ECS Ladies Auxiliary "THE AUX"

Almost Game Week (Preseason style)

2011-04-15T17:58:00.000-07:00

With the ladies taking the pitch against Western this coming Thursday, its time to look at the women's game.

For those of you who've never seen a ladies' game, it is a different animal than the men's game.

However, as I began writing this piece, I recieved a tweet from David Falk and the Seattle Soccer Examiner with an interesting article examining some of the differences between the men's and women's games from a referee's perspective: Behind the Whistle: How do boys and girls play soccer differently? Rather than recreate the wheel, I will submit myself humbly to Ray Moffatte's years of experience on the pitch.

What to expect Thursday evening at Starfire:
The combinations coming from early practices this spring have shown that the aught'11 Lady Sounders will bring a more fan-friendly attacking game than most would suspect. The late night battles of recent weeks have been hardfought, fast-paced affairs; one can only wonder what will happen when they unleash on an opponent.

The roster for Thursday's affair will be made at Tuesday night's practice. Thus far, Leighton has been holding his cards close and it should prove be an interesting list of girls making the cut. Good luck ladies & welcome back Leighton!

Coach O'Brien back with the USL Sounders in '05 (Taken from GOALSeattle.com)

Aught-Eleven Around the Bend

2011-03-31T17:03:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow, it will be April, the month that the Sounders Women return to the pitch in exciting form; this season, we host the W-League Final Four and are, quite literally, 2 wins from a cup!

Those two wins aside, the 2011 season brings many questions to the table. Some familiar faces are back this year, highlighted by Lyndsey 'Mighty Mouse' Patterson, but some heavy losses have been dealt. Keeper Katie Hultin is out, amongst others.

All shifting aside, Leighton & Co. are anxious to have a big year and sights are set on the cup, nothing less. The ladies have been back on the pitch practicing for a few weeks now and seem to be bringing a more physical form to Starfire this summer. Physicality, combined with the heady and speedy play of attacking third should provide for some exciting football.

The first preseason match is against Western Washington University on April 21st, 7pm at Starfire. *more on that later

Anyhow, don't be an April Fool: GET YOUR RIDICULOUSLY AFFORDABLE SEASON TICKETS NOW, add to your scarf collection, and witness a historic run to the W-League Cup.

Stay tuned! Information about game preparation, tifo, news & away travel will be posted both here and on the ECS USL & Other Leagues Forum. If you would like to help out in any way, contact Bonnell and I'll get you to work.

Season Tickets can be purchased Brown Paper Tickets (A very sincere 'thank you' to the Sounders Women/Tacoma Tide FO for choosing against the scam that is Ticketmaster).

The 2011 Sounders Women Season Schedule:

Date	Visitors	Home	PST	Location
EXHIBITION SEASON
APR 21	Western Washington U.	@Sounders Women	7:00p	Starfire Stadium
APR 28	Sounders Women	@Seattle Pacific U.	7:00p	Interbay Stadium
APR 30	Sounders Women	@Oregon State U.	7:00p	Oregon State
MAY 5	U. of Washington	@Sounders Women	7:00p	Starfire Stadium
W-LEAGUE REGULAR SEASON
MAY 14	Sounders Women	@Victoria Highlanders	7:00p	B. Mountain Stadium
MAY 22	Sounders Women	@Vancouver Whitecaps	4:00p	Percy Perry Stadium
MAY 29	Colorado Rush	@Sounders Women	2:00p	Starfire Stadium
JUN 1	Sounders Women	@LA Strikers	7:00p	Pasadena College
JUN 3	Sounders Women	@Santa Clarita Blue Heat	7:00p	Valencia HS
JUN 5	Sounders Women	@Pali Blues	3:00p	Palisades HS
JUN 12	LA Strikers	@Sounders Women	3:00p	Starfire Stadium
JUN 17	Sounders Women	@Colorado Rush	7:00p	Englewood HS
JUN 19	Sounders Women	@Colorado Force	1:00p	Loveland Sports Pk
JUN 26	Pali Blues	@Sounders Women	3:00p	Starfire Stadium
JUN 29	Vancouver Whitecaps	@Sounders Women	8:00p	Starfire Stadium
JUL 10	Santa Clarita Blue Heat	@Sounders Women	3:00p	Starfire Stadium
JUL 15	Victoria Highlanders	@Sounders Women	7:30p	Whatcom College
JUL 17	Colorado Force	@Sounders Women	1:00p	Stadium Bowl

2010-08-07T19:34:00.001-07:00

SOUNDERS WOMEN 4:2 Tanzania WNT 'Twiga Stars' FINAL

All-Conference Selections

2010-07-29T23:56:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Keeper Katie Hultin & Midfielder Justi Baumgardt-Yamada who took home All-Western Conference Honors this season!

