Gotham FC

T-180: The Atlanta Beat/KSU Stadium is a soccer-specific stadium located in Kennesaw, Georgia. The home of the Beat and Kennesaw State Owls, it function primarily for soccer events with sideline, family section, on-field and suite level seating. Also, it accommodates up to 16,000 patrons as a concert venue.

T-170: The $16.5m stadium will feature seating on three sides with a large staging area and team facility at one end. It will be capped off with luxury boxes and club-level seating on the main stand. There will also be plenty of concessions and restrooms to meet the needs of all the fans in attendance.

The team facility will include expansive home locker rooms for the Owls and Beat as well as locker rooms for opponents, officials, and coaches. There will also be facilities for athletic training and the media. The Owls and Beat will also have their own team room to break down video or relax before and after games.

Sounds like a swell idea, isn't it? I hope so. The Beat have yet to win a match this season, and wouldn't it be nice for Atlanta to get it at the new home against Sky Blue FC?

T-150: In Saturday's action, the Washington Freedom and Boston Breakers drew scoreless, St. Louis Athletica dealt the Philadelphia Independence their first defeat of the season 2-1 and FC Gold Pride will certainly keep their place in tomorrow's Power Rankings with a 2-0 shutout win over the Chicago Red Stars.

T-140: I want to personally congratulate the Chelsea Football Club for snapping up the Premier League. Now go out and smash Pompey down at Wembley!

T-30: Lineups.

Moo Hackett is our official today.

FIRST HALF START: 4:08 P.M. PT

1' - Here we go. The new stadium is officially open for business. Some of Jenn Hildreth's family on camera before kickoff.

2' - Early opportunity for Sky Blue FC is deflected. Another shot is saved by Brett Maron

3' - This is a solid crowd for a WPS match. First corner of the match, awarded to Atlanta. Not a good one for Ocampo, and that was not a good shot on the rebound from the Mexico international.

4' - Tobin Heath is out due to an ankle injury. Let's hope she doesn't turn into a bust, and heals in a hurry.

5' - Tomorrow, Yamaguchi will be taking off for international duty, as she helps Nadeshiko Japan with qualifying for next year's Women's World Cup in Germany.

Here's Sky Blue FC. Dispossed by the Beat. Bardsley going off her line to clear. Couragious.

6' - Ramona Bachmann couldn't keep the ball inbounds. That's a goal kick. Offsides on Sky Blue FC. Jessica Landstrom is shaken up, but it otherwise all right. The 25-year old Stockholm native is tough as nails as Bardsley delivers a goal kick.

8' - Here's Atlanta, trying to get some crisp passing for one. The Beat have yet to register a victory this season.

9' - Atlanta resets the rotation. Here's a throw-in for Sky Blue FC. Kalmari gets whistled. Here is a free kick. Too high of a cross.


10' - Another cross goes nowhere. Good marking by Keeley Dowling.

11' - Sky Blue FC will need to show patience as Maron resets for the Beat.

12' - Slow pace so far. Easy grab for Karen Bardsley.

13' - Too high of a shot by Ramona Bachmann. Not a good decision on the trajectory. She will want that one back.

14' - Monica Ocampo butchered that one. Easy chance. The offense for Atlanta has been stagnant so far, and I can see why.

16' - A diving save by Karen Bardsley. Mami Yamaguchi had a good volley there, and the Sky Blue keeper had to stretch.

17' - Corner for Atlanta. Some more inability to finish from the Beat. They have been out of rhythm so far, Gareth O'Sullivan's club are.

19' - No whistle on that tackle. Offsides.

21' - Bachmann is a bit shaken up. She gets up though.

22' - Another long shot from Ocampo. She doesn't have the speed and will have to work on that. The physical play by Sky Blue FC is not lost on Bachmann.

26' - We are 26 minutes into the contest, and Bachmann looks like she needs to be subbed.

28' - Solid save from Maron. Here comes a corner for Sky Blue FC.

34' - Still scoreless, and it's been nothing but a possession battle so far.

35' - Shot for Laura Kalmari goes wide.

36' - This hasn't been a very fluid game, and a shot for Johanna Rasmussen is wide right of the mark. Yo.

38' - Goal kick for Maron. And that shot for Bachmann goes painfully wide.

41' - Ohhhh that almost was trouble for Bardsley because Bachmann was on her tail.

42' - Another corner is deflected. This has not been a day for offensive production on both sides.

43' - Drumming can be heard in the stands of the Beat/KSU Stadium, the Owls' Nest.

44' - There's another sensation stop by Bardsley. Faith, we are looking at a scoreless first half here.

45' - No foul on the challenge by Sky Blue FC. And now Rasmussen is shaking up. Yamaguchi will need to crank these up in the second half as Bardsley grabs that one. Two minutes of stoppage time.

45' + 1' - Halftime.

45' + 2' - Header by Kalmari goes wide left. Goal kick for Maron. Scoreless as we head into the break.

SECOND HALF START 5:12 P.M. PT

46' - Substitution Sky Blue FC
IN 20 India Trotter
OUT 15 Danielle Johnson

The second half is underway. Let's see if we can get some scoring done here. And Bachmann is still on the pitch. Such toughness.

47' - Some more ball control will be in order for Sky Blue FC today. Offsides on Bachmann.

48' - Good save by Bardsley on the volley from Zerboni. Corner for the Beat.

49' - Grabbed by Bardsley. She has done the work today protecting the net.

50' - OWN GOAL! Sky Blue FC 6 Leigh Ann Robinson (Atlanta Beat)
Unbelievable. And the first goal scored in the new stadium...is an own goal? Yo. Talk about depressing.

53' - Free kick for Sky Bluc FC. Second chance for Heather O'Reilly high and over.

55' - Another save for Bardsley. The firepower is there for Atlanta; it's just that the finishing isn't.

