From the Whitecaps website: WHITECAPS DEFEAT THE FREEDOM 3-1 July 21, 2005 - Whitecaps Women 3 Washington DC Freedom 1 Thursday, July 21, 2005 Swangard Stadium, Burnaby, BC (attendance: 2,771) GAME PHOTOS Overview The Whitecaps hosted the ninth ranked women's club team in the world, the Washington Freedom, and turned in a superb performance, downing the reigning WUSA champions 3-1. All the more impressive, Vancouver did it without leading scorer Amber Allen who was rested for the game, perhaps showing why the Caps are ranked eighth in the world. Kara Lang blasted the Whitecaps to an early lead with another highlight-reel goal from range. Katie Thorlakson netted the winner in the 25th minute, with 17-year-old Sophie Schmidt adding an insurance goal four minutes later. All of Vancouver's scoring came in the first half, with Washington netting a 90th minute goal to break the shutout. In addition to providing an exciting and historic game, the night also raised thousands of dollars for breast cancer research. A share of the ticket sales were donated to the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation, as well as proceeds from a special jersey auction, which alone raised over $2,300 from the sale of just eight jerseys. Another nine jerseys, including the game-worn tops of Kara Lang and Andrea Neil, will now be auctioned on the Whitecaps website at www.whitecapsfc.com, starting Monday at 10:00am and going until 4:00pm Friday. The remaining jerseys will be split between the two remaining Women’s home games. The Whitecaps now play their final game of the regular season on Sunday, July 24 at home to the San Diego Gauchos, in a 4:00pm start. It's the first half of a Swangard doubleheader, with the Men hosting the Minnesota Thunder at 7:00pm. The Whitecaps open their playoffs, meanwhile, on Saturday, July 30, at home to the Arizona Heatwave in the Western Conference Final, in a 7:00pm start at Swangard. Scoring Summary 5' Vanc Kara Lang (Stephanie Smith) Smith charging up the middle tried to push the ball ahead, but it rebounded off a defender to Kara Lang wide open on the right. She teed it up from 30 yards and powered it past goalkeeper Nicci Wright who watched the ball go in off the inside of both the near post and the crossbar. 25' Vanc Katie Thorlakson (Brittany Timko) A goal straight out of the NHL playbook, as Timko in the box on the left, fired it at goal, with Thorlakson neatly getting her boot on it to subtly deflect the shot just past the keeper, and inside the far post. 29' Vanc Sophie Schmidt (Stephanie Smith) Good pressure by Andrea Neil and Stephanie Smith down the left, with Neil winning the ball deep in the box and playing it back for Smith, who fired a low cross that Schmidt ran in to first-time home from eight yards. 90' Wash Shari Summers (Hayley Hunt) Hunts' long ball into the box found Summers, who won the ball against the challenge of substitute goalkeeper Stephanie Weston, and fired into the empty net. Game Notes Washington showed the signs of a quality side unaccustomed to losing, as they held a team huddle after Vancouver's second goal in an effort to rally. They did come close to scoring at 39', as a Vancouver defensive error allowed forward Katie Watson a clear shot at goal from 14 yards. But while she got her shot past goalkeeper Sian Bagshawe, defender Randee Hermus made a great play to slide on the goal line and clear the ball away. Lang almost scored a second at 34', but her quick shot from the top of the box deflected just wide of the far post. The visitors had another good chance at 66' as midfielder Emily Janss cracked a shot from 25 yards, forcing Sian Bagshawe to make a spectacular diving save. 16-year-old Jodi-Ann Robinson almost scored for Vancouver deep into injury time, as she charged towards goal from the right, but lifted the ball just over the bar from seven yards. The Whitecaps made eight substitutions in the second half. The goal Washington scored was the first Vancouver has conceded at home this year. Whitecaps: 1.Sian Bagshawe (00.Stephanie Weston 82') - 18.Clare Rustad (3.Ciara McCormick 82'), 6.Sasha Andrews, 11.Randee Hermus (2.Emily Zurrer 82'), 13.Martina Franko (23.Lindsay Rohla 82') - 15.Kara Lang (7.Ashley McGhee 69'), 16.Sophie Schmidt, 5.Andrea Neil, 17.Brittany Timko (8.Sara Maglio 76') - 10.Stephanie Smith (4.Phebe Trotman 79'), 20.Katie Thorlakson (Jodi-Ann Robinson 67') Washington: 27.Nicci Wright (00.Mary Casey 86') - 5.Carrie Moore, 4.Kylie Bivens, 17.Casey Zimny, 15.Tiffany Roberts - 11.Emily Janss, 13.Betsy Barr, 37.April Wall (34.Lisa Zanti 40'; 20.Meggie Curran 72'), 36.Mallory Mahar (33.Shari Summers 31') - 21.Katie Watson (22.Haley Hunt 58'), 29.Kim Francis (32.Madison Keller 81') Shots: Vancouver 12 Washington 9 Saves: Vancouver 2 Washington 2 Fouls: Vancouver 12 Washington 12 Offside: Vancouver 3 Washington 2 Corner Kicks: Vancouver 2 Washington 2 Referee: Marco Aruda Cautions: Washington: Bivens 38', Janss 84' Vancouver: Schmidt 85'
I thought the game was pretty even for the first 15 minutes or so, with Washington showing they could knock the ball around. They noticeably sagged after the 3rd goal, and it became a bit of a kick around for the Caps after that. It was a great event, something I'm sure we'll see more of. Again, Sophie saw lots on time in the midfield, and I thought Andrea had a great game.
