W League final weekend

[Vic]

Vancouver remains unbeaten this year and has not only clinched but is completely running away with a tough west division. They're on cruise control sitting back and waiting to see who pulls their card in the playoffs.

The Great Lakes ("Canadian") division is getting interesting with four teams jockeying for position in the stretch run. The Fury and the Lady Lynx both had great winning openers on the weekend but stumbled 24 hours later against the fresh legs of a rested home opponent. The Fury beat Hamilton 3-0 Friday at home off two Christina Julien goals in her 23 minutes off the bench but knotted 0-0 with Laval in Montreal Saturday. The Lady Lynx beat Laval in Montreal 2-1 Friday night but went down 0-1 to Quebec the next day.

[b]Points  Team      Remaining[/b]

23pts   FURY        Comètes, Amiral

21pts   LADY LYNX   Avalanche

17pts   COMETES     Fury, Ravens

17pts   AMIRAL      Fury, Ravens

The Fury and the Lady Lynx both control their destiny but will have to deliver to the wire to hold their advantages. If the Fury can grab a point or two either Wednesday at home or on the weekend they will take the division crown and playoff advantage that goes with it. If the Lady Lynx can grab a home win it will cap a great 2010 which has seen them lose just twice by a single goal, both on the road, one in extra time and the other on 24 hours recovery and road legs. The Quebec teams have not only split their derby but have virtually identical records (10:5-3-2) with 8 goals against each and the only differentiator being the Amiral's 15 goals for to Laval's 13. They are both slightly behind the major Ontario teams but will come out gung ho on the weekend to try and grab bragging rights. They play the same teams so it's a brand new season condensed to a couple of days for them. The uneven schedule this year adds an extra tough game to the Fury and takes one off the Lady Lynx. But in comparing games between the four contenders:

[b]W-L-T  Team         GF/GA[/b]

3-2-1  FURY          7/3

2-2-2  LADY LYNX     5/5

2-2-3  AMIRAL        6/8

2-2-3  COMETES       6/8

Considering the tightness of a lot of the games (and officiating) there is a lot of parity. The Amiral would be the hottest of the four coming off back-to-back wins over Laval and Toronto. The Fury have the best goal differential but are winless in their last two (Toronto and Laval). The Comètes won their first two of the year against the Amiral but have gone winless in their past five (Fury x 2, Toronto x 2, and the Amiral).

Should make for an exciting weekend and great end to the regular season.

And although they weren't blossoming in the wins column, kudos to both Hamilton and Rochester for their newfound respectability in 2010 with most of their games inside two goals. A few steps forward next year and they'll go from keeping teams honest to equal partners.

[gwsmith63]

Final W-League regular season game today for the Fury and the Amiral, with Quebec City needing a win to advance to the playoffs.

Ottawa had been struggling of late but put it all together as a confidence-buiding 4-0 win eliminated the Amiral from post-season play. It was possibly the Fury's best ninety minutes of the season, totally dominating QC from start to finish. For all their possession and superiority however, at half-time the game was still scoreless as (yet again) poor finishing in front of goal and some terrific saves from Marie-Pier Bilodeau kept it 0-0. Second half the Fury just stepped up a gear and gave the kind of performance that a team of their quality should be producing on a regular basis, over-running the Amiral with four second half goals. QC just could not keep up with the pace of the Fury and were consistently exposed down the flanks the entire game.

Jodie Taylor had two goals for the Fury, hitting the back of the net for the first time in over a month. Michelle Evans had another strong game in the centre of midfield, resulting in her being named Player of the Game by the Rogers Broadcast team.

It's now off to the playoffs for the Coach Craig Smith and his Fury next weekend as they look to build on this win.

Laval will travel to Toronto for a midweek game for the right to advance further into the playoffs.

