KENNESAW, GA (June 19, 2010) – The Atlanta Beat recorded their first Women’s Professional Soccer win in franchise history at the brand-new Kennesaw State University Soccer Stadiuim on June 19 against the Chicago Red Stars when defender Tina Ellerston finished a header for the 1-0 result.

Saturday’s match was the second meeting between the Red Stars and the Beat following their first contest on June 6 in Chicago which resulted in a 0-0 tie.

Tina Ellerston scored the only goal of the match in the 42nd minute when Mexican forward Monica Ocampo stepped over the ball and served deep into the box to a leaping Tina Ellerston. Ellertson elevated above Red Stars midfielder Megan Rapinoe heading the ball low and inside the far post.

“It was like one of those looping headers that took forever to get in the net,” said head coach Gareth O’ Sullivan, of the goal.

The Beat out-shot the Red Stars 17-4 despite missing five players due to national team duty and grassroots campaigns related to the World Cup: Ramona Bachmann, Johanna Rasmussen, Eniola Aluko, Hope Solo and Kia McNeill.

“Everyone played their role tonight, played their part. It’s a good headache for me to have, five starters coming back,” O’ Sullivan said.

Japanese national and former Saint Louis Athletica midfielder Aya Miyama played her first match as a member of the Beat. Miyama suffered two fouls from the Red Star’s defensive line in Saturday’s match. The Beat were called offsides several times by a margin of 6-1. Both teams played aggressively, with a total of 20 fouls called in the match.

The Beat notched twice as many corner kicks as the Red Stars, with 10 and will host their next match on June 23 at 7 p.m. against the Philadelphia Independence at KSU Soccer Stadium.



Brett Maron:

"It did feel really really good to get that goal today. It was a monkey on our back, and we got it.”

“Bottom line in a team is that it’s about the team. No matter how many players were missing, it doesn’t change the face that the Atlanta Beat came out to play today.”

Tina Ellertson:

“I think Kia said it best, ‘don’t focus on who isn’t here, focus on who is here. We believe in each and every one of those girls and we did it, it happened.”

"Chicago was pushing up on us so I was thinking about being offsides, and Monica did a great job of laying it in and I stepped up right in time, just wanted to put it in the corner of the net. We finally got the monkey off our back.”

About the Atlanta Beat
The Atlanta Beat joins Women’s Professional Soccer as one of two expansion teams in the 2010 season. Atlanta entrepreneur Fitz Johnson secured the rights to the Atlanta team in September 2008 before naming Shawn McGee as General Manager and Gareth O’Sullivan as Head Coach in the summer of the following year. On June 18, 2009, the Atlanta Beat officially became the ninth franchise in WPS as Johnson, McGee, WPS Commissioner Tonya Antonucci and former Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin unveiled the team name, logo and colors. The Beat acquired its first official players through the 2009 WPS Expansion Draft and 2009 International Draft in mid-September before completing its roster with the 2010 WPS Draft in January. Atlanta’s new team takes on the same name as the market’s former Women’s United Soccer Association club which was the only WUSA team to reach the playoffs in every season. The Beat's colors are Ferrari Red, Championship Gold, and Black.

About Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS)
Headquartered in San Francisco, Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS) is the world’s premier soccer league for women with seven teams across the United States featuring the best players from around the world. WPS completed its inaugural season in August 2009 as Sky Blue FC of New Jersey became the first-ever WPS Champions. In 2010, seven teams will each play 24-game schedules from April 10-September 12 including five original WPS teams – Boston Breakers, Chicago Red Stars, FC Gold Pride (Bay Area), Sky Blue FC (NJ/NY) and Washington Freedom – and two expansion teams Atlanta Beat and Philadelphia Independence. The top four finishers in the regular season will qualify for the 2010 WPS Playoffs scheduled for September 19-26. For more information, visit the WPS official website at www.womensprosoccer.com or follow all the news at www.twitter.com/womensprosoccer.

About Well Star
WellStar Health System is the official jersey sponsor and Healthcare provider for the Atlanta Beat’s inaugural season. WellStar, a not-for-profit health system, includes Cobb, Douglas, Kennestone, Paulding and Windy Hill hospitals; WellStar Physicians Group; Urgent Care Centers; Health Place; Homecare; Hospice; Atherton Place; Paulding Nursing Center; and WellStar Foundation. For more information, call 770-956-STAR or visit www.wellstar.org.