July 24, 2004 W-League Boston Renegades vs Toronto Inferno (from Inferno media release)

For Immediate Release
Date: Sunday, July 25, 2004

Attention: Sports Editors, Assignment Editors, Soccer Journalists, General Sportswriters, Sportscasters and other parties

INFERNO ENDS SEASON WITH A LOSS BUT FINDS NEW HOPE

Saturday, July 24, 2004 - (Framingham, MA) - The Toronto Inferno ended on as high a note as a 3-11 team can expect after a defeat to close out the 2004 W-League season.

There was new life and desire in the Inferno during a 3-2 loss to the Boston Renegades - something that had been absent in recent matches.

After defeating the Sudbury Canadians 4-2 on July 10, the Inferno scored no goals and surrendered 11 in their next two matches - 6-0 and 5-0 decisions against the New Jersey Wildcats and Ottawa Fury respectively.

However, on Friday evening, the Inferno started to turn a corner in their final weekend of regular season play for 2004 as the Western Mass Lady Pioneers edged their Canadian opponents 3-2 on a goal in the 82nd minute.

Despite a similar ending on Saturday, the result was achieved in a slightly different manner.

Against Western Mass, the Inferno took a 2-0 lead into half-time only to give up three goals in the final 45 minutes. Meanwhile, in the match against Boston, the Renegades were the ones who took a 2-0 lead but eventually had to score the winning goal in the 87th!

Very early on, Meghan Welcome didn't exactly roll out the welcome mat as she beat Inferno keeper Anne Ogundele in the second minute of play to give Boston a 1-0 advantage.

Only about six minutes later, the Renegades caught a break when the Inferno knocked the ball into their own net.

Despite the early goal by Welcome and the devastating own goal shortly thereafter, the Inferno found that new life and put on a great show of heart and desire.

Heather MacDougall of Burlington solved Renegades' goalkeeper Ashley Phillips in the 45th minute to cut the Boston lead to one goal.

MacDougall seemed to draw some inspiration from that late, first-half goal as less than two minutes into the second half, she beat Phillips again by firing a low shot to the right side of the Boston goalkeeper. A late-season addition to the Inferno, MacDougall finishes with three goals in five games in her first W-League campaign.

"Our players never gave up as they kept their motors running and showed true class even after going down two goals in the first eight minutes," observed Inferno Head Coach Tom McManus.

"The team staged a great comeback and continued to pressure Boston to the point where we could have eventually won the game."

Despite that pressure, the Renegades were able to do some counterattacking of their own which resulted in an 87th minute goal by Kara Frederick. Her fifth goal of the season, in 11 games, eventually gave Boston their 10th win against only four losses.

The Renegades next match will be a playoff tilt at home against the Lady Pioneers in a winner-take-all showdown for the New England Division championship.

Toronto finishes its season with a 3-11 record for fourth place out of five teams in the North Central Division and will not advance to the playoffs.

Glenn Sutherland and Norm Kwong, Toronto Inferno Soccer Club

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.

The Inferno organization can also be reached by e-mailing us at torontoinferno@torontoinferno.com or telephoning 905-294-6199.

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Contacts:

Glenn Sutherland
Media Relations
Toronto Inferno Soccer Club
Home Phone: 416-282-9241

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