Charge's Marinette Pichon Named WUSA Player of the Week

Philadelphia Charge forward Marinette Pichon has been selected as the WUSA's Player of the Week for the week ending May 26, 2002. Pichon scored two goals and set up a third score as the Charge downed Carolina 3-1 on Saturday, May 25 at SAS Soccer Park.

Pichon is the second Philadelphia player to win the weekly award in 2002, as teammate Kelly Smith captured the honor for week five. Philadelphia is the only WUSA team to have multiple WUSA Player of the Week award recipients in 2002.

A seven-year member of the French national team, Pichon scored the Charge's first and third goals in the win at Carolina Saturday evening. She also figured prominently in Philadelphia's second goal and just missed scoring her third of the evening by about 10 inches.

Following a Kelly Smith shot, an unmarked Pichon headed home the rebound to put Philadelphia up 1-0 in the 29th minute. In the 70th minute, Pichon's hard work at the offensive end resulted in Carolina defender Danielle Slaton tripping her in the penalty area. Smith went on to convert the penalty kick. Pichon put the game out of reach in the 82nd minute, taking a pass from Lorrie Fair and beating Carolina goalkeeper Kristin Luckenbill from the top of the penalty area. Pichon had a breakaway chance for her third goal but just missed wide on the far side in the 90th minute.

"Pichon makes such outstanding runs," Carolina Head Coach Marcia McDermott said. "She always finds the hole in your defense and they can hold possession so well that with her quality of runs it's just incredibly dangerous. I think Pichon is just an impressive addition to the league."

After four weeks with American players winning the weekly honor, the past three weeks have featured international stars taking home the WUSA Player of the Week award.

Pichon, who had 25 points in the voting (12 of the 13 first-place votes), outdistanced San Jose's Katia (9 pts.), New York's Saskia Webber (3 pts.), the Power's Tiffeny Milbrett (2 pts.) and Atlanta's Briana Scurry (1 pt.). The WUSA's Player of the Week is selected every Monday throughout the regular season by a panel of journalists from the Professional Soccer Reporters Association.