Boston Renegades Press Release - www.mpsbr.com
Thursday, May 8
LISTEN TO THIS GAME LIVE [+]
WALTHAM, MA - The Boston Renegades will take the field for their W-League home opener on Saturday, May 10th when Jersey Sky Blue comes to Bowditch Stadium to commence the 2008 season. Kick-off for the home opener is scheduled for 4.00pm.
Beginning his first full season as Head Coach, Darren Gallagher has assembled a squad littered with talent as he prepares his assault on the 2008 W-League.
"Saturday will be the culmination of a long year of preparation" said Gallagher. "After months of telephone calls and organization, the time has finally come to get the girls on the field and it is a prospect which has everyone at the club excited."
Gallagher has assembled a mouth watering squad for those visiting Bowditch Stadium this season. In the year prior to the kick start of the Women’s Professional League, women’s soccer fans are sure to see future professionals in Renegades colors during 2008.
Returning faces for the 2008 season include club captain Lauren MacIver, midfielders Kelsey Hood and Tori Huster, forward Jamie Craft and Goalkeeper Jasmine Phillips.
"We have formed a foundation to our team with the backbone of last season’s squad returning," said Gallagher. "With these players joined by an array of incoming talent, Mark McDevitt and I are very excited about the capabilities of our side."
New faces on show at Bowditch Stadium this weekend include Honda NCAA National Player of the Year Ashlee Pistorius (Texas A&M University), Allison Martino (Texas A&M University), Gabriela Demoner (Franklin Pierce University) and Marcy Gans (Creighton University).
Saturday’s fixture also marks the season opener for a Jersey Sky Blue outfit which found a place in the 2007 W-League playoffs after a 12-2 mark in the regular season.
"Jersey Sky Blue are a fantastic side boasted by some tremendous collegiate athletes," said Gallagher. "Saturday’s game is shaping up to be a fantastic article for women’s soccer fans in Boston."
Heading into their second season and a year away from adding a team in the new professional league Women’s Professional Soccer, Jersey Sky Blue will hit the field without coach Charlie Naimo, who built a formidable lineup in its first year that finished the campaign 12-2-0.
New coach Denise Reddy, who spent 11 year playing professionally in Sweden and served as an assistant coach under Naimo the previous two years with Jersey and the New Jersey Wildcats, will have several players returning from last year including defensive stalwart Fanta Cooper. Gina DeMaio Jillian Loyden and Bonnie Young are also returning.
New to the club will be Australian standout from the Ottawa Fury Stacey Stocco, Ireland international and Long Island veteran Michele O’Brien and former Sweden youth international Yolanda Odenyo.
"We've put together a strong squad and we're anticipating an exciting season for Sky Blue," said Denise Reddy, who enters her first season Jersey Sky Blue Head Coach after serving as an assistant last year. "This year the Northeast Division will be extremely competitive and we're expecting the Renegades to be a tough opening test."
Last year Jersey swept the series in convincing fashion, blasting the Renegades in Boston 8-0 and blanking them a week later at home 5-0. The Renegades, however, made a coaching change after the series and went on to post five consecutive wins to finish one point shy of the playoffs.
For more information on individual and group ticket packages for the Renegades W-League home opener, please contact Graham Munro at 781 891 6900 ext 38 or gmunro@mpsbr.com.
