Sky Blue FC ends its four-game homestand in style when it kicks off the holiday weekend on Saturday, July 4 with an Independence Day battle against the Boston Breakers. Sky Blue FC will battle the Breakers for the second time this season with kickoff at 4 p.m. at Yurcak Field on the campus of Rutgers University in Piscataway, N.J.

The match will feature a celebration of the 1999 FIFA Women’s World Cup Champions United States Women’s National Team. The festivities start before the game when ‘99 players Saskia Webber and Sara Whalen will be available to meet with fans. (888-SBFC-TIX | www.skybluestore.com)

Sky Blue FC (3-6-3, 12 pts.) enters the match sixth in the standings after a close loss to third-place Saint Louis Athletica (5-5-2, 17 pts.) last weekend. Sky Blue FC is sandwiched between the fifth-place Chicago Red Stars (3-6-5, 14 pts.), which has played two more games this season than Sky Blue FC, and seventh-place FC Gold Pride (3-6-3, 12 pts.) which trails Sky Blue FC on goal differential

Prior to last week’s game against Athletica, Sky Blue FC engineered a multi-player deal with Saint Louis, sending Australian international Sarah Walsh, the rights to Brazilian international Ester, and a conditional draft pick in exchange for Brazilian international Francielle, two-time MAC Hermann Trophy Award winner Kerri Hanks, and the rights to Brazilian international Renata Costa.

The players that Sky Blue FC received in the Athletica trade trained with the club this week, giving Head Coach Kelly Lindsey an opportunity to see her new acquisitions in action. Lindsey indicated that she was pleased with the progress the newcomers have made in acclimating to the Sky Blue FC environment, and hinted that they would see the field sooner rather than later.

“I want to get both of them minutes as soon as possible and see what they can do,” Lindsey said. “Kerri Hanks has come in and done a really good job. We’re trying to build her confidence a little and get her into the rhythm and flow of our team. You’ll probably see her on the field in the next few games; she has the ability to step on the field and contribute right away. Francielle has really come on well, she’s doing a great job – we just need to get her a little more comfortable with her English since she’ll be in charge of organizing our group as a defensive midfielder.”

Boston (5-4-3, 18 pts.), who was idle this past weekend, remains in second place ahead of Athletica. The Breakers have played three less games than the league-leading Los Angeles Sol (10-1-4, 34 pts.) but find themselves 16 points out of first. The Washington Freedom (4-5-4, 16 pts.) sit alone in the fourth and final playoff spot, two points ahead of the Red Stars with a game in hand.

In the lone previous matchup between Sky Blue FC and the Breakers, Sky Blue FC emerged victorious 2-1 behind goals from Natasha Kai and Kacey White. Despite the talk afterward about Sky Blue FC’s offensive output, an excellent defensive effort was the key to Sky Blue FC securing victory. Lindsey recognizes that Boston head coach Tony DiCicco has made some changes since their last meeting, but underlines that defense will still be paramount.

“Looking at what Boston has done over the past few games, they have definitely changed some things from when we first met them,” Lindsey said. “They have Kelly Smith playing in a more versatile role and getting into the attack more. Kristine Lilly has been getting up the line even higher, far better than she was just a few weeks ago. We’ll probably see a better attacking team than we saw out of them last time.”

After Saturday’s meeting with Boston, Sky Blue FC travels up to Massachusetts a mere eight days later to take on the Breakers in the second leg of a home-and-home sequence. Lindsey understands that playing the same team in back-to-back games will pose some challenges for her team, but says she can’t afford to worry about the next game when Sky Blue FC is in a position where it needs to score points in each game if it wants to stay in the playoff hunt.

While the on-field action will be the focus of Saturday’s game, the celebration of the 1999 Women’s World Cup Champions USWNT will be an integral part of Sky Blue FC’s Fourth of July holiday celebration. As a former National Team member herself, Lindsey is proud to be a part of the planned reveling.

“What a year for women’s soccer and our women’s national team,” Lindsey said. “The US Women’s National Team has done so much for our sport in this country, and anytime that we can honor them and celebrate the fact that women’s soccer has grown so much in the US makes it a great day for all of us; we wouldn’t be here without them.”

Fans that purchase Sky Blue FC’s Fourth of July Photo Offer package will have the unique opportunity to get their picture taken with USWNT champions Christie Rampone, Kristine Lilly, Saskia Webber, Sara Whalen, and coach Tony DiCicco, and the World Cup championship trophy after the game. The offer is valid with the purchase of four or more General Admission tickets to the Boston game. CLICK HERE for more information.