2010 W-League All-Conference Teams

On the Pitch Again!

2010-07-29T23:10:00.000-07:00

BRING ON THE LADY GIRAFFES!
Our girls will be back on the pitch at Starfire next Saturday (August 7th) at 5pm to take on the Tanzania National Side.

Tickets are FREE, but donations are being accepted to help support our ladies, so fork over a 5-spot & keep our girls looking good on the pitch. Also, wear a kit & you'll be entered into a free raffle for 2011 season tickets.

More videos about the Twiga Stars at: NishaLigon on YouTube
More info at SoundersWomen.com

SEE YOU ON THE TERRACE!

Golden Teddy...

2010-07-27T00:17:00.000-07:00

Congrats to former Sounders (and Saints) Coach Teddy Mitalas; the Golden Scarf looks good on you!

SSFC Interview with Teddy Mitalas

The Final Match of 2010

2010-07-19T00:11:00.000-07:00

Pali did their job this final weekend of the 2010 regular season with a 4:0 slaughter of the Colorado Rush. For our Sounders, one goal wouldn't prove enough against the Whitecaps in Victoria and Pali has taken the final spot in the W-League's Western Conference Final.

Our ladies battled hard in Victoria and controlled the run of play during the first half. Vancouver had their opportunities, but possession clearly favored the girls in Blue. That possession finally payed off just before additional time as Jocelyn Charette took a powerful kick from keeper Katie Hultin, beat a defender, and slammed the ball into the aggressive Whitecap keeper Siobhan Chamberlain. When Siobhan couldn't control the ball, Charette stepped over her and cleanly netted the ball high into the far corner from inside the 6. The halftime whistle blew shortly thereafter and our girls headed into the lockerroom in a good position.

Editor's Note: The Whitecaps Match Report describes their halftime deficit as a "shock" and our goal as a "comedy of errors." Though Vancouver had their chances in the first half, don't be fooled by the arrogance of our neighbors to the north; they were a step slow to the ball the majority of the half, looked uncharacteristically flat, and the lead was well earned by our Lady Sounders.

The final half, however, was a different story. Though Charette again beat the keeper and nearly reenacted her first-half goal less than five minutes into the second. The Whitecaps pressed hard for 35 minutes and controlled play for nearly the remainder of the game. Missing two key defenders, Kelli Smith and Jamie Coe, our relatively makeshift backline began to wear down. At right outside-back, Kelly Irving, typically a pressing midfielder, battled hard against the skilled Vancouver attack and thwarted several runs and combinations.

M'ily Reiter came on in the 60th minute and brought with her an offensive spark for our Sounders, but the experienced Vancouver attack found an equalizer in the form of a gorgeous corner in the 67th minute. A corner, mind you, earned shortly after a criminal dive, and let me reemphasize this, Whitecap Winger Melissa Tancredi made a fool of the head referee as she was a good three feet from Irving when she flopped to the ground just beyond the corner of the 18. The ensuing free kick was cleared over the touchline, resulting in a corner. That corner, taken by Chelsea Stewart, found an unmarked Emily Zurrer. The Canadian International and Vancouver Island native slammed it past Sounder netminder, Hultin, who had absolutely no chance at a save.

Our girls fought hard for the remainder of the half. Though we created a few chances, including several desperate attempts and combinations over the final 10 minutes, we simply could not find that breakthrough ball to finish off the Whitecaps and beat their English keeper.

In the end, the whistle tweeted three times and our 2010 campaign came to a close.

Great passion and fight ladies! Work hard this offseason, enjoy Surf Cup this weekend, and let's TAKE 'EM ALL IN 2011!!!

See you on the Terrace!

Sounders 1:1 Whitecaps

2010-07-18T23:01:00.000-07:00

4:06pm: At royal athletic park in victoria. Its a beautiful day to earn a playoff spot. Both teams are in their blue strips, should prove interesting

0': The Caps switch to their white kits & the Sounders remain in all-blue as we prepare for kickoff.

45': GOOAALLLLLLL!!!!! Jocelyn Charette bullies her way past the keeper just before half! Halftime score: Sounders 1:0 Whitecaps

67': A gorgeous corner equalizes the match for the caps midway through the second half. SOUNDERS 1:1 WHITECAPS. COME ON LADIES! We've got 25 min!