[Vic]

The Fury and the Amiral are really from different worlds in terms of their goals and approach. Nothing against the Amiral but it's really a professional program against an amateur one. Looking at the game log congrats to the Fury and hopefully the outburst is the spark to hitting their form, but you have to give it to the Amiral for being down a couple of main players and still holding the Fury scoreless for over an hour, especially putting kids on the field who just turned 16 and 17. To stare down 8 experienced internationals and 2 Canadian senior national team players is pretty daunting for young girls. At full-strength earlier this year the Amiral held the Fury 1-1 at home and 1-2 away and once again put Quebec City women's soccer on the map. Kudos to whatever, however and whoever is behind their gritty play and success.

The road gets tougher for the Fury now with Chicago in their way to the W League Championships. The Whitecaps qualified ages ago and have been preparing for the playoffs, they carpe diem'd and turned the WPS player embargo into an opportunity and returned to the boon years of the past. In their way is an unpredictable Pali Blues team that has surprisingly won just 3/10 this year and you would expect both the Canadian favourites to advance. They are both laced with talent across the field and up and down the bench from top to bottom. Hudson may have got the automatic berth to the final four but we can still realistically dream of an All-Canadian final.

[Vic]

After a handful of years with the Fury and a follow-up with FC Indiana before winning the WPS with Sky Blue last year, Kelly Parker plays half the year for Freiburg in Germany before coming back stateside to play half the season for the Flash in Buffalo. Amazingly despite playing just six games she is the W League Champion in both points and goals. Cementing the trophy was four goals on the weekend against Cleveland. Electric to watch, a role-model of perseverance, and not only the finest player the prairies have ever produced but a starting midfielder in the best Canadian 11 of all-time.

Ottawa's Jasmine Phillips was inched out at the wire for the Goals-Against Average honours.

[navycyr]

The Fury and the Amiral are really from different worlds in terms of their goals and approach. Nothing against the Amiral but it's really a professional program against an amateur one. Looking at the game log congrats to the Fury and hopefully the outburst is the spark to hitting their form, but you have to give it to the Amiral for being down a couple of main players and still holding the Fury scoreless for over an hour, especially putting kids on the field who just turned 16 and 17. To stare down 8 experienced internationals and 2 Canadian senior national team players is pretty daunting for young girls. At full-strength earlier this year the Amiral held the Fury 1-1 at home and 1-2 away and once again put Quebec City women's soccer on the map. Kudos to whatever, however and whoever is behind their gritty play and success.

Hello Vic !

You are right when you say Fury and Amiral are worlds apart in terms of their goal and approach. Amiral is owned by Quebec area soccer association and its main goal is to offer Quebec area talented girls an opportunity to play at the highest competitive level possible. We are very proud of our team. Even if they missed playoff, it was by a narrow margin. Wouldn't it have been from absence of Myriam Bouchard early in the season or injurees, they could have been part of it for a second year in a row. Moreover, they achieve good performance using a lot of available local talent fulfilling their engagement. You might not know but both the 16 and 17 years old girl have not been considered for the U16 Quebec all-star team or the National U17 team. At least W-League offers them an opportunity to continue to develop their talent. We hope more local talent will emerge and be able to join the team next year.

I wouldn't say it is amateur vs professionnal when compared to Fury. Resources are not the same. Goals are different. But team is managed and directed in a professionnal way with surprising results. I would compare that team to the Montreal Expos when Bronfman was the owner and the Fury to New-York Yankees. Expos had an exciting team at the time altough they could not compete with the Yankees on available resources, they were still able to compete where it counts that is on the field. You could'nt say Expos were not professional only because their resources were more limited.

Long life to Amiral !

[Vic]

Yes that is a perfect analogy. And if they are owned by the local soccer association that is truly amazing and progressive and would explain a lot.

[navycyr]

Yes that is a perfect analogy. And if they are owned by the local soccer association that is truly amazing and progressive and would explain a lot.

Regional soccer association not local (Quebec city and its suburbs) which is made of about 10 local soccer associations. Yet truly amazing and progressive like you say !

[Vic]

Today's results of Canadian teams:

Toronto Lady Lynx 0 - 3 Buffalo Flash

Chicago Red Eleven 0 - 2 Ottawa Fury

Pali Blues 1 - 2 Vancouver Whitecaps

Tomorrow 6:00pm EST: Ottawa Fury @ Buffalo Flash to determine the last Final Four spot.

