2007 Washington Freedom W-League Thread [R]

Discussion in 'US Women's Lower Divisions' started by StarCityFan, May 16, 2007.

  1. StarCityFan

    StarCityFan BigSoccer Supporter

    Aug 2, 2001
    Greenbelt, MD
    Club:
    Washington Freedom
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Now that the Freedom have a real W-League team, I figure they deserve a thread of their own.

    Their first match is this weekend, when they play an away game against the Long Island Rough Riders W-League team Saturday evening at 7. Last year the Lady Riders (as they were then called - I assume we're talking the same team) were a middle-of-the-road W-League team that the Freedom defeated, 2-0.

    However, the Freedom have yet to a complete roster for this year's team, so it's hard to tell how good they're going to be at this point. (I'm assuming they're going to have more than three defenders on the final roster.)

    Their second match is the first local one of the season, an away game against the Northern Virginia Majestics, Saturday, June 2, at 5 pm.

    Their first home game isn't until their third match, Saturday, June 9, at 7 pm, at the Maryland Soccerplex against the Western Massachusetts Lady Pioneers. That should be a challenging match as the Pioneers were 10-3-1 last year.
     
  2. El Gato

    El Gato Moderator

    Mar 29, 2000
    Midwest
    Club:
    FC Bayern München
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Re: 2007 Washington Freedom W-League Thread

    If by "middle-of-the-road W-League team" you mean playoff team, then yes you are correct.

    There may be a couple of similar names popping up on the roster but the LI organization in itself is completely new team this year.
     
  3. StarCityFan

    StarCityFan BigSoccer Supporter

    Aug 2, 2001
    Greenbelt, MD
    Club:
    Washington Freedom
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Re: 2007 Washington Freedom W-League Thread

    Well, from my perspective as a Freedom fan, I tend to divide W-League teams into three categories:

    - Teams that can beat the Freedom (New Jersey, Ottawa, Vancouver)
    - Teams that can give the Freedom a run for their money
    - Teams that aren't really competitive with the Freedom

    Long Island would seem to be in the middle category.
     
  4. El Gato

    El Gato Moderator

    Mar 29, 2000
    Midwest
    Club:
    FC Bayern München
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Re: 2007 Washington Freedom W-League Thread

    To me it looks like your splits are actually:

    • Guaranteed loss
    • Competitive game
    • Guaranteed win

    To each his own. :)
     
  5. Chargefan

    Chargefan New Member

    Oct 9, 2003
    KOP
    Re: 2007 Washington Freedom W-League Thread

    By NJ, I am asuming you mean Sky Blue, I think the Freedom have agood chance to Sweep the Wildcats this year.

    Not that I take that for Granted, I am not asuming to know how they will be until the third game in....
     
  6. StarCityFan

    StarCityFan BigSoccer Supporter

    Aug 2, 2001
    Greenbelt, MD
    Club:
    Washington Freedom
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Re: 2007 Washington Freedom W-League Thread

    Not "guaranteed loss", more like "definite probability of losing", as contrasted with the "competitive game", which is more like "a very likely win but not in an embarrassing way."
     
  7. StarCityFan

    StarCityFan BigSoccer Supporter

    Aug 2, 2001
    Greenbelt, MD
    Club:
    Washington Freedom
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Re: 2007 Washington Freedom W-League Thread

    Yes, I think the key rivalry will be with Sky Blue rather than the Wildcats this year, as the coach and many of the players that made the Wildcats what they were are now with Sky Blue.
     
  8. StarCityFan

    StarCityFan BigSoccer Supporter

    Aug 2, 2001
    Greenbelt, MD
    Club:
    Washington Freedom
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Re: 2007 Washington Freedom W-League Thread

    Meanwhile, the Freedom are now 1-0. From the website:

    Very glad to have Christie Welsh with us this year!
     
