WUSA Preview

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BOSTON BREAKERS
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Stadium: Nickerson Field (capacity: 9,950).
2001 record: 8-10-3 (didn't qualify for playoffs).
SCOUTING REPORT
Boston's got a helluva attack, but we're
not convinced by the back line. Carolina will
miss Birgit Prinz and Carla Overbeck early
on. Washington could use Steffi Jones — and
Mia Hamm — sooner than later. New York
should score more, but we fear Gro
Espeseth's departure will prove tough to
overcome.
— Scott French
PERRY MCINTYRE JR.
T
he Atlanta Beat, just six minutes from
the championship last August, won't be
denied this time: It has the best depth,
balance and talent in the league, plus terrific
chemistry. Others may try to approximate
their tough play, but nobody else has a roster
capable of playing such a physically
punishing yet stylish game. A healthy Sun
Wen, and the addition of Wang Liping, should
make for a better Beat than we saw in 2001.
The parity among the rest is astounding
— anybody could finish anywhere from 2 to
8. Shannon MacMillan and Joy Fawcett, in
stunning form, provide the Spirit an edge, but
our guess is Philly is the hot squad at the
finish. Mandy Clemens is due for a breakout
year, and Zhou Lihong and Marinette Pichon
may be the choicest additions for Year 2.
Defending champion San Jose is stronger
in the back, and Pretinha should benefit from
Sissi's service. Our thinking: The CyberRays
overachieved last year; there seemed
something very magical about their quest
that will be difficult to repeat.
CHARMAINE HOOPER
ATLANTA BEAT
Stadium: Herndon Stadium (capacity: 15,011).
2001 record: 10-4-7 (WUSA runner-up).
SCOUTING REPORT
The Beat seems a team without
weakness. It's a mostly young squad
with outstanding depth on all lines,
talent all around the field, great balance
and chemistry, and added motivation
from last year's championship
disappointment. The return of Marci Miller will add
bite in midfield, and versatile Wang Liping's arrival
will improve Atlanta's ability to attack from the back.
The biggest boost could be a healthy Sun Wen; if
she even approximates her '99 form, the Beat could
be unbeatable. Coach Tom Stone can attack with
power (Charmaine Hooper and Cindy Parlow) or
skill (Sun and Homare Sawa), through the middle or
down the flanks, on the floor or in the air. Kylie
Bivens, whose performance as an attacking back
last year has led to national team duty, should play a
greater role behind the front pair. Brians Scurry has
returned to her '99 form — she was one of two
standout keepers in the league last season. Expect
Nancy Augustyniak, once healthy, to join Sharolta
Nonen in the middle of a deeper, more capable back
line, with Nancy's twin, Julie, stepping into her
sister's old spot.
ROSTER
GOALKEEPERS 1 Briana Scurry, 24 Melanie Wilson.
DEFENDERS 15 Julie Augustyniak, 25 Nancy
Augustyniak, 18 Anna Kraus, 21 Lisa Krzykowski, 6
Sharolta Nonen, 17 Dayna Smith, 2 Wang Liping.
MIDFIELDERS 4 Kylie Bivens, 16 Marci Miller, 8 Homare
Sawa, 5 Nikki Serlenga. FORWARDS 3 Emily Burt, 14
Kelly Cagle, 10 Charmaine Hooper, 12 Cindy Parlow, 9
Sun Wen. COACH Tom Stone.
Breakers coach Jay Hoffman has
an embarrassment of attacking
riches, and that's before Norwegian
striker Ragnhild Gulbrandsen arrives
from foot-surgery rehab. She'll join
a front line already populated by heady Maren
Meinert and crafty Dagny Mellgren and supported
by Kristine Lilly and Bettina Wiegmann, two of the
world's finest midfielders. That's as good a front five
as can be found in the WUSA. The problem last
year was defensive depth, and whether draft choices
Jena Kluegel and Monica Gonzalez solve the
shortcoming will say much about what Boston
achieves. Kluegel could be the league's top wingback in no time, but her impact on the Breakers'
offense could be more profound than her defensive
contributions. Christine McCann was one of the
best stories in the WUSA last year, going from the
reserve squad to a starting job. She and Kate
Sobrero will anchor the defense in front of
Canadian Karina LeBlanc, who's in the nets at least
until Tracy Ducar returns from a knee injury in June.
A strong and consistent defensive effort could push
the Breakers to the final four and beyond.