FINAL FOUR - Thursday July 29

Atlanta Silverbacks v. Ottawa Fury/Buffalo Flash

Vancouver Whitecaps vs Hudson Valley Quickstrike Lady Blues

[Vic]

Ottawa Fury 0 - 1 Buffalo Flash

Discounting Kelly Parker of the Flash, it's down to the 'Caps to carry the flag in California against the W League regular season champs Hudson Valley who got the Final Four bye.

[edit] Kelly Parker scores the goal for the Flash in the 20th minute.

[Vic]

An Ottawa/Vancouver final may have an extra Canadian or two on the field instead of the Flash's Kelly Parker, but she's a pretty good consolation and the final will have more Canadians on the field than Americans.

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Massive Win for Whitecaps, en route to Final

From whitecapsfc.com:

[W League Final] Match Preview:

Vancouver Whitecaps FC at Buffalo Flash - July 31, 2010, 7:00 PM (PDT)

Venue: Harry Welch Stadium

Match Type: Playoffs

Match Number: 3

Kickoff (PDT): 7:00 PM

TV: Fox

National TV: Fox

By Farhan Devji/whitecapsfc.com

Coming off an impressive 3-1 victory over Hudson Valley Quickstrike Lady Blues in Thursday's United Soccer Leagues W-League semifinal, Vancouver Whitecaps FC women (8W-0L-4D) are one win away from capturing their third W-League championship title in club history.

Saturday evening's W-League Championship Final in Santa Clarita, California, will be a clash between the league's two undefeated squads, as the 'Caps battle the second-seeded Buffalo Flash (13W-0L-2D) of the Central Conference, Midwest Division.

WHITECAPS FC

Though the Quickstrike Lady Blues were the top-seeded team going into the tournament, it was the Whitecaps who struck first in Friday's W-League semifinal, as midfielder Kaylyn Kyle scored from a free kick in the fourth minute. Captain Martina Franko and defender Melanie Booth also got on the scoresheet for Vancouver. "We knew it when they got up in the morning that they were a very, very focused group," Whitecaps head coach Hubert Busby Jr. told whitecapsfc.com. "You could tell at breakfast, and at the pre-match meetings, that they were ready to go. So credit goes to the players. It was very pleasing, but you know, we didn’t come here to win one game, we came here to win two. We came here to win this thing and that’s what we’re going to do."

Goalkeeper Stephanie Panozzo was solid when called upon against Hudson Valley, as she recorded her third win of the season, in first-choice goalkeeper Siobhan Chamberlain’s absence. Chamberlain will join the team in California this afternoon after serving as the substitute goalkeeper in England's 3-0 home victory over Turkey in a FIFA Women's World Cup qualifying on Thursday. Busby said he "would like for Chamberlain to start" on Saturday, but he will monitor how the goalkeeper feels after traveling from England and make his final decision accordingly.

After a late finish to Thursday's semifinal, the Whitecaps will stick to off-field, tactical preparation today, before attending the W-League Awards Banquet in the evening. Both Busby and Flash head coach Aaron Lines are candidates for the Coach of the Year award, but the 'Caps bench boss has other goals in mind. "It’s not about me; it’s about the club," said Busby. "We’re about getting back to where we should be. That’s what’s important. It’s about these players, who have committed to and bought in to what we’ve been doing and it’s about the club who have supported us along the way."

For the second consecutive match, Whitecaps Most Valuable Player (MVP) and leading goalscorer Melissa Tancredi and striker Jodi-Ann Robinson will not be available on Saturday, as the 'Caps return to the W-League final for the fourth time in the club's history. Vancouver's previous championships came in 2004 in Ottawa, Ontario, and at home in 2006.

FLASH

The Flash cruised through their Midwest Division opponents this season, scoring 45 goals and only allowing five against in 12 matches. Busby was able to catch the final 20 minutes of Friday’s first semifinal, in which Buffalo defeated Atlanta Silverbacks 3-1 to secure their berth in Saturday's championship match. "They’re the only professional team in our league and it shows," said Busby.