90': If not for a beauty of a corner, our ladies would be frantically awaiting updates from Pali. Final score from Victoria is 1:1. Season over. :(

Santa Clarita 1:1 Colorado Rush

2010-07-16T17:23:00.000-07:00

'So you're tellin' me there's a chance!'

The Blue Heat pulled through for the Sounders Thursday night! Santa Clarita jumped ahead shortly after the break, but the Rush quickly responded in the 63rd minute, but could not find another to clinch the final playoff spot. Leaving the conference championship contender to be determined on the final day of Western Conference league play.

The scenario: Sounders win at Victoria over the Whitecaps, and anything but a Rush win at Pali Saturday night, see the Sounders Women through.

If the Sounders lose and Pali wins, and I think Pali is through

The Rush are the only team with their future in their own hands; win and they are through.

COME ON LADIES BEAT THE WHITECRAPS!

A change and a chance

2010-07-15T15:03:00.000-07:00

The gametime in Victoria this Saturday has been changed to 4:30PM in order to accommodate ferry schedules and those travelling from the mainland. Take note, if you're heading to the match. There should be a few Aux and Bellingham Border Boys in attendance.

Also, the second of the three vital Colorado Rush games takes place tonight at Santa Clarita, 7pm kickoff. In review, the Rush need to tie or lose tonight and Saturday for our ladies to have a shot at the second place position on the table and earn a spot in the Western Conference Championship game. I will relay the result as soon as they are made public. GO BLUE HEAT!

***thank you Media Canada for the picture of the Spirit of BC***

FORCE BEAT RUSH!

2010-07-13T10:34:00.000-07:00

The Colorado Force beat the Colorado Rush 1:0 last night in good ol'fashioned Derby style to keep our playoff hopes alive!

Thursday night, the Rush, who are tied with the Sounders at 11 pts in league play but have a game in hand, head to Southern California to take on the Santa Clarita Blue Heat. A Heat win or tie keeps us alive in the race for the second spot in the Western Conference Championship game.

LET'S GO HEAT!

Playoff Hopes Alive

2010-07-12T14:10:00.000-07:00

Three teams remain in the playoff hunt. Our Sounders, the Colorado Rush, and the Pali Blues.

Pali has the hardest road; with one game remaining, they must win and hope that both the Sounders & Rush lose out.

The Rush have the easiest route with three games remaining; win and they are in. Even three consecutive draws eliminates Pali and Seattle.

Seattle is also in a must-win situation. A tough road-win against the table-topping Whitecaps gives us hope, but does not guarantee a spot in the Western Conference Championship. The winner of that Championship moves on to the W-League Final Four in Santa Clarita at the end of the month.

With a win in Victoria Saturday, everything hinges on what the Colorado Rush do this week:

Tonight, the Rush travel to the Colorado Force. A Force win gives us a lot of hope as later in the week the Rush travel to Santa Clarita and finish up with a Saturday night matchup at Pali, two of the weaker sides in the W-League who also have the ability to shock the world when need be.

Mid-week road wins are hard to come by in the W-League, especially with work-conflicts and family issues preventing players from travelling. This will be a very interesting week indeed. It is strange finding a Sounder rooting for the Colorado Force, Pali Blues, and Santa Clarita Blue Heat all in one week.

Sounders 2:1 Blue Heat. FINAL.

2010-07-10T19:49:00.001-07:00

1: Santa Clarita kicks things off on a beautiful night here at Starfire. Relieved to see that there are no Blue Heat ball girls...

41: After a forty minute barrage. Schmitty finds Redwine on a well earned cross from the touch line in the 41st min. Sounders 1:0 Blue Heat

45+: Halftime whistle sounds, our ladies are in complete control. Sounders 1:0 Blue Heat

58: GOOOOAAALLL!!! Sounders net a second on a gorgeous no-look header by Jocelyn Charette! With that, the Heat change keepers. Sounders 2:0 Blue Heat

80: Santa Clarita's #14 nets a cheeky chip to the far post from just inside the 18 & with that we've got a ballgame. Sounders 2:1 Blue Heat

90+: SOUNDERS WIN! It's final at Starfire, Sounders 2:1 Blue Heat. Some extracurricular post-game activities are highlighted by some strong words from the Santa Clarita side, Tarawra put the RAWR in that conversation. The potential bench-clearing scuffle was nulled by hundreds of youth soccer players rushing the field. An obviously unhappy Santa Clarita Coach even threw the Gatorade bucket in disgust.

BEAT THE HEAT!

2010-07-10T14:39:00.000-07:00

Come on down to Starfire tonight & watch the Sounders cool off the Blue Heat of Santa Clarita.