  9. ManiacalClown

    ManiacalClown Member+

    Jun 27, 2003
    South Jersey
    Club:
    Chicago Fire
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Re: 2007 Washington Freedom W-League Thread

    I will be checking this thread often for updates. The addition of KJ has made me a de facto Freedom fan, at least for a while. :)

    I actually met KJ in College Station a couple months ago and found out about her signing well before it was officially announced. She's a fantastic goalkeeper and extremely friendly. If you get a chance to meet her, don't shy away. :D
     
  10. moog

    moog Member

    Mar 2, 2003
    eastern PA
    Club:
    Philadelphia Independence
    Re: 2007 Washington Freedom W-League Thread

    Looks like you're going to be missing her for a stretch now, as she's been called back into National camp:

    'New players in camp being given trials include goalkeeper Kim Bingham, a former Arizona State star, forward Christie Welsh, who was one of the USA’s leading scorers in 2005, and forward Megan Rapinoe, a youth national team standout who is at the tail end of her recovery from ACL surgery.'
     
  11. StarCityFan

    StarCityFan BigSoccer Supporter

    Aug 2, 2001
    Greenbelt, MD
    Club:
    Washington Freedom
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Re: 2007 Washington Freedom W-League Thread

    Christie Welsh named W-League Player of the Week.

    Sarah Senty named to the W-League Team of the Week in her Washington Freedom (and W-League?) debut.

    From the team's website:

     
  12. StarCityFan

    StarCityFan BigSoccer Supporter

    Aug 2, 2001
    Greenbelt, MD
    Club:
    Washington Freedom
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Re: 2007 Washington Freedom W-League Thread

    The Freedom's next match is another away game; however, it's local, against the Northern Virginia Majestics on June 2 at 5 pm. (The stadium, Gar-Field High School's, is right behind Potomac Mills Mall off of I-95 - see here for directions.)

    Unfortunately, I have a conflict and won't be able to make it.
     
  13. StarCityFan

    StarCityFan BigSoccer Supporter

    Aug 2, 2001
    Greenbelt, MD
    Club:
    Washington Freedom
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Freedom Top Majestics 4-1

     
  14. StarCityFan

    StarCityFan BigSoccer Supporter

    Aug 2, 2001
    Greenbelt, MD
    Club:
    Washington Freedom
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Nicci Wright retires from goalkeeping

     
  15. StarCityFan

    StarCityFan BigSoccer Supporter

    Aug 2, 2001
    Greenbelt, MD
    Club:
    Washington Freedom
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Just a reminder that the Freedom play their first two home games this weekend, Saturday at 7 pm against the Western Mass Lady Pioneers and Sunday at 6 pm against the Boston Renegades. Both should be among the more competitive matches the Freedom have at home this year, particularly the Lady Pioneers.

    For those who are interested, sportswriter Christine Brennan will be signing copies of her new book, Best Seat in the House, before the Sunday game.
     
  16. StarCityFan

    StarCityFan BigSoccer Supporter

    Aug 2, 2001
    Greenbelt, MD
    Club:
    Washington Freedom
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Washington Freedom 7, Western Massachusetts Lady Pioneers 0. Details to follow. Ali Andrez-whatever scored about five times, I think. I lost track after a while.

    Got to shake Kati Jo's hand after the game - a very friendly young lady, just as advertised.
     
  17. Beau Dure

    Beau Dure Member+

    May 31, 2000
    Vienna, VA
    Re: 2007 Washington Freedom W-League Thread

    They played last night without Welsh and still had a potent offense.

    I was quite impressed with Senty's overlapping runs. IIRC, her cross set up the second goal (out of seven). Of course, yesterday's game didn't give anyone much of a chance to evaluate the defense. Western Mass has two or three players who have some quality, but they were overmatched across the board. The keeper and some early tentative play from the Freedom held that game in single digits.

    Gabarra is expecting more of a challenge against Boston.

    This team needs a supporters group. Lori Lindsey was fantastic, drilling a series of incisive passes of powerful 25-yard shots. When she was subbed, no one noticed.
     
