Monday, July 13, 2009

Sky Blue Flies High After Beating Breakers

Natasha Kai and Rosana tallied goals to lead Sky Blue FC to a 2-1 victory over the host Boston Breakers Sunday in Women's Professional Soccer play at Harvard Stadium.

Sky Blue and Boston are tied for third place in the league standings at 5-6-3 with 18 points.

Both teams play next on Wednesday -- Sky Blue hosting the Washington Freedom, Boston hosting the Chicago Red Stars.

Chicago's Cristiane Scores WPS' First Hat Trick

Cristiane made Women's Professional Soccer history Sunday, becoming the first player to score a hat trick in the host Chicago Red Stars' 3-1 victory over the FC Gold Pride Sunday at Toyota Park.

She also included the team's first penalty kick goal in the hat trick.

Tiffeny Milbrett scored the Pride's lone goal on a 64th minute penalty kick.

The Red Stars are 4-6-5 with 17 points and in fifth place, one point behind the Boston Breakers and Sky Blue FC, both 5-6-3 with 18 points and tied for third place.

The Pride are 3-8-3 with 12 points and in last place.

Both Chicago and the Pride play the Breakers next -- Chicago on the road Wednesday, FC Gold hosting them Sunday.

Julien Hat Trick Leads Comets Over Avalanche

Christina Julien had a hat trick and Chloe Malette added a penalty kick goal as the host Laval Comets blanked the Hamilton Avalanche, 2-0, Sunday in United Soccer Leagues W-League play at the Bois-de-Boulogne Sports Center.

The Comets, 7-4-1 with 22 points, are in fourth place in the Central Conference, Great Lakes Division standings, four points behind the expansion Buffalo Flash (8-2-2, 26) for third. The Comets are at the Ottawa Fury Wednesday, then close out the home season next Sunday with the Flash.

Hamilton, 2-8-2 with eight points and in seventh place, are at the Toronto Lynx Thursday and the London Gryphons Saturday.

Lady Blues Take Passion Away In Shutout

Elise Fugowski and Whitney Palmer had a pair of goals each, Brittany Taylor added a goal and Angelika Johannson assisted on four scores as the expansion Hudson Valley Quickstrike Lady Blues handed the Connecticut Passion a 5-0 shutout in their United Soccer Leagues W-League home finale at Yale University Stadium Sunday.

The Lady Blues lead the Eastern Conference, Northeast Division with a 10-0-1 record and 31 points, a point better than the Washington Freedom (10-1-0, 30). Hudson Valley ends their home season Wednesday against the New Jersey Wildcats, then hit the road to face the Freedom Thursday and the New York Magic Sunday.

Connecticut, 3-7-1 with 10 points and in sixth place, has three road games left on its schedule -- at the Boston Renegades Wednesday, the Freedom Saturday and the Wildcats Sunday.

Lady Lynx Slow Down Fury

Giselle Mangel and Erica Henderson had goals in an eight-minute span of the second half to lead the host Toronto Lady Lynx to a 2-0 victory over the previously unbeaten Ottawa Fury in a United Soccer Leagues W-League contest Sunday at Hershey Centre in Toronto.

The Fury, now 9-1-1, have 28 points and are tied for the lead in the Central Conference, Great Lakes Division standings with the expansion Quebec City Amiral at 9-3-1. Ottawa's final week of the 2009 season ends by hosting the Laval Comets Wednesday, the expansion Buffalo Flash Saturday and the new Rochester Ravens next Sunday.

Toronto is 4-4-4 with 16 points and in fifth place. The Lady Lynx host the Hamilton Avalances Wednesday and the Flash Friday.

Tornados Stun Aztex In Upset

Daniel Summers and Paulo DaSilva had goals as the DFW Tornados stunned the Austin Aztex U23s, 2-1, Sunday in United Soccer Leagues Premier Development League action from Dallas' Pennington Field.

Ryan Mirsky scored Austin's lone goal as the Aztex, 7-4-4 with 25 points, are in second place in the Southern Conference, Mid-South Division standings and a point behind the Laredo Heat (6-1-8, 26) for the division lead. They will host the El Paso Patriots in their home and regular season finale Friday at Nelson Field.

DFW, 4-6-4 with 16 points, are at the Rio Grande Valley Bravos Friday and the winless Houston Leones next Sunday.

Sockers Stay In Tight Mid-South Division Race

Ben Everson had two goals and Jose Munoz added a third as the West Texas United Sockers stayed in the hunt for their first United Soccer Leagues Premier Development League playoff berth Sunday with a 3-2 victory over the El Paso Patriots at Patriot Stadium.

West Texas, an expansion team, is 7-4-3 with 24 points and currently in third in the Southern Conference, Mid-South Division, a point behind the Austin Aztex U23s (7-4-4, 25) for second and two behind the Laredo Heat (6-1-8, 26) for the division lead.

El Paso is 7-6-1 with 22 points and in fourth place, two points behind the Sockers for third.

West Texas ends their season with road games Friday at the Heat and Sunday at the Rio Grande Valley Bravos, another PDL newcomer.