has tentatively been pushed back to 2009, according to several sources with knowledge of an ownership meeting earlier this week in New York. The owners are to meet again in Chicago next week and make a formal announcement then.
“I can't confirm we've made any decision about 2009,” said Tonya Antonucci, the CEO of Women's Soccer Initiative Inc., the San Francisco-based group that has been trying to revive a league after the eight-team WUSA folded in 2003. “We had a very positive meeting with our owners and we discussed 2008 vs. 2009.”

Asked what might sway the owners toward 2009, Antonucci said: “It's preparation, or operational readiness. I think the owners are carefully considering their opportunity to get it right a second time – what it takes to make sure the league has sustainability for the future.”

One problem is that teams are quickly running out of time, with a matter of months to set up front offices, hire coaching staffs, draft players and book venues for a 2008 season. Another issue is the new league announced it would have eight teams, and it still has only seven: Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, New York/New Jersey, St. Louis and Washington, D.C.

The rights to the eighth team was held by an entity called Soccer Initiative LLC, which the Union-Tribune later identified as Padres owner John Moores. Soccer Initiative LLC was supposed to designate a city by March or April, and San Diego was considered a leading candidate.

The eight charter owners, Antonucci said, signed letters of intent and made a “modest initial capital payment” to retain territorial rights.

“We're still in discussion with Soccer Initiative LLC,” Antonucci said. “The situation continues to evolve. We're still engaged with them, so I wouldn't rule them out.”

In the meantime, several other cities have shown interest in a franchise, including San Jose, Kansas City, Philadelphia, Rochester, N.Y., Vancouver, British Columbia, and Virginia Beach, Va.

FC Indiana 1, New Zealand 0

Lisa Grubb scored her ninth goal of the season in the 50th minute as FC Indiana defeated New Zealand WNT 1-0 in an international friendly.

UNC ranked number 1

Pre-season college rankings
Rank School W-L Points Prev
1 North Carolina 27-1-0 25 1
2 Notre Dame 25-1-1 24 2
3 UCLA 21-4-0 23 3
4 Portland 17-4-3 22 6
5 Texas A&M 17-6-1 21 5

USA 6, New Zealand 1

The U.S. Women’s National Team rolled past an over-matched New Zealand team to win 6-1 on a hot afternoon at Soldier Field as forward Abby Wambach and midfielder Carli Lloyd each scored twice.

2007 Women’s Missouri Athletic Club Hermann Trophy Watch List

Pos. Name Cl. School Hometown
M Ameera Abdullah Jr. Florida Denver, Colo.
F Danesha Adams Sr. UCLA Shaker Heights, Ohio
M Yael Averbuch Jr. North Carolina Upper Montclair, N.J.
G Lizzie Barnes Jr. Navy New Orleans, La.
F Stacy Bishop Sr. Florida Land O'Lakes, Fla.
M Paige Carmichael Sr. Texas A&M Glendale, Ariz.
F Kelsey Carpenter Sr. Texas Allen, Texas
F Lauren Cheney So. UCLA Indianapolis, Ind.
M Amanda Cicchini Jr. West Virginia Oakville, Ontario
M Amanda Cinalli Sr. Notre Dame Maple Heights, Ohio
M Danielle Collins Jr. William & Mary Cream Ridge, N.J.
M Lara Dickenmann Sr. Ohio State Kriens, Switzerland
M Christina DiMartino Jr. UCLA Massapequa, N.Y.
F Gina DiMartino So. Boston College Massapequa, N.Y.
M Sheree Gray Jr. Penn State Tom's River, N.J.
G Ashley Gunter Jr. SMU Lancaster, Pa.
F Kerri Hanks Jr. Notre Dame Allen, Texas
D Jessica Harmon Jr. BYU Provo, Utah
M Tobin Heath So. North Carolina Basking Ridge, N.J.
D Lauren Hyde So. Florida Carmel, Ind.
D Nikki Krzysik Jr. Virginia Clifton, N.J.
F Katie Larkin Jr. BYU Draper, Utah
F Adele Letro Jr. Utah Davis, Calif.
M Allie Long Jr. North Carolina Northport, N.Y.
D Stephanie Lopez Sr. Portland Elk Grove, Calif.
G Jillian Loyden Sr. Villanova Vineland, N.J.
F Ella Masar Sr. Illinois Urbana, Ill.
D Jessica Maxwell Sr. North Carolina Colleyville, Texas
D Kasey Moore Jr. Texas Mission Viejo, Calif.
F Kelley O'Hara So. Stanford Fayetteville, Ga.
M Yolanda Odenyo Sr. Oklahoma State Uppsala, Sweden
K Ashley Phillips Sr. Clemson West Peabody, Mass.
F Ashlee Pistorius Sr. Texas A&M Bloomington, Ill.
M Megan Rapinoe Jr. Portland Redding, Calif.
D Denay Riley Sr. Penn State Washingtonville, N.Y.
F Kylie Rossi Jr. Tennessee Pennington, N.J.
F Jess Rostedt Jr. Virginia Kent, Ohio
M Meghan Schnur Sr. Connecticiut Butler, Pa.
M Marisha Schumacher-Hodge Jr. Boston UniversityPittsburgh, Pa.
F Meagan Snell Sr. Santa Clara Arroyo Grande, Calif.
D Brittany Taylor Jr. Connecticut Campbell Hall, N.Y.
D Sara Wagenfuhr Jr. Florida State Colorado Springs, Colo.
M Angie Woznuk Sr. Portland El Cajon, Calif.
F Claire Zimmeck Jr. William & Mary Fairfax, Va.
D Emily Zurrer Jr. Illinois Vancouver, B.C.

W-League season review

After playing exhibition matches for three seasons, Washington Freedom joined W-League and their impact was astonishing as the Freedom won the league title in their first season.

Another new club, Jersey Sky Blue enjoyed a season of moderate success under Charlie Naimo. He enticed a a number of high quality foreign imports to his club, such as Formiga and Laura Dickemann, who both made impressive impacts during the season, helping Sky Blue to an admirable 2nd place division finish and a playoff spot.

Atlanta surprised many fans by advancing to league final where they lost 3-1 to Washington. Vancouver, despite being the biggest women's club in North America, showed very little and failed to impress.

Midwest Division continued to produce mediocrity with both Minnesota and Michigan outclassed in playoffs.

Both Ottawa and San Diego came up short after remarkable seasons.

Champions: Washington Freedom
Player of the Year: Laura Dickemann
Coach of the Year: Jim Gabarra
Overachievers: Seattle Sounders
Underachievers: Vancouver Whitecaps

WPSL season review

As expected the WPSL title race was a two horse race between Ajax America and FC Indiana.
Both clubs dominated their respective divisions before facing each other in league semi-finals with FC Indiana advancing on penalties and going on to win its second league title in three years, 3-0 over New England.

Last season champions Long Island faced tough division competition in Tony DiCicco's Soccer Plus Reds and were defeated in playoffs by a rapidly improving Atlantic City coached by Matt Driver.

The South Division was once again dominated by Tampa Bay Elite, while the Southwest Division offered very little.

Champions: FC Indiana
Player of the Year: ?
Coach of the Year: ?
Overachievers: Atlantic City
Underachievers: California Storm

Washington Freedom 3, Atlanta 1

The Washington Freedom rode two first half goals in Rochester, New York Sunday to a 3-1 victory over the Atlanta Silverbacks to capture the 2007 W-League Championship in their first season in the league.

Washington set the tone immediately with a goal less than a minute into the match when Rebecca Moros split the Atlanta defense on the right side of the box and sent a 16-yard shot over the reach of goalkeeper Courtney Cripps into the far side of the goal.

Welsh scored the game-winner for Washington (20 Toe Photo)Semifinal standout Sarah Huffman set up the second goal to double the lead in the 40th minute when she sent a perfect through ball past the back line of the Silverbacks to an on-rushing Christie Welsh. The US international, who spent part of the season in the Women’s National Team camp, put the shot past Cripps for what proved to be the game-winner.

US Open Cup

Ajax America 2, FC Indiana 1

W-League playoffs

Atlanta 4, Seattle 1
Washington 3, Rochester 0

US Open Cup

SEMIFINAL 1: Soccer Plus Connecticut 0, Ajax America 1
SEMIFINAL 2: Dallas Sting 0, FC Indiana 6

Canada vs. University of Florida?

"Canada likes to kick the ball," said Melanie Booth. "When I say kick the ball, I mean we don't like to pass. Here at Florida, it's more like tic-tac-toe soccer, you get to pass it around and be creative. It's pretty soccer."