Michael Janosz | isiphotos.com

Camille Abily netted a pair of goals and now leads WPS with six tallies.

Boxscore (all statistics contained in this boxscore are unofficial)

Watch the full match

CARSON, Calif. (June 7, 2009) – The Los Angeles Sol defeated the Washington Freedom 3-1 at The Home Depot Center Sunday afternoon.  With the win, the Sol improves its WPS-best record to 7-1-3 (24 points), while the second-place Freedom drops to 3-3-3 (12 points).

The Sol opened the scoring ledger in the 14th minute. U.S National Team midfielder Shannon Boxx’s long pass from the left side of the defense found Japanese midfielder Aya Miyama in stride in the center of the field. Miyama touched it quickly to get in behind the Washington defense then played a perfect ball to French international midfielder Camille Abily, who put her shot off the left hand of on-rushing Washington goalkeeper Erin McLeod and into the net.  The goal was Abily’s fourth in as many matches and her fifth overall this season, tying her with the Boston Breakers’ Kelly Smith for the WPS lead.

The Freedom nearly drew even in the 18th minute, but a blast from outside the penalty area from forward Abby Wambach was pushed aside by Sol ‘keeper Karina LeBlanc and knocked over the endline by the Sol defense for a Freedom corner kick, effectively ending the threat.  The teams traded chances in the latter stages of the half, but neither converted and the hone side carried the slimmest of margins into the break.

The Sol was first to threaten in the second half, with Boxx feeding Miyama at the edge of the box, but the long shot sailed over the Washington goal.  The ensuing possession for the Freedom resulted in a free kick for the Freedom some 40 yards away from goal.  After defender Cat Whitehill’s kick bounced around the box, Abily’s French National Team teammate Sonia Bompastor jumped on it for the Freedom and tied the score 1-1 in the 57th minute.

The Sol was quick to regain the lead, however.  In the 60th minute, midfielder McCall Zerboni served a cross from the right byline for a diving Brittany Bock.  Just as Bock got her head to the ball, Whitehill stepped in, only to see the ball deflect off her arm – and referee Ted Unkel wasted no time in pointing to the penalty spot.  Abily calmly stepped up and drilled the ensuing effort into the left of the goal past McLeod to giver team a lead they would not surrender.  

In the 66th minute, the hosts extended the lead to 3-1.  Bock and Marta worked a give-and-go on the left side of the area, with the rookie and recent Notre Dame graduate slotting her effort past McLeod, left hopeless in goal for the final margin of victory.

The Los Angeles Sol returns to action next Saturday, June 13, when the club faces Sky Blue FC (New Jersey/New York) in a road contest that will be televised on NBC Universal Sports (7pm ET/4pm PT).  The Freedom return to Washington where they will host the Chicago Red Stars on Saturday, June 13 as part of a doubleheader with MLS's DC United at RFK Stadium (4:30pm ET).

Boxscore (all statistics contained in this boxscore are unofficial)

POST-GAME QUOTE SHEET

LOS ANGELES SOL HEAD COACH ABNER ON TODAY’S MATCH

“It was a great performance out there today; we are very happy with the way we played. We did what we had to do today to control the rhythm and win the game.”

SOL MIDFIELDER BRITTANY BOCK ON HER GOAL

“We really focus on the wall pass and on 2 v 1 situations in training; I knew I would get it back if I found Marta, because she was it in the right spot on the field to receive my pass.”

“I wanted to get a goal for my mom today, it’s her birthday.”

WASHINGTON FREEDOM HEAD COACH JIM GABARRA ON TODAY’S MATCH

“It was a fairly even game, but we made three pretty bad defensive lapses. They have been taking advantage of those all year and they did again today.”

“We got the equalizer, but next time they were in our end we gave up a hand ball.”

GABARRA ON THE SOL

“We are getting better defensively but, obviously they are the best team in the league with so many weapons and so hard to stop.”