57' - Once again, Sky Blue's defense reads the tendencies of Atlanta. Pauliina Miettenen's club has done their homework today.

58' - Dubious pass by Yamaguchi to Ocampo.

59' - About an hour into the contest, and Sky Blue FC leads 1-0 off an own goal by Leigh Ann Robinson.

60' - Bardsley tipped that shot over the bar. A corner for Atlanta. They take it short, and guess who comes up with that one. Yep, you guessed it: Karen Bardsley herself.

Substitution Sky Blue FC
IN 11 Rosana
OUT 12 Jessica Landstrom

61' - Frustration is starting to mount for Atlanta. Yamaguchi will have to watch herself boil over here.

62' - Another stop by Karen Bardsley. Ramona Bachmann's frustration continue to mount as a corner for the Beat follows. Goal kick. Good work Rosana in marking Zerboni.

63' - Rasmussen was trailing on that one. Corner for the Beat.

64' - Substitution Atlanta Beat
IN 18 Shelley Thompson
OUT 8 Monica Ocampo

65' - Another corner for Atlanta. They are continuing to squander their chances.

66' - Too high a volley for Robinson.

67' - Zerboni with the tough challenge there.

68' - Maron saves that corner by Sky Blue FC.

70' - Another save by Bardsley on a chance by Bachmann.

71' - Here comes the Beat, and Bardsley comes off her line to stop the chance by Shelley Thompson.

73' - This has become the Karen Bardsley show tonight. The Atlanta Beat have been unable to figure her out this keeper.

74' - Tackle inside the box, and no penalty. Corner is cleared.

75' - Acrobatic save by Bardsley and Sky Blue FC's defense bails her out. Bodies have been colliding on to the pitch here. It hasn't been pretty. And Yamaguchi, the Florida State Seminole and 2007 Hermann Trophy recipient, got a good deal of the damage, but she is fine, to the relief of the crowd.

77' - Too much thinking by Bachmann. Trotter get away with an incidental contact. The crowd wanted a spot kick. They're not going to get it.

78' - A number of fans are expressing their disgust. Enjoying your fifteen seconds of fame, fatties?

79' - All signs point to a Sky Blue FC victory, but there is still some football to be played.

80' - Keeley Dowling was right there to make the stop. Great anticipation.

81' - Agonizing header attempt for Bachmann. She did not position that well. Another

82' - Substitution Sky Blue FC
IN 22 Katie Schoepfer
OUT 2 Kiersten Dallstream

Substitution Atlant Beat
IN 20 Sophia Mundy
OUT 2 McCall Zerboni

83' - That chance was trouble, but Maron grabs that one. It's 1-0 Sky Blue FC 83 minutes into the match, and the Atlanta Beat haven't been doing a good job with their debut.

84' - Now just where was Thompson passing that to?

85' - Corner for Atlanta, and Bardsley grabs that one.

86' - Substitution Atlanta Beat
IN 14 Lauren Sesselmann
OUT 5 Katie Larkin

87' - Daphne Koster is there to help Bardsley out.

88' - No foul on the tackle, says Moo Hackett. She hasn't issued a card all match and is sure to have sparked plenty of hostilities here at the Owls' Nest.

89' - That corner for the Beat is snuffed by the Sky Blue FC defense.
90' - Another ambitious volley sails into the hands of the great Karen Bardsley. Boy, has she got her save on tonight.

90' + 1' - Two minutes of stoppage time. This should go by quickly.

90' + 2' - One more corner for the Beat. Stopped.

90' + 3' - And that, my friends, is a wrap.

Stay tuned tomorrow for this week's WPS Power Rankings.

I recently was given the opportunity to chat with Sky Blue FC and US Women’s National team midfielder, Heather O’Reilly about her involvement with CooperVision, a company who is providing teens with the essential gear they need to succeed on the field, including contact lenses. 

O’Reilly also discussed her thoughts on Sky Blue FC’s season thus far, her changing role on the US Women’s National team and her thoughts on the 2010 Men’s World Cup set to kick off in June.

Lauren Green:  How did you get involved with CooperVision?

Heather O’Reilly:   They stumbled across my contact story which was basically when I was young – I think in 7^th grade – I recognized it in school that I couldn’t see the board.  My mom finally decided to take me to the eye doctor and after seeing the eye doctor we realized that my vision was not at 20/20. After getting glasses and contacts it was kind of a “wow” moment that I could definitely see better and on the soccer field it really helped me.  I think that I forgot that you really should be able to see the spin of the ball and you should actually be able to see your teammates’ facial expressions.  And I couldn’t see that before.  So I’m basically here to teach teens about healthy vision and how it can help their performance.

LG:  What do you think the impact of the Gear Up Grants will be on the communities who receive them?

HO:  I think that it’s a great opportunity.  They’re giving away 10 $2,500 grants towards essential gear like balls, even free contact lenses.  It’s obviously a great opportunity for teams and I would definitely suggest they check out the website www.mycontactsports.com.

LG:  How did having the right gear – like contacts – help you on the field?

HO:  Well like I said, everybody wants the best gear out there, right?  You want the best cleats; you want the best lightweight attire.  I think that a lot of players and a lot of teams don’t think of contact lenses as being a part of that essential gear but it truly is.  You want every competitive advantage you can find and obviously having great vision is one of those advantages.

LG:  Switching gears a little bit, Sky Blue FC is 2-2, so how would say the season is going so far?

HO:  You know what?  I think we’re off to an okay start.  You know obviously the parity of the league is very strong so all the teams are good. I think that we’re happy to get some wins so far but we know that we’re a better team than we’ve been demonstrating so we’re hoping to put together some better performances.  I think that we’ve seen like parts of games be really good – 20 minutes here, 25 minutes there but we’re looking to put together a 90 minute performance the way we know that we can play.  It’s a long season – I was disappointed after this weekend’s loss but then you remind yourself that we do have 20 games left this season.  You do have plenty of time but you want to make sure you’re getting some results in the beginning and then just continuing to grow as a team.

LG:  What do you think the biggest difference between this season and last season is for this team?

HO:  That’s a great question.  I think the difference between this season and last season is we’ve just started off at a much farther point this year.  I think just our organization of the club with Paullina putting us all on the same page early.  I think that the way I feel about the team and how I feel playing next to others is sort of similar to how I felt towards the end of last season.  So I think that we’re getting a jumpstart on being familiar with your teammates and team chemistry and stuff like that.  So I think that we’ll only continue to get better and I think that (obviously) we went through a lot of coaching changes last year and that was a big challenge but I think that Pauliina’s done a really good job putting together this team and we should be good.  I think that we’re just going to try to take one game at a time. 

LG:  What is it like playing against your National team teammates and your former collegiate teammates?

HO:  That’s a good question. (laughs) It’s always interesting to be playing against some of my best friends and some of my longtime teammates.  You get to see them before the game and after the game and it’s always nice to catch up but when the whistle blows it’s sort of all business on the field.  It is tough because you know them as a player so well and they know you so well.  They know all my strengths and weaknesses and tendencies on the field and sometimes it’s difficult to play against players who know you so well but it’s a lot of fun.  I think that we are pretty good about being super competitive on the field and then just leaving it there.  And of course those are some of my best friends in the world that I get to play against.  I definitely enjoy it. 

LG:  Switching over to the National team – is it weird for you to be called a veteran when you’re still a younger player on the team?

HO:   Yeah I think that it’s still strange.  Sometimes we break up according to number of caps that we have or number of years on the team and stuff like that and I find myself towards the very top of the team.  I’ve always sort of been the younger player so now that role is changing for me a bit.  But it’s something that I’m trying to embrace.  It was always fun being the young kid but now I feel almost a responsibility to look out for some of the younger up and coming players and to make them comfortable like some of the older girls made me comfortable coming in.  Now I have a lot of experience under my belt – I’ve been to two Olympics and one World Cup – and I need to (sort of) take responsibility as a veteran player now.

LG:  What was it like being called up to the full team at such a young age?

HO:  I mean obviously it was a dream come true of 17 years old and being called up to play with Mia Hamm and some of my idols you know that I had (basically posters of in my bedroom and now I’m playing alongside of them.  It’s essentially a kid’s dream come true.  It was definitely intimidating at first and I think that it took me a couple of months to realize that I belong there.  I didn’t just win a contest from a cereal box or something.  This was legitimate, I was called up because I belonged there.  The coach believed in me and believed what I could bring to the team.  So once I found that confidence within myself, I wasn’t so nervous anymore. 

In the very beginning whenever Mia Hamm or Brandi Chastain would call for the ball, I’d just give it to them immediately because it was them and I was nervous.  [laughs] And then I realized that I can’t keep doing that and that I have to remain confident and believe in my abilities.

LG:  You’ve been a part of the build up for two World Cups and two Olympic Games and now you’re getting ready to go through it again with the World Cup next year and the Olympics the following year.  What is the most challenging aspect of the residency camps?

HO:  Well I think that this year we won’t have a residency camp per say because we have the WPS.  So this year will be a little bit different as opposed to the other years because we’ll be with our club teams up until probably about a month before the World Cup which will be a different approach than we’ve had the last couple of go arounds. But I think that the hardest part is maybe that everybody is competing for the spots on the roster but at the same time we’re trying to assemble Team USA.  It’s kind of that balance between individually battling for your position but also at the same time putting together and building that team chemistry that’s going to help us win the World Cup.

LG:  With the men’s World Cup just around the corner, what are your thoughts on the US Men’s chances of making a quarterfinal appearance or maybe even further?

HO:  I like their chances.  I think that Coach Bob Bradley has definitely done his homework.  He came and talked to us with the women’s team when we were in LA a couple of months ago.  I really like his vision for the team the way that they can play.  I think he has done a really good job these last couple of years assembling a team.  And some players are playing great right now – Clint Dempsey ‘s playing really well , Landon Donovan, Tim Howard, everybody looks sharp.  So I do like their chances.  I think that it’s going to be huge for the US in general to open up against England.  I mean, what a better opening game of the World Cup for American soccer fans.  So hopefully we’ll get a good result in that first game and take that momentum in the group games  and I think the US will definitely advance from their group.  After that I think it’s almost just a battle of wills.  To just take it one game at a time and I do like their chances.  I feel like this could be a breakout tournament for the US Men’s team.

After all the serious questions had been asked, I decided that some fun questions were in order.

LG:  What is your funniest on-field moment?

HO:  That’s a really good question.  It’s always pretty funny when you try to cross the ball or switch the point of attack and you hit the ref.  I hit the ref a couple of weeks ago, right in the head.  So that always loosens the mood when the game is tense.  But besides that, I think that like you said, it’s fun to play against your friends and your National team teammates.  Sometimes when you’re in the box fighting for a ball before a corner kick, there’s some jostling that goes on and sometimes you tug at each other a little bit and just get a good laugh about it.  So there’s times like that where you can have fun with the experience.

LG:  What is your favorite country you’ve visited with the National team?

HO:  Another great question.  I really love the Scandinavian countries when I visited Sweden and Norway.  I think that those two may be my favorites to travel to.  I just think that the people were friendly, it was very clean, Stockholm [Sweden] is a very cool city.  The food is great and I just really loved going up there.  I think that it’s some place I would want to travel when I’m done with soccer.  But I’d love to be able to play in Italy.  That’s one place that I haven’t traveled to for soccer but I’m hoping that one day the US team will go to Italy. 

LG:  What is your favorite road trip activity?

