We drove down to Palm Beach to play on the only field they have access to this year…it was…a field, but both teams had to deal with it so might as well play eh.  On time and in schedule with most of our games this year was our delay of game due to incremental weather.   Washing the uniforms this year has been a disaster with all the wet and muddy conditions.   No really…it’s gross!
 
So we started about 20 after 7pm, not bad.  We were missing some key forwards and weren’t too sure how that would affect our game, but it didn’t seem make a difference.  We moved the ball really well this game, and our team really looked like they came out ready and had a mission.  Our first goal was completely the result of Meagan Zusi’s hard work and hustle in there.  She has been all over the field for us this season.  In the 24th minute a cross looked like it was going to sail over and go out just outside the 6 at an angle, but Zusi didn’t stop her run and on the line turned her body at full pace and headed it back in the mix where Elise Larrett ran through it into the goal! 
 
One goal in and both teams still battle it out pretty hard; the losing team wants to counter and the team ahead wants to solidify their lead.  In the 28th minute there were a lot of girls in the box and the ball was getting tossed around and snuck out of the group when Kate Begley ran out, turned and chipped a nice little shot into the back corner of the net over everybody.  It was one of those “did that go in” goals. 
 
Half time came and it was quick to try and make up time from starting late.   It would have seemed like there were going to be no goals scored in the second half until our third goal which graced us at the 90th minute when their keeper was off her line and Lindsey DeLorenze sailed a left footer over her head from about 35 yards out. 
 
Do I even have to say anything about our defense at this point.  Well done ladies, once again Ellen, Claire, Katie, and Heather have proven that it’s going to take A LOT to get past them!  Keep it up!

Come watch us take on Thomasville July 4th at 5:00pm, hot dogs, hamburgers, drinks, moonbounce, soccer….sounds like fun right?

                            
Much unlike our first match against the first year Clearwater Galactics, which was a monsoon to say the least, today’s game was in the blistering central Florida sun with little to no breeze!  It was the kind of heat that makes you start sweating right when you open your car door.  The girls shirts after 5 minutes of warm up were sweat-drenched as if they had already played the entire match!  The kickoff was on time at 5:00pm and about ten minutes into the match the ref called out that we would be taking mandatory water breaks each half…agreed quickly by both coaches – did I say it was hot out there? 
 
Still unsure of what to expect out of Clearwater with our first game being the Tsunami it was, we knew that today’s match would show a full force Clearwater.  The pitch was nice and wide, this was their home venue, and there was no rain in sight, like not even a drop of moisture other than what was dripping off your face at speeds that would give Nascar a run for their money! 
 
Our first goal came 12 minutes in when their GK made an error and kicked it right to our forward Yvonne George who turned it into a quick break-away and scored easily into the lower right corner.  Both teams battled it out the rest of the half and we went into half-time 1-0.  That 15 minutes was so welcomed by the players as they started chugging Gatorade’s and waters as we found a shady spot to talk.  A couple of the girls had already started to dehydrate, goose-bumps, stomach aches, nausea, awesome!  Put a cold, wet towel around your head and suck it up ladies, 45 minutes to go!  THANK GOD we went to unlimited subs! 
 
First part of the second half was sluggish and tired, it looked painful, until Clearwater scored in the 67th minute by Kaitlin Bolinsky tying the game!  All of a sudden both teams sparked up, they both start battling it out again, the coaches were yelling, the ref was yelling back…now we had a game!  Second half of scorching heat and sun and now everyone is pacing, subbing, shouting…”GET ON A BODY!” 
 
The game had turned into quite the nail-bighter for the latter half of it until the 82nd minute when the Surge put one in off a cross from Chantelle Goodson that was connected with on a diving header by Lindsey DeLorenze…ok it kind of looked more like a falling header to me, but everyone yelled diving header ;)  The nail-bighter quickly became nails in the coffin when the third goal was scored in the 85th minute by Elise Larrett when she blasted past several players and slotted it right under the keeper. 

Kudos to the Surge’s defense who has gone every game with little to no direction.  This game we had Claire Brown, Meagan Zusi, and Heather Havron in the back with Ellen Kimbrough in goal and they all played like a machine!  GO SURGE 3-1

At 5pm on Saturday afternoon the Florida Surge and the Puerto Rico Capitals took the field in what appeared to be sunny weather.  However, with the half-time whistle at 5:45pm came stormy weather.  At two minutes into the second half we had our first lightning delay, which kept on until we didn’t start the second half until almost 8pm! 

The Surge pulled through with a 2-0 win!  Goals scored by Kelsey Mitchell and Elise Larrett…GOOD JOB LADIES! 

…ps…we lost last week in Miami…moving right along.

WHERE:  David Maus Soccer Complex
WHEN:  5:00pm Saturday June 13th
COST:  $6.00 Adult – $4.00 Kids (Free if you wear your club shirt)
EXTRAS:  There will be a MOON BOUNCE for the kids, Consession stand, and free giveaways!

With the rains consistant all day, most would have thought the game cancelled…on the contrary, we not only played through the winds and rains, but also a small body of water that had formed on the stands-side of the field.  The rain did not seem to deter the fans either!  Loyal and prepped with towels, poncho’s, and umbrellas, the fans had a perfect view of the new watersport created last night that involved a soccer ball, small body of water, and 2 girls with flailing arms fighting through a small lake in an attempt to coerse the ball out of it! 

Both teams played very well, with little complaint about the weather, from the players up to the coaching staff.  Kudos to the sideline ref that had to fight off a black-racer snake through the lake with her kayak while trying to paddle through to make an off-sides call!

All in all it was a great match, rain or not, and we look forward to bringing home a WIN next time we meet!!