ROSTER
GOALKEEPERS 1 Tracy Ducar, 23 Karina LeBlanc.
DEFENDERS 12 Heather Aldama, - Sarah Dacey, - Monica
Gonzalez, - Jena Kluegel, 16 Christine McCann, 2 Keri
Raygor, 15 Kate Sobrero. MIDFIELDERS - Alexa Borisjuk,
11 Angela Hucles, 13 Kristine Lilly, 8 Bettina Wiegmann, Sarah Yohe. FORWARDS 9 Ragnhild Gulbrandsen, 4
Allison Kemp, 6 Maren Meinert, 14 Dagny Mellgren.
COACH Jay Hoffman.
DAGNY MELLGREN
18 / Soccer America / April 15, 2002
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DEAN FORBES
2
R O S T E RS
NEW YORK POWER
Stadium: Mitchel Athletic Complex (capacity:
10,102). 2001 record: 9-7-5 (semifinalist).
SCOUTING REPORT
SCOUTING REPORT
No team did so much to improve
itself during the offseason as last
year's stragglers. Coach Marcia
McDermott brought in eight new
faces, and three of them — Birgit
Prinz, Unni Lehn and Danielle Slaton — should
have significant and immediate impacts. Prinz is a
world's-best-player candidate, but she may not
arrive until June. Lehn will join Norway teammate
Hege Riise in a revamped midfield with Tiffany
Roberts, who last year regained the form that earned
79 caps in the 1990s. Slaton, the No. 1 selection in
February's draft, is a budding national team star
who can play centrally but may be too good on the
wing to consider elsewhere. Her opposite, Staci Burt,
is a player to watch. Improved support should help
Danielle Fotopoulos be more of a force up top this
season than last, when she led the Courage with nine
goals. Carolina was poor defensively in 2001,
surrendering a league-worst 40 goals (two or more
14 times) and struggling to keep pace with quicker
attacks. Slaton will help, but Carla Overbeck's
leadership will be missed the first half of the seson.
No question Coach Patrick Farmer
has improved his roster: The additions
of Norwegian midfielders Linda Ormen
and Anita Rapp and Finnish forward
Minna Mustonen means it won't be the
one-woman attack the Power relied on
last season. That woman, Tiffeny Milbrett, was
remarkable, directly involved in nearly two-thirds of
the goals. How well, and how quickly, those four
(and Jen Lalor) mesh is of paramount concern. So
is a team defense weakened by the retirement of
inspirational Gro Espeseth and injuries that
sidelined all three goalkeepers during spring
training. Chinese veteran Gao Hong, No. 1 in the
nets, won't be back from wrist surgery until midMay earliest. Both outside backs are coming off
layoffs: Christie Pearce returned in late March from
an ACL tear that ended her season last August; Sara
Whalen suffered broken ribs and a collapsed lung
during the pre-draft all-star game. New York faded
badly last season, winning only three of its last 11
after a 6-1-5 start, yet nearly reached the title game.
Such luxury is unlikely in 2002.
DANIELLE SLATON
ROSTER
GOALKEEPERS 2 Kristin Luckenbill, 1 Emily Oleksiuk.
DEFENDERS 3 Staci Burt, 13 Nel Fettig, 12 Brooke
O'Hanley, 4 Carla Overbeck, 17 Danielle Slaton, 27 Staci
Wilson. MIDFIELDERS 22 Meghan Anderson, 23 Erin
Baxter, 7 Unni Lehn, 10 Hege Riise, 5 Tiffany Roberts.
FORWARDS 15 Katie Barnes, 6 Danielle Fotopoulos, 16
Venus James, *9 Birgit Prinz, 8 Nicole Roberts, 11 Kim
Yankowski. COACH Marcia McDermott. (* Will arrive after
FFC Frankfurt's participation in the UEFA Women's Cup is
concluded.)
TONY QUINN/SOCCERPIXUSA
CAROLINA COURAGE
Stadium: State Capital Soccer Park (capacity: 7,000).
2001 record: 6-12-3 (didn't qualify for playoffs).
TONY QUINN/SOCCERPIXUSA
WUSA PREVIEW
MARINETTE PICHON
PHILADELPHIA CHARGE
Stadium: Villanova Stadium (capacity: 11,500).
2001 record: 9-8-4 (semifinalist).