HO:  Yael Averbuch and I have been introduced to a game called Banana-grams recently and it’s essentially like Scrabble but you get to compete quite a bit.  Some of our games have gotten pretty heated.  That’s our new road trip go-to game that we have a lot of fun with.  Usually it’s just sort of nice to be on the road because you have some down time to just read or do things that when you’re home you seem to not find the time to do.  Sometimes I don’t mind some time in the hotel just to chill out.

LG:  What is the toughest fitness test you’ve taken?

HO:  That’s another great question.  At UNC, we, of course, had “Fitness Tuesdays” or “Terrible Tuesdays” we would call them and those were always very, very difficult.  But I think that the hardest fitness test out there is probably the Beep test.  I don’t know if you’re familiar with that. 

So the Beep test for us is the dreaded Beep test just because you get so nervous before it.  I think it’s a very stressful lead up even though we’ve done it tons of times.  You’re either fit or you’re not fit.  You shouldn’t really be too nervous but for some reason, even at the professional level you’re nervous to run the Beep test.  And I think that it’s just because you essentially run until your body shuts down.  You can’t even stand up or see straight and that’s not a comfortable feeling for anyone.  So I think that’s probably the most dreaded test.

LG:  What has been the biggest challenge you have faced throughout your soccer career?

HO:  In 2003 I broke my leg right before the World Cup so was unable to play and that was the first time I'd faced any serious injury. It was the first time I had to just let my body take its course. And as strong willed as you can be you can't control recovery time. I learned a great deal of patience.

LG:  You switched from forward to midfield with the National team.  As far as WPS goes, and playing outside mid, who is the toughest player you’ve had to defend?

HO:  For me to defend?  [pauses to think]. You know which player I’ve had a challenge going up against is [Washington Freedom midfielder] Sonia Bompastor.  I think that she is an exceptional flank player and as a midfielder you like to spend most of your time attacking and when you spend a lot of your time defending you’re in trouble.  I think that when Sonia’s playing at her best, she’s very much a threat on the flank.  She’s sort of a handful but I love to play against her and compete against her.

LG:  Last question.  What is your favorite soccer memory?

HO:  Oh I have so many of them.  Let’s see. [pauses]  I really hold a special place for winning the national championship at UNC my senior year.  Just because it was so rewarding and cool to go out a champion at Carolina.  I think that you know, not many people get to win their last game of college athletics.  To go out a champion was very cool and to lead my team as a senior all the way.  We lost our first game of the season that year but then we didn’t look back and won every game after that.  That was really neat for me and to have Tobin Heath as a freshman that year.  It was neat to guide her and to lead her and obviously to go out a champ was the best feeling.

For more information about CooperVision’s Gear Up Grants please visit http://www.mycontactsports.com/gear-up-grants. 

Photo courtsey of ISI Photos

Bridgeville, Ill (April 25, 2010) – Sky Blue FC was able to battle through the rain and wind to scrape out a 1-0 victory over the Chicago Red Stars at Toyota Park last night.  With the win, Sky Blue FC now sits atop the WPS standings, tied with FC Gold Pride with identical 2-1-0 records for six points.

The first half featured both teams trying to find some sort of rhythm.  In the seventh minute, Tasha Kai took a pass from Rosana and tried to slot the ball home, but her shot went straight at Red Stars keeper Jillian Loyden.  The play was eerily similar to Kai’s goal against the Red Stars on opening weekend.

The wind was definitely a factor for both sides as some passes through the air careened away from their intended target.

In the 13th minute, midfielder Carli Lloyd had her shot partially blocked and it trickled back towards Loyden, but forward Jessica Landstrom was able to knock the ball away from Loyden and looked poised to score.  At the last moment the keeper was able to recover and grabbed the ball before Landstrom could get a shot off.

Lloyd was booked in the 18th minute for a hard foul on Chicago forward Cristane, but would leave the match in the 35th minute after suffering a lower leg injury.  She went down holding her left leg but after a few agonizing minutes on the turf for Sky Blue FC fans, was able to gingerly walk off the field under her own power.  

The extent of her injury is unknown and she will be evaluated by the Sky Blue FC medical team upon returning to New Jersey.

The Red Stars looked to have gone on top as halftime neared but Kosovare Asllani was called offside as she put the ball in the back of the net.  The visiting side was almost able to answer just before heading into the locker room, but Kai’s shot was tipped just enough by Loyden to evade the goal.

The second half brought with it the rain that had been setting in during the first half, but the visitors were able to get on the board in the 52nd minute.  Tasha Kai netted her second goal of the season off a Kacey White pass to give Sky Blue FC a 1-0 lead.

They wouldn’t look back for the remainder of the game.  The Red Stars continued to press and for a moment it would seem like the home side had ended a scoreless drought against Sky Blue FC.  But Cristiane’s tally would be negated as the play was also called offsides.

In the end, the back line of Keeley Downing, Daphne Koster, Brittany Taylor and Megan Schnur, along with English National team goalkeeper Karen Bardsley, would be able to hold off the Red Stars pressing attack and the team would come away from Chicago with three points.

Sky Blue FC will play host to FC Gold Pride live on Fox Soccer Channel on Saturday, May 1, 2010 at 6PM ET / 3PM PT at Yurcak Field in Piscataway, NJ.  The reigning WPS champions will look to defend their turf and avenge their only loss of the season as Marta and the rest of the Pride come to town.  To purchase tickets, please visit www.womensprosoccer.com/ny or call 1-888-SBFC-TIX.

Photo courtesy of www.womensprosoccer.com/ny

FC Gold Pride (1-1-0, 3 points) was able to find its offensive groove on Saturday night in getting a 3-1 result over Sky Blue FC (1-1-0, 3 points) at the Bay Area’s Castro Valley Athletic Stadium.

Forward Christine Sinclair scored a pair of goals in this match (11’, 75’) with a late insurance notch from Marta (82’) to lead the host attack, while the lone tally of the night for Sky Blue FC came off the foot of Finnish National Team forward Laura Kalmari in the 49th minute.

