EASTERN CONFERENCE PLAYOFFS
Saturday, July 31, 2004 - 7:30 PM

NEW JERSEY WILDCATS
2

vs.

BOSTON RENEGADES
0

Mercer County Community College

Wildcats Advance in Postseason Opener
Two Goals by Makinen Lead the Way

WEST WINDSOR, NJ - The New Jersey Wildcats took their first step toward the W-League Championship tonight with a 2-0 victory over the Boston Renegades at Mercer County Community College in the semifinals of the Eastern Conference playoffs. Anne Makinen led the way for the Wildcats with two goals as the Wildcats won their 15th straight.

New Jersey advances to the Eastern Conference final on Sunday where they face the Montreal Xtreme at 5 p.m. at Mercer County Community College. Montreal advanced to the final with a dramatic 5-4 overtime victory over the Long Island Lady Riders.

The Wildcats dominated the first half outshooting the Renegades 9-1 in the process but they could only manage a free kick goal by Makinen in the 18th minute. Boston keeper Ashley Phillips stuffed Kate Sands on a breakaway in the 11th minute before Makinen put New Jersey on the board. Pichon was taken down at the top of the box and Makinen curved her free kick over the wall and in leaving Phillips flat-footed.

Boston had its best chance of the game in the 51st minute when Kara Frederick sent a cross in from the right and Meghan Welcome redirected a shot that skimmed off the top of the crossbar.

Makinen added to the lead in the 55th minute when she buried a penalty kick into the upper left corner. Pichon once again earned the kick when she was taken down by Boston defender Maura Robertson.

Pichon nearly added one herself in the 63rd minute but her right-footed blast from 25 yards was stopped by a diving Phillips.

LINEUPS:
BOSTON RENEGADES: Ashley Phillips, Maura Robertson (Rebecca Brooke 82), Ellen Daly, Liza Barber, Caitlin Fisher, Maggie Tomecka, Zoe Avner, Sarah Rahko (Stacey Stocco 68), Caitlin Munoz (Kelli Partridge 62), Meghan Welcome (Kristen MacDonald 87), Kara Frederick.
NEW JERSEY WILDCATS: Amanda Brown, Beth McNamara, Rochelle Willis, Kim Brandao, Janine Willis, Maura Gallagher (Cara Hammond 82), Anne Makinen, Kelly Hammond, Manya Makoski (Katie Ludwig 60), Kate Sands (Tasha St Louis 78), Marinette Pichon (Marieke van Tienhoven 87).

GOALS:
NJW – Makinen 18^th minute
NJW – Makinen (PK) 55^th minute

SAVES:
BR – Phillips 7
NJW – Brown 2

SHOTS:
BR – 6, NJW – 17

Montreal Goes to Overtime to Top Long Island
Pinard Hits Winner in the 117th Minute

WEST WINDSOR, NJ - After a first half slugfest that featured seven goals, the Montreal Xtreme finally ended the game with a goal in the second overtime period to claim a 5-4 victory over the Long Island Lady Riders in the semifinal round of the Eastern Conference playoffs. With penalty kicks looming, Marie-Claude Pinard headed in the game winner in the 117th minute to send the Xtreme into the final on Sunday where they will face the New Jersey Wildcats. The Wildcats joined the Xtreme in the final with a 2-0 victory over Boston in the nightcap of the doubleheader.

The game was an even battle with the shots finishing at 20-20. The two teams were coming off a slugfest in Long Island last weekend with the Lady Riders winning 6-5 in overtime. The two teams picked up right where they left off with three goals in the first eight minutes. Kerri McCabe opened the scoring in the 4th minute for the Lady Riders before Melissa Lesage tied the score two minutes later. Minna Mustonen regained the lead for Long Island in the eighth minute.

Lesage connected again in the 17th minute to tie the game at 2-2, but Michelle O'Brien hit in the 26th minute and Penny Stansfield scored a direct free kick nine minutes later for Long Island. Caroline Vanderpool capped the offensive outburst when she hit for Montreal with four minutes left in the opening half.

In contrast to the first half, neither team could connected in the second half with the exception of a rebound goal by Vanderpool in the 57th minute. Pinard won the game for Montreal in the 117th minute when she headed in a rebound off a header by Amy Walsh.

LINEUPS:
MONTREAL XTREME: Marie-Pierre Bilodeau, Marie-Eve Nault, Sharolta Nonen, Marie-Claude Pinard, Marie-Emilie Perreault Morier (Isabelle Morneau 28), Erin Holland (Bonnie Walsh 105), Caroline Vanderpool, Amy Walsh, Anne Marie LaPalme, Kelly Hemsley (Patricia Bourcier 94), Melissa Lesage (Caroline Vaillancourt 37, Myriam Gousse 88).
LONG ISLAND LADY RIDERS: Jodi Horowitz, Allison Mullen, Brooke DeRosa, Penny Stansfield (Emma Kilduff 61), Francesca DeCristoforo, Kerri McCabe (Melissa Shulman 57), Gina Prinzevalli-Mohamed, Kerri Martin (Grace Hawkins 89), Marisa Pistone, Michelle O'Brien, Minna Mustonen (Tracie Foraker 77).

GOALS:
LI – McCabe (O'Brien) 4^th minute
MON – Lesage (LaPalme) 6^th minute
LI – Mustonen (Prinzevalli-Mohamed) 8^th minute
MON – Lesage 17^th minute
LI – O'Brien (Prinzevalli-Mohamed) 26^th minute
LI – Stansfield (O'Brien) 35^th minute
MON – Vanderpool (Vaillencourt) 41^st minute
MON – Vanderpool 57^th minute
MON – Pinard 117^th minute

SAVES:
MON – Bilodeau 8
LI – Horowitz 7

SHOTS:
MON – 20, LI – 20