Breakers in
W-League final tournament.
by Mad Cap Mac
Here's the official word, from the reporter at the front lines - A.
Douglas:
Vancouver Breakers 1 Hampton Roads Piranhas 0
Sudden Death
Overtime - W-1 League Semi-Final
Friday, August 17, 2001
Virginia Beach
Sports Complex (attendance: 986)
The Vancouver Breakers got a dramatic
goal in sudden death overtime from captain Andrea Neil on a 26-yard free kick to
edge the host Hampton Roads Piranhas 1-0 in the W-1 League semi-finals Friday
night in Virginia Beach, VA. The goal was the perfect present for Breakers
Chairman and Governor David Stadnyk who was in attendance celebrating his
birthday. Vancouver now advances to the Championship Final against the Boston
Renegades.
Canadian National Team goalkeeper Nicci Wright was at her usual
best, keeping a tough Hampton Roads team off the scoresheet with Vancouver under
pressure for much of regulation time. Vancouver frustrated their hosts over the
first 90 minutes, gradually growing in strength, before taking total control of
the overtime. Constant Vancouver pressure in OT lead to Neil's brilliantly taken
free kick which she curled into the left hand top corner. Goalkeeper Wright
earned her 5th shutout of the season making 9 saves, which is nearly half the 19
she only had to make in her previous 7 games.
Breakers Line-Up:
G:
Nicci Wright
D: Sophie Spilborghs (Courtenay Matheson 45'), Sandi Potis,
Randee Hermus, Liz Conner
M: Sara Maglio, Geri Donnelly, Andrea Neil, Sarah
Cunningham
F: Tammy Crawford (Katie Lee 45'; Lyanne Westie 82'), Diana Artuso
(Leah Robinson 68')
Scoring Summary
105' Vanc Andrea Neil Neil curled
a brilliant free kick from 26 yards into the top left corner of
the goal for
her 5th of the season.
Team Shots Keepers Saves GA
Vancouver 8 Nicci
Wright 9 0
Hampton Roads 17 Kathy Hoverman 3 1
Vancouver Breakers 1
Boston Renegades 5
W-1 League Championship Final
Saturday, August 18,
2001
Virginia Beach Sports Complex (attendance: 213)
In a game that
looked certain to be cancelled due to a horrific lightning storm, but wasn't, it
was three lightning fast goals in a four minute span that ended a strong
Vancouver comeback bid and gave the Boston Renegades their first W-1 League
Championship. Finnish striker Minna Mustonen netted two goals and two assists to
be named MVP, while Vancouver's Tammy Crawford scored the lone Vancouver marker,
in a game where the scoreline was hardly a fair reflection of play.
For many
hours it looked impossible that the game could go ahead. The Consolation Final
between Hampton Roads and Maryland was abandoned after three hours of lightning
delays allowed only five minutes to be played. The storm then hit its worst with
hurricane-force rain that flooded the field, wind that ripped through the
concourse flipping over tables and sending panicked spectators fleeing for
cover, and a barrage of lightning strikes that shut off power and left the
stadium in blackness. But implausibly, a break in the storm finally allowed the
game to start, over two and a half hours late.
Boston got off to a quick
start while the Breakers were still finding their feet on the waterlogged pitch.
Down 2-0 early, Vancouver picked up the pace and took the game to their
opponents, eventually scoring a minute and six seconds into the second half.
With Boston back on their heels and the Breakers attacking in waves, it appeared
the tide was turning, but a Renegades goal on the counter on a superb solo
effort by striker Alexa Borisjuk ended the Vancouver comeback, and two more
quick goals removed any doubt. The Breakers battled heroically to the final
whistle, and outshot Boston 6-5 in the second half, but in the end had to settle
for silver on a night of supreme disappointment.
Breakers Line-Up:
G:
Nicci Wright
D: Courtenay Matheson (Sophie Spilborghs 45'), Sandi Potis (Lara
Guzik 63'), Randee Hermus, Liz Conner
M: Geri Donnelly, Andrea Neil, Sarah
Cunningham (Lyanne Westie 82')
F: Sara Maglio, Tammy Crawford (Katie Lee
56'), Diana Artuso (Leah Robinson 60')
Scoring Summary
8' Bost
Alexa Borisjuk (Minna Mustonen) Early Boston pressure paid off as Borisjuk
rifled home from 8 yards in a scramble.
19' Bost Minna Mustonen (Bekah
Splaine) Mustonen picked the far left corner from 14 yards.
47' Vanc Tammy
Crawford Diana Artuso's shot in a scramble was blocked on the line but
Crawford
forced it in.
51' Bost Alexa Borisjuk (Angela Harrison) Borisjuk
chased down a long ball from her keeper, cut inside a sliding defender, and
curled it in.
53' Bost Erin O'Grady (Minna Mustonen) O'Grady fired in after a
cross from the right.
54' Bost Minna Mustonen Mustonen scored from one yard
in a scramble after it had hit the bar.
Team Shots Keepers Saves
GA
Vancouver 9 Nicci Wright 4 5
Boston 12 Angela Harrison 2 1
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