The Washington Freedom would have taken it to the Whitecaps if they had their full team. The lack of forward scoring power was evident in this game. The Freedome would have won both games quite easily if they had a full team. It was for a good cause so good on ya.
They were missing players on all lines. Jacque Little was gone and without her the Freedom had NO offense. They got it to the forward line but nobody could do anything with it. NO OFFENSE. Watch and see the game against the NJ team and you will see the full team. NJ is a really good team so that should be a great test. Whitecaps are a good team but if the Freedom had a full roster they would have won easily. They picked up a few players for the Canadian matches.
The Whitecap/Freedom game was a snoozer. No pressure, no intensity. There is no way that's the same Freedom team. Sorry but there are a half a dozen teams in BC that could have given the Whitecaps a better game. Boring......
Mega-rumours abounding that club owner Greg Kerfoot has purchased some prime downtown property to build a 20,000 seat stadium for the club. I'm crossing my fingers (and toes).
Whitecaps women enter playoffs on winning note Head coach Pat Rohla 'very pleased' as squad finishes third with 13-1-0 record Dan Stinson Vancouver Sun Monday, July 25, 2005 The Vancouver Whitecaps had to win their last game of the regular season by 18 goals Sunday to finish first overall in the W-League women's soccer standings. They didn't come close. But then it wasn't their intention to come close. Fielding a lineup that was minus several starters, head coach Pat Rohla watched his squad defeat the expansion San Diego Gauchos 3-0 at Swangard Stadium, then said he was "very pleased" with the team's performance over the regular season. The Whitecaps concluded their 14-game schedule with a Western Conference-best 13-1-0 record -- the same record posted by the Ottawa Fury in the Northern Division and the New Jersey Wildcats in the Northeast. Goal difference determined the final overall standings, with Ottawa finishing first at plus-57, New Jersey second at plus-55, and the Whitecaps third at plus-43. The overall standings determine the seeds in the league's final four championship tournament Aug. 5-7 at Princeton, N.J. The Whitecaps' task on Sunday wasn't as farfetched as it might appear. The 'Caps trounced San Diego 11-0 in the California city on June 5, but it was a much-improved Gauchos team at the Burnaby facility. Striker Katie Thorlakson opened scoring in the 21st minute. Gauchos goalkeeper Sophia Perez saved a Thorlakson penalty kick in the 37th, but was beaten by second-half substitutes Stephanie Smith in the 49th and Randee Hermus in the 81st. The Whitecaps play host to the Arizona Heatwave on Saturday in the Western Conference playoff final. The winner advances to the final four tournament. danstinson@shaw.ca © The Vancouver Sun 2005
Waterfront soccer stadium rumours swirl Whitecaps' owner believed to be linked to property bought east of SeaBus terminal Bruce Constantineau Vancouver Sun Friday, July 29, 2005 CREDIT: Ian Lindsay, Vancouver Sun Railway lands east of the SeaBus terminal have been linked to a new soccer stadium. VANCOUVER - Speculation about a new downtown Vancouver waterfront soccer stadium has reached a fever pitch among city soccer fans after it was learned Fairmont Developments Inc. has sold a seven-hectare rail lands property east of the SeaBus terminal. The buyer is believed to be a numbered company with links to Vancouver Whitecaps owner Greg Kerfoot. Whitecaps director of soccer operations Bob Lenarduzzi would not confirm the acquisition Thursday but said the club remains committed to finding a place to build a 15,000-to-20,000-seat downtown Vancouver stadium to replace its current home at Swangard Stadium in Burnaby, with a capacity of 6,800. "All I can say is we're still pursuing a stadium opportunity in downtown Vancouver," he said in an interview. "Discussions are ongoing." Vancouver Port Authority vice-president Jim Cox said the Whitecaps approached port officials last year about building a new stadium on port authority land but the port rejected the idea early this year. "My understanding is that they were dealing with Fairmont to put it on the rail lands," he said. "Our instruction to Greg Kerfoot and his designer was to not incorporate any port land, so basically it would be on the south side of [Waterfront Road]." A purchase price for the rail lands has not been disclosed but Fairmont Development's parent company -- Fairmont Hotels & Resorts -- reported the transaction closed on July 14 for an after-tax gain of $17 million. Convenient access to public transit is a vital consideration for any new Vancouver sports stadium and the rail lands property fits the bill, as it's within walking distance of the SeaBus, SkyTrain and West Coast Express. Lenarduzzi said Kerfoot, a well-heeled software mogul who bought the Whitecaps two years ago, has spent more than 18 months looking at several potential new stadium sites in Vancouver -- including