O'Brien Plays Hero, Sky Blue Keeps Playoff Hopes Alive
Faced with a must win situation to keep its playoff hopes alive, Jersey Sky Blue came up with a clutch 1-0 victory over the Long Island Rough Riders on a steamy night at Drew University’s Ranger Stadium with the lone goal coming from the likeliest of sources.
Former Rough Rider Michele O’Brien headed in a second-half goal as Sky Blue improved to 7-3-2 for 23 points while Long Island dropped to 7-2-2 for 23 points. The match was the only meeting of the season between the two teams so the victory gives Sky Blue the edge on the head-to-head tiebreaker should the two teams finish tied for points at the end of the season.
O’Brien was a long-time fixture in W-League soccer on Long Island starring for the Long Island Lady Riders from 2000 to 2005 before moving to the Rough Riders for 2007 when the franchise changed ownership. The Republic of Ireland National Team player nodded home her first goal of the season just inside the right post in the 64th minute off a cross from Gina DeMaio for the game-winner.
O’Brien’s heroics weren’t the only intriguing storyline as Sky Blue’s first-choice goalkeeper Jillian Loyden fell ill earlier in the day and was not able to dress. Backup goalkeeper Dimitra Poulos stepped in for Loyden and the Australian needed just two saves to record her second shutout of the season in her second appearance. Loyden had played 10 of Sky Blue’s previous 11 games this season.
Sky Blue dominated play for most of the game holding a 13-4 advantage in shots while Poulos wasn’t troubled once during the game.
In the first half, Sky Blue spent a lot of time in the Long Island half but couldn’t create dangerous chances. The best opportunity came in the 30th minute on a play started Fanta Cooper, who had a strong game at left back after missing the previous four games with a knee injury. Cooper overlapped on the left and her shot was deflected to the right to DeMaio, who cracked a shot to the near post that Rough Riders keeper mishandled but was able to grab with one hand as it trickled toward the line.
In the second half, Sky Blue continued to attack and in the 50th minute Taylor Walsh sent a high cross toward the far post that Domenique Esposito just missed heading into an open net. In the 58th minute, O’Brien just missed on a play very similar to the goal heading an Esposito cross toward goal that Frey snared.
Long Island’s best spurt came in the 60th minute when Sade Ayinde rolled a shot that Poulos easily handled. Seconds later, Brooke DeRosa sent a cross from the left right through the Sky Blue goalmouth and out.
Sky Blue continues its quest to qualify for the postseason when it travels to Boyds, MD on Saturday for a match against the defending W-League champions in the Washington Freedom at 7 p.m. at the Maryland SoccerPlex.
|
July 9, 2008 - Ranger Stadium |
1 |
2 |
- |
F |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Long Island Rough Riders (7-2-2) | 0 | 0 | - | 0 |
| Jersey Sky Blue (7-3-2) | 0 | 1 | - | 1 |
LINEUPS
LONG ISLAND ROUGH RIDERS: Meghan Frey, Sue Weber, Liz Speck, Stephanie Sohn, Lindsey Vanderspiegel (Courtney Curby 79), Sade Ayinde, Rebecca Kaplan (CJ Ludeman 60), Kim Miller, Nicole Benko (Elaine O'Connor 79), Kerri McCabe (Erin Pardini 63), Brooke DeRosa (Kristen Habenicht 74).
JERSEY SKY BLUE: Dimitra Poulos, Kim Brandão, Sarra Moller, Stephanie Peel, Fanta Cooper (Kim Bonilla 89), Gina DeMaio, Leah Robinson (Ashlyn Brantley 66), Tricia DiPaolo (Marisa Brown 74), Domenique Esposito (Amélie Mercier 69), Taylor Walsh (Daniela Molina 60), Michele O'Brien (Jaime Komar 85).
GOALS
JSB: O'Brien (DeMaio) 64th minute
STATISTICS
SHOTS
LI: 4; JSB: 13
SAVES
LI: Frey 4; JSB: Poulos 2
FOULS
LI: 3; JSB: 11
OFFSIDES
LI: 4; JSB: 0
CORNERS
LI: 2; JSB: 2
GAME INFO
CAUTIONS/EJECTIONS
none
REFEREE
Kyle Haddock
ASSISTANTS
Matthew Wetzel
David Bahamonde
ATTENDANCE
889