Fresh off a season opening shutout, Sky Blue FC made the long trip to California for this match-up and looked to jump out to an early advantage over its West Coast foes.

However, it was FC Gold Pride who was able to find the first opening of the evening. After Sky Blue FC goalkeeper Karen Bardsley made an athletic save of a shot by FC Gold Pride midfielder Camille Abiliy in the 11th minute, Sinclair was there to score the rebound and make it 1-0 in favor of the host side.

Sky Blue FC then looked to regain its composure in the ensuing minutes, and the team was able to string together three solid possessions in the middle of the first half on the offensive end.

In the 28th minute, Kalmari struck a well-hit ball towards the FC Gold Pride net, and the next two Sky Blue FC possessions ended with shot attempts by midfielder Heather O’Reilly and forward Tasha Kai.

After host goalkeeper Nicole Barnhart and the FC Gold Pride back line was able to hold off that attack, it held on for the remainder of the opening half to take a 1-0 advantage into halftime.

Following intermission, Sky Blue FC head coach Pauliina Miettinen made two changes to her lineup. Jessica Landstrom was brought on for midfielder Yael Averbuch, while Brazilian forward Rosana came on for Tasha Kai. The team immediately brought a newfound intensity to the pitch, and its energetic start yielded immediate results.

In the 49th minute, Rosana crossed a ball to the center of the field, where Landstrom put a touch on the feed. With the ball trickling towards the end line, Kalmari stepped onto the scene to strike the ball off the far post and into the net for the equalizer.

Sky Blue FC looked to keep feeding off the momentum that came as a direct result of that notch, and it quickly created more opportunities.

Battling for the go-ahead tally, O’Reilly nearly put a ball away in the 63rd minute, but Barnhart was there to respond for FC Gold Pride.

With 15 minutes remaining in this match, Sinclair was again able to find an opening for the host side. Following a pass from MAC Hermann Trophy winner Kelley O’Hara, Sinclair struck the ball into the back of the net to regain the lead for her team.

FC Gold Pride was then able to rejuvenate its attack following that score, with Brazilian striker Marta giving her team some breathing room in the 83rd minute on her first goal of the year.

The visiting squad continued to battle the rest of the way, but it would be FC Gold Pride who would emerge victorious this evening, 3-1.

Tonight’s game marked the first of two consecutive road match-ups for Sky Blue FC, with the team traveling to Chicago next weekend for a road meeting with the Red Stars.

May 1 marks the return of Sky Blue FC to Yurcak Field when it will host FC Gold Pride. On an extremely limited basis, fans can purchase an exclusive ticket package to have their photo taken with Marta and Sky Blue FC forward Rosana. To purchase today, call 1-888-SBFC-TIX 

This article was reposted by Lauren Green.  Green is a freelance writer who covers Sky Blue FC for Bleacher Report.  She can be reached for comment or hire at lgreensoccer20@yahoo.com .  

The reigning WPS champions took the field yesterday and Tasha Kai wasted no time in beginning the defense of their title.  Kai’s goal early in the game held up through a late flurry of chances by Chicago to give Sky Blue FC a win on opening day.

Neither club was able to muster a dangerous chance before Kai’s goal in just the sixth minute of play.  The ball pinged around in the midfield before Carli Lloyd was able to toe poke the ball through to Heather O’Reilly.  O’Reilly slotted a ball through Chicago center backs Kate Markgraf and Ifema Dieke to Kai.  Kai took a touch before slotting a right footed shot to the far post to put the home side up 1-0.

Chicago’s best scoring opportunity came in the 40th minute when former Sky Blue FC midfielder Julianne Sitch brought down a Brittany Klein cross but her volley was deflected just wide by Keeley Downing.  The ensuing corner kick caused a little bit of chaos as the ball pinged around in the Sky Blue area before being cleared out to O’Reilly.

The two teams would go into the locker room with Sky Blue FC holding onto their 1-0 lead.

Chicago continued to press coming out of the locker room, when an Ella Masar back heel found Katie Chapman but the Sky Blue backline was able to poke the ball away before she got a shot off.

Sky Blue almost added to their lead in the 64th minute as a Heather O’Reilly cross connected with Kai but the Chicago defense was able to do enough to allow Loyden to collect the ball.

The hosts had several opportunities late in the game to add an insurance goal with a Jessica Landstrom  shot going straight at Loyden in the 75th minute and a Heather O’Reilly cross just barely being punched away from the Swedish forward in the 89th minute.

They were able to weather the storm as Chicago had several chances to tie the game in the latter stages.  The win puts Sky Blue into a three way tie for first place with St. Louis and Boston.  They will take on Marta and the rest of the FC Gold Pride this Saturday April 17 at Castro Valley Athletic Stadium at 10 pm ET/7 pm PT.

SCORING SUMMARY:

Team		1		2		F
NJ:		1		0		1
CHI:		0		0		0

NJ: Tasha Kai 1 (Heather O'Reilly) 7'

Sky Blue FC — Karen Bardsley, Keeley Dowling (Danielle Johnson, 88'), Daphne Koster, Brittany Taylor, Meghan Schnur, Heather O'Reilly, Carli Lloyd, Yael Averbuch (Rosana, 66'), Kacey White, Laura Kalmari, Tasha Kai (Jessica Landstrom, 73')

Substitutes Not Used: Kiersten Dallstream, Katie Schoepfer, Meagan Snell, Ashley Thompson

Chicago Red Stars — Jillian Loyden, Marian Dalmy, Kate Markgraf, Ifeoma Dieke, Whitney Engen (Jessica McDonald, 87'), Kosovare Asllani, Katie Chapman, Brittany Klein, Julianne Sitch (Karen Carney, 66'), Ella Masar (Casey Nogueira, 78'), Cristiane

Substitutes Not Used: Natalie Spilger, Kelsey Davis

TEAM STATS:

	NJ	CHI
Shots	10	20
Shots on Goal	4	5
Fouls	6	3
Offsides	6	6
Corner Kicks	2	13
Saves	5	3

Photo Courtsey of www.womensprosoccer.com/ny and stats courtsey of www.womensprosoccer.com

T-60 minutes to kickoff: At the friendly confines of Yurcak Field on the campus of Rutgers University, the New York/New Jersey Sky Blue Football Club (otherwise known as Sky Blue FC) adds a star above its shield...and a trophy to defend.

