Sky Blue Exacts Revenge
Casey Nogueira and Lara Dickenmann connected for goals as Jersey Sky Blue scored once in each half to claim a 2-0 victory over the New Jersey Wildcats at Mercer County Community College. The win made up for Sky Blue's only loss of the season - a 1-0 setback to the Wildcats on June 9.
The shutout was the fifth straight for Sky Blue, which improved to 8-1 for the season and moved into first place in the Northeast Division with 24 points - two points ahead of the Washington Freedom. Still currently in third place, the Wildcats suffered their third straight loss to fall to 5-3-3.
Sky Blue held a 19-7 advantage in shots and keeper Jillian Loyden needed just one save to secure the shutout - the team's eighth of the season. Sky Blue has outscored the opposition 32-1 so far this season with the lone goal against coming in the loss to the Wildcats.
The first half featured numerous chances for both teams but neither side could break through for almost all of the first 45 minutes. Sky Blue threatened first in the 8th minute when Wildcats defender Amanda Wheeler cleared a header by Nikki Krzysik off the line off a Nogueira corner kick.
The Wildcats got their first good chance in the 31st minute when Amy Hoyer was just wide right from distance. Three minutes later, Wildcats keeper Robyn Jones made her best save in the opening half when she tipped wide a curling effort from Dickenmann headed toward the upper right corner.
The final minute of the first half featured the most action with chances at both ends. In the 44th minute, Hoyer skimmed a right-footed shot off the top of the crossbar and moments later Dickenmann went just wide left from 25 yards.
Sky Blue broke open the scoreless game at an opportune time thanks to Nogueira, who stole a back pass from Wildcats defender Ali Kliment. Nogueira pulled the ball back and dribbled around a charging Jones before poking a shot into the empty net with just seconds left in the half.
The second half was less eventful with Nogueira roping a 35-yard free kick just high in the 48th minute and with Lissette Brandão going just wide left for the Wildcats with a long shot in the 60th minute.
Dickenmann gave Sky Blue the commanding two-goal lead in the 75th minute with a nice individual effort. The Swiss striker and W-League leading scorer carried the ball up the right side and around a defender into the box before lining a left-footed shot inside the left post for her ninth goal of the season.
Sky Blue returns to action on Saturday when it hosts the Washington Freedom in a battle for first place in the Northeast Division. The Freedom will visit Ridge High School for a 7:30 p.m. kickoff.
|
July 4, 2007 - Mercer CCC |
1 |
2 |
- |
F |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jersey Sky Blue (8-1) | 1 | 1 | - | 2 |
| New Jersey Wildcats (5-3-3) | 0 | 0 | - | 0 |
LINEUPS
JERSEY SKY BLUE: Jillian Loyden, Kim Brandão (Lauren Ebert 83), Bonnie Young, Fanta Cooper, Becky Edwards, Steph Logterman (Gina DeMaio 80), Nikki Krzysik, Erla Arnardóttir (Tricia DiPaolo 74), Susanna Lehtinen (Katie Griffin 55), Lara Dickenmann (Stacy Bishop 85), Casey Nogueira.
NEW JERSEY WILDCATS: Robyn Jones, Ali Kliment (Danielle McAnally 78), Jen Grubb, Amanda Wheeler, Aimee Bresani, Caroline Tuttle (Lydia Bojcun 65), Leia Rispoli (Alex White 81), Liz Dauble (Lauren Hinkel 77), Amy Hoyer, Lissette Brandão, Esmeralda Negron.
GOALS
JSB: Nogueira 45th minute
JSB: Dickenmann (Griffin) 75th minute
STATISTICS
SHOTS
JSB: 19; NJW: 7
SAVES
JSB: Loyden 1; NJW: Jones 6
FOULS
JSB: 5; NJW: 8
OFFSIDES
JSB: 6; NJW: 4
CORNERS
JSB: 8; NJW: 1
GAME INFO
CAUTIONS/EJECTIONS
JSB: Young (caution) 84th minute
REFEREE
Ken Henriques
ASSISTANTS
Jason Cochran, Estan Grabowski
ATTENDANCE
n/a