2014 Boston Breakers

Breakers just tweeted that they are returning to play at Harvard Stadium in 2014. Time to renew the Season's tickets!

 

Does anybody know if Harvard Stadium still has the same FieldTurf from 2006 or if they've since installed anything newer/better?

 

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So, how do I donate? I don't see anything about it on the link he provided.

 

So here's our roster as it stands today:

Keepers: Naeher, Kranich
Defenders: Whitehill, Avant, King, McNeill, Anasi, Stewart
Midfielders: O'Reilly, Lohman, Evans, D'Agostino, Kyle, Mewis
Forwards: Sanderson, Schoepfer, Jones, Ortiz, Pathman, Ezurike

I think Naeher's start is unquestioned. As is Whitehill's as a center back, O'Reilly's as a right wing, Lohman's as a defensive midfielder, and then things get a bit fuzzier.
Mewis can play left wing or left back; Evans can play midfield or defense; Sanderson can play forward or midfield. I think that shifting Kyle to defense proved unsuccessful for the Reign, so she's definitely a starting midfielder. I think you're a fool to not start Lianne, but where do you utilize her?
I think we'll end up in some sort of 4-2-3-1 and I'm okay with that, but it depends on if any of those six forwards is capable enough to attack as a striker with support.

 

You forgot Dinora Garza (Mexican allocation), Jazmine Reeves (rookie forward from Virginia Tech), and Kim DeCesare (rookie from Duke).

 

WPS_Movement, thanks. That's what I get for going off of Wikipedia. Unfortunately, Dinora Garza is forgoing the league in favor of a full-time job.

Keepers: Naeher, Kranich
Defenders: Whitehill, Avant, King, McNeill, Anasi, Stewart
Midfielders: O'Reilly, Lohman, Evans, D'Agostino, Kyle, Mewis
Forwards: Sanderson, Schoepfer, Jones, Ortiz, Pathman, Ezurike, Reeves, DeCesare

 

If D'Agostino is healthy going into the season, I could see Boston putting her at left back and cutting Avant, even though Avant played quite well for them.

Out of all the forwards, I think Schoepfer is the most likely to get cut. She didn't really have a productive season last year, and was reduced to a sub towards the end of the season thanks to injury.

 

....so what happened to the Riptide?
Not that I'm complaining - I never liked the Riptide - just wondering.

 

Preseason Roster

Goalkeepers (4): Victoria Christ, Kimika Forbes, Jami Kranich, Alyssa Naeher

Defenders (7): Jazmyne Avant, Michelle Cruz, Bianca D’Agostino, Julie King, Kia McNeill, Chelsea Stewart, Cat Whitehill

Midfielders (12): Hanna Gilmore, Jess Hurtado, Maddy Evans, Kaylyn Kyle, Joanna Lohman, Kristie Mewis, Katie Oakes, Heather O’Reilly, Suzanne Pires, Jamie Pollock, Dominique Richardson, Lianne Sanderson

Forwards (13): Katerin Castro Munoz, Kim DeCesare, Lisa De Vanna, Ashley Grove, Nkem Ezurike, Courtney Jones, Meghan McMahon, Melissa Ortiz, Mollie Pathman, Jazmine Reeves, Katie Schoepfer, Laura Weinberg, Rachel Wood

 

36 on the pre-season roster? Good grief!

 

Well people are speculating that a lot of them will end up on the reserve squad. It makes since, imho, if you've got a reserve squad, might as well let them go through preseason training with the main team. See if any surprise you.

 

Apparently they just aigned Jasmine Reeves (who tweeted from Virginia Tech where ahe is finishing school). I think Ezurike is back in schiol too. Good for Breakers allowing this. Why didn't Anansi come? It must not have been school. Did the other Duke players return to school too?

 

Nice (if frigid) effort against Northeastern last night, great start by deVanna and a LOT of sustained possession/pressure.

 

Alright, so we've got our roster of 20!

Allocations-wise, I think we're a bit unlucky. The only "real" allocations (aka regular NT players) that we got are HAO and Kaylyn Kyle, so 2/5. Chelsea Stewart does have 44 caps for Canada and a bronze medal from the London Olympics, but I can't seem to find any updated information post-London Olys with regards to her senior career. Kristie Mewis and Alyssa Naeher, to me, are excellent salary cap relief, but I don't think they quite bring the talent that some other allocated players do.