Though the Whitecaps and Flash have never met, there is no lack of familiarity between the two squads. The Upstate New York outfit are led by Canadian international midfielder and league MVP candidate Kelly Parker, who claimed the W-League scoring title this season after recording an astounding 11 goals and five assists in only seven matches. The Regina, Saskatchewan, native has played alongside 10 current Whitecaps players in international competition over the past two years.

Meanwhile, Flash striker Ann-Marie Heatherson and defender Eartha Pond were both teammates of Chamberlain at Chelsea Ladies FC last season.

In only their second year as a W-League club, this will be Buffalo's first appearance in the W-League Championship Final.

Kickoff of Saturday's 2010 W-League Championship Final between Vancouver Whitecaps FC and Buffalo Flash at Harry Welch Stadium in Santa Clarita, California, is set for 7 p.m. PT, and can be seen live on Fox Sports World Canada and Fox Soccer Channel in the United States.

---------------------

From W League newswire:

Vancouver Surprises Hudson Valley 3-1

Written by USL W-League

Friday, 30 July 2010 09:06

Clarita, Calif. – The Hudson Valley Quickstrike Lady Blues entered the 2010 W-League Championship riding high, finishing atop the W-League during the regular season and earning a bye through the playoffs to the final four. Led by W-League All-League midfielder Gabriela Demoner, the Lady Blues were a confident bunch entering Thursday night’s semifinal in Santa Clarita.

The Western Conference champion Vancouver Whitecaps, missing several stars, had other ideas, riding two first-half goals to a 3-1 victory and a date with Buffalo in the 2010 W-League Final.

The Whitecaps got on the score sheet early after they drew a free kick just outside the Lady Blues’ box. Kaylyn Kyle stepped up for the Whitecaps and buried the ball past the keeper on a stunning free kick to make the match 1-0.

Hudson Valley found itself in an unfamiliar position, down in a match. The Lady Blues began to fight back but became bogged down in midfield play. Vancouver’s good fortune would double in the 13th minute when it drew another free kick and Kyle was once again up for the task. Kyle put a dangerous ball into the box which Martina Franko headed into the net for a 2-0 lead.

“We have been training a lot with free kicks,” Kyle said. Asked about her team’s attacking strategy she added “we are not a team to sit back.”

The remainder of the first half was a midfield battle between the two sides, with each having a share of chances. Neither team could crack the other’s defense, though, and the half ended, 2-0.

Vancouver continued the pressure in the second half as Amy Vermeulen put a ball off the Quickstrike crossbar. The Whitecaps almost notched another in the 64th minute, only to see the ball cleared off the line.

Sensing the urgency to get back into the game Hudson Valley began to pressure Vancouver more making dangerous runs into the box and having a potential penalty claim waived away by the referee in the 70th minute.

The Whitecaps looked prepared to kill off any comeback, though. In the 76th minute Julie Armstrong broke through the Hudson Valley backline and drilled the ball off the crossbar, with Melanie Booth in position to put away to rebound.

Hudson Valley pulled one back in the 85th minute on a bouncing cross hit into the box by Alicia Tirelli, finished off on a tricky volley by Demoner.

The goal was too little, too late for Hudson Valley, as it didn’t have enough to overcome an inspired Vancouver squad.

After the match, Vancouver Head Coach Hubert Busby Jr. reiterated the team’s focus and determination in the match, saying his team would bring that same mentality to the final.

Vancouver will certainly need to bring its best when the Whitecaps meet the Buffalo Flash for the USL W-League Title on Saturday night, live on Fox Soccer Channel at 7 PM PST.

[Vic]

Full marks to the Flash. Buffalo cruises past Vancouver 3-1 in the final, Kelly Parker with 2 assists and Spain's Veronica Boquete Giadans with a pair of goals. Shots were about 15 a piece, but the Flash had the precision on the day, and take home the silverware. Still a super W League season for almost every Canadian team including a couple of league award winners, and to be recapped at a later date.

