12-match schedule for 2010: Interestingly, the Futures have two out-of-division games, against Northern Virginia and Hampton Roads, while they only play division opponents Hudson Valley and Long Island once each.
Schedule has been updated and filled in: May 2010 WL Sun May 23 6:00 PM ET NJ Rangers at Washington Maryland Soccer Plex WL Thu May 27 7:30 PM ET Washington at New Jersey The College of New Jersey Lions Stadium June 2010 WL Sat Jun 5 7:00 PM ET New York at Washington Maryland Soccer Plex WL Fri Jun 11 7:00 PM ET Long Island at Washington Maryland Soccer Plex WL Sun Jun 13 6:00 PM ET Hampton Roads at Washington Maryland Soccer Plex WL Sat Jun 19 7:00 PM ET Washington at Hudson Valley Newburgh Free Academy HS WL Sun Jun 27 2:00 PM ET Washington at North Jersey DePaul Catholic High School July 2010 WL Fri Jul 2 7:00 PM ET Washington at NJ Rangers Morris Catholic High School WL Sat Jul 3 4:00 PM ET Washington at New York Iona College WL Sat Jul 10 1:00 PM ET New Jersey at Washington Maryland Soccer Plex WL Sun Jul 11 6:00 PM ET North Jersey at Washington Maryland Soccer Plex WL Sat Jul 17 7:30 PM ET Washington at No. Virginia George Mason University Robinson Field Their season and home opener is this weekend, unfortunately right opposite the WPS Freedom's friendly against Canada.
Freedom Futures, New Name, Familiar Faces Freedom Return Four From 2009 Returning this year: Julie Lancos (defender, Rutgers) Meg Lenczyk (forward, Virginia) Kika Toulouse (defender, Virginia) Molly Menchel (midfielder, McLean Freedom, starting at Virginia in the fall) This is the only roster information released so far.
Here is a link to the Futures Roster: http://www.uslsoccer.com/teams/2010/4186092.html#ROSTER If you want to see the 2010 W-League Champs take a look at Pali Blues Roster: http://www.bluessoccerclub.com/roster/index_E.html
That must have just gone up because I checked it yesterday when I was posting the above, and it was still last year's roster. Anyhow, thanks for letting us know it was updated. ETA: They do seem to be taking the "Futures" monicker seriously. There are only four players from last year's team on there, and they're all pretty young. I was expecting to see some WPS castoffs like Madison Keller and Brittany Tegeler, but they're not there. Get your own thread!
Now a press release about some of the new players: http://www.washingtonfreedom.com/scripts/runisa.dll?M2.65872:gp::72639+L3/Display+E+NDX+NDX+431922
Season opener at the Soccerplex: Freedom Futures 3, New Jersey Rangers 0. Two goals from Fortuna Velaj and one from Julia Roberts. Boxscore shows zero shots from the Rangers.
Anyone interested in attending a Washington Freedom Women's Professional Soccer game? Game's are a ton of fun, great family environment, affordable pricing and cheap beer! I am an account exectutive with the team so if you need tickets, hit me up and I will be sure to get you the best deal! Adam Dantus 301-466-1781 adam.dantus@washingtonfreedom.com
Futures are now 2-0-1 after tying the New Jersey Wildcats on the road, 3-3, then beating the New York Magic at home, 2-0. More about the Futures at: Freedom Farm Report: Futures banking on college talent in 2010
Futures 1, Long Island Rough Riders 0. Futures have yet to give up a goal in three home matches. They're also back in first place in the division, pending the result of tomorrow's Quickstrike Lady Blues match.
Futures 5, Hampton Roads Piranhas 0. And that was with the B-team for most of the game, as Washington rested most of their starters since they'd just played Friday night. Team captain was 18-year-old Molly Menchel, who has yet to start her college career but nevertheless scored a goal on the evening. (She also scored the lone goal in Friday night's match.) Meghan Lenczyk and Shannon Foley were responsible for the remaining goals, scoring two each. The Futures are now in sole possession of first place in the Northeast Division and are tied with the Atlanta Silverbacks as the teams with the best record in the W-League among those that have played at least four matches. (Ottawa and Laval have won all of their games so far, but they've only played 3 and 2, respectively.) However, Washington will face their toughest match of the regular season next weekend, as they take on their division rivals, the Hudson Valley Quickstrike Lady Blues, on the road in Newburgh, NY.
Futures Win Over Hudson Valley Puts Them in First Place in Division The Futures are also now tied with the Ottawa Furies for first place in the entire league as the only two teams with no losses and only one tie.
The Futures downed the North Jersey Valkyries, 2-0, to hang onto first place in both the division and the league with five games to go in their season.
Tonight: Futures 3, New Jersey Rangers 0. Washington hangs into first place in the league as they have a margin of one in goal differential over the Ottawa Fury.
Last Saturday, the Futures were upset by the New York Magic, 2-0. (It was only the Magic's second win of the season.) Somehow the Magic withstood a 21-shot-on-goal barrage from the Futures attackers without letting a single one in, while the Magic's Rashidah Sherman, one of the league's top scorers, put two in the net. Today the world was turned back upright as the Futures, fighting for their playoff lives, downed the New Jersey Wildcats, 1-0, on a well-earned goal by Omolyn Davis in second-half stoppage time. This clinches a playoff spot for Washington as the best New Jersey could possibly do is tie them, and the Futures own the tiebreaker with a win and a draw against the Wildcats. Washington still has an outside chance at the regular-season championship, but both Hudson Valley and Buffalo would have to slip to let them in. Buffalo has a tough match tonight against Chicago, but Hudson Valley has an easy time of it the rest of the way unless New York can pull off another huge upset.
The Futures were upset by the Charlotte Lady Eagles this evening, 3-2. This marks the first time in the four years that the Freedom have fielded a full W-League that the team has not made the W-League final four.
It was actually 2-2 and losing 6-5 on penalties. I'll post more details in the general W-League Playoff Thread, but I think the Futures are probably going to be kicking themselves after this one.
I was just going by what the USL website said at the time. (It now says 3-2 in penalty kicks, so apparently it's still not right.) Your description does make it sound like a nailbiter that could have gone either way.
Congratulations to Washington Freedom Futures Coach Win Puffer and defender Gabriela Toulouse on being announced as finalists for the 2010 W-League Honors
It used to be that going to washingtonfreedom.com gave you a choice between going to the WPS site or the W-League/youth team site. Now it goes straight through to the WPS site. The way things are going, it seems that there aren't going to be any Washington Freedom teams at all next year.
Not sure what will happen to the Freedom's youth teams next year, but all of their Super-Y teams did extremely well this year, under the volunteer guidance of Win Puffer and Clyde Watson: U16 - North American champions U15 - North American champions U14 - Lost on PKs in semifinals to eventual champions U13 - Lost championship match