Seattle Sounders Women News Release -
www.SoundersWomen.comMonday, June 4, 2012
TUKWILA, WA – The Sounders Women scored two goals in the first ten minutes of Monday night's contest en route to a 3-0 victory against the Colorado Rapids Women. U.S. National Team star Alex Morgan was the focal point of both goals.
In the third minute, Kara Kuttler found space on the right edge of the penalty area. She touched the ball to her left foot and opened her gaze to the middle of the box. Her cross was right into the stride of Alex Morgan, who leapt and nodded the ball into the bottom corner. The goal seemed effortless for the U.S. National Team standout.
Just six minutes later, Kuttler again started a chance. This time when she found Alex Morgan’s feet with a through ball, the blazing fast forward took the ball to the end line. Morgan decided that her best option was to pass rather than shoot. She slid the ball toward the back post where Lyndsey Patterson was charging to tuck the ball home.
The Sounders had a few more chances but the majority of pressure came from that first ten minutes until the final ten minutes of the game. With the Colorado Rapids displaying tired legs from matches on Friday and Sunday in Canada, the Sounders spent most of the half on Colorado’s end of the field. In the 87th minute, U.S. National Team veteran, Stephanie Cox added to her impressive defensive night, with some offense. Cox was elected to take a free kick from a few yards outside the left corner of the penalty box. She drove a cross to the back post, and to her surprise, it floated into the box.
“It was just a strong set piece,” Stephanie Cox said jokingly about her goal. More seriously, she added, “If you put it on frame, good things can happen.”
Hope Solo earned her first shutout in a regular season match for the Sounders Women having been called upon to clean up a few messes inside her penalty box. In the 63rd minute, Rapids forward, Samhia Simao thought she could reach a bouncing ball that was destined for Hope Solo’s grasp. After the goalkeeper grabbed the ball, Simao stretched out her boot and cleated Solo’s right thigh. As you’d imagine, she was not happy about it. Solo and her teammates argued for a booking but it wasn’t handed out. Later, an additional challenge for the ball cause Ode Fulutudilu to smash into Solo and this time a yellow card was given.
The win moves the Sounders into a first place tie in the Western Conference standings. With 12 points from four games, the Sounders are deadlocked with the Pali Blues for the conference lead.
Next up for the women in rave green is a 7 p.m. PST encounter with the Vancouver Whitecaps FC Women at home this Friday, June 8 at Starfire Sports in Tukwila. The stadium is nearly sold out, but tickets are still available for sale on
SoundersWomen.com.