a property the city favoured near Main and Terminal. "Swangard has been a great facility for us but given the vision and resources that Greg brings to the table, he obviously feels the time may be right to make a capital investment in a new stadium," he said. Lenarduzzi noted Kerfoot is prepared to finance a new stadium himself, without any partners. "He probably wouldn't say no to potential provincial or federal funding but he's not reliant on that at this point," he said. Vancouver Mayor Larry Campbell said he wholeheartedly supports the Whitecaps' efforts to find a new home in Vancouver but questioned whether any new facility could make it as a soccer venue alone. "I would like to see something that has soccer, track and maybe even the B.C. Lions," he said in an interview. "But the Lions aren't going anywhere for a while. They're getting 30,000 fans a game and more at B.C. Place." Lions general manager Bob Ackles said the team is committed to playing at B.C. Place until 2010 and if it moves after that, it would have to be to a stadium that held more than 15,000 to 20,000 seats. "We'd need a stadium with about 35,000 seats, with the ability to go to 50,000 so we could host Grey Cup games," he said. Lenarduzzi said that if the Lions are looking for a new playing venue in the future, a proposed new soccer stadium could be expanded to accommodate their needs. Campbell said the city has not yet seen any formal stadium design plans from the Whitecaps and he has trouble "conceptualizing" the idea of building a stadium over railway tracks. "But I've talked to people and apparently it's done in other places," he said. (VanCity Credit Union's head office near Main and Terminal in Vancouver was built directly over SkyTrain tracks.) CP Rail spokesman Ed Greenberg said the railway's downtown operations will not be curtailed by any new development project on the rail lands. bconstantineau@png.canwest.com © The Vancouver Sun 2005
All in all, I think this was an okay season, due to the letdown against New Jersey. Third place is better than getting lead. Great work Caps ladies.
I attended the championship matches and thought Vancouver was clearly better than the teams other than New Jersey, and New Jersey is just loaded with "ringers" and wasn't about to lose that weekend.
Jacqui Little, Ali Krieger (our two starting forwards), Lori Lindsey, Kelly Golebiowski (two offensive-minded midfielders), Joanna Lohman, and Lindsay Stoecker. (Not that all of these players have showed up for all the home games, either.)
Ottawa is much more dangerous with their midfield and forwards than vancouver....not even close.....NJ should have beaten Vancouver by more for sure..
There's got to be a way for these two teams, Vancouver and Ottawa, to meet. Year after year people argue their merits and it never gets decided on the field. I guess it's just a matter of the cash to fly one team across the country.
I think if both organizations went to the league this winter and said they wanted to play each other, the league could make it happen. Make it a two game road trip with Seattle and Vancouver close, and Ottawa and several of the other teams now in their area.
How about a 3-4 day tourney with a Euro team or two to spice it up? (In our new harbourfront stadium, of course...).
Yah right!! Ottawas is a better team overall. Vancovers style of play is on their best day could not touch Ottawa. They (Fury) actually use their midfield players which is a great credit to their defenders. Let's not forget that the Furys main defenders were injured in the Semi aganst the Krush. Robyn Gayle inparticular on her own would have made a great diffrence in that game. Becasue she and another girl from the staring line up were injured ifor the final The Ottaw Fury had a make shift back line.
Do any other teams play out of region games? If so, won't it be up to the teams to make it happen. The way I understand how ULS scheduling happens, all the teams get in a room (seperate rooms for each league) and go from team to team and set up the dates and schedule. So it's not really the league that would have them play, but the teams to work out the details. I would imagine the biggest consideration is travel and any type of assistance from the home team to off set that.
Seems that most teams stick within their region to play. No reason for the Northeast division to tack on any additional travel costs when they can get some great games out of the North division. Western and Atlantic divisions only played within their division while the Midwest played the North. Off the top of my head the last time I remember a sizable roadtrip was Memphis coming out East to play Long Island and I believe Maryland. Also, LI may have made a trip down south to play Jacksonville and Tampa. Money has to play the biggest part in these decisions. But you could play the "what-if" card. What-if the league pitched in and had Vancouver or Ottawa travel to play each other? NY or Vancouver? Or Seattle who has played well of late and someone from the east? Get the game on FSC.