PISCATAWAY, N.J. (July 15, 2009) – In an ending that befitted the wild back-and-forth match that preceded, the Washington Freedom escaped from defeat with a stoppage time goal to earn a 4-4 tie with Sky Blue FC in front of 3,746 fans at Yurcak Field. Cat Whitehill knocked in the late goal just minutes after Natasha Kai had put the home side ahead.

In an evenly-played match with end-to-end action, the two teams traded goals back-to-back in the early minutes of each half to keep the fans on the edge of their seats. Both Kai and Kacey White finished with two goals each for Sky Blue FC while Lisa De Vanna connected twice for the Freedom to go along with single scores by Whitehill and Sonia Bompastor.

“It was a really bizarre game – it went back and forth,” said White, who now has three goals for the season. “We showed a lot of character coming back after giving up an early goal, but of course we wanted to come up with three points, especially after having the lead that late in the game. We’re never happy with just one point, but at this point in the season, with three games in a week, it’s still a good result for us to come out with a point.”

The goal-filled affair was uncharacteristic for Sky Blue FC, which set franchise records for most goals scored in a game as well as for most goals allowed in a game. In the 14 previous games heading into the match, Sky Blue FC had only scored 11 goals while allowing just 12 goals. The combined eight goals set a Women's Professional Soccer record for most goals scored in one match.

The tie, combined with Boston's 1-0 victory over the Chicago Red Stars, dropped Sky Blue FC into fourth place in the WPS standings at 5-6-4 for 19 points - two points behind the Breakers at 6-6-3 for 21 points. Washington sits in fifth place at 4-6-5 for 17 points.

“One point is better than no points,” said Sky Blue FC head coach Kelly Lindsey. “I don’t know that it was a bad tie. It was a really good chance for us to test our character and our heart and I thought that was positive. We haven’t scored 4 goals [in one game] all season so that was positive. Although a tie is a tie, I thought a lot of good things came out of [today’s game].”

The action started quickly as the Freedom connected just 3:41 into the match. Alli Krieger carried the ball up the right side before crossing into the middle for Sonia Bompastor, who flicked a header inside the far post for the 1-0 lead. Just 1:14 later, Sky Blue FC tied the game at 1-1 when Heather O’Reilly sent a cross in from the left side and a wide open Kai easily touched the ball in from five yards out.

The teams traded chances again midway through the opening half with Rebecca Moros sending in a cross that deflected off the crossbar in the 21st minute. Less than two minutes later, Keeley Dowling struck a shot from distance that eluded Freedom keeper Erin McLeod but bounded off the left post.

Sky Blue FC struck for its second goal in the 27th minute following a scramble in the box after a corner kick. Dowling sent the ball toward the goal and White finished in acrobatic fashion, lifting her leg high to flick the ball into the upper left corner with the outside of her foot.

The Freedom had two chances before halftime as Abby Wambach’s shot from an angle gave Sky Blue FC keeper Jenni Branam a bit of trouble in the 39th minute and then Whitehill blasted a freekick right at Branam in stoppage time.

The second half started off with a bang as White scored an accidental goal just 27 seconds in. The Sky Blue FC forward’s cross from the left side went over the head of McLeod and deflected off the inside of the far, right post into the goal.

Just 58 seconds later, the Freedom responded to cut the lead to 3-2 on a goal by De Vanna. Bompastor crossed the ball in from the left and the Australian striker buried a header from five yards out.

Washington kept up the pressure and three minutes later, Wambach banged a first-time shot from eight yards out off the right post. In the 54th minute, the Freedom tied the match when Wambach chipped forward to De Vanna, who beat the offside trap and carried into the box before cutting past Branam and rolling a shot into the open goal.

Branam kept the score tied with two strong saves. In the 68th minute, the Sky Blue FC keeper dove to stop Bompastor, who attempted to sneak a free kick in at the near post from an angle. In the 76th minute, Branam made a diving stop off a header from Wambach.

Sky Blue FC seemed to have come up with the game-winner in the 86th minute when Rosana fed Kai into the box for the first-time finish past a charging McLeod, but in a game as wild as this one that wasn’t the case. Two minutes into stoppage time, the ball took a surprising deflection off a Sky Blue FC player toward the goal and Branam did well to touch the ball off the crossbar to keep it out. However, Whitehill flew in to bury the rebound to tie the score at 4-4.

