Victory Moves Boston Breakers Ahead of Chicago Red Stars in Battle for First Place in WPSL Elite

July 7, 2012 - PRLog -- On a night when the Women’s Premier Soccer League (WPSL) Elite League's Boston Breakers honored U.S. Women’s National Team midfielder Heather O’Reilly with a sendoff celebration before she heads to the Olympics, O’Reilly assisted on the opening goal of the night and the eventual game-winner as the Breakers went on to defeat ASA Chesapeake Charge 3-1 in front of 2,026 fans Friday at Dilboy Stadium in Somerville. The win improves Boston’s record to 9-2 and moves the team into sole possession of first place in WPSL Elite.

"I think it was a good professional win, a team win. We had to play some different players so we could keep players healthy and rested for tomorrow. But at the same time, we wanted to get the result today," Boston Breakers Head Coach Lisa Cole said. "Overall, I was pleased with the result. I was pleased and happy to send HAO (Heather O’Reilly) to the Olympics with a win, and I’m happy to see Melissa Henderson back out on the field."

Henderson, seeing her first action since May 26, scored Boston’s third goal of the night, off an assist from Katherine Donnelly, her second assist of the season. For Henderson, it was her first goal in a Breakers uniform.

"It’s always great to come away with a win," Henderson said. "It’s awesome to get back out there on the pitch, especially with the talented girls on this team. I’m very thankful and blessed to put that in the back (of the net), and as soon as I did, I was so relieved."

The Breakers opened the scoring in the 16th minute. It began with O’Reilly, who breezed down the left side and past a couple of Charge defenders before taking it into the corner and crossing it to
Kyah Simon. The Australian striker then buried O’Reilly’s cross past Charge keeper Erin Quinn to make it a 1-0 game. For Simon, it was her league-leading 11th goal of the season.

The Charge (1-8-2) didn’t back down and put a good amount of pressure on Breakers keeper Alejandra Velasco in her first start of the season. In the 27th minute, Velasco was forced to cut off a cross from Shannon Collins that could’ve created trouble, and four minutes later Velasco stopped a hard strike by Charge forward Ashley Spivey.

On the other end of the field, the Breakers peppered Quinn with one shot after another, hitting six shots at the keeper in the first half. Quinn denied Simon, Henderson, and Katie Schoepfer all within a 10-minute span late in the first half.

The Charge wasted little time in the second half leveling the score. Two minutes in, Cheyenne Skidmore took a pass from Spivey and had some space out on the right side. She went in one-on-one with Velasco, who came out to challenge Skidmore, before the attacker lined a shot into the goal to make it a 1-1 game.

The Breakers responded six minutes later. Jones played a short corner to O’Reilly, who promptly sent it right back to Jones. The rookie out of the University of North Carolina had some room, saw an opening, and drilled a shot from distance that beat keeper Lyndse Hokansen for her first goal of the year. Now leading 2-1, the Breakers got some more breathing room in the 71st minute when Henderson scored her first goal of 2012.

The Breakers have no time to rest. In less than 24 hours, the team travels west to East Longmeadow, Mass., to take on the New England Mutiny at 6:00 p.m. at East Longmeadow High School. The first time these two teams met, the Breakers came away with a hard-fought 4-2 win at home. The Charge will also travel west this weekend to take on Western New York Flash on Sunday in Rochester, NY. That game will kick off at Sahlen’s Stadium at 4:00 p.m.

STATS
Shots: Boston 14, Charge 11
Shots on goal: Boston 11, Charge 7
Saves: Charge: Erin Quinn (5), Lyndse Hokansen (3); Boston: Alejandra Velasco (6)
Fouls: Charge 3, Boston 2
Corners: Boston 6, Charge 2
Offsides: Charge 1, Boston 0
Cautions: none
Ejections: none

Goals
BOS:  Kyah Simon (Heather O’Reilly) 16’
CHARGE: Cheyenne Skidmore (Ashley Spivey) 47’
BOS: Courtney Jones (O’Reilly) 53’
BOS: Melissa Henderson (Katherine Donnelly) 71’

Lineups
Boston: Alejandra Velasco, Taryn Hemmings (Cat Whitehill, 70’), Elli Reed (Katherine Donnelly, 46’), Julie King, Courtney Jones, Leslie Osborne, Tameka Butt (Emma Thomson, 85’), Melissa Henderson, Heather O’Reilly (Veronica Napoli, 80’), Katie Schoepfer (Bianca D’Agostino, 46’), Kyah Simon (Jess Luscinski, 46’)
Subs not used: Alice Binns, Furtuna Velaj, Kate Incerto

Charge: Erin Quinn (Lyndse Hokansen, 45’), Shannon Collins, Jennifer Gillette, Jessica Hnatiuk, Amanda Lebo, Riley Barger, Caylin Dudley, Ashley Spivey, Brittany Hadaway, Nicole Clark, Cheyenne Skidmore
Subs not used: Marisa Kresge, Nia Walcott, Sophia Read, Nicole Wojcik

Attendance: 2,026

About the Women's Premier Soccer League (WPSL):
The Women's Premier Soccer League (WPSL) is the largest national Women’s Soccer League in the world. With more than 70-plus women’s soccer teams, the WPSL is the leading amateur soccer league in America. The league is sanctioned by the United States Adult Soccer Association (USASA) as an affiliate of the United States Soccer Federation (USSF). The WPSL's mission is to provide opportunities to further the women’s soccer game for the aspiring professional, international-level players and passionate amateurs. The WPSL season brings affordable and quality family entertainment to the community, displays positive role models for our youth and offers the essential connection between youth and pro women’s soccer in America.

About the WPSL Elite League:
With the addition of three former Women's Professional Soccer teams, the WPSL Elite League is now the highest level women's soccer league in America. The leage features eight teams: Former WPS franchises Boston Breakers, Chicago Red Stars, and 2011 WPS Champion Western New York Flash; WPSL teams  ASA Chesapeake Charge, FC Indiana, New England Mutiny and New York Fury; and the independant Philadelphia Fever.

For more information please visit http://www.WPSL.info or email Media@WPSL.Info