Nuke Soccer

VANCOUVER WHITECAPS FC 3 – HUDSON VALLEY QUICKSTRIKE 1
SANTA CLARITA, CA – Vancouver Whitecaps FC women (8W-0L-4D) advanced to the United Soccer Leagues W-League Championship Final with a 3-1 victory over top-seeded Hudson Valley Quickstrike Lady Blues (11W-2L-0D) in Santa Clarita, California, on Thursday night.

Two early goals off free kicks set the tone against the Lady Blues, as Kaylyn Kyle scored after just four minutes, then set up Martina Franko moments later. Whitecaps substitute Melanie Booth and Hudson Valley star midfielder Gabriela Demoner traded second-half goals.

Though Vancouver were missing numerous key players for this semifinal, including leading scorers Melissa Tancredi and Jodi-Ann Robinson, and starting goalkeeper Siobhan Chamberlain, the Whitecaps were full value for the win. Head coach Hubert Busby Jr. opted for an aggressive 4-3-3 formation, with Rachael Pelat coming in at left fullback, allowing Chelsea Stewart to return to her holding role in midfield. 20-year-old Stephanie Panozzo started in goal for the third time this season, with Chamberlain away on FIFA Women’s World Cup qualifying duty with the England women’s national team.

The ‘Caps opened scoring just four minutes in, as Kyle found the net with a dipping free kick from the top of the penalty area that went in by the left post. It was the midfielder’s first goal of the season.

Hudson Valley then came close on 12 minutes, as high-scoring Brazilian teenager Demoner fired a rocket from 25 yards, which Panozzo touched onto the post.

A minute later, the Whitecaps made it 2-0 off another Kyle free kick. Her cross from 30 yards out on the right found Franko on the edge of the six-yard box. The Vancouver captain beat Lady Blues goalkeeper Ashley Thompson with a looping header. It was the veteran’s second goal of the season, and 35th of her Whitecaps career.

The ‘Caps were playing well as a team throughout the first half, passing the ball with authority. Vancouver’s experienced defence, meanwhile, did a good job denying the opposition space, with Hudson Valley’s frustrated attackers repeatedly being caught offside.

Vancouver were in full command at the halftime break, leading 2-0.

On 53 minutes, Whitecaps defender Robyn Gayle made a good run down the right, then found forward Amy Vermeulen wide open 16 yards out. Her shot hit the crossbar, with Kyle sending the rebound wide.

Vermeulen came close again on 64 minutes, deflecting a header from Emily Zurrer just wide. Moments later, Sophie Schmidt got around substitute goalkeeper and former Whitecaps teammate Erin McNulty, but ran out of room, as the ball went over the end line.

The ‘Caps put the game beyond reach on 76 minutes. Desiree Scott sent Julie Armstrong in on goal, and while her shot came back off the crossbar, Booth was there to put away the rebound for her second goal of the season.

Booth almost added another moments later. First, she was denied by McNulty from right in front of goal, then from the ensuing corner, she headed her effort over the crossbar.

The highly-rated Hudson Valley side, who finished first overall in the W-League for a second year in a row, were able to pull a goal back on 85 minutes. Alicia Tirelli on the right found young Demoner in the Whitecaps box, and she hit a crisp shot past Panozzo from 14 yards to make it a 3-1 final.

90 FULL MINUTES
The win sets up Saturday’s big showdown between Vancouver and Buffalo, who are the league’s only two remaining undefeated sides. The game will kick off at 7 p.m. PT at Santa Clarita’s Harry Welch Stadium.

This will be Vancouver’s fourth trip to the W-League Championship Final in ten tries. The Whitecaps were losing finalists in 2001 in Virginia Beach, Virginia, before winning in 2004 in Ottawa, Ontario, and again in 2006 at home. Vancouver will be looking to win the championship on foreign soil for the first time.

The Flash are the Central Conference champions and advanced on the strength of a 3-1 win over Eastern Conference champions Atlanta Silverbacks (9W-3L-1D) in Thursday’s earlier semifinal.

This will be the first appearance in the final for the Flash, who are only in their second year as a W-League club. Buffalo are led by league scoring champion and Canadian international midfielder Kelly Parker from Regina, Saskatchewan.

Atlanta and Hudson Valley will play in Saturday’s third-place match, starting at 3:30 pm PT.

