Rachel Yankey connected for the only goal of the game as the New Jersey Wildcats topped the Washington Freedom Reserves 1-0 in an exhibition match at the Maryland SoccerPlex. The two teams played to a 1-1 tie three weeks ago in New Brunswick, NJ. The Wildcats will next be in action on Friday, August 5th in the semifinal round of the 2005 W-League Championship at Mercer County Community College.
In an evenly played match with the shots finishing level at 12-12, the Wildcats took control of the game early as Yankey connected in the 14th minute. Alicia Wilson started the play feeding the ball up the middle for Kelly Hammond, who collected the ball and fed Yankey through into the left side of the box. The England winger cracked a shot that bounced off the hands off Washington keeper Nicci Wright and into the net.
The Wildcats had the only other good chance of the half as Wright stopped Wildcats forward Christie Welsh on back-to-back shots in the 30th minute. In the second half, the Wildcats nearly added to the lead on a long range blast from Alicia Wilson just three minutes after the break, but her chance bounced off the top of the crossbar and over the goal.
As the game wore on, the Freedom began to press forward more and more and it nearly paid off. Lori Lindsey's shot from an angle in the 57th minute forced Wildcats keeper Karina LeBlanc to tip the ball over the bar. Three minutes later, LeBlanc came up with a point-blank stop on Mallory Mahar to keep the Freedom Reserves off the board. Washington's last good chance came in the 66th minute when former Wildcats player Kim Francis slipped a shot just wide of the left post.
LINEUPS:
NEW JERSEY WILDCATS: Karina LeBlanc, Rachel Unitt, Cat Reddick, Kendall Fletcher, Beth McNamara, Alicia Wilson, Rachel Yankey, Kelly Hammond, Kacey White, Heather O'Reilly, Christie Welsh.
SUBSTITUTES: Bonnie Young, Lisa Grubb, Sarah Dwyer, Domenique Esposito, Kristen Edmonds, Sarah Allen-Knight.
WASHINGTON FREEDOM RESERVES: Nicci Wright, Tiffany Roberts, Casey Zimny, Carrie Moore, Kylie Bivens, Joanna Lohman, Lori Lindsey, Betsy Barr, Emily Janss, Kelli Golebiowski, Jacqui Little.
SUBSTITUTES: Ali Krieger, Kerry Philbin, Mallory Mahar, Kim Francis.
GOALS:
NJW: Yankey (Hammond) 14th minute
SAVES:
NJW: LeBlanc 4, Allen-Knight 1; WFR: Wright 4
SHOTS:
NJW: 12; WFR: 12