  18. StarCityFan

    StarCityFan BigSoccer Supporter

    Aug 2, 2001
    Greenbelt, MD
    Club:
    Washington Freedom
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Making a statement

    The Washington Freedom have to be considered one of the top W-League teams. Their actual standing will be decided come the playoffs, but they made a strong argument tonight to be considered the favorite to win it all. On a day when their arch-rival Jersey Sky Blue lost, they put up the most lopsided score seen in the W-League so far this year.

    There was no sign of this argument in the first five minutes or so, as the teams scrapped fairly evenly and uneventfully in the midfield. Washington settled down after that, and it soon became clear that woman-for-woman the Freedom were the better team, with the forwards and flank midfielders repeatedly beating the Lady Pioneer defenders in one-on-one matchups. It took quite a long time for this superiority to pay off, though, as a combination of Washington sloppiness, good defensive teamwork from Western Mass, some dubious offside calls, and some great saves from keeper Amanda Schwartz kept the New England team in the game.

    The Freedom players seemed consistently overconfident in the first half, making passes that often got intercepted, particularly when the targets of the passes wouldn’t bother to come back to the ball and let an opponent cut in front of them. Then there were three dubious offside calls on plays that looked good to me and most of my fellow fans. And, finally, the opposing keeper kept the Freedom out of the nets for quite some time.

    Forward Rebecca Moros made a great move in minute 19 to lose her mark, but her shot was blocked. The rebound went to Lori Lindsey, who knocked the rebound wide right. Lori took several long shots from 20+ yards out, as she is wont to do, but all went either wide or straight into the keeper’s hands. Ali Andrzejewski, the Freedom’s other forward, had her own chances at minute 31, blazing in to get behind the defense, but the keeper blocked both her initial shot and her second, on the rebound.

    On the other hand, the only Lady Pioneer shot I have recorded for the match came in minute 34, off a bad Freedom pass in their own end.

    The gates finally opened in minute 35, as Kele Golebiowski fed left flank defender Sarah Senty on an overlapping run. Sarah knocked in a good centering pass to Ali, who put it away.

    Just a couple of minutes later, the first of several strange Freedom goals were scored. Tara Kidwell fed Lori Lindsey down the right flank. Lori took the ball almost to the end line, then centered it. However, she centered it right along the endline, and it somehow slid in from an almost impossible angle untouched by the goalkeeper or anyone else. The first half ended with the Freedom holding a 2-0 lead, seemingly rather less than they deserved for their dominance.

    Washington continued to control possession in the second half, and virtue was rewarded in minute 52. I have always liked to see forwards pressure the goalkeeper receiving a back pass, and this time it paid off beautifully: one of the Lady Pioneer defenders knocked the ball back to the keeper a little too slowly. Rebecca Moros came running down on her, and Amanda had to rush her clearance. She muffed it, the ball only going a few yards off to the side, and with backspin, so that it started rolling back behind her. Rebecca, already moving in that direction, easily knocked the ball into an open net.

    Just two minutes later, the Freedom had a jail break on a direct ball over the defense, Sarah Senty sending it to Tara Kidwell who slid it into Ali, who knocked it in for her second goal.

    Four minutes after that, Rebecca was fouled right at the top of the box. Lori’s ensuing free kick bounced off the wall, but she was able to gather the rebound and pooch it over the dispersing wall to Ali, who bounced it into the net to complete her hat trick.

    Seven minutes later came a play they ought to put in books about how to play attacking soccer. It started when Melissa Whitley, now the right flank defender, was fed down the right flank on an overlapping run. She brought it toward the right corner, then sent a low centering pass rolling down the middle of the box toward two Freedom players. The first one dummied it, then the second one, Ali, knocked it back toward an oncoming Anabel Jimenez who hammered it past what must have been a rather confused keeper.

    The concluding goal was scored three minutes later. At the time I was figuring out some recent Freedom substitutions and just looked up to see the ball soaring above the goalkeeper, under the crossbar, and into the net, but it was credited to substitute forward Jill Porto.

