BRIDGEWATER, N.J. (April 11, 2009) – It took a while but Sky Blue FC finally found the back of the net for the franchise’s first goal ever. Local girl Heather O’Reilly did the honors connecting in the later stages of the second half to help Sky Blue FC salvage a 1-1 tie with FC Gold Pride in a Women’s Professional Soccer match at TD Bank Ballpark.

After suffering a shutout loss to the Los Angeles Sol in its first-ever match last weekend, Sky Blue FC came from behind to earn the tie with the California Bay Area team. O’Reilly scored in the 76th minute to erase the lead that Carrie Dew had given FC Gold Pride in the 33rd minute.

With the tie, Sky Blue FC’s record is now 0-1-1 while FC Gold Pride stands at 1-0-1. Sky Blue FC returns to action on April 19 when it travels to face the Chicago Red Stars at Toyota Park in Bridgeview, Ill.

Sky Blue FC didn’t lack quality chances in the match with the first coming in the 17th minute. Collette McCallum drove in a short corner kick that was met by the head of Keeley Dowling but her attempt bounded off the top of the bar and over the goal.

FC Gold Pride’s goal came thanks a couple of fortunate deflections. A short corner kick from Tiff Weimer deflected back to Dew, who hit a shot from the top of the box that took a deflection into the lower left corner of the goal past Sky Blue FC keeper Karen Bardsley.

Four minutes after the opening goal, the visitors threatened again but Bardsley did well to kick away a shot from Christine Sinclair as the Canadian international broke into the box.
Sky Blue FC had the better of the play in the second half culminating with O’Reilly’s goal. Natasha Kai and FC Gold Pride keeper Nicole Barnhart were involved in a big collision in the box but the loose ball was cleared out. One minute later, Kai laced a shot from outside the box that just deflected wide right.

In the 62nd minute, Sarah Walsh laid off a nice pass for O’Reilly but Barnhart was on point with a diving save at the near post.

O’Reilly, an East Brunswick, N.J. native, thrilled the home crowd that contained many fans from her hometown East Brunswick Soccer Club. Sarah Walsh set up the play for O’Reilly, who as serving as the team captain in the absence of injured defender Christie Rampone. O’Reilly burst into the box and rolled a right-footed shot into the lower left of the goal from 10 yards out.

FC Gold Pride's best chance of the second half came in the 86th minute when Eriko Arakawa hooked a shot just over the bar from outside the top of the box.

4.11.2009: Bridgewater, NJ – TD Bank Ballpark	1	2	-	F
FC Gold Pride (1-0-1)	1	0	-	1
Sky Blue FC (0-1-1)	0	1	-	1

GOALS:
FCGP:  Carrie Dew (Tiffany Weimer) 33’
SBFC: Heather O’Reilly (Sarah Walsh) 76’

LINEUPS: 
SKY BLUE FC:  Karen Bardsley, Anita Asante, Meghan Schnur, Keeley Dowling, Julianne Sitch, Jen Buczkowski, Kelly Parker, Heather O’Reilly-Captain, Collette McCallum (Yael Averbuch 66’), Natasha Kai, Sarah Walsh (Kacey White 88’)
Head Coach: Ian Sawyers

FC GOLD PRIDE: Nicole Barnhart, Rachel Buehler, Leigh Ann Robinson,  Kristen Graczyk (Kandace Wilson 82’), Carrie Dew, Tina DiMartino (Brandi Chastain 72’),  Leslie Osborne, Formiga, Tiffany Weimer (Tiffany Milbrett 75’), Christine Sinclair, Eriko Arakawa
Head Coach: Albertin Montoya

Caution:  Sky Blue FC – Karen Bardsley 37’
Ejection:  None
Attendance: 2,753

Boxscore (All statistics contained in this boxscore are unofficial.)

POSTGAME QUOTES

Ian Sawyers

On tonight’s match
We are much more pleased with our performance as a team. We had more energy and really went after them and felt a little unfortunate at halftime since they only had one shot which was a deflection that went in. We didn’t have enough quality in the final third all night until Heather put that one away and that was the difference. We sat on them pretty well and put them under a lot of pressure so we’re encouraged but unfortunately we are still two points lost.

On the goal
We didn’t get caught off guard but she turned and hit it and it got deflected so our goalkeeper was going one way and it hit the defender and went in the other side.

On the team's chemistry
It’s just a matter of playing together longer. A lot of these players haven’t played together long enough to know each other tendencies so while we’re pushing them to do it, we’ve got to be patient with them but its frustrating.

On starting Karen Bardsley vs. Jenni Branam
We lost last week and conceded two goals and one of them I think we could have done a better job with. Mainly, I want to get them both time and then let them scrap it out for a starting position.

On Christie Rampone playing tonight
Christie might have been able to go tonight but it’s not worth it for us. She is too valuable and we wanted to give her another weeks rest to see if we can get her healthy so we don’t loose her for three, four or five weeks time.

Heather O’Reilly

On tonight’s match
We as a team are really happy with a lot of things that happened tonight. The atmosphere of this game was incredible. Our team is getting better and better and we played against some world class players tonight from FC Gold Pride; the best players in the world. We dominated them and we played a great game. They came back and scored a goal early but we showed a lot of fight and grit and we stayed unified and really put the heat on them. Unfortunately we come away with a tie but we have to be happy with the growth of our team from the first game.

On the goal
Our team was being very patient with building up and sometimes we kind of got overzealous with long balls that didn’t work. That time, we built it through the midfield and Sarah Walsh played a perfectly textured ball to me on a diagonal run and I saw Nicole Barnhart come out and I put it in the side netting.

Natasha Kai

On tonight’s match
As a team, we came together and we fought back until the 93rd minute. That’s what it’s going to take for us to come back. We believe in each other and we know that if we look to the left and to the right that we have each others back. I felt like we were more comfortable today with each other even though we still didn’t come up with the win.