Seattle Sounders Women News Release
Sunday, June 23, 2013
TUKWILA, Wa. - The Pali Blues topped the Sounders Women 3-0 on three first-half goals to tighten the top of the W-League Western Conference race. Following the loss, the Sounders are still in first place by one point but have a game in hand.
The loss breaks the Sounders’ eight-game unbeaten streak, and marks their first loss of the 2013 W-League season.
The second-place Pali Blues used timely, potent attacking play in the first half to jump out to a 3-0 lead just 37 minutes into the match.
"We felt like we got them on their heels, but they came right back at us and scored three really amazing goals," said Sounders Women forward Janine Beckie. "At halftime Coach Busby told us to go back out with character and compete, and that's what we did in the second half."
The first goal came in the 15th minute when the Blues found themselves well inside their attacking third. Samantha Mewes chipped a short pass to the top of the penalty area, for Mele French. French volleyed a right-footed shot low to the right corner of goal past a hesitant Erin McNulty. The Sounders keeper came off her line, but the ball hit the right post, shot across the goal on the ground to the left post, and ricocheted into the net.
After the first goal, the Sounders Women controlled a healthy dose of possession, but could not get any kind of rhythm in their attack. The Pali Blues used a multitude of turnovers to create some dangerous counter-attacking play for themselves.
The Blues struck again in the 26th minute when Sarah Killion made a short pass out to French deep in the left corner of the penalty box. French created a yard of space and perfectly bent the ball high inside the far post to net her second goal of the match.
The Sounders looked to get themselves back on track after Pali's second goal, and in the 28th minute had an opportunity to close the two-goal gap.
Janine Beckie made a pacing run up the left side of the pitch and sent in a low pass in front of a Pali defender to Jenna Richardson. Richardson couldn’t connect with anyone in the penalty area. She made a move to get some space for a shot, but her attempt didn’t stretch the Blues goalkeeper Anna Picarelli.
In the 37th minute The Blues found their third goal of the first half. The Sounders poked the ball off of Jamia Fields’ feet, but right to the center of penalty box. Pali forward, Rachel Nuzzolese, was there to collect it with her back to the goal. She held off a Sounders defender and made a turn with her left foot, and sent a shot high to the far post on the left. McNulty The Pali Blues took the 3-0 lead into half time.
The Sounders made three halftime substitutions and came out in the second period with the focus and rhythm they were missing in the first 45 minutes.
"The first half was not our best, but we came out here in the second half and really fought, and that was the Sounders that we're used to," said Sounders forward Rachel Mercik. "It's our character, it's who we are as a team, and it's a good learning experience. I'm proud that this is just our first loss of the season."
In the 52nd minute Melissa Busque sent a cross down to Jenna Richardson on the near post at the doorstep of the Sounders' first goal. Richardson could not get her touch past the goalkeeper Picarelli, who knocked it down in front of the goal. A scramble for the deflection was won by a Pali defender, Caprice Dydasco, who cleared it off the line.
Again in the 60th minute the Sounders had a great opportunity to get on the board with a goal. Janine Beckie took a run up the right side and found room to get off a shot with a tough angle. Beckie's effort got past Picarelli, put glanced off of the frame on the far side, and the danger was cleared.
The Sounders continued to create chances and dominate possession in the second half, but the Pali Blues handled the full half of pressure well, and would not allow for a final Sounders' touch.
The Sounders Women still remain the top of the Western Conference standings with a one-point lead over Pali. The Sounders have just three games remaining in the regular season, while Pali has four. Next up for Seattle is a home match on June 30th against the Colorado Rapids. Kickoff is 7pm for the Sunday night matchup.