SCOUTING REPORT
Coach Mark Krikorian might
have been the biggest offseason
winner, luring to Philly Chinese
winger Zhou Lihong, an
immense talent, and striker Marinette Pichon, the
star of an up-and-coming French side. Place them
among Mandy Clemens, Chinese playmaker Liu
Ailing and English wizard Kelly Smith, and the
Charge has the makings of the WUSA's richest
attack. It was held to fewer than two goals only three
times last season. Whether Philadelphia can
recover from defender Doris Fitschen's departure
should dictate how much is accomplished in Year
2. It was 8-3-2 when the German star was on the
field but 1-6-2 when she was gone. Jen Tietjen and
Erica Iverson are penciled in as partners in central
defense, but a fractured foot may cost Iverson time.
Lorrie Fair's presence in front of the back line will be
pivotal. Depth will be gained when first-round draft
choice Stacey Tullock arrives after college graduation
in May. The outside backs, Jenny Benson and
Heather Mitts, are two of the league's best.
ROSTER
GOALKEEPERS 18 Gao Hong, 1 Saskia Webber.
DEFENDERS 17 Ronnie Fair, 12 Jennifer O'Sullivan, 3
Christie Pearce, 7 Sara Whalen, 2 Kristy Whelchel.
MIDFIELDERS 11 Emily Janss, 13 Jennifer Lalor, 8 Linda
Ormen, 9 Anita Rapp, 23 Emily Stauffer. 20 Katie Tracy.
FORWARDS 19 Rachel Hoffman, 14 Wynne Mclntosh, 15
Tiffeny Milbrett, 9 Minna Mustonen, 16 Tammy Pearman.
COACH Patrick Farmer.
GAO HONG
MIKE STAHLSCHMIDT/SSP
ROSTER
www.socceramerica.com
GOALKEEPERS 1 Melissa Moore, 26 Maite Zabala.
DEFENDERS 6 Jenny Benson, 5 Karyn Hall, 14 Erica
Iverson, 13 Heather Mitts, 15 Jennifer Tietjen, *15 Stacey
Tullock. MIDFIELDERS 2 Lorrie Fair, 10 Liu Ailing, 19
Rebekah McDowell, 3 Mary-Frances Monroe, 16 Zhao
Lihong. FORWARDS 22 Mandy Clemens, 12 Kerry
Connors, 4 Rakel Karvelsson, 7 Erin Martin, 11 Marinette
Pichon, 8 Kelly Smith. COACH Mark Krikorian. (* Will
join team in May.)
April 15, 2002 / Soccer America / 19
SHANNON MCMILLAN
A. LEAFBLAD/SSP
WUSA PREVIEW
SAN DIEGO SPIRIT
Stadium: Torero Stadium (capacity: 7,035).
2001 record: 7-7-7 (didn't qualify for playoffs).
REPORT
The Spirit went unbeaten in its final
six games last year but missed the
playoffs when it let leads slip away
against Washington and Philadelphia.
Coach Carlos Juarez's lineup is solid,
and he's improved his depth and talent
— especially up front — during preseason.
Shannon MacMillan, who figured in 18 of San
Diego's 29 goals in 2001 and finished No. 2 in the
WUSA scoring race, has netted 11 goals in eight
national team games this year. Defender Joy
Fawcett, superb after giving birth to her third last
June, has been playing the best soccer of her career
for the U.S. squad. With Julie Foudy in charge in
midfield, the Spirit has the strongest aggregation of
U.S. national team talent. Chinese forward Zhang
Ouying, brought in after Hanna Ljunberg rebuffed
the Spirit's entreaties, and former bobsledder
Shauna Rohbock adds depth to the attack. Fan
Yunjie will anchor the back line, but fellow Chinese
Wen Lirong has retired, leaving Juarez a foreign
opening for defensive help. Shannon Boxx's
performance at holding midfielder could be pivotal.
The Spirit's potential seems limitless; better
consistency could bring success.
SAN JOSE CYBERRAYS
WASHINGTON FREEDOM
Stadium: Spartan Stadium (capacity: 30,011).
2001 record: 11-6-4 (WUSA champion).
Stadium: RFK Stadium (capacity: 56,500).
2001 record: 6-12-3 (didn't qualify for playoffs).
SCOUTING REPORT
SCOUTING REPORT
The reigning champs strengthened their back line and reengineered their attack, and they
possess one of the league's most
talented rosters. Questions remain
about the attacking depth and pivotal players'
advancing age. Stretch-run/playoff hero Julie
Murray's retirement prodded Coach Ian Sawyers to
grab Pretinha from Washington. Her production (5
goals, 2 assists in 21 games last season) should
benefit from Sissi's service and Katia's support, and
the CyberRays should profit from the Brazilians'
unpredictability. Sawyers also stole 2000 Olympian
Michelle French from the Freedom; she'll take over
at left back, with Brandi Chastain joining Sissi and
Tisha Venturini-Hoch in midfield. Sissi will be 35 in
June and Chastain 34 in July; neither seems to be
slowing, but both will be hard-pressed to repeat
2001's phenomenal performances. The starting
back four, with Aussie Dianne Alagich returning
from knee surgery to join French, Soccer America
Rookie of the Year Kelly Lindsey and national team
speedster Thori Bryan, is the WUSA's best. Holding
midfielder Carey Dorn and defenders Lisa Nanez
and No. 1 draft choice Danielle Borgman provide
strong depth at the back.
The WUSA's marquee club was also
its most disappointing in Year 1,
dropping 11 of its last 15 games
while struggling from inadequate
chemistry and mistake-prone
defense. Coach Jim Gabarra went after veteran
German defender Steffi Jones, a huge addition, but
she may not arrive until June; rookie Casey Zimny
could partner Jen Grubb in the middle until then.
The Freedom needs a stronger, more focused Mia
Hamm, but recovery from knee surgery will keep
her sidelined until May. If she comes back close to
full strength, the Freedom's attack won't be easy to
stop. Pu Wei is the most dynamic of China's new
generation of players, and Abby Wambach, the
second selection in the WUSA draft, combines size,
strength and skill and should make an immediate
impact. Bai Jie's forays up the wing should be better
rewarded in 2002. Depth remains suspect, and
injuries to Siri Mullinix and Erin Fahey may force
Gabarra to use his "reserve" keeper early in the
season. Critical will be the performance of
midfielders Anne Makinen and Monica Gerardo,
who will be asked to do more this time around.
ROSTER
PAM/ISI
SCOUTING
ROSTERS
THORI BRYAN
ROSTER
GOALKEEPERS 1 LaKeysia Beene. 13 Janine Szpara.
DEFENDERS 14 Dianne Alagich, 16 Danielle Borgman,
2 Thori Bryan, 12 Michelle French, 5 Kelly Lindsey.
MIDFIELDERS 6 Brandi Chastain, 4 Carey Dorn, 3 Lisa
Nanez, 10 Sissi, 15 Tisha Venturini-Hoch, 22 Theresa
Wagner. FORWARDS 7 Christina Bell, 11 Kim Clark,
23 Maren Hendershot-Brown, 9 Katia, 8 Pretinha.
COACH Ian Sawyers.
GOALKEEPERS 1 Erin Fahey, 22 Dawn Greathouse, 18
Siri Mullinix. DEFENDERS 2 Emmy Barr, 14 Jen Grubb,
21 *Steffi Jones, 23 Skylar Little, 5 Carrie Moore, 16
Lindsay Stoecker, 19 Casey Zimny. MIDFIELDERS 4 Bai
Jie, 3 Ann Cook, 15 Monica Gerardo, 7 Anne Makinen, 10
Pu Wei. FORWARDS 9 Mia Hamm, 24 Jacqui Little, 13
Tracey Milburn, 28 Abby Wambach. COACH Jim Gabarra.
(*Will arrive after FFC Frankfurt's participation in the
UEFA Women's Cup is concluded.)
ABBY WAMBACH
GOALKEEPERS 18 Jaime Pagliarulo, 24 Carly Smolak.
DEFENDERS 3 Fan Yunjie, 14 Joy Fawcett, 16 Kim
Pickup, 4 Amy Sauer, 20 Rhiannon Tanaka, 13 Margaret
Tietjen. MIDFIELDERS 15 Shannon Boxx, 11 Julie
Foudy, 6 Lori Lindsey, 12 Jen Mascara. FORWARDS 19
Mercy Akide, 10 Sherrill Kester, 21 Tara Koleski, 8
Shannon MacMillan, 22 Shauna Rohbock, 7 Zhang
Ouying. COACH Carlos Juarez.
20 / Soccer America / April 15, 2002
TONY QUINN/SOCCERPIXUSA
ROSTER