GAME STORIES: 05/09-05/10

NEW ENGLAND MUTINY 4, NEW YORK A.C. 0
Monroe Notches Hat Trick in Front of Sellout Crowd
 
NORTHAMPTON, MA (05/10/08) - In front of a sellout crowd of 1,252 at Northampton High School, the New England Mutiny began defense of their Eastern Conference championship in the Women's Premier Soccer League (WPSL) with a 4-0 victory over New York A.C. Unable to seat any more spectators in the bleachers at the home of the Blue Devils, fans found themselves lined up all along the hillside adjacent to the school at the friendly confines of Northampton H.S.

The game marked the return of one of Northampton's own in New York defender Mary McVeigh, but the Mutiny would spoil the homecoming of the former WUSA star in its first tilt of the season. Mary-Frances Monroe would open the scoring in the 22nd minute off a free kick that nestled in the top left corner of the goal from 25 yards away which New York goalkeeper Melissa Cohen had no chance to stop. The goal would be the first en route to a hat trick for the Mutiny co-captain.

Just before halftime, Monroe would make it 2-0 after executing another free kick. This time, Monroe would strike it to the lower right of Cohen. Monroe would complete the hat trick in the 58th minute tipping in a shot from midfielder Erin Clark.

In between Monroe's tallies, the Mutiny would benefit from an own goal after Clark crossed the ball towards an onrushing Erin Gatto. The ball glanced off a New York defender and into the net.

"We got off to a slow start, but finally came together as the game went on," said Monroe. "It was a total team effort in the second half."

Lauren Luckey would make a brilliant save in the 73rd minute preserving the shutout for New England. The Mutiny led the WPSL last season with 8 shutouts. Those were provided by regular goalkeeper Stephanie Labbe who was absent because of national team duty with her native Canada.
 
But the story of this evening was the dynamic and energetic crowd led by youth teams from Northampton, Gateway, Ware, Enfield, Springfield, Amherst and Easthampton.

"The crowd tonight was awesome," said Monroe. "As players we couldn't have asked for more."

The Mutiny will now hit the road for three consecutive road games before returning to their regular home field at Agawam High School on Friday, June 13th versus SoccerPlus CT Reds.

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SOCCERPLUS CT 10, MASSACHUSETTS 0
CT Reds Dominate The Season Opener

By KEN LIPSHEZ, New Britain Herald Staff

NEW BRITAIN, CT (05/09/08) – Two elements of the CT SoccerPlus Reds' first season crossed coach Tony DiCicco's mind in the aftermath of Friday's opener.
The Stingers inflicted the Reds' only regular season defeat which ultimately cost them home-field advantage in the playoffs.

DiCicco also considered that goal differential nearly cost the Reds last year, largely because the Long Island Fury ran up an early season 14-goal trouncing that almost made the difference between second and third place. DiCicco therefore wasn't apologizing for the Reds' 10-0 thrashing of the outmanned Mass. Stingers in the Women's Premier Soccer League opener at Willow Brook Park.

"I don't like to score that many goals," DiCicco said. "Our job is not to embarrass the opponent but trying to hold back players from going forward is very difficult. ... This was a team that beat us last year. It was our only loss in the league so I think the players that remember the loss had some incentive. Next time, we play them, they'll have the incentive. We caught them when they were a little bit shy."

Leah Blayney, the Central Connecticut State University midfielder from New South Wales, Australia, notched a hat trick. Katie Schoepfer and Tiffany Weimer each had two goals and two assists. Libby Guess, who played on two national championship teams at the University of North Carolina, scored two goals and set up one.

Guess and Weimer, who figure to be the Reds' leading goal-scorers this year, displayed exquisite chemistry for two players who hadn't played together until just a few days ago. Prior to the Reds' eighth goal in the 74th minute, Weimer controlled in the box to the left of goal. Without even glancing in Guess' direction, Weimer left the ball for her with the goal wide open.

"She has a really good sense of the game and I think we play really well off each other," Guess said. "We know what runs we're going to make and we both like to slot the ball in."

Blayney scored the Reds' first goal in the fourth minute. Guess raced past her defender on the left wing and crossed to Blayney, who had Mass. keeper Krystal Robens at her mercy. DiCicco described her third goal as "a rocket."

"Throughout the week, (DiCicco) stressed in training for attacking midfielders to get into the box," Blayney said. "For two of my three goals, I found myself at the end of a pretty good delivery by my teammates. (On the third goal) I found myself open and thought I might rip it and see what becomes of it."

Former UConn scoring leader Kristen Graczyk scored CT's second goal on the first of two assists by Becky Edwards, a member of the USA's U20 team out of Florida State. Edwards has one of the prettier assists when she directed a free kick from midfield into perfect scoring position for Weimer's first goal of the season and a 3-0 lead in the 39th minute. The margin of victory suggested that the Reds are a better squad than the one that went 6-1-3 last year.

"We are a better team this year, there's no question about it," DiCicco said. "Having players like (Polish-born ex-UNC midfielder) Maggie Tomecka, Libby Guess, Becky Edwards. Some of these players will be going with me on Monday to the U20 camp. Some college players will be coming in. Becky and (goalkeeper) Alyssa Naeher will be going with me. In this league, there's always a movement of players, but we're better, there's no doubt about it.

CODE REDS: Among the players for the Stingers was former Farmington High All-Herald midfielder Sarah Boornazian. Boornazian plays her college ball at American International in Springfield. ... The Reds have nine players from the state, 18 from New England, six in state colleges and two in high school. ... Eleven have played in the NCAA Division I tournament.