Tonight's match against the bottom of the W-League Western Conference barrel is an important one for our ladies. A loss would see the Blue Heat leap frog us off the bottom of the table, whereas a win would put our Sounders in prime position to finish up the season in second place behind the Vancouver. The undefeated Whitecaps secured their league crown this week with a 2:0 win over our guests from Santa Clarita.

The visiting Blue Heat have had a rough go in this, their inaugural season; Santa Clarita's 5 losses are the most in W-League play. However, they managed to squeak out victories against both the Pali Blues and Colorado Force to shakeup league play in the month of July. A win over the Sounders would give them 10 points and a chance to finish in the top half of the bracket.

The Sounders, in short, need this win. A win tonight will prime them for a chance to ruin the Whitecaps undefeated dream season next weekend in Victoria and finish off our season on a high note.

LET'S GO LADIES; TAKE 'EM ALL!!!

See you on the terrace.

Independence Day Baby Sounder

2010-07-04T14:34:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the world, Averi Nicole Bonnell, born this morning at 12:57am, to former Sounders Defender Niki (Ironside) Bonnell. She weighed in at 7 lbs - 8 oz and measured 20.25 inches. Congrats!

2010-07-01T21:31:00.001-07:00

Final. Sounders 0:1 rush. Yuck.

2010-07-01T21:00:00.001-07:00

Rush score early in the second. Give an assist to the ball girls, who play in the rush organization here in wa. 0:1 50th min

2010-07-01T20:29:00.001-07:00

Sounders 0:0 rush @half. Despite a few gaffed passes at midfield which created a few chances for the rush, our ladies have been dominant.

2010-07-01T15:40:00.001-07:00

Final homestand for our ladies begins tonight, 730 at starfire against the colorado rush who are hot on the Sounders heels in table play.

The AUX Shop

2010-06-30T13:22:00.000-07:00

Not sure whether to wear your ECS, Sounders FC, or just go casual to a Sounders Women's Match?
Well, all the cool kids are wearing hot-off-the-press official AUX GEAR!

Check it out at http://www.cafepress.com/theAUX

There are currently 9 designs & hundreds of products to choose from!

Sounders Women 3:1 Pali Blues

2010-06-25T21:23:00.003-07:00

90+: Full Time from Starfire. Sounders dominant in 3:1 win over the pali blues and move into a share of the second spot.

90+: Sounders' Jane Mitchell off the crossbar in stoppage. One post remaining...

75: A cheeky backheal from pali's lauren fowlkes in the 72nd saves some blues' pride. Sounders 3:1 pali with 15min to play

67: Jocelyn charette off the left post in the 67th as the barrage continues

63: TARAAAAAAAAAAAWRA!!!!!! 3:0 in the 63rd after a T.Pulse PK slams home!

57: Kelly irving with back to back goals in the 52nd and 54th minutes. Sounders 2:0 pali blues. And another near score in the 57th

45: Dominant first half by our ladies yields many chances but no fruit. Keep this up and 3pts are looming. Sounders 0:0 pali. Half

00: Kickoff on the beautiful new FieldTurf here at Starfire and our girls immediately begin pressing forward. Should be a fun one tonight!

Kick the Blues Friday

2010-06-24T10:09:00.000-07:00

Our ladies are looking to rebound from their first loss of the season Wednesday night, and need to do so against the Defending Back-to-Back W-League National Champions ('08, '09). The Pali Blues, however, are struggling to finish games at the moment and haven't earned three-points since the second game of the season.

Last Thursday, we let 2 points slip at Pali after seceding a late equalizer.

This is a huge game for our girls that will allow us to grab a share of the second spot atop the Western Conference table and make a run deep into the playoffs.

Including Friday night's affair, the girls only have 3 home games and one road trip to Vancouver (in Victoria) remaining. **If you'd like to go to Victoria, shoot me an email**

Come on down to Starfire Friday night and make it a great prefunk for the Nats Saturday!

**Remember 20% off all orders at MAD Pizza for ECS Members**

See you in the Terraces!

Vancouver Letdown

2010-06-24T00:10:00.000-07:00

The Final from Pitch #2 at Starfire: Sounders 1:3 Vancouver.

A hearty thanks to everyone who came out tonight; it was a long, emotional day for all of us. From the 4 and 5am wake-ups to beat traffic & make it up to the AC & scream your lungs out for our USMNT during a 91-minute tease that would be crowned with eternal jubilation. It will be a morning we never forget. Unfortunately, the evening will be one easy to remove from memory.