Pauliina Miettenen's Ladies of the Raritan take on a Chicago Red Stars side looking to bounce back from a difficult inaugural year.

Sky Blue FC returns the bulk of its roster for the 2010 season. As with last year, the club is led by forward Natasha Kai, midfielders Carli Lloyd and Rosana and defender Keeley Dowling.

T-30: Line-ups...

SKY BLUE FC
Manager: Pauliina Miettenen
Formation: 4-4-2 Diamond
Colors: Orange tops and shorts and white socks

1 Karen Bardsley

17 Keeley Dowling ---- 4 Daphne Koster ---- 14 Brittany Taylor ---- 7 Meghan Schnur

9 Heather O'Reilly ---- 10 Carli Lloyd ---- 13 Yael Averbuch ---- 8 Kacey White

21 Laura Kalmari ---- 6 Natasha Kai

Substitutes:

11 Rosana
2 Kiersten Dallstream
22 Katie Schoepfer
15 Danielle Johnson
16 Megan Snell
18 Ashley Thompson
12 Jessica Landstrom

Kalmari, an accomplished import from Finland, is expected to get plenty of touches today.


CHICAGO RED STARS

Manager: Emma Hayes
Formation: 4-4-2
Colors: White tops with Chicago insignia, light blue shorts, white socks

1 Jillian Loyden

2 Marian Dalmy ---- 15 Kate Markgraf ---- 4 Ifemoma Dieke ---- 9 Whitney Engen

10 Kosovare Asllani ---- 17 Katie Chapman ---- 6 Brittany Klein ---- 38 Julianne Sitch

3 Ella Masar ---- 11 Cristiane

Substitutes:

14 Karen Carney
13 Natalie Spilger
27 Casey Nogueira
22 Jessica McDonald
18 Kelsey Davis


FIRST HALF START: 3:05 p.m.

1'—We are underway. Typing up the lineups as we speak, so there will be not as much commentary early.

6'—GOAL! Sky Blue FC 6 Natasha Kai Assist 10 Carli Lloyd
Excellent run off the offside trap, and a great pass by Lloyd to make it 1-0. I haven't even complete typing the lineups yet, and already we have our first goal.

9'—Chicago will be on their heels for the rest of this game.

13'—As I said, there has not been much commentary from me on the match until now because of filling out the rosters and also commenting on MLS matters. I have had to deal with issues regarding frosted windows on my OS. You figure it out. Here's Megan Schnur, but that pass for her was too strong. Goal kick. Offsides on Natasha Kai.

14'—A shot for Cristiane goes wide left. Sky Blue threw the gauntlet, Chicago picks it up.

15'—Lloyd snatches that up. Transition for Chicago never got started. The official today is Ted Unkel.

17'—Bardsley saved that corner. Here comes Sky Blue FC. The Red Stars defense holds in their third.

19'—Shot for Averbuch goes high and over for a goal kick.

20'—Cristiane is marked by Daphne Koster.

21'—Loyden never troubled on that offensive stanza. I'm looking at this match, and both sides need to pick up the pace.

24'—Kai looks a bit shaken up right now.

25'—Chicago has had their chances. Here's another: their fifth corner of the match.
Bardsley hasn't been tested, and offsides has been given. Goal kick.

28'—Sky Blue continues to push for a second.

29'—I haven't paid much attention to the twittering going on. Loyden takes that easily.

31'—Sky Blue picks up the pace. Dalmy clears that one.

32'—Here come the Red Stars. They haven't been able to do anything right now offensively. It's been painful.

34'—One more corner for Chicago. One more clearance for the home side.

35'—Excellent work from Engen to mark O'Reilly.

36'—A chance for Carli Lloyd to facilitate goes awry.

38'—This is what makes Karen Bardsley a solid goalkeeper in the WPS: she knows the tendencies of those who take corners.

39'—Sitch's chance goes wide.

43'—Here comes Chicago's Kosovare Asllani. Her free kick goes wide, and there will be no stoppage time.

45'—First half ends, and the score:

HALFTIME

Sky Blue FC 1
Natasha Kai 6'

Chicago Red Stars 0

SECOND HALF START: 4:07 P.M.

46'—Sky Blue FC begins the proceedings for this half.

47'—Chapman clears a Sky Blue volley that hits side netting, but it's a corner. Too high an attempt by Cristiane.

50'—Sky Blue FC continues to press for a second.

52'—Here's Cristiane, but Heather O'Reilly marks her.

53'—Ella Masar's attempt to tap one home is stopped. I wonder if Miettenen's ladies will be content to finish one goal up; Chicago has been  pushing for an equalizer.

57'—Cristiane still hasn't found her touch. She didn't have this problem as player for Santos.

59'—Here's O'Reilly with another volley inside the box. Loyden takes it.

62'—Emma Hayes asks for her team to crank up the pace. They haven't had their way against Sky Blue FC for the bulk of their hi

63'—Collision inside the box results in a goal kick for Loyden.

64'—Substition Chicago Red Stars
IN 14 Karen Carney
OUT 38 Julianne Sitch

Substitution Sky Blue FC
IN 11 Rosana
OUT 13 Yael Averbuch

68'—Chicago hasn't been rolling. They have been flat this match.

71'—The Sky Blue fans were looking for a point to the spot by Unkel for the challenge on Rosana. Wide shot by Cristiane.

