Its time for the Beat to close the deal and lock up a playoff spot. Looks like the Aussies will miss the match - too bad I would have liked to seen them at full strength since they are a playoff contender and much improved team from game 1. Boxx (and Welsh) need to play clean on Wed. otherwise it could get very ugly for Webber. Beat need to go into this one focused and come away with 3 pts. I hope they are still upset with themselves for not closing out Boston.
Wow, I hadn't realized that Boxx was in yellow card trouble, and that the two Aussies would be out. We really ought to win this one. I will be at J and J's screaming my head off. GO BEAT!!
This SHOULD be a three points for the taking, but nothing is going to come easy at this point. They are going to come out pretty hard I would suspect, knowing that they are short-handed and really NEED a victory. We had better not come into this match on our heels or they could hand us a nasty surprise.
New York is on their heels and the Beat need to go there and take three points. We need to rest some players the last two games. We can also watch the fight for the other playoff spots. Sure hope Carolina losses every last game. Don't want to see them again this year.
On paper, the Beat would be the easy victors in this game...but as we know...nothing is a sure thing. However, if our defense plays up to par and our offense puts one or two in the net...we will get the 3 points. I want to see Dominguez score again. I'd say she is definitely due. WAR BEAT!!
1) What's the word on Millie's hamstring? She got subbed out of last night's game cuz it was bothering her. 2) Gotta love Shannon Boxx!
UPDATE Roster Reports (July 24) WUSA TEAM INJURY REPORTS AS OF 07/24/03 ATLANTA BEAT: PROBABLE - F Abby Crumpton (Groin); D Sharolta Nonen (R ankle sprain). NEW YORK POWER: OUT - D Sara Whalen (R ACL tear); F Christie Welsh (L calf strain); QUESTIONABLE - F Tammy Pearman (L knee sprain); D Lauren Orlandos (concussion); F Tiffeny Milbrett (R hamstring strain); M Krista Davey (Flu). National Team Duty 07/24/03 ATLANTA BEAT: None. NEW YORK POWER: D Cheryl Salisbury (Australia); M Joanne Peters (Australia) WUSA WEATHER REPORT (from CNN Weather) For games on July 26, 2003 High Low Atlanta @ New York (Mitchel Athletic Complex) Sunny 86 72 7:00 p.m. ET Kickoff
One more win and we should be in the playoffs. Two more and we should wrap up a home field spot. We match up pretty strong against New York so I like our chances. WAR BEAT!!!
I disagree. Seal the deal now and rest players before the playoffs. We can't relax at all right now. We are in a position where we can clinch home field with two (maybe three) matches to go if we play well. Rest the troops then, not before.
1-1 draw. Three points would have been nice. Was anyone rested? I haven't seen the lineups or summaries from the match yet. Thanks.
I would say the entire team (with the exception of Bivens), took the evening off. A very unpassionate showing by Atlanta. Flat team fails to clinch playoffs By DAN LAULETTA For the Journal-Constitution http://www.ajc.com/sports/content/sports/beat/0703/27beat.html Beat Struggle in Draw With Power By Dan Lauletta http://www.theatlantabeat.com/375798.html Power, Beat Tie, 1-1 http://www.wusa.com/press_room/375794.html
We were flat, and the Power were impassioned. Boxx, Teitjen, and Jones were tough. We were lucky to come out with a draw. Wht happened? is this some sort of psycholgocial thing?
Is it possible that our girls got too confident? Five point lead in the standings and an "underwhelming" opponent? I was afraid that we might come in on our heels and it seems that my fears were proven correct. I have been involved in this game too long and have seen this type of thing before.
Disappointing, because as Coach Stone said, "We didn't come here for a tie." It is late in the season and this team seems to have problems just clinching a playoff spot. They like to keep it interesting for the fans until the final game or so. It's hard to bring your best game for 21 one games and for many players, they've had international duty to keep them busy too. I'll give them a little credit and say a point in the middle of a five game road trip, late in the season, is good. Just wish we could have had some more passion in the game and look like we wanted to be there. I think we are the most dangerous team in the league when we want to be and we should have taken three points from a VERY depleated Power team. What's going to happen if when we play them again they are at full strength? Hope things go better for us against the Charge next game. I bet they can't wait to play the roll of the spoiler as we are now the only team with the possibility of making the playoffs all three years and we have kicked them out of postseason before. And then we have New York on the schedule again. I'd rather make them re-live the first game, a 5-0 killing, than have another game like Saturdays. We still need some points. Home field advantage would be nice...
If if comes down to winning the last game against NY and then facing Carolina in the playoffs, look for a ton of reserves to play the final game. We might be able to control that last playoff spot. Hmmm. play Carolina or NY. No brainer on that one.