The Vancouver side showed its quality early with some beautiful combinations, led by star striker Jodi-Ann Robinson and sure-footed midfielder Sophie Schmidt. It led to forward Amy Vermeulen netting off a rebound in the 7th minute.

As our backline settled down and the midfield began to gain some form, a free kick from 30yds out was awarded to Vancouver. Dangerous, certainly, but nothing our girls couldn't handle. The players in the box jostled for position, Sounder defender Beth Drollinger was held by a Whitecap forward Melissa Tancredi, as Drollinger broke free, the whistle was blown and a PK was awarded to the Whitecaps. ...Shocking, really, it was simply not deserved; physical play should be expected at this level and a foul was not committed by either side. It was a sad decision by a referee who clearly did not have his best night tonight.

Vermeulen slotted the PK home for her second tally of the night and our ladies, down 2, had a very large hill to climb.

The pace of the match was mainly dictated by Vancouver, but our ladies mounted increasingly dangerous chances as the final hour progressed.

In the 80th minute, Vancouver closed the door with a beautiful strike from Kara Lang, who entered the game as a sub early in the second half.

Our ladies fought on and created their best chances of the match during the final 10 minutes. Midfielder Jocelyn Charette found the net when she slammed the ball past Whitecap keeper Siobhan (Shavon) Chamberlain after a mad scramble in front of the net.

The English keeper in green had a good night; saving the desperate and dangerous attacks from our ladies heading toward the final whistle.

All-in-all it was a disappointing affair. That bogus PK made things incredibly difficult for our ladies against a side with as much quality as Vancouver's.

Friday, our girls do battle with the Pali Blues in search of 3pts and a share of the second spot atop the Western Conference. Come on out again and bring a friend; ONLY THREE REGULAR SEASON HOME GAMES REMAINING!

See you in the Terraces!

2010-06-23T10:02:00.001-07:00

The USMNT result today was epic. Simply epic. COME ON OUT TO STARFIRE TONIGHT FOR MORE EPICNESS

Renew the Rivalry!

2010-06-22T21:29:00.000-07:00

USMNT = SSW

2010-06-21T18:16:00.000-07:00

What do the US Men's National Team have in common with our Lady Sounders? A refined ability for the draw.

Our Women return home from a tough road trip against the perennial powerhouse Pali Blues (2-1-2) and newcomers Santa Clarita Blue Heat (0-2-1) with another pair of non-decisions.

That's right, 5 straight draws to begin the season.

One can easily look at this start to the '10 campaign with either the glass-half-empty or half-full point of view. On on hand, our ladies cannot seem to close the door on clearly subpar teams to the likes of Santa Clarita, the Colorado Rush, or the Force, who each have yet to notch their belts this season. However, earning a tough point, on the road, against a formidable Pali side, is no small feat indeed.

So where does this put our ladies?

Well, we're undefeated with the heavy road trips behind us. We sit a mere three points behind 2nd place Pali with 4 of our 5 remaining matches at home.

So, no wins, yet our future remains ours to decide, much like the USMNT in South Africa.

Wednesday is critical for both teams. The US must defeat Algeria to control their own destiny and our Women have a critical home match against arch-rival and table-topping Vancouver; a big chance for our ladies to prove themselves amongst the W-League elite and begin their climb back atop the Western Conference.

Let's make sure there is a lot of support Wednesday night as the ladies do battle on Field #2! See you on the balcony at MAD Pizza!

Info about MAD Pizza:
- The balcony has been reserved for ECS Members (& guests)
- The balcony is All-ages (so bring your little 'uns & their little chops)
- You will have to pay game entrance to access the balcony, but the view won't be beaten in any W-League stadium.

See you in the ~~Terrace~~ ...errr, Balcony. THREE POINTS LADIES!

Ball Boys in the Balcony!

2010-06-17T20:11:00.000-07:00

Well, there has been an exciting development with the upcoming match against the WhitecRaps next Wednesday. Starfire will be resurfacing the main field and the game has been moved to Field #2 for the match. Seating will be increased on Field #2 to accommodate our ladies.

On to the exciting prospect: Field #2 sits DIRECTLY BELOW the balcony at MAD Pizza. This presents us a very enticing option. We will support our girls (banners, songs, 2-poles, etc) FROM THE BALCONY!

Have you ever wondered what it'd be like to have a supporter experience IN BOX SEATS with discounted food/drink service? Here is your chance! We've secured the balcony exclusively for ECS Members at the match. Show your card or scarf, get stamped & gain access to the balcony! This will be the ultimate viewing/supporting experience in W-League play. So, if you've never made it south for a match, pop your cherry next week! Come on out Wednesday (June 23rd) and be treated like royalty as our girls dominate the WhitecRaps and make a run toward the top of the table.

