W-League News Release
Wednesday, July 9, 2014
TAMPA, Fla. – The W-League announced its Team of the Week for Week 9 of the 2014 season today, naming Gulf Coast Texans forward Maria Jose-Rojas as Player of the Week. The Chilean international had three goals in two games as the Texans secured a place in the W-League Playoffs in their inaugural season.
Jose-Rojas scored twice, and added an assist, as the Texans claimed a 3-1 victory against the Dayton Dutch Lions on Friday afternoon. She then opened the scoring as Gulf Coast claimed a 1-1 draw with the Charlotte Lady Eagles, which secured their place in the Southeastern Conference Championship.
The Texans’ place in the postseason is secure as they hold the edge over the Carolina Elite Cobras in the Southeastern Conference standings. The season series between the two teams finished 1-1-1, while both have five victories, which means the third tiebreaker of goal difference has Gulf Coast (+12) ahead of the Cobras (+7). With Carolina facing third-placed Charlotte in its final game of the season, Gulf Coast cannot be overtaken for second place, even while the No.1 seed in the conference remains up for grabs for all three teams.
Charlotte’s Robyn Jones claimed the goalkeeper position in the Team of the Week as her 10 saves kept the Lady Eagles in contention against the Texans on Saturday. She is joined by a trio of defenders, with the Colorado Pride’s Holly King’s performance in her side’s shutout victory of the Colorado Storm that moved the Pride into second place in the Western Conference leading the way. Long Island’s Sue Weber also earned selection after helping shut down North Jersey’s attack in a key 1-0 victory for the Rough Riders, while K-W United FC’s Elysia Masters earned selection after a standout display in a 2-1 win against the Toronto Lady Lynx.
Jose-Rojas was joined in the Team of the Week forward line by the New York Magic’s Sara Sanau Ruiz, who had three goals in two games to keep her side in contention for the postseason. The Colorado Rush’s Danica Evans also earned selection as she recorded five goals in two victories against Santa Clarita and Sedona FC.
New Jersey’s Layla da Cruz leads the midfield group, as she scored three goals in two games as the Wildcats split a pair of weekend contests, while Ottawa’s Teresa Rynier was named as she scored twice in the opening 10 minutes in a 3-0 Fury victory against Laval that clinched the Central Conference regular-season title. Braddock Road’s Kristen Meier earned selection after her game-winner against New Jersey on Saturday kept the Stars Elite’s playoff hope very much alive, and the quartet is completed by LA’s Shawna Gordon, who had goals in both of the Blues’ victories against Seattle and Santa Clarita.
A total of 19 games are scheduled for the final week of the W-League regular season with five of the nine playoff berths still to be decided. The fight for the Southeastern Conference is set to be settled on Saturday, as the Charlotte Lady Eagles host the Carolina Elite Cobras with victory needed to advance to the postseason. Wednesday night brings a key game in the Northeastern Division’s fight for second place as the New Jersey Wildcats host the Braddock Road Stars Elite, while out west the Seattle Sounders Women’s visit to the Colorado Pride on Friday could determine the conference’s final postseason berth. Finally in the Central Conference, K-W United and the Laval Comets meet on Saturday in a likely conference semifinal preview, with the Toronto Lady Lynx needing victories against London and Ottawa to keep their playoff hopes alive.
Select W-League games can be seen live on YouTube, with live updates also available via Twitter (@USLWLEAGUE) and Facebook. Stay up to date with news, previews and match reports from throughout the league via WLEAGUEsoccer.com.
W-League Team of the Week
Honorable Mention – Carolina – Savannah McCaskill; Colo. Pride – Mallory Weber; Colo. Rush – Civana Kuhlman, Pia Rijsdijk; K-W United – Leticia Skeete; LA – Katie Stengel, Mele French; Laval – Genevieve Richard, Sabrina Santarossa; Long Island – Shelby Hala’sz; New Jersey – Sarah Price; New York – Denisha Thomas, Serina Kashimoto; Ottawa – Catherine Levasseur; Seattle – Anna Picarelli, Jaclyn Softli.