    All in all, it was an impressive performance by the Freedom and particularly by the four main attacking players: forward Ali Andrzejewski, who scored three goals and an assist and was robbed of a couple more by some great saves; forward Rebecca Moros, one goal and forced at least one great save; flank midfielder Tara Kidwell, two assists; and flank midfielder Kele Golebiowski, who didn’t figure into the scoring but consistently bedeviled the Lady Pioneer defense with her moves and passing.


    Washington Freedom vs. Western Massachusetts Lady Pioneers
    June 9, 2007 -- Maryland Soccerplex

    Washington - (4-4-2 formation) Kati Jo Spisak (Lauren Church 76), Sarah Senty, Mallory Mahar, Casey Zimny, Alex Singer (Melissa Whitley 60), Kele Golebiowski, Lori Lindsey (Anabel Jimenez 60), Kelly Hammond, Tara Kidwell (Jill Porto 56), Ali Andrzejewski (Morgan Church 66), Rebecca Moros (Katie Watson 56).

    Western Massachusetts Lady Pioneers - (4-5-1 formation) Amanda Schwartz, Katie Radchuck, Rachel Richards, Carlene Holness, Kelly Irish (Kirsten Cilley 60), Maryann Hoke, Ashley Hogan, Chantel Adair Blyler, Laura Guigli, Cassie Ashwell, Caitlin Footit.

    From the official W-League results:

    Weather: Sunny, 80

    Summary:
    WAS: Andrzejeski (Senty) 35
    WAS: Lindsey (Kidwell) 39
    WAS: Moros 52
    WAS: Andrzejeski (Kidwell) 54
    WAS: Andrzejeski (Lindsey) 59
    WAS: Jimenez (Andrzejeski) 66
    WAS: Porto 69

    Cautions
    WM: Hogan 38

    Referees: Garett Tucker, Mark Turner, Mo Hackett, Mohammed Samadpour
     
  19. StarCityFan

    StarCityFan BigSoccer Supporter

    Aug 2, 2001
    Greenbelt, MD
    Club:
    Washington Freedom
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Re: 2007 Washington Freedom W-League Thread

    Sarah assisted on the first goal. And if they still gave two assist credits any more, she would have gotten one for the fourth.

    I have mixed feelings about Lori's 25-yard shots. She does that a lot, and they always look good, but I can't remember the last time she actually scored on one of them.
     
  20. StarCityFan

    StarCityFan BigSoccer Supporter

    Aug 2, 2001
    Greenbelt, MD
    Club:
    Washington Freedom
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Washington Freedom 4, Boston Renegades 0, in a game that was much more exciting than the score would indicate. Details to follow.

    Meanwhile, you can find the Freedom's on writeup on the Lady Pioneers match here.
     
  21. rtiemens

    rtiemens Member

    Aug 16, 1999
    Virginia
    Any word on the day and time of the Freedom's scrimmage with the U20 WNT at the soccerplex this week? Also, is it open to the public? thx...
     
  22. StarCityFan

    StarCityFan BigSoccer Supporter

    Aug 2, 2001
    Greenbelt, MD
    Club:
    Washington Freedom
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    It's Thursday at 6, but I don't know which field yet. It's open to Washington Freedom Soccer Club members, but I doubt they'll be checking membership cards.
     
  23. El Gato

    El Gato Moderator

    Mar 29, 2000
    Midwest
    Club:
    FC Bayern München
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    But there will be a quiz at the door.
     
  24. StarCityFan

    StarCityFan BigSoccer Supporter

    Aug 2, 2001
    Greenbelt, MD
    Club:
    Washington Freedom
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Hint: Which Freedom player played every minute of every game for her team's entire (professional) existence? ;)
     
  25. Beau Dure

    Beau Dure Member+

    May 31, 2000
    Vienna, VA
    Siri Mullinix?
     

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