USL News Release

Tuesday, March 31, 2009

TAMPA, FL – Fifteen former W-League players took the pitch Sunday in Los Angeles as the host Sol downed the visiting Washington Freedom, 2-0, in the Inaugural Women’s Professional Soccer match. They were among a list of 92 W-League alumni on the Opening Day rosters throughout the league announced last week.

The first goal in club and league history was recorded in the sixth minute of the match, when Los Angeles defender Allison Falk out-jumped a crowd of Freedom defenders in the penalty area to head in a free kick from Japanese national team star Aya Miyama.

Sol midfielder Camille Abily (France) tallied the second of the afternoon in the 87th minute, taking a short pass from three-time defending FIFA World Player of the Year Marta, and chipping the ball over the hands of Freedom keeper Brianna Scurry.

The match was not without chances for Washington though as former Rochester Raven Abby Wambach had two excellent chances along with former Denver Diamond Homare Sawa and Freedom W-Leaguer Lori Lindsey.

Wambach, who debuted in the W-League as a teenager in 1998, received her best opportunity 24 minutes in when Sonia Bompastor dropped a long ball from the left wing perfectly onto the foot of Wambach as she charged into the penalty area. Wambach took one small touch as the ball came in and looked to put her second into the back of the net, but was denied by Canadian international Karina LeBlanc. The goalkeeper who helped lead the New Jersey Wildcats to the W-League title in 2005 met Wambach in the middle of the box to make an fantastic point-blank save.

Sawa sent a long-range effort toward goal from 25 yards out in the 53rd minute that nearly equalized the affair only to see it slip just wide of the left post.

Just 10 minutes later, a corner nearly provided a game-turning moment. After a couple headers had popped the restart up in the air, Lindsey ripped a shot on goal from 15 yards on the volley that found its way through a crowded box, but not past the woodwork, clanging off the left post.

Four W-League alumni started for the Sol while nine were on for the opening whistle in the red clad Freedom. Two others would join the mix off the bench in the second half while each side had three alumni dressed that did not see action.

The remaining five teams will open their season next weekend, but along with the Sol and Freedom unveiled their Opening Day rosters last week. The 150 players named on the squad lists featured 92 W-League players (an average of 13 per team), 51 of whom had played in 2008 and 66 in the past three years. The impressive list featured 236 seasons of experience in the W-League, an average of 33.7 years per team and 2.6 seasons per player.

WPS Opening Day Lineups (W-League experience):

LA: 23-Karina LeBlanc (New Jersey Wildcats 2005-06, Montreal Xtreme 2004); 2- Kendall Fletcher (Pali Blues 2008, New Jersey Wildcats 2005-06, Carolina Dynamo 2004) [18-Katie Larkin, 46], 3-Allison Falk, 7-Shannon Boxx (Boston Renegades 1999), 14-Stephanie Cox, 8-Aya Miyama, 11-Brittany Bock, 20-Camille Abily, 22-Manya Makoski (New Jersey Wildcats 2004, 2006), 9-Han Duan [13-Christie Welsh (Washington Freedom 2007-08, New Jersey Wildcats 2005, Hampton Roads Piranhas 2001-02, Long Island Lady Riders 2000), 84], 10-Marta.
Subs not used: 1-Val Henderson (Pali Blues 2008), 0-Brittney Cameron, 4-Aly Wagner, 5-Greer Barnes (West Virginia Illusion 2008, Boston Renegades 2007), 6-McCall Zerboni, 12-Lisa Sari (Seattle Sounders 2008), 21-Johanna Frisk

WSH: 1-Briana Scurry (Delaware Genies 1998), 4-Cat Whitehill (New Jersey Wildcats 2005), 11-Emily Janss (Washington Freedom 2007-08, Chicago Gaels 2004, Maryland Pride 2000), 21-Alex Singer (WF 2007-08), 22-Becky Sauerbrunn (WF 2008, Richmond Kickers Destiny 2006-07, Boston Renegades 2005), 6-Lori Lindsey (WF 2007-08, Indiana Blaze 1997-00) [3-Jill Gilbeau (WF 2008), 72], 8-Sonia Bompastor, 9-Allie Long, 10-Homare Sawa (Denver Diamonds 1999-00), 20-Abby Wambach (Rochester 1998), 25-Claire Zimmeck (Richmond Kickers Destiny 2008, Northern Virginia Royals 2006) [17-Lisa De Vanna, 43].
Subs not used: 61-Kati Jo Spisak (WF 2007-08, Bradenton Athletics 2004), 15-Kristin DeDycker (Mile High Edge 2006), 19-Rebecca Moros (WF 2007-08, New Jersey Wildcats 2005).