Pali Blues News Release - www.bluessoccerclub.com
Friday, July 18, 2008
LOS ANGELES, CA -- The Pali Blues Soccer Club (12-0-0) became the first Western Conference team to ever win the W-League regular season crown Friday night following a 3-1 win over the Los Angeles Legends (0-9-2). The perfect record marks the third time in five years that Blues head coach Charlie Naimo has finished the regular season as the top team in the league.
"When the final whistle blew, I was relieved, but our team had me feeling pretty comfortable throughout the match that we would come through," Naimo stated Friday night after his regular season coaching record improved to 65-3 over the past five seasons. "We played the right way, and that led to us getting the right result."
In the contest, the visiting Blues outshot their cross-city rivals by a count of 37-5 and took the corner kick advantage, 12-1.
Defender Kendall Fletcher, the first player to ever sign to the Blues, was the first to find the back of the net in the game when she gave her club a 1-0 edge in the 19th minute. Australian international midfielder Collette McCallum struck a corner kick into play that was tapped off the head of forward Danesha Adams. Fletcher then quickly reacted to the touch by heading the ball home.
Kendall then set up the second score of the evening when she sent a ball up-field to a streaking Liz Bogus in the 38th minute. The Arizona State product then roped a left-footed strike to the far post, and the ball ripped through the side netting to stretch the gap to 2-0.
Legend midfielder Lauren Brown responded in the 43rd minute when she got her team on the board, 2-1. After a cross was sent to her on the outside post, she redirected a ball just under Blues goalkeeper Karen Bardsley after the Cal State-Fullerton alumna saw a great effort on the attempt come up slightly short.
The tally was the first goal that the Blues had given up in 667 straight minutes of play (including a friendly with the U.S. U-23 National Team). The notch also brought a seven game shutout streak to an end.
The Blues put this match out of reach in the 78th minute when former Ivy League Player of the Year Katy Cross put a ball through to Italian striker Ilaria Pasqui from the top of the box. Pasqui then one-touched the ball into the back of the net to hang the final score, 3-1.
With the win, the Blues receive a bye to the W-League Championship Tournament semifinal round in Virginia Beach. Naimo commented on what the brief time off would mean to the team.
"I don’t think there are any negatives associated with not playing a meaningful game for 13 days," he responded. "We now have time to rest our top players and get healthy. Now, it’s all about resting up and fitness to prepare us for the next step."
The W-League playoffs will begin almost immediately with a midweek divisional playoff round starting next week, and the three Conference Championship Tournaments held from July 25-27. The W-League Championship Tournament will be held July 31 and August 2 in Virginia Beach, hosted by the Hampton Roads Piranhas. The Blues will probably play the third seed in the semifinals since the fourth seed will likely come from the Western Conference.
