July 17, 2004 W-League Toronto Inferno vs New Jersey Wildcats (from Inferno press release)
For Immediate Release
Date: Saturday, July 17, 2004
Attention: Sports Editors, Assignment Editors, Soccer Journalists, General Sportswriters, Sportscasters and other parties
PICHON BANG ON THRICE IN WILDCATS’ VICTORY OVER INFERNO
VAUGHAN, Ont. – July 17, 2004 – Forward Marinette Pichon, who has played for the national women’s team of France and the WUSA’s Philadelphia Charge, produced a natural hat trick on Friday evening as she led the New Jersey Wildcats to a 6-0 shutout of the Toronto Inferno in W-League action at Vaughan’s Ontario Soccer Centre.
Pichon started the Wildcats’ scoring 34 minutes in as she took a low feed from her left side by midfielder Maura Gallagher and promptly blasted a shot into the far right corner of the net behind Inferno goalkeeper Anne Ogundele.
About one minute later, Gallagher and Pichon hooked up again as the French national converted a volley into the far right corner again for goal number two.
That was all the scoring until 66 minutes into the second half when Pichon fired a hard shot along the ground from just inside the 18-yard box that beat an outstretched Ogundele to her left.
New Jersey Head Coach Charlie Naimo replaced his leading goal scorer two minutes later with Kaley Guthrie but Cara Hammond picked up where Pichon left off.
A member of the United States’ Under-21 women’s national team, Hammond scored her first goal of the 2004 campaign as she converted a beautiful cross from Tasha St. Louis with a left-foot volley in the 76th minute. For St. Louis, who also plays with Trinidad & Tobago’s national women’s team, it was her first point since signing with the Wildcats on July 8.
Nine minutes later, it was time for someone of Dutch descent to deliver. Marieke Van Tienhoven, of Holland’s national team, converted a rebound after Ogundele saved a shot by St. Louis taken within the six-yard box.
In the 90th minute, New Jersey was credited with their final goal as Inferno defender Kanisha Campbell tried valiantly to clear a ball off the Toronto goal line but to no avail. The ball spun off Campbell’s outstretched foot and into the back of the net.
New Jersey’s Maura Gallagher was credited with the goal as she was closest to Campbell at the time.
The Wildcats maintain a perfect record (11-0-0) for 2004 and sit in second place overall in the W-League, one point behind the 11-0-1 Vancouver Whitecaps Women but with a game in hand. They'll look to improve to 12-0-0 as they take on the Sudbury Canadians this evening at Sudbury’s Cambrian College.
For the Inferno (3-8), their next test will come on Sunday afternoon against the Ottawa Fury, 10-0-0 before tonight’s match against the Rochester Ravens in Ottawa. Sunday’s Toronto Inferno-Ottawa Fury tilt is scheduled for 2 p.m. at Ottawa’s Keith Harris Stadium.
About the Toronto Inferno and W-League
The Toronto Inferno Soccer Club, founded in 1997, is the original Canadian W-League franchise. Recognized as the best women's soccer developmental league in North America, the W-League now counts seven Canadian franchises amongst its 37 member teams. The other 31 teams are located within America's 48 contiguous states.
For news, schedules, scores, standings, rosters and other information about the Toronto Inferno and W-League, please visit www.torontoinferno.com and wleague.usl.com.
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Contacts:
Tony Marmo
Director of Soccer and General Manager
Toronto Inferno Soccer Club
Phone: 905-294-6199
Glenn Sutherland
Media Relations
Toronto Inferno Soccer Club
Phone: 416-282-9241
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