Florida Surge’s first game was away against the Thomasville Dragons.  Surge was able to come home with an 8-0 victory over the Dragons.  Congratulations to Yvonne George for coming away with 3 of those points, an assist and making TEAM OF THE WEEK! 

Shout-Outs go to Chantelle Goodson at center-mid who had a goal and an assist as well as superior ball control.  Katie Tullis for controlling the defensive line, even in her old age and Ellen Kimbrough, although it was an 8-0 match, she made solid saves and gathered both corner kick opportunities with ease! 

GREAT JOB LADIES! 

WPSL TEAM OF THE WEEK II

San Francisco’s Mariko Yoshihara (L) & Boston’s Kasey Moore (R) are named WPSL Co-Players of the Week

SACRAMENTO, CA (06/02/09) -
Potent offense and clutch defense were common themes this past weekend in the Women’s Premier Soccer League (WPSL), as the schedule began to pick up even more steam as the Pacific-North Division and Big Sky & Sunshine Conferences commenced play. The San Francisco Nighthawks of the WPSL Pacific-North continued their solid off-season with a 2-0 start to Summer 2009 – the best in franchise history – while Boston Aztec of the WPSL East reaped the benefits of their “farm team” relationship with the Boston Breakers of Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS), winning two road matches.So, in that vein of thought, San Francisco’s high-powered forward Mariko Yoshihara and Boston’s rock solid two-way threat Kacey Moore will get the respective nods for WPSL Co-Players of the Week:  
F Mariko Yoshihara (SAN FRANCISCO NIGHTHAWKS) – WPSL CO-PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Sidelined last year after the second match with a severe hamstring injury, the former San Jose State goal-scorer would do the same for San Francisco as her three goals in close wins over F.C. Sacramento and Monterey help the team to their best start ever.  
F Yvonne George (FLORIDA SURGE)
The player of the game for Florida in the team’s thumping season opening 8-0 win over F.C. Thomasville in Sunshine Conference action, the All-Conference USA selection from the University of Central Florida would score three goals and an assist to lead the Surge to victory.  
F Fiona O’Sullivan (CALIFORNIA STORM)
The former University of San Francisco star scored two goals to lead the defending Pacific-North Division champion California Storm to a 4-1 victory over the Seattle Synergy in the team’s season opener.  
MF Cari Roccaro (LONG ISLAND FURY)
The Albertson Fury youth system has been the cornerstone of Long Island’s success since 2006, and was no more apparent in this performance from the 14-year-old midfielder as she scored an early goal and assisted on the other tally in a 2-0 victory over defending East Conference champ New England Mutiny.  
MF Danica Carey (SAN DIEGO WFC SEALIONS)
The former University of Nebraska midfielder scored the eventual game-winning goal off a cross from Hallie Huston with less than two minutes remaining in the 1-0 win over Claremont, helping the SeaLions’ continue their undefeated start in the Pacific-South Division.  
MF Mandy Moraca (PHILADELPHIA LIBERTY)
The former All-WPSL East selection & University of North Carolina standout netted both goals in a 2-1 win over the TSC Maryland Pride in WPSL East play.  
MF Kristina Larsen (WEST COAST F.C.)
The leading goal scorer for the 2008 NCAA National Semifinalist UCLA Bruins is doing the same for West Coast F.C., scoring four goals in a win over PSCCV, assisting on the lone goal in a loss vs. SD United while defending admirably. 
D Kasey Moore (BOSTON AZTEC) – WPSL CO-PLAYER OF THE WEEK
The 15th overall pick by Boston in January’s WPS Draft, the U-23 USWNT standout was the dominant defensive presence in road wins over Lancaster and Millburn – winning balls, starting the attack while notching the game-tying goal against the Inferno on a laser of a 30-yard free kick. 
D Danielle Collins (A.C. DIABLOS)
The former All-WPSL First Team selection anchored a defense that has yet to give up a goal this season, leading the team to a 1-0 win over the CDSA Future in WPSL East action. 
D Ashli Sandoval (SD UNITED)
“Defender Eight” didn’t take a break in Pacific-South wins over So Cal Rush & West Coast F.C., as the All-PAC 10 central defender from the University of Southern California gave the opponent forwards more than it could handle, while constantly pushing the attack forward for 3-0 SD United. 
GK Ashley Phillips (BOSTON AZTEC)
The Boston Breakers developmental goalkeeper & former UNC shot-stopper allowed only a goal in two road wins for the Aztec, making five saves on 1v1 situations including a show-stopper on a shot from 12 yards out.
HONORABLE MENTION:F Stephanie Svoboda (PALM BEACH UNITED)- the 2008 All-WPSL selection led her team to a 3-1 road victory over the Puerto Rico Capitals in Sunshine Conference play; MF Stephanie Barrett (NEW YORK A.C.)- the former University of Massachusetts standout has been a cornerstone for NYAC and was instrumental in leading the midfield corps to a win over Millburn, causing Magic head coach Andy Sones to say she “dominated the center of the field”; MF Rachel Sushner (ADIRONDACK LYNX)- the versatile Skidmore College product has been “the assist to the assist” for the undefeated Lynx this season, helping lead the team to two victories over the weekend; D Sam Brand (SAN FRANCISCO NIGHTHAWKS) – the USF Dons defender used her speed to both shut-down breakaways on defense and start attacks on offense, notching an assist in two wins for the Nighthawks; MF/D Leah Anderson (SDWFC SEALIONS)- a newcomer to the SeaLions, the midfielder was switched to left back in the 1-0 win over Los Angeles and helped shut-down the Rampage offense; GK Jaime Souza (CALIFORNIA STORM) - the former Pacific Tiger had 14 saves in road wins over Seattle and Portland this past weekend.