Archive for W-League
Whitecaps Women Battle Colorado In 2010 Home Opener
VANCOUVER, BC — Vancouver Whitecaps FC, in conjunction with the United Soccer Leagues (USL), announced today the 2010 USL W-League regular season schedule. The Whitecaps 2010 regular season home schedule will be played at five different venues throughout the province of British Columbia, as part of the Whitecaps Women’s Soccer Series – in partnership with the Girls Metro Soccer League (GMSL).
“We’re looking forward to what we feel will be a highly competitive W-League Western Conference,” said Whitecaps women’s team head coach Hubert Busby Jr. “As part of our Women’s Soccer Series, I know the staff and players are excited to take our women’s team into the community and help grow the female game by connecting our team with the community, fans, and partners.”
As a continuation of last year’s inaugural series, the ‘Caps will further their community outreach by partnering with some major local youth clubs to host women’s team home games. Those clubs include Coquitlam Metro-Ford Soccer Club (CMFSC), Langley FC, Richmond Girls Soccer Association, and the Lower Island Soccer Association (Vancouver Island).
The Whitecaps will kickoff the 2010 season on Sunday, May 30, at 2 pm PT, when they battle Colorado Force FC at Percy Perry Stadium in Coquitlam, BC – hosted by Coquitlam Metro-Ford Soccer Club.
“Coquitlam Metro-Ford is pleased to welcome back the Whitecaps to our community,” said CMFSC president Gayle Statton. “As a club, we take an active interest and role in the female side of the game, and once again, we’re looking forward to partnering with the Whitecaps in bringing the highest level of women’s soccer in Canada to our community.”
The Whitecaps will then hit the road for five consecutive matches, starting with games in Colorado against the Force and Colorado Rush. This is followed by a trip to Southern California to face Santa Clarita Blue Heat and two-time W-League champions Pali Blues. The ‘Caps will complete their travels in Washington State against Interstate 5 rivals Seattle Sounders women.
The ‘Caps will then return home to face Pali Blues on Sunday, June 27, at 5 p.m. PT at McLeod Athletic Park in Langley, BC – hosted by Langley FC.
“Langley FC is very excited to have the opportunity to host the Whitecaps women’s team,” said Langley FC president Toni Burgess. “McLeod Athletic Park is a great facility with many recent upgrades that will make this game an enjoyable experience for the players and spectators. We are really looking forward to the opportunity of cheering on high-level women’s soccer in our city. It’s a great chance for the girls in our club to see what they can strive for, right in their own backyard.”
The Whitecaps will also host two new W-League franchises for the first time when Santa Clarita Blue Heat and Colorado Rush visit the Lower Mainland in early July. The women’s team will return to Swangard Stadium in Burnaby, BC, to face the Rush on Saturday, July 3, at 2:30 p.m. PT.
The ‘Caps will then take part in a special ‘Showcase’ match at Minoru Stadium in Richmond, BC, against Santa Clarita on Thursday, July 8, at 6:30 p.m. PT. The match will be a feature game as part of the opening night of the 2010 BC Girls Provincial ‘B’ Cup tournament. The Richmond Girls Soccer Association will host both the Whitecaps match and Girls Provincial ‘B’ Cup.
“The Girls Provincial ‘B’ Cup will bring over 700 players from around the province to Richmond,” said Richmond Girls Soccer Association director of operations Stewart MacPherson. “In conjunction with this, we are pleased to be able to join with the Whitecaps to showcase their women’s team on opening night of our tournament at Minoru Stadium. This will give all of our players a first-hand look at where they can strive to be, and will bring an extra level of exciting soccer to the Richmond community.”
The women’s team will finish their regular season campaign on Vancouver Island when they face Seattle Sounders at Royal Athletic Park in Victoria, BC, on Saturday, July 17, at 6:30 p.m. PT – hosted by the Lower Island Soccer Association.
“Being able to expose our players and parents to the highest level of women’s soccer in Canada is a great opportunity for the Lower Island Soccer Association (LISA),” said LISA executive director Sharon Marejka. “Working with Vancouver Whitecaps FC will further enhance our overall partnership with the professional club, which is essential as part of our development philosophy.”
In addition to the action on the pitch, the Whitecaps will host free pre-match clinics and halftime mini games for local youth players. There will also be post-match autograph sessions with the Whitecaps women’s team players.
2010 Regular Season
Vancouver Schedule
W-League Schedule
W-League 2010 Alignment Unveiled
TAMPA, FL – W-League unveiled its 29-team divisional breakdown for the 2010 season.
The conference and divisional alignment remains the same as the 2009 season with three conferences. The Central and Eastern Conferences will be comprised of two divisions each.
Four new franchises will take the field in 2010 with the recently announced expansion clubs North Jersey Valkryies and Colorado Rush along with the Santa Clarita Blue Heat, who acquired the Ventura County Fusion franchise rights, and the W-League side being launched by the New Jersey Rangers of the USL Premier Development League.
Season details such as the playoff format and schedule information will be announced in the new year.