Attendance was 362 and the officials were Felisha Mariscal, Luis Gutierrez, Jessie Isagary, and Israel Fernandez.

Many thanks to Marc Weber of the Province and Alan Douglas of the Whitecaps for their both review below.

----------

Caps women take the fall

Flash 3 Whitecaps 1; Buffalo brought in top players and got the right result

By Marc Weber, The Province August 1, 2010 3:03 AM

The Buffalo Flash are, officially, the only professional team in the USL W-League, paying players a salary beyond covering expenses.

Which explains why on Saturday the Vancouver Whitecaps had their title dream squashed by Spanish and English international forwards, a Canadian international midfielder and Mexican international goalkeeper.

Buffalo, in its second year of existence, won the championship 3-1 over the Whitecaps in Santa Clarita, Calif., to complete their undefeated season (14-0-2).

Vancouver's shot at a third title in seven seasons looked promising when Amy Vermeulen struck a wonderful goal from 25 yards in the 57th minute.

But the Flash hit back quickly with two goals in three minutes.

"You have to give credit to the better team and they were better overall," said Caps coach Hubert Busby Jr., who in his first year guided the Caps to an undefeated record (8-0-4) until the final. "We had lapses at the wrong time and, at this level, you get punished.

"There's no substitute for experience." The Whitecaps kept league MVP Kelly Parker, a Canadian national team midfielder, quiet much of the night. But it was Kelly who turned the tide.

In the 61st minute, she sucked in a pair of Vancouver players and then laid the ball off perfectly to charging Englishwoman Gemma Davison, who beat Vancouver's English international goalkeeper Siobhan Chamberlain.

In the 64th, Spaniard Veronica Boquete scored her first of two goals. She raced past a pair of Caps defenders to latch on to a pass and then beat Chamberlain to the far post.

Buffalo didn't let Vancouver have much of a sniff at goal after going ahead, and Boquete added the insurance goal in the 88th minute on another great shot.

"She was phenomenal tonight for us, on and off the ball," Flash head coach Aaran Lines told Fox Soccer Channel. "The finishes tonight for us were unbelievable."

Vancouver reached the final despite missing its two leading scorers, Jodi-Ann Robinson, who decided to focus on school, and Melissa Tancredi, who was at her sister's wedding in Hamilton, Ont.

Tancredi, who spent last season in Women's Professional Soccer, was runner-up to Parker for the league MVP award.

"This game was suited for her," Busby said, "but I don't want to take anything away from the players who came in and played their hearts out. We still could have done better."

This season was a big step back toward what fans expect from the Whitecaps women after titles in 2004 and 2006. Vancouver had missed the playoffs in two of the three previous seasons and the club seemed to put more effort into elevating the program in 2010.

"It was a great season and we should all be pretty proud of each other," said Vermeulen, a 26-year-old from Saskatoon. "It was a battle. They put their chances away and we didn't."

Busby, named the W-League's coach of the year on Friday, said Buffalo's success was good for the league.

"Whether they pay or not, it raises the bar with the players they bring in and it's great competition," he said. "We'll go back to planning for next year and how to bring the championship back to Vancouver."

http://www.theprovince.com/sports/Caps+women+take+fall/3348572/story.html

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Vancouver Whitecaps FC at Buffalo Flash - July 31, 2010, 7:00 PM (PDT)

Score: 1:3 Loss

Venue: Harry Welch Stadium

Match Type: Playoffs

Match Number: 3

Kickoff (PDT): 7:00 PM

TV: Fox

National TV: Fox

Match Report:

By Alan Douglas/whitecapsfc.com

Vancouver Whitecaps FC women (8W-1L-4D) saw their bid for a third United Soccer Leagues W-League championship title fall short, as they lost 3-1 to Buffalo Flash (14W-0L-2D) in the 2010 W-League Championship Final at Harry Welch Stadium in Santa Clarita, California, on Saturday night.

