D.C. United Women News Release - www.dcunitedwomen.com
Thursday, June 9, 2011
GERMANTOWN, Md. - D.C. United Women are set to play their first-ever home match tonight, as they host the New Jersey Wildcats in W-League action at the Maryland SoccerPlex in Boyds, Md.
D.C. and New Jersey previously met on Wednesday, June 25, in United Women's inaugural match, a hard-fought 1-0 victory for the Wildcats on their home ground at the College of New Jersey. Despite little practice time together beforehand, DCUW held off their hosts until Kylee Rossi found the net in the 88th minute.
United Women rebounded with a convincing 3-0 road win over the New York Magic on Sunday, while the Wildcats beat local rivals New Jersey Rangers 2-1 last Thursday and remain atop the W-League's Northeast Division standings with a perfect record of three wins and no losses.
D.C. have been paced by midfielder and U.S. Women's National Teamer Christine Nairn, who notched two goals and an assist last weekend. In defense, goalkeeper DiDi Haracic, a product of the McLean Premier Soccer system who currently plays for Loyola University (Md.), has made a number of crucial saves in the first two matches of the season.
United will also have two key players available who traveled with the team to New Jersey late last month, but were not cleared in time to play in the heartbreaking loss. U.S. National Team and WUSA and WPS veteran Christie Welsh had still been registered at the time with the U.S. Soccer Federation as a professional, while Santa Clara standout and current Georgetown University Assistant Coach Hayley Siegel was awaiting release paperwork from VFL-Sindelfingen, where she played in the Germany's Women's 2.bundesliga. Both are healthy and expected to see action tonight.
A lively crowd is expected at the cozy venue in suburban Montgomery County, which once played home to the WPS' Washington Freedom and occasionally hosts D.C. United for U.S. Open Cup matches. With temperatures expected to reach the upper 90's in the afternoon, the team will be providing extra water sales stations in addition to their contracted concessions area. Fans are reminded that no outside food or drink is permitted in the stadium.
Group orders for individual tickets of 10 or more are just $7 per game for all ages. VIP season tickets sell for $69 for adults or $39 for youth ages 4-18. General season tickets are $39 for adults or $25 for youth. While individual game tickets are $14 for adults or $8 for youth.
Fans can order and pay for tickets online at the team's website up until 5 p.m. today and still pick up tickets at Will Call (www.dcunitedwomen.com/tickets). All seating is general admission, so fans can be confident of sitting together with friends or family who may decide to attend last minute and buy tickets the gate.
The team will not have long to rest, as they hit the road this weekend to visit North Jersey Valkyries on Sunday, June 12th for a 12 noon kickoff. That match will be followed by two additional away matches the following weekend, after which United will be done with travel for the regular season and enjoy the luxury of playing four straight games at their Maryland SoccerPlex home.