Sky Blue FC returns to action on Sunday when it hosts Faith Day at Yurcak Field. Kickoff is set at 4:30 p.m. as Sky Blue FC seeks to stake its claim for a playoff spot with a match against the Chicago Red Stars. For ticket information, call 888-SBFC-TIX or visit www.SkyBlueStore.com.

July 15, 2009 – Yurcak Field	1	2	-	F
Washington Freedom (4-6-5)	1	3	-	4
Sky Blue FC (5-6-4)	2	2	-	4

Lineups:
Sky Blue FC – Jenni Branam; Julianne Sitch (Jen Buczkowski 58’), Keeley Dowling [Capt], Christie Rampone [Capt], Meghan Schnur; Heather O’Reilly [Capt], Yael Averbuch, Rosana, Collette McCallum, Natasha Kai (Kerri Hanks 87’), Kacey White (Kelly Parker 58’).
Washington Freedom – Erin McLeod; Sarah Senty (Alex Singer 46’), Becky Saurbrunn, Cat Whitehill, Ali Krieger; Sonia Bompastor, Homare Sawa, Lori Lindsey, Rebecca Moros (Allie Long 79’); Abby Wambach [Capt], Lisa De Vanna (Jill Gilbeau 86’).

Scoring Summary:
WF – Bompastor (Krieger) 4th minute
SBFC – Kai (O’Reilly) 5th minute
SBFC – White (Dowling) 27th minute
SBFC – White (unassisted) 46 minute
WF – De Vanna (Bompastor) 47th minute
WF – De Vanna (Wambach) 54th minute
SBFC – Kai (Rosana) 86th minute
WF – Whitehill (unassisted) 92+ minute

Misconduct Summary:
SBFC – Dowling (caution) 45+ minute
SBFC – Parker (caution) 81st minute

Game Summary:
Referee – Margaret Domka
Assistant Referees – Debbie Coleman, Brian Dunn
Fourth Official – Stevan Ambrus
Attendance – 3,746
Weather – Clear, 84 degrees

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

QUOTES

SKY BLUE FC COACH KELLY LINDSEY

On the past three games

I think they are doing really well right now and they are peaking at the right time and really starting to gel and come together so I think the next 2 or 3 weeks will be exciting for them to pull it together going into the playoffs and see if we can earn a spot.

On Kacey White and Natasha Kai’s performance

I think they are finally getting on the same page and connecting with each other by obviously scoring some goals today, which is great for them and good for their confidence. Overall I’m really proud of the way they are working together.

WASHINGTON FREEDOM COACH JIM GABARRA

On his team’s performance

It was great that they came back and continued to play for the full 90 minutes. The first half there was way too much standing around and reacting which put us in the hole we probably shouldn’t have been in. We went up by a goal and all the things we were doing we just stopped doing. You can’t do that against any team in this league.

SKY BLUE FC FORWARD NATASHA KAI

On tonight’s match

We scored four goals but we got four goals scored against us. I feel like all four of them were off our mistakes. It easily could have been 4-0 but the games over and we are walking away with one point. We have five games left in the next week and a half and we have to take all of the positive out of this game and go in to Sunday’s game against Chicago.

On her first goal

Heather got down the flank and crossed the ball into the box and I hit it perfect - I think it was off my calf but I’ll take it, it’s a goal.

On her second goal

Rosana came at me and I opened my run, ran behind the defense, she sent a great ball and I saw the keeper come out and the outside defender came in and I just slid for the ball and got the first hit on it. She [McLeod] got me pretty good in my leg but the ball went in and we were up for a minute. The 4 minutes of stoppage time killed us. When we have the lead we need to know what to do with it and stall time but we’re going learn from this. Soccer is learning game and you need to move forward.

SKY BLUE FC FORWARD KACEY WHITE

On her first goal

I hit it off the outside of my right foot. It was basically a deflection - Keeley shot the ball and I tried to get my leg up as quick as possible and luckily it went in.

On her second goal

To be quite honest, I saw Heather [O’Reilly] streaking into the box and I was trying to get a lot of pace behind the ball and luckily, sometimes the bounce goes your way and it went in for me.