Sounds like the Steel City Sparks is working on getting the Washington Freedom to come to Pittsburgh next month and the Sparks will play the Freedom in MD (SoccerPlex?) on July 17 also. Here is the Freedom roster as listed at the WUSA site: UNF PLAYER POS BORN COLLEGE PREVIOUS TEAM 2 Emmy Barr DEF 8/16/1974 in San Mateo, CA, USA Santa Clara Sacramento Storm (WPSL) 26 Meredith Beard FOR 5/10/1979 in Dallas, TX, USA North Carolina Carolina Courage (WUSA) 8 Kelly Golebiowski MID 7/26/1981 in Sydney, Australia Hampton Roads Piranhas (W-League) 14 Jennifer Grubb DEF 7/20/1978 in Elkhart, IN, USA Notre Dame Notre Dame 9 Mia Hamm FOR/MID 3/17/1972 in Selma, AL, USA North Carolina U.S. National Team 22 Steffi Jones MID 12/22/1972 in Frankfurt, Germany FFC Frankfurt 6 Lori Lindsey MID 3/19/1980 in Indianapolis, IN, USA Virginia San Diego Spirit 24 Jacqui Little FOR/MID 3/10/1978 in Heerlen, Netherlands Santa Clara Bay Area CyberRays 23 Skylar Little DEF 3/10/1978 in Heerlen, Netherlands UCLA Las Virgenes Blazers 15 Jennifer Meier FOR 4/13/1981 in Worms, Germany FFC Frankfurt 13 Sandra Minnert DEF 4/7/1973 in Gerden, Germany No College FFC Frankfurt (Germany) 5 Carrie Moore DEF 7/22/1978 in Roanoke, VA, USA William& Mary Hampton Road Piranhas (W-League) 18 Siri Mullinix GK 5/22/1978 in Denver, CO, USA North Carolina U.S. National Team 12 Sarah Kate Noftsinger MID 3/4/1980 in Richmond, VA, USA Wake Forest Wake Forest Univ. 1 Erin Regan (DEV) GK 6/1/1980 Wake Forest 19 Laura Schott (DEV) FOR 4/4/1981 in Portland, OR, USA California 16 Lindsay Stoecker MID 4/26/1978 in Lafayette, IN, USA North Carolina Univ. of North Carolina 28 Abby Wambach FOR 6/2/1980 in Pittsford, NY, USA Florida Univ. of Florida 27 Nicci Wright GK 8/12/1972 in Quesnel, B.C., Canada Victoria Coll. TX (J.C.) Vancouver Whitecaps (W-League) 17 Casey Zimny DEF 1/26/1980 in Rochester, NY, USA Connecticut Univ. of Connecticut Coach AGE HOMETOWN Coach: Jim Gabarra 44 Key West, FL Assistant Coach: Clyde Watson 47 Guyana Assistant Coach: David Vanole 40 Manhattan Beach, CA
When does all of this become official? I have some friends in DC that are interested in going to these matches, but it's hard for them to plan if details are unclear.
I believe that July 17 for the Sparks vs the Freedom is very solid. I am assuming the game is at the SoccerPlex in Germantown, MD but don't know how solid that is. The Sparks' Pittsburgh meeting on June 6 is still in the rumor stage. I think the Sparks would be better off playing at a later date to allow for the word to get out and for people to make plans. I would think that having the Freedom in Pittsburgh playing the Sparks would generate a lot of interest, but would be most optimal if there was advance notice. The Freedom is definitely playing the Northern Virginia Majestics on June 2 (I assume in the evening), but I am a bit unclear on the location (MD or VA) and there will be a second game at the opposite location later in the season,
I dug out some additional information. The Northern Virginia Majestics are playing their home opener on June 4 against Charlotte. They also will be playing the Washington Freedom on June 2 and the Richmond Kickers on June 6 http://wleague.uslsoccer.com/teams/2004/22362.html All three games are home games and since the two listed above are at the same location at 6 PM, I think it is safe to assume that the Freedom game will be the same (at Forest Park High School). Sparks fans may also get a chance to see their younger keeper, Emily Niman, who also plays on the Northern Virginia Majestics. She will be in VA because her PWSI Eclipse team will be playing in the VA State Cup that weekend (and the games don't conflict with the Majestics' three games). I will post more info as available, but I would say that DC fans should mark 6 PM on June 2 on their calander if they want to see the Freedom in action.
The two upcoming Freedom games will be away. On June 2 they will play the Northern Virginia Majestics in VA. On June 6 they will play the Steel City Sparks in Pittsburgh. On July 17 they will play the Steel City Sparks at the SoccerPlex. They will also play the Northern Virginia Majestics at the SoccerPlex later in the season.
The June 6 meeting with the Washington Freedom is now listed at the Steel City Sparks web site http://www.steelcitysparks.com/_wsn/page3.html
The Freedom game will be at 3:30 on Sunday, June 6 at Avonworth High School http://www.expedia.com/pub/Agent.dll?qscr=mmvw&msds=EX0177D4F24Bf$13Iz$A8$C7Pz94!E04!80!2$FF$0E0$33$30$34.Cgfpwef.No!6$FF$0A0Wjyyfdvsbe20WM50$31$35$32$33$37!A$FF0!E$FF$2CM$CAq$A9XU$40n$D9$CE$B5$B74Y$C050001000!8$FF000!2$FF0000!2$FF$14000!6$FF!I0
The Freedom has a roster listed at the WUSA site http://www.wusa.com/players_coaches/washington/ They are driving up Sunday morning and recently asked what players are available, so I don't think anyone knows their exact roster at this time. The Sparks will have their players back from Brazil, so they should be at relatively full strength (unlike the roster for the Rochester game). I believe Melissa Haire from WVU will also be back from Brazil, but don't know her availability for the keeper slot on Saturday or Sunday. Although the Sparks will be strong, I'm sure that the keeper will be tested. Most of the Freedom games this season have been blowouts (4 or 5 to 0). Emily Niman, the Sparks younger keeper will get a good look at the Freedom on Wednesday when they play her W-League team the Northern Virginia Majestics, and she has a team mate, Lisa DuCote, from PWSI Eclipse, who has been training with the Freedom. However, they both have a VA State Cup game on Saturday and if they win they have another on Sunday, which creates a major conflict for both, since the cup game is in VA.
The Freedom beat the Majestics 4-0 but the Majestics looked much better against the Freedom than their season opener against Greensboro. The Sparks' keeper, Emily Niman, played about 1/2 of the game while the other two Majestics' keepers split the other half. Emily made one point blank save (much to the delight of the Washington area crowd), and forced wide shots on a couple of break aways. Based on the roster at the Washington Freedom WUSA site http://www.wusa.com/players_coaches/washington/ the following Freedom players were at the game last night in VA: 2 Emmy Bar 5 Carrie Moore 15 Jennifer Meier 16 Lindsay Stoecker 19 Laura Schott 22 Stefi Jones 23 Skylar Little 24 Jacqui Little 27 Nicci Wright (GK) Players not listed wore numbers 7, 11, 30 Jacqui Little scored the goal on Sparks' keeper Emily Niman
There was no program available at the game, so it is possible one or two players not on the posted list were actually at the game. The Freedom made at least one sub, so there were at least 12 at the game, but may have been a few more.
The Freedom has been short players for trips to Pittsburgh (against the Steel City Sparks) and Carolina (against the Carolina Dynamo Women). They are looking for some additional players and have asked PWSI Eclipse / Northern Virginia Majestics (Sparks' younger keeper, Emily Niman, plays on both teams).