2003 Jul 26

Seattle Sounders Women  5 - 0  Fort Collins Force
Seahawks Stadium, Seattle, WA

Goals:
4' SEA - Milyak (Frimpong)
8' SEA - Rodrick
56' SEA - Putz (Bennett)
84' SEA - Rodrick (Mueller)
90' SEA - Putz (Mueller)

Seattle: Meghan Miller; Shannon Forslund, Katie Miyake (Joanie Gerpheide 65'), Wynne McIntosh; Dana Kimble, Haley vanBlommestein (Nikki Gamble 65'), Rachel Rodrick, Alicia Milyak (Janelle Munnis 65'); Carolyn Putz, Melissa Bennett, Tina Frimpong (Brenda Mueller 33'). Substitutes not used: Kelly Niles, Mary Kuder.

Fort Collins: Lindsay Smith (Sarah Schweitzer 82'); Brianna McCarty, Kelley Bond, Katie Jardine (Wendy Dunn 46'), Karen Sandrick; Kerry Greer, Ali McClelland (Jill Knotteck 55'), Jennifer Kehl, Cayla Meyer; Kristen Geyer, Tara Kidwell. Substitute not used: Katie Leung.

Match report from the Sounders Women:

On a gorgeous Seattle afternoon the playoff bound Seattle Sounders Women took on the Fort Collins Force in a Western Division showdown before 599 faithful Sounders fans. The Sounders Women offense seemed well tuned in the final match of the regular season as they blanked the Force 5-0, handing the Force their fourth straight shutout.

The Sounders Women defense controlled the first half, keeping the Force at bay with only two shots in the first 45 minutes. The defense ignited the offense as the Sounders Women tallied two goals on 16 shots.

The first goal came early in the match as forward Tina Frimpong took the ball through the box and delivered an excellent pass to Alicia Milyak, who rocketed a goal far post for her second goal of the year. Then in the 8th minute midfielder Rachel Rodrick took a loose ball in the box, near the penalty spot, and launched a shot over the crowd and Force goalkeeper Lindsay Smith.

The Sounders Women had another opportunity to score toward the end of the half as Milyak took a shot from 10 yards out which hit the crossbar and rebounded back toward the crowd where Frimpong was waiting to put the rebound into the goal, but kicked it just wide of the net.

The Sounders Women continued to apply the offensive pressure in the second half. Early in the second half midfielder Dana Kimble crossed the ball up ¼ of the field on a dime to waiting Melissa Bennett, who drilled a shot that just hit the cross bar and went out of play.

In the 56th minute Sounders midfielder Caroline Putz scored her first goal of the match as she sprinted down the left side of the field and received a feed from Bennett just in front of the box. Putz had a one-on-one shot with Force goalie Smith and put the shot just out of her reach.

Rodrick and Putz put the game away as both scored their second goals of the match in the closing minutes, both assisted by Brenda Mueller.

The Sounders Women scored five goals on 31 shots. Sounders Women keeper Meghan Miller had only one save on one shot on goal, as the Sounders defense shut out the Force.

The Force end their season with five straight scoreless matches.

The Sounders Women will face the Vancouver Whitecaps Women in the first round of the playoffs next Saturday, August 2nd, in Vancouver at Swangard Stadium. It was the Whitecaps Women (then the Breakers) that eliminated the Sounders Women from the first round of the playoffs last season.

Statistics:
         Seattle  Fort Collins
Shots:      31         5
Saves:       1        13
Corners:     6         1
Fouls:       5         5
Offsides:    6         0

Misconduct:
none

Referees: Rachel Berg; Krystin Lambalot, Jesse Scrimsher; Chad Thresher
Attendance: 599