2003 May 25

Seattle Sounders Women  1 - 2  Vancouver Whitecaps Women
Seahawks Stadium, Seattle, WA

Goals:
43' VAN - Maglio (R Hicks)
56' SEA - Putz (Mueller)
65' VAN - Trotman (Holen)

Seattle: Meghan Miller; Joanie Gerpheide (Tari Beck 72'), Wynne McIntosh (Caroline Putz 46'), Shannon Forslund, Haley VanBlommestein; Nikki Gamble, Rachel Rodrick, Alicia Milyak (Christie Spear 76'), Melissa Bennett; Brenda Mueller, Janelle Munnis (Shelby Brownfield 70'). Substitutes not used: Lisa Brookens, Dana Kimble.

Vancouver: Erin McLeod; Liz Conner, Gillian Hicks, Sasha Andrews, Sophie Spilborghs; Andrea Neil, Sara Maglio (Tera Kasubuchi 80'), Amy Apps, Diana Artuso; Rosalyn Hicks (Martina Holan 58'), Amber Allen (Phebe Trotman 34', Carey Gustafson 90'). Substitutes not used: Sian Bagshawe, Sadie McLure, Sandi Potis.

Match report by Ron Stickney:

The Seattle Sounders Women fell 2-1 to the Vancouver Whitecaps Women. Vancouver's Sara Maglio opened the scoring late in the first half. Seattle made it even on Caroling Putz' goal. Vancouver got the match winner in the 65tth minute when Phebe Trotman found net.

First Half

Vancouver threatened early when Amber Allen won a ball sent into the penalty area, and after wrestling free of her marker she got off a shot that was too soft to get by goalkeeper Meghan Miller.

Seattle's first shot came when Brenda Mueller received a through ball for a 20-yard shot, but she missed by three seating sections. Melissa Bennett's shot was deflected wide, where Alicia Milyak was open for a cross that Janelle Munnis couldn't quite reach. Bennett's free kick from the left end of the arc was struck hard at the underside of the cross bar, but goalkeeper Erin McLeod was there to tip it over. On the resulting corner kick by Bennett, Wynne McIntosh went up to head it, but could only reach enough to pop it up for McLeod. Rachel Rodrick tried from 30, but it was too soft and easily saved.

Vancouver's offense returned in the 21st minute and Seattle's went dormant. Diana Artuso had a half chance from the left but she missed by the width of the goal. Rosalyn Hicks beat her marker to win a through ball near the arc, and she touched it past Miller for a shot at an open goal, but she hit it too softly from ten yards and McIntosh got back to clear it out for a corner, leaving Hicks holding her head in dismay.

In the 38th Artuso carried up the middle for a 20-yarder, but the soft shot was easily claimed by Miller. R Hicks headed Maglio's corner kick down towards the far post, and Miller did well to collapse for the save. Substitute Trotman was a yard wide from 20.

43' Maglio (R Hicks). From near the right touch line, Maglio put a shot/cross into the top far corner. Miller tried to retreat but couldn't reach the shot in time. 1-0 Vancouver.

Halftime: Seattle 0 - 1 Vancouver

56' Putz (Mueller). Putz came on at the intermission and soon had a goal. Mueller won a ball just inside the penalty area at the right end of the arc. She drew three defenders, then passed to the other end of the arc for Putz, who finished with a right-footed shot inside the left post. 1-1.

Vancouver substitute Martina Holan entered in the 59th and soon had a near goal, beating her marker in midfield to earn a 15-yard shot at the lower corner that Miller collected with a fine save. Artuso got free on the left for a shot at the far post, and Miller again made a fine save.

65' Trotman (Holan). Vancouver's match winner was a lucky goal. Miller came outside the goal area and leaped to try to catch a cross, and it looked like she may have had it when she was charged hard by a Vancouver attacker. Down went Miller. She probably lost the ball before she was charged, but the charge seemed to have too much force and the attacker didn't get the ball. While virtually everyone was expecting a foul to be called by referee Sandy Hunt, the loose ball was taken by Holan at the bye line, and she sent the ball in front of the net where Trotman finished through a temporarily disorganized Seattle defense as Miller lay hurting on the ground. 2-1 Vancouver.

Seattle soon had a chance when Bennett was taken down in the arc, but Rodrick's free kick was deflected over for a corner.

For Vancouver in the 72nd, Artuso sprinted down the left side and crossed to the far post for Trotman, whose header bounced just wide of the left post.

Seattle had all of the remaining chances as Vancouver packed it in on defense. From the left at the bye line, Putz crossed the ball through the goal area for Nikki Gamble at the top far corner of the goal area, but the ball was a bit too high for Gamble's try at a volley and the shot went wide of the near post. From the top left of the penalty area, Bennett's free kick was barely over the bar. In the 90th Rodrick rolled a free kick left for Putz, whose 20-yarder at the far post was claimed by McLeod.

Final: Seattle 1 - 2 Vancouver

Statistics:
         Seattle  Vancouver
Shots:       9       16
Saves:       7        3
Corners:     5        5
Fouls:       6       13
Offsides:    5        1

Misconduct:
none

Referees: Sandi Hunt; Pam Davis, Krystin Lambalot; Julie Hosking.
Attendance: