Friday, August 8, 2003

 

VIRGINIA BEACH, VA -- The Central Conference champion Chicago Cobras advanced to the W-League Championship Friday night at Landstown High School in Virginia Beach, Virginia with a 3-0 win over the Eastern Conference champion Ottawa Fury. Forward Kristen Graczyk was involved in all three Cobras strikes with two goals and an assist.

A close-knit first half saw the 2001 W-1 champion Chicago Cobras take the early lead in the match via a scramble on a corner kicker in the 12th minute. A loose ball in the box came off Ottawa goalkeeper Kyla Clark as she collided with a Chicago player in the box. and rebounded out to Graczyck, who buried the ball from 16 yards out.

Grazcyk turned provider to give the Cobras a 2-0 lead in the 58th minute when she played a long ball through the Ottawa back line to the onrushing Julianne Sitch. Sitch took the ball into the box and beat Clark one-on-one 13 yards from goal and easily knocked home the shot into the empty goal.

Two minutes later, Chicago's Brittany Cooper ripped a hard shot off the far post from 18 yards out on the left side.

With the game winding down, Ottawa's Jeanette Akerlund and Sarah Cebulski were mounting a dangerous counterattack in the 83rd minute. Akerlund split two defenders with a short pass, creating a breakaway for Cebulski, but Schneider came out to block the shot with her chest five yards outside the box.

With two minutes left, second half substitute Cebulski was threatening again streaking down the left side with the ball, but Chicago defender Lisa Grubb stayed with her and made a nice sliding tackle in the box to prevent a shot on goal.

Graczyk capped the game in stoppage time when Chicago goalkeeper Molly Schneider's long ball up into the center circle was flicked on by Kim Godek to Gracyck, who broke through the back line and slotted the shot past a diving Clark from 15 yards.

CHI: Grazcyk 12

CHI: Sitch (Grazcyk) 58

CHI: Grazyck (Godek) 90