USL Feature
Friday, July 1, 2011
Tampa, Fla. – The Seattle Sounders Women have been left at the altar five times. In their eleventh season in the USL W-League, the Sounders have enjoyed considerable success, making the playoffs six times and reaching the W-League Championship weekend five times.
However, those finals trips have only produced five trips to the consolation match. In 2011, the Sounders have the championship match on their mind. As hosts of the 2011 W-League Championship Presented by Umbro, the Sounders receive an automatic spot in the final four. They will welcome the three conference champions to Starfire Sports Campus July 29-31.
“It’s a slightly different perspective when you know you’re in the final four before the season begins,” Sounders General Manager Jon Billings said. “While you still try to win every match, you can also devote some focus to developing your team to ensure that you peak at the end of the season. I think our coaching staff and players all believe we can win the championship.”
The Sounders’ runs at past W-League Championships through the years have been the product of their on-field talent. The squad has featured a number of players who have played in WPS or on the U.S. National Team, including Tina Ellertson, Cori Alexander, Lisa Sari, Lyndsey Patterson, Michelle French, Sophie Reiser and Justi Baumgardt-Yamada.
Both Reiser and Baumgardt-Yamada are current members of the Sounders, and are helping their side prepare for the W-League Championship. Reiser has paced the Sounders offense thus far this season with five goals. Most of this year’s squad is fairly new to the organization and the Sounders believe that’s an advantage.
“History doesn’t really factor in for us,” Billings said. “I think this year we have a different style of play than years past. Our talent is also a bit younger than past years, which could help us in the later parts of the season.”
The Sounders sit in the heart of soccer-mad Pacific Northwest and they are hoping to put in a spectacular performance in front of their home fans. They are expecting a big turnout for the Championship.
“We are working with Washington Youth Soccer, the Sounders FC, local clubs, and of course our local community to promote the event and make it something to be proud of,” Billings said. “Seattle is buzzing for soccer right now, and we’re certainly piggy-backing on the excitement. We hope we can shine a light on the ladies side of Washington soccer and build a new support to take our organization to a new level.”
The Sounders have three matches remaining in the regular season in preparation for the Championship and their expectations are high.
“The four teams competing on July 29 and 31 will all be tremendous teams,” Billings said. “We will have a slight advantage of field familiarity, fan support, and home confines, so why not us to win it all?”