BOSTON BREAKERS 0 - 0 NJ SKY BLUE FC

Jenni Branam played a blinder for Sky Blue FC to frustrate the Boston Breakers once again at Harvard Stadium, denying them the win that would have clinched a playoff spot and keeping Sky Blue's record of no loses to Boston intact. Branam made eight saves to record the shut-out her sixth of the season – the second best total in Women’s Professional Soccer.

The Breakers started of strongly in the 1st half from the very first minute.In the 11th minute, Maggie Tomecka had perhaps the best chance of the match when she got on the end of a bouncing ball in front of the net, but hit it to the center where Branam was positioned to make the diving save. In the 17th minute, Kristine Lilly sent Jennie Nobis on a breakaway with a long ball, but with just Branam standing in her way of a goal, Nobis was unable to find the corner.

Sky Blue did not have many chances in the 1st half.They only managed 3 shots. Heather O'Reilly being the most offensive player for Sky Blue.In the 26th minute, O’Reilly hit a shot that went right over the middle of the cross bar. Then in the 39th, she again got the ball and took it down the right side before crossing it across the goal mouth, but Ali Lipsher picked it up before one of O’Reilly’s teammates got a foot on it.

The Breakers went into the changing rooms wondering how they failed to score. After dominating the half.

The 2nd Half did not live up to the anticipation.

Kristine Lilly had The Breakers best opportunity in the 54th minute when she shot a ball to the left of the goal. Branam made a diving save to keep the game level.
Alex Scott having moved up to midfield had a breakaway and was tearing down on goal. Branam once again flew out of her goal to take the ball of her before she could get a shot in.

With Boston deflated with their failure to score. Sky Blue came more into the game and started to create chances. The best late on when Kelly Parker hit a shot to the left corner, but Breakers defender Heather Mitts got in front of it to deflect it from the goal.

The Breakers are now 2 pts behind second-place Saint Louis Athletica and remain two points clear of Sky Blue, who are tied in fourth with Washington Freedom. Freedom have a game in hand.

COACH TONY DICICCO On the draw…

Well we’re disappointed. In some ways we thought that was our best offensive half of the season, but we didn’t get anything from it. Jenni Branam made some great saves, but our quality in front of the goal just isn’t good enough and it has kind of plagued us all season long. We’re disappointed, but a point hurts them more than it hurts us. They only have two games left, so it limits how many total points they can get.



COACH KELLY LINDSEY

“Unbelieveable. Thank goodness for Branam, I think that’s the theme of the night for us. She definitely saved us – our team knows it, Boston knows it, Branam was the hero today by far.”

“I expect at this point that they have nothing but dislike for us and were definitely going to come at us. I expected numbers up top. I didn’t know exactly who they were going to throw in there, but I’ve watched their film the past few weeks and just expected them to be on an attacking fury. Every team needs to be at this point.”

“I think after those first 10 or 15 minutes, it was just ‘Let’s get into halftime, tie it or maybe we’ll sneak one and be a goal up,’ but we’re very happy to get into halftime tied. I think we can all take a sigh of relief and kind of start over and rebuild.”


Lineups:

Boston Breakers – Allison Lipsher; Alex Scott, Nancy Augustyniak, Amy LePeilbet, Heather Mitts; Kelly Schmedes, Angela Hucles, Maggie Tomecka, Kristine Lilly(C) ; Jennifer Nobis (Amy Rodriguez 62', Christine Latham 77'), Fabiana (Abby Crumpton 58').

Sky Blue FC – Jenni Branam; Jen Buczkowski, Keeley Dowling(C) , Anita Asante, Meghan Schnur; Heather O'Reilly(C) , Rosana (Noelle Keselica 59’), Collette McCallum, Kelly Parker; Kerri Hanks (Julianne Sitch 65'), Kacey White.