Sky Blue Handles Majestics, Misses Out on Postseason
Sky Blue's Kim Bonilla (left) challenges Tara Kidwell for the ball
Robyn McNeil
Michele O'Brien buried two goals to lead Jersey Sky Blue to a 2-0 victory over the Northern Virginia Majestics but it wasn't enough to lift Sky Blue into the W-League playoffs as the second-year franchise missed out on the postseason. Sky Blue finished the season with an 8-4-2 mark and ended up in fourth place in the Northeast Division - three points out of the playoffs.
Heading into the day's action, Sky Blue needed a loss from the Long Island Rough Riders and a victory over the Majestics to qualify for the Eastern Conference playoffs. Sky Blue did its job but so did Long Island as the Rough Riders blew out the New Jersey Wildcats 5-0 in Long Island. The victory catapulted the Rough Riders into second place behind division winners the Washington Freedom as the Boston Renegades dropped into third place.
O'Brien connected once in each half - just the second time a Sky Blue player struck for multiple goals in a game and the first since Yolanda Odenyo accomplished the feat on May 17 against the Connecticut Passion.
Sky Blue got the game started quick as the Ireland international struck just 2:36 into the game. Kelly Eagan played a nice diagonal ball to the left for O'Brien and she cut toward the box. Majestics keeper Chanae Nelson slipped as she came off her line and O'Brien buried the ball from 15 yards for the 1-0 lead.
O'Brien had two more chances to add to the lead in the first half heading a cross from Fanta Cooper just wide right in the 13th minute before running onto a nice splitting pass from Christy Zwolski but muffing her shot in the 30th minute.
Northern Virginia's most dangerous chance of the opening half came in the 41st minute when Sky Blue couldn't clear a long throw-in by Ashley Banks. Jillian Loyden, who posted four saves to claim the shutout, charged off her line to punch the ball away from from Tara Kidwell as she tried to finish from right in front.
In the second half, O'Brien doubled the lead thanks to a nice pass from Marisa Brown, who slipped the ball through two defenders. O'Brien nailed a shot past substitute keeper Mary Casey for the 2-0 lead.
|
July 20, 2008 - Ranger Stadium |
1 |
2 |
- |
F |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northern Virginia Majestics (3-6-5) | 0 | 0 | - | 0 |
| Jersey Sky Blue (8-4-2) | 1 | 1 | - | 2 |
LINEUPS
NORTHERN VIRGINIA MAJESTICS: Chanae Nelson (Angie Harvey 45), Megan Watson, Melissa Cary, Mary Casey, Kelly Hammond, Tara Kidwell, Jessie Deegan, Jessica Paris, Ashley Banks, Kika Toulouse, Katie Watson.
JERSEY SKY BLUE: Jillian Loyden, Kim Brandão, Sarra Moller, Stephanie Peel, Fanta Cooper (Lauren Ebert 53), Marisa Brown, Leah Robinson (Ashlyn Brantley 62), Kelly Eagan (Domenique Esposito 45), Christy Zwolski (Jaime Komar 79), Michele O'Brien (Daniela Molina 77), Kim Bonilla (Taylor Walsh 59).
GOALS
JSB: O'Brien (Eagan) 3rd minute
JSB: O'Brien (Brown) 63rd minute
STATISTICS
SHOTS
NVA: 6; JSB: 11
SAVES
NVA: Nelson 2, Casey 1; JSB: Loyden 4
FOULS
NVA: 6; JSB: 9
OFFSIDES
NVA: 3; JSB: 4
CORNERS
NVA: 1; JSB: 3
GAME INFO
CAUTIONS/EJECTIONS
none
REFEREE
Ashraf Kamel
ASSISTANTS
Viktor Vishnyakov
Matt Parisi
ATTENDANCE
588