July 21, 2008
The Washington Freedom completed an impressive regular season and took a huge step in defending its W-League Championship over the weekend. With two road games to end the season and to finish a grueling 5 games in 8 days, the Freedom were fortunate to only need a point from two games to secure the Northeast division title and a bye into the Eastern Conference finals.
The Freedom visited the Boston Renegades at Bowditch field on Saturday night and aimed to avenge their only loss of the season. The Renegades needed a win in order to keep their division title hopes alive. Both teams showed no signs of playing conservative and created good scoring opportunities. The Freedom managed to do so with their possession and the Renegades chose to counter and play more direct. The Renegades had more clear chances and forced Chante Sandiford to make 5 saves in the first half. The Freedom’s best chances fell to Jenn Parsons and Sarah Huffman. Parsons’ volley hit the outside of the post, and Huffman could not get a shot off after finding herself open in front of the Renegade goal. The Freedom found more rhythm in the second half and Christie Welsh had three great chances to put the Freedom in the lead. But it was the Renegades who in the 72nd minute went ahead 1-0. Luckner’s perfect serve, a well-timed run by Ashley Pistorious, and a header past a charging Sandiford gave the Renegades the margin they were hoping for. However, the Freedom showed great character and immediately went back into the attack. Sarah Huffman threaded a ball through the Renegade defense to Ali Andrzejewski, who with her first touch put herself in the penalty area and bent a right-footed shot past Meghan Burke into the side netting to put the Freedom back on level terms. With the Renegades fighting for a win they needed to put the Freedom under high pressure, but the Freedom used some possession and timely defense to hold on for the tie and win the division title. Over 50 Freedom fans were in the crowd, and they energized and supported the team throughout the match to bolster the result.
Freedom 1 - Renegades 1
Shots 15/14
Saves 8/3
Corners 3/2
Sunday’s regular season match was at Reese Stadium on the campus of Yale University against the expansion Connecticut Passion. The Freedom chose to rest five regular starters and use goalkeeper Sandiford only in the first half. The Freedom’s depth was a huge asset in this match. In the 36th minute Ali Andrzejewski found herself isolated 1-on-1 in a wide left position and quickly turned and outpaced defender Ashforth, who tripped and pulled Andrzejewski down in the penalty area. Rebecca Moros stepped up and put the ensuing penalty high to the right corner to give the Freedom what would turn out to be the game winner. The Passion’s Fortuna Velaj created the most dangerous chances with her excellent dribbling skills, but the Freedom defense stayed compact and was constantly aware of her scoring ability. The Freedom used starters Lindsey, Golebiowski and Huffman in the final 30 minutes to secure possession and the three points. Velaj and the Passion did have a final chance in the third minute of added time with a shot from a wide angle that beat Eliza Bennett-Hattan and whistled just inches wide of the left post. The win gave the Freedom an 11-1-2 regular season record. The expansion Passion ended with an impressive 7-5-2 fifth place finish in the most competitive division in the W-League.
Freedom 1 - Passion 0
Shots 6/6
Saves 3/5
Corners 5/2
“I am extremely proud of all our players and staff for what we have accomplished in the 2008 W-League regular season. To get 13 of 15 points from 5 games in 8 days is just tremendous.”—Head Coach Jim Gabarra
The Washington Freedom will travel to Atlanta to take on the Atlantic Division runner-up, the Charlotte Lady Eagles, at 5:00 pm on Friday, July 25th. The game will be played at the Atlanta Silverbacks Park.