72'—Substition Sky Blue FC

IN 12 Jessica Landstrom
OUT 6 Natasha Kai

73'—By the way, I reserve my right to keep Kai's first name as is. That would be like calling Richard Hamilton "Rip Hamilton" for the long haul.

74'—Chicago has to be frustrated by their inability to finish in the attacking third, and rightfully so. The home fans with their thunderstix don't mind. Good turnout for this one.

76'—Landstrom had a chance saved by Loyden.

77'—Substitution Chicago Red Stars
IN 27 Casey Nogueira
OUT 3 Ella Masar

Can Nogueira get the equalizer that has been eluding Chicago tonight?

79'—Free kick for the Red Stars for Nogueira, but that doesn't amount to much.

80'—Here's Cristiane again, but Koster is there.

81'—Another save by Loyden. Boy, hasn't she been in a rhythm.

82'—Unkel again fails to point to the spot. Good stop by Bardsley.

83'—A high shot by Cristiane. This has been a problem for the Brazilian last season.

84'—Sky Blue FC feels like the match with the now folded Los Angeles Sol was last week. Dowling walking with a limp.

85'—Substitution Chicago Red Stars
IN 22 Jessica McDonald
OUT 9 Whitney Engen

87'—Bardsley going off her line for that save. She's had to manage the night, and she is doing her job well.

88'—Here comes Sky Blue FC. Volley punched away by Loyden, and the Red Stars go in transition.

89'—Asllani can't believe her bad luck.

90' + 1'—Landstrom couldn't connect onthe header. Two minutes of stoppage time.

90' + 2'—And that's a wrap.

FINAL

SKY BLUE FC 1
Natasha Kai 6'

CHICAGO RED STARS 0

With the sixth pick, WPS Champions Sky Blue FC select…Brittany Taylor .

“It was pretty cool to be able to say, obviously knowing it, but being able for them to say that 'the WPS 2009 champions drafting Brittany Taylor' was pretty cool to actually be able to hear in front of everyone.  ‘Cause obviously everyone knows it but I didn’t realize they were actually gonna say it out loud, so it was pretty cool.”

Taylor spent last summer playing with the Hudson Valley Quickstrike—Sky Blue FC’s W-League affiliate.  That experience could not have been more beneficial for the former Husky defender.  She credits the team environment with Quickstrike for preparing her to play at the professional level.

“The environment was similar to a WPS club [with Quickstrike].” Taylor said.  “They take care of the players well—it should make for an easy transition.”

Not all players were able to make the transition into the pros that easily last year.  Together, the first round of the 2009 draft scored nine goals and added seven assists.  Amy Rodriguez, who was the first round pick going to the Boston Breakers, struggled to find the back of the net, scoring only one goal. 

The former Breaker was dynamic at the University of Southern California during her collegiate career but failed to impress in Boston last season. 

Hopefully, this year’s crop of talented young stars, including Taylor, doesn’t have the same problem.

Taylor got plenty of preparation to play at the next level last summer as she took the field against the top players that were looking to play in WPS in 2010.  The W-League also boasted the top collegiate talent that would go on to be first round picks in the 2010 draft all suited up in the W-League.

While the environment played a huge role for Taylor, the connection between Quickstrike proved to be invaluable.  The Quickstrike Lady Blues were able to watch and participate in a Sky Blue FC practice, both allowing them to play with some of the best players in the world as well as being able to be seen by the coaching staff. 

The Sky Blue FC coaches were able to evaluate the Quickstrike players easily because of the close relationship between the two programs.

“I was able to be seen during the collegiate season and during the W-League season too,” the Connecticut native explained

Taylor has clearly benefitted from the relationship between the two programs and recommends that any player looking to make it to WPS “get involved with a feeder team”.

Photo Credit: Laine Schmid

On Monday, March 29, 2010, PUMA announced their signing of Sky Blue FC forward Natasha Kai.  Kai becomes the first Sky Blue FC player to sign with PUMA and only the fifth WPS player to join the sportslifestyle brand.  PUMA is also the official apparel, footwear and equipment supplier of the WPS. 

PUMA president Jay Piccola couldn’t be happier to have added the Hawaii native to the PUMA family.

“Not only is Natasha one of the most talented female players in the game, she’s also a wonderful fit for the brand,” said Piccola, president and general manager of PUMA North America.

“She’s bold, she’s colorful, she’s dynamic, and she does things differently in the same way that we strive to. When Natasha steps on the field, everyone takes notice—and we’re thrilled to have that energy as part of the PUMA family.”

Kai helped Sky Blue FC to the 2009 WPS championship, leading the team in scoring as they climbed through the standings to squeak into the playoffs.  They went on to win three games in eight days on a Cinderella run to claiming the title. 

They will look to pick up where they left off as the season begins and Kai is definitely excited for the season–and to be a part of PUMA.  The brand appeals to world class soccer players across the board and Natasha Kai is no exception.

"I love the feel of the jerseys.  They are light and wick really well so they don’t weigh me down as the game goes on.  The boots feel great, perform awesome and the colors are fabulous. They allow me to express myself and be me!"  Kai exclaimed.

Look for Kai to take the field with the rest of her Sky Blue FC teammates as they take on the Chicago Red Stars on Sunday, April 11, 2010 at 6pm ET at Yurcak Field on the campus of Rutgers University.  The game will also be broadcast live on Fox Soccer Channel at 6pm ET/3pm PT.

This article was excerpted from the WPS and Sky Blue FC releases by Lauren Green.  Green is a freelance writer for Bleacher Report and can be reached for comment or hire at lgreensoccer20@yahoo.com .

Bring out the cake, light the candles and warm up the singing voices! Women's Professional Soccer hit a milestone as it turned one on March 29, 2010.

