Colorado Pride News Release -- www.pridewleague.com
Thursday, July 10, 2014
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- The Colorado Pride face two crunch matches, beginning this Friday evening at Colorado College's Washburn Field against fellow W-League playoff contenders the Seattle Sounders Women, that will determine their postseason fate. Currently second in the Western Conference, the Pride know victory on Friday night would clinch a playoff berth, but a defeat to the Sounders Women would open the door to missing out.
"For a new team to the W-League to make the playoffs in our first year would be historical," said Colorado Pride General Manager Sian Hudson. "We certainly came into the year with the playoffs as one of our objectives, so to be this close to achieving it is pretty special."
The team has exceeded expectations in its inaugural season. In players like Mallory Weber, Sarah Schweiss, Holly King and Lara Kane, the Pride have a strong nucleus of talent, as well as a relentless commitment to working for the team. Weber and Schweiss are among the league leaders in goal scoring and assists, while players like Kane, King and local standout Catherine Ruder sure up the midfield and defense. The results are impressive. Pride have scored 28 goals from ten league matches, the fifth highest in the W-League, while only allowing 7 goals scored against them, ranking them the league's fourth stingiest defense.
Head Coach Daniel Clitnovici believes that preparation and hard work are keys to Pride's first year success.
"From the very beginning, we have focused the players on working for each other and for the team," he said. "We've not acted like a first-year club, because it's too convenient an excuse not to commit to complete and total success. This teams destiny is in our hands, we have a roster full of very special, very talented players, and we have worked very hard to be in second place. There is no reason why our team can't make playoffs."
Friday's match offers a stern test of the Pride's intent. The Sounders Women, affiliated with Major League Soccer's club of the same name, trail the Pride by three points in the conference standings after a 1-1 draw with the Colorado Rush on Wednesday night. Should Seattle take victory, it would move into second place thanks to its head-to-head record with the Pride, who fell 3-0 to the Sounders Women in their first meeting of the season.
Should Friday night's game finish in a draw, then attention would immediately move on to Sunday's contest with Arizona's Sedona Strikers, who visit Washburn Field to close the regular season. While the Pride would clinch a postseason berth, and a meeting with the LA Blues next weekend, with a draw against Seattle and a win against Sedona, Clitnovici has only one path in mind.
"We want to win these final two matches, and go into the playoffs with confidence," Clitnovici said. "Every game at the W-League level is a tough one; I and the rest of the coaching staff have full faith in our group of ladies."