**Remember, ECS Members recieve 20% off all food & drink at MAD Pizza**

Spread the word & let's make this a fantastic game atmosphere for our girls!

See you in the ~~terrace~~...er, ahem, BALCONY!
-Bonnell

Soos Creek Sounders

2010-06-11T15:03:00.000-07:00

Earlier this week, midfielder Kelsey Jenkins returned to Soos Creek Elementary in Kent, her old stomping grounds, to inspire and motivate students to achieve all that they can in life.

As my wife, former Sounders Defender, Niki Bonnell (taking the year off to have a baby girl this summer), teaches 6th grade at Soos Creek. I had a chance to interview some of the kids today. Here is what they had to say:

Trystin: “She did one-thousand juggles when she was 12!”

Elizabeth: “The game in PE with three goals was fun!”

Eli: “Some of the players are out of college – she’s still in college and really good at soccer, even though she’s young!”

Upinder: “It was really cool to see demonstrations in the classroom of their skills!”

Brooke: “Kelsey used to go to Soos Creek!!!”

All-in-all, it was a great experience for every kid involved; each came away with a sense that they could achieve great heights with the right amount of effort and desire.

GOOD ON YOU KELSEY!

Also, kudos to Tacoma Tide defender, Brayton Knapp, who was also presenting to the students.

Read the full article of the visit at SoundersWomen.com: Tide and Sounders Women Shine Bright at Local School.

**of nonimportance, but of note nonetheless: the man writing this article, Raymond Bonnell, spent two years at Soos Creek Elementary himself, and his son currently attends the school!!! GO SUPERSTARS!**

Indecision in Littleton

2010-06-06T22:22:00.000-07:00

FINAL: Sounders Women 0:0 Colorado Rush

Our girls battled to yet another draw in Colorado this afternoon. Temperatures neared 100 and the ladies could not find net.

The good news is that the Force drew with Vancouver, leaving a three-way tie for second place and our girls didn't lose their spot amongst the top of the table. However, Pali won their home opener with a 1:0 decision against Santa Clarita and are threatening the top spot with two games in hand.

The ladies have a bye weekend next before a trip down to California to take on Santa Clarita and Pali.

Frenchie goes Golden

2010-06-04T22:11:00.000-07:00

Michelle French, long-time standout midfielder and captain for the Sounders Women (who's skill reached mythical status after her return from battle with Cancer last season), will be honored with the Golden Scarf at tomorrow's Sounders FC vs. New England Revolution Match!

For more information on Frenchie, check out David Falk's Seattle Soccer Examiner, Steve Kelley's Seattle Times Article, Dan Raley's Seattle PI Article, or just google/bing the girl; there's tons out there on our superstar.

CONGRATULATIONS FRENCHIE!!!

A Rocky Mountain Low

2010-06-04T21:49:00.000-07:00

FINAL: SOUNDERS WOMEN 2:2 COLORADO FORCE

The ladies had a rough go of it tonight in Fort Collins; up two-nil after goals from Victoria "Bama" Frederick & Erin "Sweet" Redwine, then the Force came roaring back on two PKs to equalize the match.

I suppose it wouldn't be so gutwrenching if the second PK hadn't come with so little time remaining (2 minutes?) to steal away 2 points from our ladies.

The ladies are now taking a day to refocus & will do battle with the Rush, in Littleton, Colorado, Sunday.

Happy Birthday!

2010-06-02T18:59:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Nicole and Casey Paus for the birth of their newest child, Preston! The Aux Nation wishes you and your newest addition all the best! ...and for a quick recovery, fitness, & return to the pitch next season!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY PRESTON!!!

Sounders Women 1:1 Colorado Force

2010-05-29T00:04:00.000-07:00

Well, for some good news: with tonight's draw with the Force, the ladies jump to the top of the table with 1 pt on the season. The bad news, it will not hold through the weekend as the Force travel up to Vancouver Sunday. We'll have a chance to reclaim it next weekend in Colorado before the rest of the Western Conference starts up play on the 5th.

Thanks to all who came out. It was a fun night heckling our beloved Maria, picking on Jamaicans and French alike, and supporting our girls.

I'll link match reports and photos as they become available. Also, stay tuned for some player interviews and other fun items over the long road stretch in June.

In the meantime, it's a great weekend for football: USA v Turkey, Sounders FC @ Colorado Rapids, and plenty more!

See you in the terrace!

GAMEDAY!