That said, I am happy with certain signings.

GOALKEEPERS (2): Jami Kranich (Villanova), Alyssa Naeher (Boston Breakers)
Super excited about Naeher coming back, I think she's an excellent keeper and is one of the better non-NT keepers in this league. I know nothing about Kranich, so no opinion there.

DEFENDERS (5): Jazmyne Avant (Boston Breakers), Courtney Jones (FC Kansas City) Julie King (Boston Breakers), Chelsea Stewart (Canadian National Team/UCLA), Cat Whitehill (Boston Breakers)
This is the position I'm most worried about. Whitehill as CB is fine, Jones apparently played CB next to Whitehill in the WPSL Elite, which was news to me, but is better than a converted forward who's never done it before. I don't know anything about Stewart's abilities, but I wasn't 100% impressed with Avant and King last season, so hopefully they're a year better for this season. Our fullback contingent is missing Rhian Wilkinson for sure.

MIDFIELDERS (8): Bianca D'Agostino (Boston Breakers), Maddy Evans (Boston Breakers), Ashley Grove (WNY Flash), Kaylyn Kyle (Seattle Reign FC), Joanna Lohman (Boston Breakers), Kristie Mewis (FC Kansas City), Heather O’Reilly (Boston Breakers), Lianne Sanderson (Boston Breakers)
I am sad that Lianne Sanderson is still in midfield here, but oh well. She did well there last year, hopefully she'll do well again. Mewis and O'Reilly are a great pair of wings; Kyle and Lohman are excellent central midfielders (though I prefer both defensively, rather than on the attack). D'Agostino is coming off injury from last season, but has supposedly looked good, which is encouraging. Maddy Evans was tried out in defense last year and did well, so I'm excited to see her in her proper position. I know nothing about Ashley Grove.

FORWARDS (5): Lisa De Vanna (Sky Blue FC), Nkem Ezurike (Michigan), Mollie Pathman (Duke), Jazmine Reeves (Virginia Tech), Katie Schoepfer (Boston Breakers)
Whoa. Lots of turnover here. Schoep is the only returning forward? She was definitely not one who got a lot of attention last year, though I do like her skills. If LDV gels with this team, I have no worries. If LDV does not gel with this team, I have many worries. Ezurike, Pathman, and Reeves are an excellent contingent of rookie forwards, so I'm excited about that.

All in all, I do presently have Boston listed as either #8 or #9 in my predicted end-of-season table, but that's because there has been SO much turnover and I've not been able to make it to any preseason games. I'm really hoping they'll be able to get it together and do well. Losing Leroux was scary when you consider how much she kept our team from the bottom last year (not to say that these aren't talented players, not in the absolute least, but the team just didn't come together as I think it was anticipated to).

Fingers crossed! #FearTheWave

 

MD Terps fan here. Ashley Grove is an excellent and versatile player who played last year for WNY Flash. At Maryland (ACC) she finished four years of eligibility with the 2011 season and after four seasons at Maryland currently holds sixth place in total points (64), seventh in goals (23) and eight in assists (18) and 10th in game winning goals (7). She graduated with Jasmyne Spencer (now with WNY) who was a more recognized name and received All American status but who actually only surpassed Ashley in shots (193 to 120) and game winning goals (10 to 7). She is a mature if not flashy player and a great get. Congrats to Ashley and Breakers. I look forward to seeing her play here in Boston.

 

Breakers preview from All White Kit: http://www.allwhitekit.com/?p=12816

 

Yikes! Predicted to finish 9th. Is this a common belief?

 

Thanks for all the info, I'm glad to have it!

And yes, the highest I've seen Boston predicted has been 8th. We're really expected to bomb this season and I'm not sure I disagree, unfortunately. I'd love them to do well, but this was a rag-tag team last season and we've only disintegrated further. We shall see!

 

Go look at the prediction contest thread in the main forum - while everyone here is far from an expect, most of us agree that, yes, BOS will be a cellar-dweller this year.

 

Pretty much. I fail to see them making the postseason as well.

 

Boston lost Leroux, and they have problems on defense.
Their best defender is Cat Whitehill, and although she's still solid, she's about 3 years past her peak/prime.
They lack proved defensive depth after her, and the jury is out on their midfield chemistry still.