Flash Add Two for 2012
Spanish International Adriana and midfielder Allie Long to bolster Flash attack

Buffalo, NY—The Western New York Flash is happy to announce that they have added Spanish International Adriana and midfielder Allie Long to the 2012 squad in their run for a back to back championship. Long and Adriana will reunite as they were teammates also last season for Sky Blue FC.

Adriana made her debut in the WPS ironically against the Flash, scoring her first WPS goal in a 3-1 defeat to the Flash. She appeared in 15 games, starting 11 of the matches registering three goals and three assists.
 
“Adriana is a player that I discovered before we were officially in the WPS and who I met with while recruiting in Europe. She is a talented striker with a lot of potential and a nose for the goal. Unfortunately we weren’t able to bring her here to WNY last season, but I am looking forward to getting the chance to work with her and really get the best out of her,” Head Coach Aaran Lines says.
 
Adriana, 25, is currently playing for Atlético Madrid and prior to joining Sky Blue FC played for FC Barcelona, CE Sabadell, RCD Espanyol and Rayo Vallecano in the Superliga. She has won three Spanish leagues and two national Cups. Aditionally Adriana was the league's top scorer in 2007 and 2010 and has played the Champions League with Espanyol and Rayo Vallecano, scoring 10 goals in 12 games. For the Spanish National Team, Adriana scored 16 goals in the qualification stage for the 2011 World Cup.
 
Long, 24, is a three year veteran of the WPS as she has previously played for Sky Blue FC this past season and for the Washington Freedom in 2009 and 2010. Long was a 1st round, 7th pick in WPS 2009 Draft and appeared in 39 matches for the Freedom, scoring 4 goals and assisting on one other from her holding midfield role. In 2011, she joined Sky Blue and had her most productive season starting 18 matches for the club and hitting the back of the net 3 times and providing the assist on another. The Northport, NY native is currently playing for Paris Saint-Germain in France where she has competed in the UEFA Champions League.“Allie is a young midfielder that is really looking to prove herself after a solid season this past year. Her experience in Europe is no doubt going to improve her speed of thinking, play and understanding of the game. I really see her as having the ability to play in the offensive role with her technical ability and creativity,” Lines adds.

Long had a stellar college career prior to arriving in WPS, playing a pair of seasons at Penn State before transferring to the University of North Carolina. She twice received All-Big Ten accolades with the Nittany Lions and eventually capped off her college campaign by winning the 2008 NCAA National Championship as a member of the Tar Heels.

ABOUT THE WESTERN NEW YORK FLASH
The WNY Flash joined Women’s Professional Soccer as an expansion club in September of 2010, directly following the club’s decisive W-League Championship as the Buffalo Flash in July of 2010. The Flash play all WPS home games at the Sahlen’s Stadium in Rochester NY, home to the Rochester Rhinos. The Flash train out of owner Joe Sahlen’s indoor soccer facility, Sahlen Sports Park, in Elma, NY. The Flash colors are Red, Yellow, and Black, to match the Sahlen entities: Sahlen Packing Co., Sahlen Sports Park, and Team Sahlen racing team. The WNY Flash posted a 13-2-3 record (42 points) in their inaugural campaign, taking first place and the Regular season Championship. On August 27, 2011 the Western New York Flash defeated the Philadelphia Independence to capture the WPS Championship title in front of a record crowd of over 10,000 fans at Sahlen’s Stadium. For season tickets or for more information, please call 716-655-7529 or visit our website, www.wnyflash.com.