Amy Vermeulen opened the scoring in the second half for the Whitecaps, but Buffalo struck back with two quick goals to take a decisive lead. Spanish international Veronica Boquete then added her second goal of the game late on to seal the victory for the Upstate New York club.

It was Vancouver's first loss of the season, and Buffalo's 14th win in a row, as the second-year outfit claimed their first W-League championship title.

Goalkeeper Siobhan Chamberlain returned to Vancouver's starting XI after missing the semifinals because of FIFA Women's World Cup qualifying duty with the England national team. Whitecaps head coach Hubert Busby Jr. retained the 4-3-3 formation that had defeated Hudson Valley Quickstrike Lady Blues on Thursday, buy with a few adjustments. Striker Julie Armstrong got her first start since mid-June, with Desiree Scott dropping to midfield, and Cheslea Stewart moving back to left fullback. The Whitecaps were still without leading goalscorers Melissa Tancredi and Jodi-Ann Robinson, as well as injured midfielder Kara Lang, who made the trip but did not dress.

The game's opening moments were even, but Buffalo soon had Vancouver on the back foot. Ten minutes in, Boquete did well to make space at the top of the Whitecaps box before hitting a low shot that was comfortably saved by Chamberlain.

On 15 minutes, W-League Most Valuable Player Kelly Parker beat Vancouver's offside trap on the right and was in on goal. However, instead of shooting, she tried to pass, and Whitecaps defender Martina Franko was able to intercept the ball.

Minutes later, Boquete turned and shot quickly from the top of the box, producing a diving stop from Chamberlain.

The momentum then shifted in Vancouver's favour, for the balance of the half.

On 27 minutes, a curling shot by Scott from the top of the Buffalo box was stopped by Flash goalkeeper Pamela Tajonar. A minute later, Stewart fired an effort wide, with a stretching Kirsteen Buchan unable to get a touch and deflect it on target.

On 32 minutes, Vermeulen hooked the ball into the net, but the assistant referee had already spotted an infraction, and the play was blown dead.

Moments later, Scott beat Tajonar to the ball in the box, checked back, and squared it for Vermeulen. However, she was immediately closed down and her shot at an empty net was blocked off her boot.

Finally, just before the break, a corner kick from Kaylyn Kyle found defender Emily Zurrer, and she got a good header on goal which was saved by Mexican international Tajonar.

It was scoreless at halftime, with shots even at six apiece.

Both teams had good chances early in the second half. On 51 minutes, Kyle curled a free kick just wide of the post, on an effort that was similar to the one with which she scored in the semifinals. Minutes later, Flash winger Gemma Davison laid the ball to Boquete who was trailing, and she fired a rocket, which Chamberlain did well to parry.

Vancouver then took the lead on 57 minutes. Franko hit a long ball forward to Vermeulen, which Buffalo defender Eartha Pond misplayed. Vermeulen pounced on the loose ball and fired a quick 25-yard shot that curled over Tajonar and in. It was the striker's fourth goal of the season.

Buffalo hit back quickly, however. Just four minutes later, Canadian international Kelly Parker played it to Davison on the overlap in the box on the right, and she fired it over top of the onrushing Chamberlain to make it 1-1.

Vancouver came close two minutes later, as a Kyle corner from the right again found Zurrer, but her header was blocked on the line at the near post by Mele French.

Buffalo then scored the winner on 64 minutes, giving the game its third goal in a seven-minute span. French played a through ball to Boquete, whose pace allowed her to get in behind the Whitecaps defence and fire home for 2-1.

The pace of the game then slowed, and though the Whitecaps had some good possession, they were unable to generate quality chances.

Buffalo then put the game away on 88 minutes, as Parker slipped it ahead to Boquete in space in the Whitecaps box on the right, and the Spaniard finished well to make it a 3-1 final.

90 FULL MINUTES

This was Vancouver's fourth trip to a W-League final, as the team has twice won the championship and twice finished runners-up. The Whitecaps will now have to wait for another day to try and become the first team in league history to win the championship on three occasions. Vancouver's 2004 win was in Ottawa, Ontario, and the 2006 championship was won at home, so winning the crown on American soil remains elusive. The 'Caps were losing finalists in Virginia Beach, Virginia, back in 2001.