"Kicking off one year ago today is a special memory for all of us involved in WPS," said WPS Commissioner Tonya Antonucci on Monday. "We set out to build the world’s best soccer league for women and we accomplished that goal in year one."

The new league was resurrected out of the ashes of the WUSA, which failed nearly six years ago. The WPS kicked off its inaugural game one year ago, in a match between the Washington Freedom and the Los Angeles Sol at the Home Depot Center in Carson, CA in front of 14,832 fans. The Sol won that match 2-0.

"I think one of my favorite moments from the Inaugural Match was simply walking out onto the field in front of my hometown fans," said Shannon Boxx, captain of the Los Angeles Sol during the 2009 season. "Having my family and friends in the stadium that day was really special to me. I knew I was a part of something great, and I just wanted to enjoy the moment as it happened."

Washington Freedom and US International forward Abby Wambach reflected on the inaugural match as well. "Just walking out for the game, the teams side-by-side, seeing all the fans and the hard work of so many people come together. It was a special moment for sure."

Former Sol goalkeeper Karina LeBlanc, who will now play for the Philadelphia Independence, summed up the feelings of playing in that Inaugural match. “The biggest thing for me was to be playing the game I love as a professional again. It felt as if my dream came true. I was proud to be playing for the WPS, I was proud to be an athlete, I was proud to be a woman and I was proud to step out on that field and be part of history."

During its debut season, the WPS averaged over 4,600 fans per game. Thanks to smaller venues, the crowd atmosphere was more electric and close-knit. The WPS created 200 jobs for players and coaches as well as 100 more for league and team staff off the field.

The 2009 WPS Championship game proved to be dramatic and enticing. Entering as the favorite to win, the Los Angeles Sol was the regular season champion. Their opponent was Sky Blue FC, based in New Jersey, who capped off a remarkable last-to-first climb through the regular and post-season by sweeping their two previous games in the 2009 WPS Playoffs. In the championship match, Sky Blue defeated Los Angeles 1-0 to win the first WPS Championship .

The 2010 WPS season kicks off the weekend of April 10-11. Eight teams and four WPS games will be played over one weekend for the first time. Two expansion franchises make their debut this season in the Atlanta Beat and the Philadelphia Independence.

The Los Angeles Sol announced that they discontinued their franchise in January 2010, and their roster was distributed throughout the WPS. A positive of this unfortunate news is that the rosters of the eight remaining teams are even stronger than they were before.

The 2009 league scoring leader, Marta, heads to FC Gold Pride while Los Angeles Sol captain and US International Shannon Boxx made the move to St. Louis Athletica.

"There will only be one inaugural match," added Antonucci, "But we look forward to many other key milestones in our league’s development as we continue to build on our first season.”

This story was taken from a press release and reworked by freelance writer Lauren Salter.

Defending Women's Professional Soccer champions Sky Blue FC announced that the team has formed a partnership with the Lakewood BlueClaws, Class A affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies. The two New Jersey-based teams will assist one another in marketing efforts, while also providing support in ticket promotions.

"This is a perfect partnership between two high-level sports teams that both provide affordable family entertainment," Sky Blue FC General Manager Gerry Marrone stated. "Sky Blue FC is excited to get to know the BlueClaws fans, as well as, to introduce our fans to BlueClaws baseball."

The BlueClaws play in the Northern Division of the South Atlantic League, and the team plays its home games at FirstEnergy Park in Lakewood Township. Similar to Sky Blue FC, the BlueClaws are defending league champions this year after winning the South Atlantic League crown in 2009.

The title was the second in the history of the franchise, with its first championship coming in 2006. A few of the notable alumni from the BlueClaws include 2006 Major League Baseball MVP Ryan Howard and 2008 World Series MVP Cole Hamels.

"We're happy to be a part of Sky Blue FC's upcoming season, as well as, being a continued partner through the years to come," BlueClaws General Manager Geoff Brown said of the partnership.

The BlueClaws will play its 2010 home opener on Friday, April 16, when it hosts the Greensboro Grasshoppers at 7:05 p.m. For more information on the BlueClaws, visit www.BlueClaws.com. 

Sky Blue FC will open its 2010 season on Sunday, April 11, when the team hosts the Chicago Red Stars at 6:00 p.m. Sky Blue FC plays its home contests at Yurcak Field on the campus of Rutgers University in Piscataway, and tickets for its upcoming season of play are available now by calling 1-888-SBFC-TIX or logging onto SkyBlueFC.com . 

About Sky Blue FC
Operated by Sky Blue Soccer, Sky Blue FC is the New Jersey/New York franchise in Women's Professional Soccer. In 2009, Sky Blue FC captured the inaugural WPS Championship presented by MedImmune with an inspirational run through the playoffs.

Sky Blue FC plays its home matches at Yurcak Field on the campus of Rutgers University in Piscataway, New Jersey, and the team will play its 2010 WPS home opener on Sunday, April 11th, against the Chicago Red Stars.  For additional information, visit www.SkyBlueFC.com or follow all the latest news at www.twitter.com/SkyBlueFC or www.Facebook.com/SkyBlueFC.


About Women's Professional Soccer (WPS)

Women's Professional Soccer (WPS), with eight teams across the United States, features the best players from around the world. Sky Blue FC of New Jersey became the first-ever WPS Champions in 2009.

The 2010 24-game schedule runs from April 10-September 12 and includes six original WPS teams—Boston Breakers, Chicago Red Stars, FC Gold Pride (Bay Area), Saint Louis Athletica, Sky Blue FC (NJ/NY), and Washington Freedom—and two expansion teams, Atlanta Beat and Philadelphia Independence.

For more information, visit the WPS official website at www.womensprosoccer.com or follow all the news at www.twitter.com/womensprosoccer .

The previous story is printed from a press release as part of an agreement with Bleacher Report and the WPS to help promote the league. What's News is the alternate profile of writer, Todd Civin, and is used for press releases only.