Central Conference
Great Lakes Division
Hamilton Avalanche, Laval Comets, Quebec City Amiral, Ottawa Fury, Rochester Ravens, Toronto Lady Lynx
Heartland Division
Buffalo Flash, Chicago Red Eleven, Cleveland Internationals, Kalamazoo Outrage, London Gryphons
Eastern Conference
Atlantic Division
Atlanta Silverbacks, Charlotte Lady Eagles, Hampton Roads Piranhas, Northern Virginia Majestics, Tampa Bay Hellenic
Northeast Division
Hudson Valley Quickstrike Lady Blues, Long Island Rough Riders, New Jersey Wildcats, New York Magic, NJ Rangers, North Jersey Valkryies, Washington Freedom
Western Conference
Colorado Force, Colorado Rush, Pali Blues, Santa Clarita Blue Heat, Seattle Sounders, Vancouver Whitecaps
Unbeaten In Two Years, Pali Repeats
BOYDS, MD — Just days away from the US-Mexico World Cup qualifier, it was a Mexican international that proved the star of the W-League Championship Friday night at the Maryland SoccerPlex as the 2008 champion Pali Blues repeated. The California club came from behind for a 2-1 win a second straight year, downing the 2007 title winner Washington Freedom on their home field on a goal and assist from Iris Mora.
The hosts took the initial lead in the contest in the 14th minute of play from a restart. Washington’s Katherine Watson turned with the ball 30 yards from goal and was headed straight in on goal before being dragged down by Pali defender Kendal Billingsley, who received a yellow card. France’s Sandra Matute nailed a precise free kick just inside the right post from 24 yards to give the Freedom the early lead.
Billingsley made up for the error in the 37th minute on a second consecutive corner from Iris Mora. As the corner came down to the tall defender in the center of the area, she sent a perfect eight yard header into the back of the net to level the game heading to the break.
Aside from the corner on the equalizer, Mora had been relatively quiet throughout the rest of the match after an early chance as Washington kept the clamp on the Freedom’s key striker, who had tallied in five of their last six contests, including the playoffs. But in the 86th minute, she found some space all alone in the box. The mistake proved costly for Washington as Kirsty Yallap sent a cross in from the right flank, connecting with Mora, who chested the ball down, turned and fired past Eliza Bennett-Hatton from 14 yards for the winner.
The goal and assist on the night earned the Mexican star the W-League Champion Most Valuable Player honor as she helped lead the club to its second straight title, becoming the third club in league history to claim back-to-back championships (Raleigh Wings 1998-99 and Boston Renegades 2001-02) and the fifth to win two league titles (Long Island Lady Riders 1995, 97 and Vancouver Whitecaps 2004, 06). It is the third title for head coach Charlie Naimo, who also led the New Jersey Wildcats to the championship in 2005.
The second consecutive unbeaten championship season, on the other hand, was a first in league history. Although the Blues are among three clubs to post two consecutive unbeaten campaigns in the regular season (Chicago Cobras 1999-00 and FC Indiana Lionesses 2008-09), they are the only club to win the league crown both times. Chicago lost in penalties in the 1999 championship before winning from the spot the following year. Finalists a year ago, FC Indiana were knocked out in the conference final this year.
“It feels so good to have two undefeated seasons, and I am so happy for our girls,” Naimo said after taking his third crown as a coach in four championship appearances. “It’s such a fantastic feeling, and you couldn’t ask for anymore effort than what has been given by this team all year.”
A quick-paced, back-and-forth contest in the early going, a goalkeeping error nearly gave the Freedom the lead in the first minute of play when a lofted ball into the area slipped through the outstretched hands of Pali goalkeeper Joslyn Slovek. The ball dropped to the pitch and a half clearance gave the Freedom a chance on an open goal, but the strike from Jen Parsons went off the crossbar, down and deflected away off the head of the defender standing on the line.
Three minutes later at the other end a through ball right up the middle had Mora on a break, but her first touch around the charging keeper 30 yards from goal was a bit too much as she was unable to recover and the defense was able to shut down the attack.
A fifth minute strike from Jesstine Wolfe went just over the bar from 21 yards out for Washington with Mora getting behind the defense on the other end three minutes later on a cross, but her header flew wide of the target.
With Washington leading after Matute’s excellent free kick, Pali was looking for an equalizer. Just before the 30th minute Rebekah Patrick put a shot over the bar from just inside the box.
Seven minutes later, Billingsley put away the equalizer, however, Washington nearly re-claimed the lead as a missed keeper punch at a corner led to 20 yard attempt from Madison Keller that narrowly missed the opposite upper corner of the goal.
Bennett-Hatton made a huge save at the close of the 56th minute when Pali’s Sabrina DeMonte sent a cross into the area. Yallop dove to get her head on the ball eight yards from goal, but the keeper made a fantastic point blank reaction save to keep it out of the Washington net.
But the heroics were not enough as Mora used her experience to calmly knock the cross down and coolly slot it home for the victory four minutes from time.
“We just did what we had to do, which was to score a goal,” said Mora. “I missed a couple of goals at the beginning. I knew for this game it would be really tight. I just needed to settle, first touch I just thought about one-two. And I saw the ball coming to me, I settled myself, and it was just one-two. That is how it has to be.”
Her performance was expected from coach Naimo.
“No shock, she’s been getting it done all season,” the Blues coach said. “Last week a goal and two assists in the semifinal. Always found a way to get a point in every single game and it’s no surprise to me. Iris was the one that I envisioned pulling us through this one and she did.”
Naimo, who also serves as general manager for the Los Angeles Sol of Women’s Professional Soccer, also went on to discuss how he expects numerous players from this year’s squad to also move onto WPS again this year, but finished saying “We are gonna have to reload for a third run.”
