USL News Release
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
TAMPA, Fla. – Led by the impressive offensive performance of forward Mallory Outerbridge, the Ottawa Fury have swept the 2011 USL W-League regular season honors. Outerbridge, who recorded only a single goal in two previous W-League stints, erupted for 17 goals and three assists in 2011 to lead Ottawa to a perfect 12-0-0 record, the Great Lakes Division crown and the league’s top regular season record.
Outerbridge, a Saskatchewan native and former Canadian youth international, easily captured W-League Scoring Champion honors, finishing 13 points ahead of the competition with 37 points. Outerbridge, who was named W-League Player of the Week on July 6, also is the Goal Scoring Champion for 2011 by virtue of a six-goal advantage over Stephanie Goddard of Virginia Beach and Sydney Leroux of Vancouver.
With Outerbridge finding the back of the net as often as she did, it is only natural that her top setup person, Ottawa midfielder Teresa Rynier, is the 2011 W-League Assist Champion. Playing in her first W-League season, Rynier recorded a goal and eight assists in 12 games. A standout at James Madison University, Rynier was a 2011 first-round draft choice of the Philadelphia Independence of WPS.
Rounding out Ottawa’s regular season dominance is goalkeeper Jasmine Phillips. Edged out by percentage points in 2010 by Atlanta’s Alyssa Whitehead, Phillips recorded a miniscule .526 goals-against average in 2011 to be named 2011 W-League Goals-Against Average Champion. Phillips posted an 11-0-0 record with four shutouts while also sharing three shutouts with teammate Audrey Bernier-Larose. In three W-League seasons with Ottawa, Phillips has only suffered two regular season losses.
Outerbridge, Rynier and Phillips will play important roles as the Fury open the 2011 W-League Playoffs with a Central Conference semifinal against Toronto on Saturday. Should Ottawa win the Fury will face the Quebec City-Laval winner on Sunday with a berth at the 2011 W-League Championship Presented by Umbro at stake.
The W-League playoffs kick off Thursday when the Charlotte Lady Eagles take on the Long Island Rough Riders and the New Jersey Wildcats face the Atlanta Silverbacks in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. The Western Conference Final, featuring the Vancouver Whitecaps and the Santa Clarita Blue Heat, is set for Sunday night.
The three conference champions will join the host Seattle Sounders Women at the 2011 W-League Championship Presented by Umbro July 29-31 at Starfire Sports Complex in Seattle, Washington.
The W-League All-Conference Teams will be announced on Monday, July 25, followed by the All-League Team on Tuesday, July 26. The finalists for Coach of the Year, Defender of the Year, Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player will be announced on Wednesday, July 27, with the awards presented at the W-League Championship banquet in Seattle on Thursday, July 28. Goalkeeper of the Year will also be presented at the banquet.