2010-05-28T09:11:00.000-07:00

The 2010 W-League Season is finally upon us!
At 7:00 tonight the Lady Sounders take on an improved Colorado Force side.

ECS: Get there early and take advantage of a 20% discount on food & drink at MAD Pizza!

For those of you who can't make it, subscribe to this blog for match updates.

Video highlights from the preseason game against UW:
PRESEASON: Sounders Women 1:0 Washington Huskies

Official Sounders Women Match Preview here:
Sounders Women Start 2010 Championship Hunt after Down Year in 2009

The Force have bolstered their roster with some international talent. More info here:
Colorado Finalizes Roster

Sounders Women at ECS Away Viewing THIS WEEKEND!

2010-05-13T12:17:00.000-07:00

A few of the Lady Sounders will make the trip up to Atlantic Crossing (21+) to join up with ECS and root on SSFC as they take on the NY Red Bulls on Saturday.

If you'd like to meet the girls, learn more about the team, and maybe even buy one a drink or two, here's your first opportunity this season.

With the season opener (May 28) still over two weeks away, this will be the first of a few events promoting the girls.

For more information about the viewing, check out the ECS Forums.

Kickoff is at 4:30pm, get there early to ensure a seat or place at the bar.

Atlantic Crossing.

6508 Roosevelt Way NE Seattle, WA 98115 (206) 729-6266

Happy Mother's Day!

2010-05-09T12:10:00.000-07:00

Happy Mother's Day to the ladies who redefine 'Soccer Mom':
Erin Redwine, Justi Baumgardt, and Niki (Ironside) Bonnell!

...and to all the other moms out there as well!

Match Reports

2010-05-07T11:25:00.000-07:00

Here's the official report from the Sounders Women's FO:
Sounders Finish Exhibition Season with High Quality Win

From the Seattle Soccer Examiner:
Sounders Women edge Washington Huskies 1:0 in final pre-season match

2010-05-06T20:54:00.001-07:00

Sounders 1:0 Huskies. FULL TiME.

2010-05-06T20:28:00.001-07:00

GOOOOOOOOOOAL!!!! M'ily Reiter nets a rebound off a corner in the 64th min. SSW 1:0 uw

2010-05-06T19:54:00.001-07:00

Sounders 0:0 Huskies. HALF. Our girls are controlling the run of play but haven't netted one of their many strong chances.

The AUX featured on Seattle Soccer Examiner

2010-05-06T09:12:00.000-07:00

The ECS Ladies' Auxiliary was featured at the Seattle Soccer Examiner today:

Ladies' Auxiliary: The Aux is pulling for Sounders Women, who face Huskies tonight at Starfire

OSU Recap, Mini-Apple Cups, & TV

2010-05-04T19:00:00.000-07:00

OSU RECAP
As a spectator, a 0:3 drubbing rarely leaves you with much positive thought. That being said, there was a lot to take from the match Sunday.

For one, our ladies created a lot of solid opportunities. Headers flew just inches over the bar and there were several shots on target, saved by the very capable OSU keeper.

Center-mid Tafara Pulse agreed with a positive outlook on the match, "Overall, we had some good possession, we had a couple good chances that we didn't finish. We just need to continue to work on our patience."

Oregon State brought their traditional physical game, a characteristic not foreign to the Sounders ladies with Pac-10 experience. It was great to see the girls' battle back against some rough play and loose officiating. Rather than flop & dive, our girls adapted to the situation and continued to attack and battle through some tough challenges.

Our girls got out of the battle with only some minor injuries. The most notable coming early in the second half when Outside Back Beth Drollinger left the game with an unknown injury. After some tending to by the training staff, she sat the remainder of the game but seemed to be in good spirits. I'll dig for an update on her condition.

Thursday night's matchup with the Huskies of Montlake will likely be another physical affair. The Huskies are wrapping up a Spring season that opened with a drab scoreless draw at home against SPU. That was a rather shocking result, considering the Huskies were coming off a competitive second round of the NCAA Tournament where they only fell after a competitive battle against the home-side and national powerhouse Portland Pilots.

MINI-APPLE CUPS:
There are a pair of Cougs roaming the Sounders Side who will have a spring in their step Thursday. Forward Brooke Bemis & keeper Katie Hultin. Hultin loves heated, physical games and can't wait for this matchup.

Former Sounder and Coug Defender, Niki (Ironside) Bonnell had this to say about facing the Dawgs as a Coug Alum:

"This is our Apple Cup. Anytime you get to face the Huskies, whether you're wearing the Crimson & Grey or Blue & White, you get up for the match. It's always going to be more meaningful; the rivalry runs deep inside of you. Elbows tend to swing a bit higher and the tackles are a bit more aggressive. It is always a really fun game."