Busby was gracious in defeat, saying "We lost to the better team tonight, so credit goes to the Buffalo Flash. They move the ball very well and have a lot of good attacking options."

However, the coach was pleased with how his young team performed, despite missing some key players, and is looking forward to preparing for next year's campaign. "We had a great season, only lost one game, in the final, and so we're looking to go back and improve upon this for next season."

In Saturday's third-place match, Hudson Valley (12W-2L-0D) were 3-0 winners over Atlanta Silverbacks (9W-4L-1D).

Scoring Summary:

VAN - 57' - Amy Vermeulen

BUF - 61' - Gemma Davison (Kelly Parker)

BUF - 64' - Veronica Boquete (Mele Fench)

BUF - 87' - Veronica Boquete (Kelly Parker)

Match Stats:

Shots: Vancouver 6 - Buffalo 6

Saves: Vancouver 5 - Buffalo 2

Fouls: Vancouver 12 - Buffalo 3

Corners: Vancouver 1 - Buffalo 3

Offsides: Vancouver 0 - Buffalo 2

Vancouver Whitecaps FC

1.Siobhan Chamberlain; 2.Emily Zurrer, 16.Robyn Gayle, 17.Chelsea Stewart, 19.Martina Franko; 8.Kaylyn Kyle, 11.Desiree Scott, 13.Sophie Schmidt; 6.Amy Vermeulen (18.Monica Lam-Feist 64'), 7.Kirsteen Buchan (4.Melanie Booth 45'), 9.Julie Armstrong (23.Nikki Wright 83')

Subs not used: 27.Stephanie Panozzo, 12.Kristen Funk, 25.Rachael Pelat

Buffalo Flash

1.Pamela Tajonar; 2.Alexandra Sahlen, 3.Kimberly Brandao, 4.Eartha Pond (13.Analisa Marquez 85'), 5.Jenny Jeffers; 8.Katie Holtham, 9.Kimberly Miller (7.Jenny Hammond 90'), 11.Kelly Parker; 12.Gemma Davison (16.Nikki Lyons 90'), 23.Veronica Boquete, 29.Mele French (21.Alena Thom 82')

Subs not used: 00.Lynzee Lee, 10.Carol Tognetti, 19.Mandy Moraca

http://www.whitecapsfc.com/women/schedule/2010_07_31_v_Buffalo_Flash.aspx

[CoachRich]

I thought this was an interesting statement "The Buffalo Flash are, officially, the only professional team in the USL W-League, paying players a salary beyond covering expenses." Maybe the Caps should do the same.

[Vic]

"officially" being the key word...

Congratulations again to the Whitecaps for their success, and a hundred times more for what they are doing to develop Western Canadian women's soccer. Hopefully they can figure out a way to expand the platform past the short W League season.

[Richard]

Bob Lenarduzzi told me while ago the club is definitely interested in WPS, but right now their plate is kinda full with MLS entry etc. :-)

[AlanDouglas]

"The Buffalo Flash are, officially, the only professional team in the USL W-League, paying players a salary beyond covering expenses." Maybe the Caps should do the same.

There are arguments pro and con. Obviously it worked out well for Buffalo this year.

The main problem with it of course is that you lose the college players, which is over half of the Whitecaps squad. The W-League has access to the best young players in the game, because they can't play WPS while still at college. So you have turn your back on your league's greatest resource. Yes, the ' Caps would be able to bring in more of the older Canadian internationals if they went pro, but not nearly enough to make up the numbers. So then you bring in a bunch of imports, taking spots away from Canadians. Also, older local players, which probably isn't going to benefit the national team either. And when the national team has a camp, you lose most of your best players and get killed.

The lack of college players hurt Buffalo to some extent. They had a very short bench, and one game had to play their backup goalkeeper as an outfield player. If they had hit a string of injuries, then their season could have turned out quite differently.