Jersey Sky Blue News Release - www.skybluesoccer.com
Saturday, July 12, 2008
BOYDS, MD - Three different players hit the back of the net as the Washington Freedom dimmed Jersey Sky Blue’s playoff chances with a 3-0 victory at the Maryland SoccerPlex. Christie Welsh and Jenn Parsons struck in the first half and Ali Andrzejewski connected just after halftime for the Freedom, which moved to the top of the Northeast Division with the victory. Sky Blue still stands in third place in the Northeast at 7-4-2 with the top three teams advancing, but Jersey has played more games than all the other front runners. The loss was the first on the road for Sky Blue in club history as Jersey fell to 12-1-1 all-time away from home.
The Freedom attacked early and often in the first half with Parsons and Sarah Huffman getting back-to-back chances. Sky Blue keeper Jillian Loyden dove to her left to stop Parsons in the seventh minute before handling Huffman’s effort from the top of the box one minute later.
Washington opened the scoring in the 12th minute on a nice individual effort by Welsh, who received a pass from Parsons with her back to the goal about 25 yards out. The former United States Women’s National Team striker faked to her left, cut past a defender, and nailed a right-footed shot into the lower right corner from 20 yards out.
Sky Blue’s best chance of the opening 45 minutes came off the foot of Gina DeMaio, who saw Freedom keeper Chante Sandiford off her line and went for the chip from 40 yards out in the 38th minute. Sandiford was able to shuffle back to her line and tip the ball over the bar to foil DeMaio’s effort.
The Freedom struck a killer blow just before halftime as Parsons doubled the lead in the 43rd minute. Christen Karniski crossed a ball in from the left that was deflected past an advancing Loyden. In the ensuing scramble, the ball popped loose to Parsons and she buried an eight-yard shot into the upper left corner for the 2-0 lead.
That wasn’t all for the Freedom before halftime as Loyden stuffed Welsh from close range to save her team from a three-goal deficit in the 44th minute.
In the second half, Sky Blue showed a glimmer of hope as substitute Domenique Esposito forced a save by Sandiford 20 seconds in, but the Freedom came right back the other way and struck for their third goal. Huffman carried the ball into the middle and laid off a pass for Welsh, who drew two defenders before calmly slipping a pass left for the substitute Andrzejewski to slot under Loyden at the left post.
Sky Blue had the best of the chances the rest of the way as the Freedom sat on its lead, but Jersey couldn’t convert those chances into goals. DeMaio played Tricia DiPaolo in behind in the 58th minute but Sandiford was there for the save at the near post. Six minutes later, Leah Robinson had an open header off a deflection but put it over from six yards out.
Kim Bonilla came on for Sky Blue later in the half and immediately started to create dangerous opportunities the best of which came in the 82nd minute when her 20-yard blast hit off the crossbar above the left post and bounded over.
In stoppage time, Esposito played DeMaio in behind one-on-one with Sandiford but her shot was stuffed by the Freedom keeper in a result that typified Sky Blue’s night.
The Washington Freedom will play their last home game of the season this Wednesday, July 16th, against the Long Island Rough Riders at 7 p.m.
