Charge's Pichon Scores in WUSA All-Star Game

PORTLAND, OR - Philadelphia Charge forward and reigning league MVP and Offensive Player of the Year Marinette Pichon scored the lone goal for the North All-Stars on Saturday as the South came away with a 6-1 victory in the 2002 WUSA All-Star Game at PGE Park. Washington's Abby Wambach, playing for the South, tallied two goals and one assist to claim the Hyundai MVP award, as 14,208 fans turned out to watch the inaugural All-Star Game.

"I'm very honored," Said Wambach. "To be in the company of such great athletes and great women and be named MVP is special. I think that every person on that field today ahs some much to contribute to the game of soccer. I feel very fortunate that I am able to play with them." The North squad jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the 12th minute when Pichon got the North All-Stars on the board after slotting a shot past Carolina goalkeeper Kristin Luckenbill.

The South countered, rattling off six straight goals, including both scores by Wambach.

San Diego's Shannon MacMillan and Atlanta's Charmaine Hooper each registered a goal and an two assist for the South. Washington's Mia Hamm recorded two assists in the match.

The crowd was the largest at PGE Park since the stadium underwent a $38.5 million renovation in 2000.

The All-Star Game also marked the return of New York's Tiffeny Milbrett and MacMillan to the Portland area. Both WUSA stars were teammates at the University of Portland.

"For me this was incredibly special," said MacMillan. "Seeing Clive (Charles) on the field, doing the coin toss was very emotional. I owe a lot to the city of Portland and to be able to come here a participate in the WUSA's first All-Star Game was very special and emotional."

"I think when you have a crowd like this and a day like this in the city of Portland makes our job much easier and more enjoyable," said Milbrett. "The city of Portland has a rich soccer history and everybody understands the game. When you have good players and a good product come to town they will come out and watch. Hopefully, they were entertained."

	1	2	F
South All-Stars	1	0	1
North All-Stars	3	3	6

Scoring Summary:

NAS - Pichon 1 (Venturini-Hoch 1), 12

SAS - Riise 1 (Hamm 1), 21

SAS - Wambach 1 (MacMillan 1), 24

SAS - Bivens 1 (Hamm 2), 39

SAS - Wambach 2 (Hooper 1, MacMillan 2), 60

SAS - Hooper 1 (Wambach 1), 66

SAS - MacMillan 1 (Hooper 2), 80

SOUTH ALL-STARS (Starters)-Kristin Luckenbill, Danielle Slaton, Jennifer Grubb, Joy Fawcett, Tiffany Roberts, Homare Sawa, Julie Foudy, Shannon MacMillan, Hege Riise, Abby Wambach, Mia Hamm.
TOTAL SHOTS: 19 (MacMillan 5); SHOTS ON GOAL: 10 (MacMillan 3); FOULS: 4 (Roberts 2); OFFSIDE: 2; CORNER KICKS: 10; SAVES: Luckenbill 3; Scurry 4; CAUTIONS: None; EJECTIONS: None.

NORTH ALL-STARS (Starters)-Melissa Moore, Jenny Benson, Jennifer Tietjen, Kate Sobrero, Brandi Chastain, Lorrie Fair, Tisha Venturini-Hoch, Sissi, Katia, Marinette Pichon, Tiffeny Milbrett.
TOTAL SHOTS: 11 (2 tied with 3); SHOTS ON GOAL: 8 (Pichon 3); FOULS: 0 (none); OFFSIDE: 3; CORNER KICKS: 4; SAVES: Moore 1; Beene 3; CAUTIONS: None; EJECTIONS: None.

Referee: Kari Seitz
Referee's Assistants: Emiliano Monje; Fabio Tovar
4th Official: Sandra Serafini
Attendance: 14,208
Temperature: Sunny, clear and 73 degrees