TV:
The game will also be aired on Comcast On-Demand. Whether you can make it to Starfire Thursday night or not, be sure to check out the game on Comcast. Decent viewership will certainly lead to more televised games and will only be another step toward bringing Seattle a WPS side.

Allison Tenney's Collar Bone Broken

2010-05-04T10:30:00.000-07:00

Its official: Allison Tenney broke her collarbone in Thursday's preseason win at SPU. Out 8 weeks, but vows quick recovery.

Story at David Falk's Seattle Soccer Examiner:
Seattle Soccer Examiner

2010-05-02T14:45:00.000-07:00

OSU 3:0 Sounders Women. FINAL

SPU recap & OSU preview...

2010-05-01T13:26:00.000-07:00

The first preseason home game for the Lady Sounders will be at 1pm Sunday, April 2nd, on Starfire Field #11. Admission is to cost $1. Be sure to bring your own chairs, as Field #11 has no spectator seating.

This game presents a unique opportunity as a fan/supporter. Being played on Field #11, the Sounders Men's practice field, this will be the first chance for many a Sounder Supporter to cross through the beautiful gates of the world-class Starfire practice facility onto the fine, full-sized 120yd pitch. This game will be about as intimate as imaginable. Those of you seeking an old school feel to the game, this is your chance (on an artificial surface). Fans will line the field and better be ready to collect errant passes, strong clearances, and chide the opponent from mere meters away!

Oregon State made a run to the Sweet-16 in the NCAA Tourney last season and is coming off of a tough 0-1 decision to the National Team's U-23 side. In that game, the Beavers fought hard and had many scoring chances. They are a team that is very aggressive in the opening minutes of the game, so our ladies may find themselves on their heels for a few minutes to start.

OSU plays Saturday afternoon at Interbay against SPU. It's a 3pm start for those of you interested in a preview of tomorrow's action.

If our game with the Beavers is to be anything like Thursday night's battle against SPU, we can expect a pressing Sounders side. The ladies were relentless in their attack and well rewarded for their efforts. Some early sloppy play was expected but the girls cleaned it up quickly and found their pace.

Without Michelle French, a former National Team player, at the holding midfielder position, the Sounders had a decidedly new look. Tafara Pulse stepped into the role nicely on Thursday at Interbay. The former Hibernian Saints midfielder looked confident and comfortable in her role organizing the front five. Between her and new coach Leighton O'Brien, it seems as though the ladies will be taking a more direct approach in their attack this season. The straightforward 4-4-2 looked at times like a 2-4-4 with the aggressive pressing of our outside mids. It was a very fun product to watch.

Other Sounders returners also looked in top form:

Chalise Baysa, at the left outside mid position, pressed forward and had several nice runs that kept the back line of SPU busy all night.

At Keeper, Katie Hultin was not tested often, but commanded the 18 with her usual intimidating presence. She was scored on early with a magical knuckleball from 20 following a missed clearance. That goal, however, sparked cleaner, less-hurried passing for the remainder of the night as the ladies found their pace.

Kelli Smith played her usual game with several heady decisions and pressing long-balls and Erin Redwine was a constant threat when the ball moved forward into the box.

The only troubling aspect of the night came soon after SPU's opening goal. Defender Allison Tenney, a former defender with the WPS's Washington Freedom, found the losing end of a collision and sustained a collar bone injury of some sort. Hopefully she's okay, both for her sake, and that of the Sounders. Her experience will be missed on the back line. I'll do my best to find out more about her recovery this weekend.

We finally found net in the 37th minute after a beautiful run up the left side by Baysa. She settled the ball and found an eager Jocelyn Charette (former SPU Falcon) in front of the goal who easily netted the ball. The result followed a long stretch of Sounder possession that saw many a near goal.

Our ladies continued the press through the break until Kelly Irving put her strong right foot to the ball and left the SPU keeper with no chance in the 53rd minute.

All in all, Leighton O'Brien's inaugural debut as the Lady Sounders' Head Man was a success. The girls found their rhythm with minimal hiccups and were the dominant side for the majority of the match. Tomorrow's test against the Pac 10's Oregon State will be a solid increase in competition and a good test for our ladies as they continue to refine their play.

See you tomorrow at MAD Pizza. ECS Members will receive discounts on food. So show your card & bring your voices. March to the Match promptly at 12:40.

2010-04-29T22:00:00.000-07:00

Sounders 2:1 SPU. FINAL.