Take Three - Breakers @ Spirit 5/18 pre-game

nsa · May 12, 2003

From WUSA P/R:

Sunday, May 18, 2003 - Boston Breakers at San Diego Spirit - 8:00 p.m. (ET) - Cox4 (San Diego); (Season Series: Boston leads 1-0-0) (All-time Series History: Series tied 3-3-1)
San Diego extended its unbeaten streak to four games with a 1-1 tie with Atlanta on Saturday, May 10. Julie Fleeting gave the Spirit the early lead before Atlanta tied the match in the 75th minute. Boston dropped its first game since April 12 with a 3-2 loss at New York on Saturday, May 10. Forward Maren Meinert tallied two goals in the losing effort. The last meeting between these two teams resulted in a 2-1 victory for the Breakers on April 5 at Torero Stadium. Dagny Mellgren and Meinert each notched a goal in the Boston victory.

Key Players to Watch: Boston's Meinert (6g, 1a, 13 pts. - 2nd among WUSA scoring leaders) registered her third career multiple-goal game with two goals versus New York on May 10. Meinert has recorded three goals and five assists versus San Diego all-time (seven matches). Forward Dagny Mellgren (3g, 1a, 7 pts. - 8th among WUSA scoring leaders) missed Boston's last match due to Norwegian national team duty. Mellgren has tallied five goals for 10 points versus San Diego all-time (eight matches). Defender Monica Gonzalez (1g, 2a, 4 pts.) is third on the team in scoring. Gonzalez has already eclipsed her point total from the 2002 season (1). Forward Allie Sullivan (1a) will be facing her former squad (Boston) this weekend. Sullivan may fill in for the missing Fleeting (Scottish national team duty). Forward Christine Latham (1g, 1a, 3 pts.) registered her first career WUSA goal on April 5 versus Boston. Latham likely be filling in for the missing Shannon MacMillan (due to U.S. national team duty). Goalkeeper Jaime Pagliarulo (2-1-1, 1.00 GAA) made five saves in the Spirit's 1-1 tie with Atlanta on May 10. "Pags" has a 2-1-1 record with a 2.20 goals against average versus the Breakers all-time (six matches).

Key Matchup: (Boston forwards Maren Meinert and Dagny Mellgren versus San Diego defenders Kim Pickup and Kerry Connors) The San Diego Spirit will be without Joy Fawcett (national team duty) and Pickup and Connors will need fill the void left by its 2002 team MVP. Meinert and Mellgren have combined to produce 57 percent of the total goals scored by Boston on San Diego.

The "Inside Scoop": Boston will be looking for its first-ever victory at Torero Stadium (0-3-0). The last trip for Boston to San Diego result in the highest scoring game in WUSA history (5-4 San Diego victory on July 6, 2002). Both teams are off to their best starts in team history. Seven players from both teams have been called up to U.S. national team duty for this Saturday, May 17 versus England (Shannon MacMillan - San Diego; Aly Wagner - San Diego; Julie Foudy - San Diego; Joy Fawcett - San Diego; Kristine Lilly - Boston; Kate Sobrero - Boston; Angela Hucles - Boston). San Diego will be without the services of Julie Fleeting due to Scottish national team duty.

They Said it: "We'd like to go into this Boston match knowing that in first game (a 2-1 loss on Opening Day) that we were on our heels, but that in second game (a 1-1 tie) we played them more level, and that we can even up the series in the third game. They are certainly a quality team. We know they were missing the Mugneret-Beghe and Mellgren this past weekend, which is a big loss. With all their players, they are a very dangerous team and maybe the most exciting attacking team in the league."- San Diego Spirit Head Coach Omid Namazi on Saturday's match versus Boston.

Referee: Misail Tsapos. Assistant Referees: Sandra Belmont, Diane Driggers. 4th Official: Pat Novak.
Click to expand...

nsa · May 13, 2003

Mitts, Kluegel Added to U.S. Soccer Team
By Associated Press

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- Midfielder Jena Kluegel and defender Heather Mitts were added to the U.S. women's national team roster Monday and will immediately beginning training with the squad.

Kluegel, of the Boston Breakers in the WUSA, and Mitts, of the Philadelphia Charge, replace Lindsay Tarpley and Devvyn Hawkins. Tarpley, a North Carolina freshman, is sidelined as she recovers from the removal of her wisdom teeth. Hawkins, also a midfielder for Boston, has an injured foot.

The U.S. women play England on Saturday.
Click to expand...

So Boston may be without Hucles, Lilly, Sobrero, Kluegel, and Hawkins. SandyEggo will be missing Fleeting and may lose MacMillan, Fawcett, Foudy, and Wagner.

Weymouth Dave · May 18, 2003

Well, Saturday almost went perfectly for us with Carolina and Philly winning against our biggest competition at the top of the table.Too bad San Jose couldn't have put the equalizer in vs Atlanta.
We need a win today though vs SandyEggo as the other teams do have games in hand.Let's hope the nats suck it up and get there and get some time in.
I watched the Power/Cheeze match which was well contested but Pichon was to much and NY missed Millie a lot.Later I saw Carolina school the Freedom defense and keeper though the first 37 minutes were pre-empted by some damn lacrosse game.
As expected, no TV again.THIS REALLY BITES!!
It's not clear from the WUSA site whether there will even be a gametracker.

Weymouth Dave