CAPS WOMEN LOSE IN SAN DIEGO
July 11, 2007 - San Diego Sunwaves 4
Vancouver Whitecaps 1
Torero Stadium, San Diego, CA
While the weather in San Diego may have been mercifully cool Wednesday night, the host Sunwaves found another way to turn up the heat on the visiting Vancouver Whitecaps. San Diego scored two early goals on their way to a 4-1 victory, as they moved into top spot in the W-League Western Conference.
The defeat leaves the suddenly struggling Whitecaps in jeopardy of missing the playoffs for the first time in team history.
Making her Whitecaps debut in southern California was newly signed defender-midfielder Caroline Vanderpool of the Canadian Under-20 team and Louisiana State University. However, the opening half was all San Diego, as the home side took total control of the game. The Whitecaps never found their stride and surrendered two quick goals from Elizabeth Remy and Amy Epsten, as the Sunwaves surged to a two-goal lead within the opening quarter hour.
The Whitecaps changed things around in the second half, switching to a 4-3-3 formation and playing a more physical, direct, and up-tempo style. It may not always have been pretty, but it proved effective, as the change in tactics put San Diego off their game and swung the momentum in the Whitecaps favour.
The majority of play was now in the San Diego end, and Vancouver came within a millimetre of scoring at the 80-minute mark. A shot from Jodi-Ann Robinson hit the underside of the crossbar and bounced straight down to land underneath Sunwaves goalkeeper Sophia Perez on the goal-line. Moments later, Vancouver did find the net, and predictably enough it was Tiffeny Milbrett who did the damage, as she scored her team-leading tenth goal of the season on a pass from substitute Rosalyn Hicks. The goal came in the 86th minute.
However, any hope of a comeback was quickly dashed, as San Diego scored just a minute later through Rebekah Patrick. A minute after that, Mexican superstar Maribel Dominguez smashed in the goal of the game to make it 4-1, as she struck a rocket of a shot from over 35 yards out.
With a record of 5W-2L-3T for 18 points, the Whitecaps now trail 6-3-1 San Diego by a single point. Both teams have two games remaining. The Whitecaps now face a critical match on Saturday, July 14, at home to Seattle Crossfire Sounders, who have 16 points from a 5-3-1 record. A Vancouver loss would drop the Caps to third in the standings, and only the top two teams in the Western Conference can make the playoffs. Saturday's game kicks off at 4:00 p.m. at Swangard Stadium, and is followed at 7:00 p.m. by the Whitecaps men against Miami FC.
Scoring Summary:
12' San Diego 1-0 Elizabeth Remy
Remy broke in from the right and fired a shot past Whitecaps goalkeeper Cori Alexander.
15' San Diego 2-0 Amy Epsten
A clearance by the Vancouver defence was intercepted, allowing Epsten to score.
86' Vancouver 2-1 Tiffeny Milbrett (Rosalyn Hicks)
Hicks played it to Milbrett, who scored her tenth goal of the season.
87' San Diego 3-1 Rebekah Patrick
With Vancouver pushing forward, San Diego found space on the right to set up Patrick for San Diego’s third goal.
88' San Diego 4-1 Maribel Dominguez
Playing her first league game for the Sunwaves, Mexican international Dominguez fired in a rocket from over 35 yards out.
Vancouver Whitecaps
00.Cori Alexander; 13.Anna Caniglia, 7.Jill Oakes, 8.Erin Ramsay (2.Emily Zurrer 45'), Caroline Vanderpool (9.Carly Peetz 86'); 10.Stephanie Smith (12.Rosalyn Hicks), 16.Sophie Schmidt, 18.Clare Rustad, 24.Holly Gault (11.Selenia Iacchelli); 15.Ella Masar (22.Jodi-Ann Robinson), 25.Tiffeny Milbrett
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