Scoring Summary
4′ – VAN – Kaylyn Kyle
13′ – VAN – Martina Franko (Kaylyn Kyle)
76′ – VAN – Melanie Booth (Julie Armstrong)
85′ – HVQ – Gabriela Demoner (Alicia Tirelli)

Match Stats
Shots: Vancouver 12 – Hudson Valley 9
Saves: Vancouver 4 – Hudson Valley 4
Fouls: Vancouver 14 – Hudson Valley 9
Corners: Vancouver 2 – Hudson Valley 2
Offsides: Vancouver 3 – Hudson Valley 9

Cautions
50′ – HVQ – Kristen Edmonds
57′ – VAN – Chelsea Stewart

Vancouver Whitecaps FC
27.Stephanie Panozzo; 2.Emily Zurrer, 16.Robyn Gayle, 19.Martina Franko, 25.Rachael Pelat; 8.Kaylyn Kyle, 13.Sophie Schmidt, 17.Chelsea Stewart; 6.Amy Vermeulen (9.Julie Armstrong 68′), 7.Kirsteen Buchan (4.Melanie Booth 45′), 11.Desiree Scott (18.Monica Lam-Feist 84′)

Subs not used: 12.Kristen Funk, 23.Nikki Wright

Hudson Valley Quickstrike Lady Blues
1.Ashley Thompson (0.Erin McNulty 45′); 16.Kelly Eagan (4.Erica Stewart 72′), 21.Hannah Cerrone, 23.Janelle Cordia, 24.Diane Caldwell; 6.Alicia Tirelli, 10.Gabriela Demoner, 11.Julianne Hubbard, 14.Melissa Hayes (17.Maddy Evans 44′); 5.Jackie Acevedo (8.Tani Costa 67′), 12.Kristen Edmonds

Subs not used: 3.Hannah Beard, 9.Brittany Kinmond, 20.Stefani Knopick

BUFFALO FLASH 3 ATLANTA SILVERBACKS 1
Santa Clarita, CA – New city, same script for the Buffalo Flash at the 2010 USL W-League Semifinal in Santa Clarita, California Thursday night. Buffalo downed the Atlanta Silverbacks, 3-1, on the strength of their dynamic duo: USL Scoring Champ Kelly Parker and USL Assist Leader Veronica Bouquete. The win moves the Flash into Saturday night’s title game at the 2010 USL W-League Championship presented by Umbro.

Entering the match the Flash and Silverbacks were on impressive runs. The Flash were undefeated and looking to continue that trend. The Silverbacks also came off an impressive season, emerging from the talented Atlantic Division. The two sides began the match sharing possession and trading forays into each other’s halves. Buffalo began to gain the edge as the first half wore on, with Parker pulling the strings for the Buffalo offense.

Parker and her teammates played a number of quality through balls only to be foiled by the Atlanta defense or the offside flag. Atlanta waited for their chance at possession and launched several counter-attacks early, only to be held off by the Buffalo defense.

The Flash were the first side to break through in the 23rd minute when Buffalo played in a dangerous corner to Jenny Jeffers’ head, forcing keeper Michelle Betos into a tough save. Betos could only parry away the header though and it spilled to Bouquete, who slammed it off the crossbar only to land at Jenny Hammond’s feet, who finished it for a 1-0 lead.

Looking to jump-start its offense, Atlanta made an immediate substitution, bringing in Kay Harbrueger. The Silverbacks withstood the continued Buffalo pressure and leveled the match in the 36th minute. Atlanta won a free kick from 45-yards out and Bailey Powell played a dangerous ball into the box. The Atlanta forwards came hard into the box and sensing the pressure the Flash keeper came out to claim the ball, but the ball took a hard bounce off the turf and glided over Pamela Tajonar’s outstretched hands to tie the match, 1-1.

The second half kicked off with Buffalo continuing to dominate the possession and making dangerous runs into the Atlanta box. The Flash midfield was constantly springing the Silverbacks offside trap to threaten the Atlanta keeper, forcing Betos into several point-blank saves in the second half.

The Buffalo attack finally proved to be too much in the 53rd minute when Bouquete split the Atlanta backline with a through ball at midfield which Parker latched onto and finished for a 2-1 lead.

The Flash benefitted from the same Bouquete-to-Parker combo in the 81st minute, as Bouquete sped down the by byline, shouldered off a defender and cut the ball back to Parker who iced the match.

“Kelly has been phenomenal,” Buffalo Head Coach Aaran Lines said after the match. “She is a fantastic asset to the team.”

Buffalo quickly turned its attention to the next task at hand after the match, winning the W-League Championship.

“There is a lot of quality, talented teams [here],” Parker said after the match. But, Parker said, the Flash “are confident going into the final.”

2010 W-LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP LIVE ON FOX SOCCER CHANNEL
All the action from the championship match at Harry Welch Stadium in Santa Clarita, California will be televised live on FOX Soccer Channel starting at 10 pm ET on Saturday, July 31.