2000 Aug 6
 
Seattle Sounders Select Women 2 - 2 Portland Rain
Memorial Stadium, Seattle
 
5 SEA - Bennett (Gerpheide)
24 POR - Baysa (McDaniel)
49 POR - McDaniel (Lawson)
52 SEA - Bilanski (Munnis)
 
Seattle: Lindsey Jorgensen; Christina Harsaghy, Jen Birks, Tari Beck, Dana Kimble; Joanie Gerpheide, Sanya Trandum, Tara Bilanski, Michele Badilla; Karen Hardy, Tami Bennett.
Reserves: Sarah Peters, Erin Otagaki, Brenda Meuller, Amy Sprague, Nichole Sauvageau, Janelle Munnis, Elle Curinga.

Portland: Michelle Bertocchi; Jessica Ward, Janay Mountain, Megan Lobo-Berg; Mariette Boyce, Tracey Osborn, Staci Morris, Katlin Jackson, Chalise Baysa; Tami McDaniel, Mary Cascio.
Reserves: Keri-Ann Lawson.


Match report by Ron Stickney:
 
The Seattle Sounders Select Women had to settle for a 2-2 draw against the Portland Rain. Seattle had beat Portland 3-0 in in Portland three weeks previously. Tami Bennett had an early goal for Seattle, but Chalise Baysa leveled the score midway in the first half. Tami McDaniel gave Portland a 2-1 lead early in the second half, but Tara Bilanski soon evened the score again. Although Portland had just one substitute to Seattle's seven, the Rain defended well and escaped with the draw.

First Half

Bennett took several shots early. First she headed Gerpheide's corner kick onto the top of the net, then she was just wide of the top near corner from a steep angle. And then she scored.

5' Bennett (Gerpheide). Joanie Gerpheide put Bennett through on the left. Goalkeeper Michelle Bertocchi came out of goal but Bennett put a low shot past Bertocchi. Seattle 1-0.

Portland's first shot came in the 22nd minute from Keri-Ann Lawson, a 25-yarder up the middle, right to goalkeeper Lindsey Jorgensen's feet.

24' Baysa (McDaniel). A forward ball from Tami McDaniel bounced over the crowd in the penalty area and Baysa headed it into the top left corner from 8 yards. Jorgensen got a piece of the shot with her hand, but not enough. 1-1.

Seattle's Sanya Trandum went through on the right from a wall pass but sent the 15-yard shot well wide of the far post. Bennett tried for a flying header from Nichole Sauvageau's cross but couldn't quite reach it.

For Portland, Tracey Osborn tried a quick shot from 30 yards but was well wide.

A near goal for Seattle came when Bennett drew the last defender and dished right for an unmarked Karen Hardy, who tried to put a low shot by Bertocchi, but the goalkeeper collapsed to block the shot with her arm.

McDaniel had a good chance for Portland when her marker tried for the ball unsuccessfully, but McDaniel pushed the ball too far ahead and couldn't get an accurate shot.

Halftime: Seattle 1 - 1 Portland

49' McDaniel (Lawson). A Seattle defender tried for the ball inside her own area and missed, allowing Lawson's pass to spring McDaniel right in front of goal. McDaniel beat second-half goalkeeper Sarah Peters with a low shot. Portland 2-1.

52' Bilanski (Munnis). It didn't take Seattle long to answer. Inside the penalty area, Janelle Munnis dropped a pass to Bilanski, who put a 20-yard shot inside the near post past a frozen Bertocchi. 2-2.

A minute later McDaniel had a chance for the Rain but she misjudged the astroturf bounce and shot wide of goal. Lawson then shot wide from 15 yards.

The last 20 minutes was dominated by Seattle, but they couldn't crack Portland's defense. Defender Jen Birks missed by 2 yards from 30. Trandum was well wide from 25 yards. From Gerpheide's corner kick, Tari Beck headed down so hard that the ball bounced over the crossbar. Bennett put Hardy free up the left side for a 15-yard shot that bent wide of the far post. Erin Otagaki's 15-yarder from a free kick play was aimed at the far post, but Bertocchi leaped sideways to grab it. Bilanski's 30-yard free kick was over the crowd, forcing a diving save by Bertocchi. Christina Harsaghy's 40-yard blast was pushed wide of the bottom corner by Bertocchi. Plenty of chances, but none were finished.

Final: Seattle 2 - 2 Portland

Statistics:
Seattle Portland
Shots: 19 12
Saves: 1 5
Corners: 6 2
Fouls: 8 13
Offsides: 3 1
 
Misconduct:
45 Jackson (POR) cautioned for pulling Munnis back by the jersey.

Referee: Mike Fox; Asst Refs: David Rowe, Ryan Otelle; 4th Official: JC Plott.

Attendance: 350