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| Event Spotlight: Charge Lose to Breakers, 3-1 Saturday, April 26, 2003
By Greg Wiley
Philadelphia Charge Correspondent Melanie Hoffmann scored the Charge’s lone goal of the game, as the Boston Breakers defeated Philadelphia 3-1 on Saturday night at a cold and rain-soaked Nickerson Field. Melissa Moore made two saves for the Charge, who fell to 0-2-0 so far this season. The Breakers improved to 3-1-0. Maren Meinert scored twice and Devvyn Hawkins added a goal for the Breakers, who extended their home unbeaten streak to 12 games (7-0-5) dating back to the 2001 season. Dagny Mellgren had two assists and former Charge midfielder Rebekah McDowell added an assist for Boston, which ended a three-game winless streak versus the Charge (1-2-1). The game marked the first time Boston head coach Pia Sundhage faced her old club. Sundhage had spent two seasons as an assistant to Charge head coach Mark Krikorian before taking over the Breakers in the offseason. The Charge, who are off to their worst start in franchise history, ended a streak of 354 scoreless minutes with Hoffmann’s goal that came in the 90th minute of play. Philadelphia, which was shutout 1-0 in the season opener versus the CyberRays, had last scored a goal in the 73rd minute on August 7 in a 1-1 tie versus San Jose. The goal for Hoffmann was the first of her WUSA career. The former German national team member joined the Charge this offseason as a free agent. The penalty kick was result of Charge rookie Deliah Arrington getting fouled by Boston goalkeeper Karina LeBlanc on a breakaway. LeBlanc finished with five saves. Boston’s first goal came just three minutes in when McDowell fed a pass to Stephanie Mugneret-Beghe down the right flank. Mugneret-Beghe took the ball down the sideline and fed a crossing pass to Meinert, who from six yards out beat Moore to the left side. The Breakers got on the board again later in the first half when Hawkins headed home a cross from Mellgren in the 38th minute. The goal for Hawkins was her first in the WUSA. The Breakers selected the rookie in the first round of the 2003 draft. In the second half, Meinert put the icing on the cake when she converted her second goal of the game. Mellgren recorded the lone assist on the tally, which came in the 51st minute. Meinert has four goals and two assists lifetime versus the Charge. Philadelphia is now 0-4-3 in its last seven regular season road games and have dropped back-to-back games for the first time since June of 2001. The Charge lost to New York and then-Bay Area (San Jose) on June 17 and 20, respectively, that season. The Charge make their home debut on Saturday, May 3 against the New York Power at 4 p.m. The first 3,000 fans 14 & under to the game will receive a sport headband courtesy of Beneficial Savings Bank. For ticket information call 215-467-GOAL or log on to PhiladelphiaCharge.com for up-to-date information on the Charge. Scoring Summary: BOS -- Maren Meinert 3 (Stephanie Mugneret-Beghe 1, Rebekah McDowell 1) 3 Philadelphia Charge -- Melissa Moore, Jennifer Tietjen-Prozzo, Mary McVeigh, Heather Mitts, Jenny Benson, Melanie Hoffmann, Pavlina Scasna (Anne Makinen 73), Kelly Smith (Trina Maso de Moya 74), Stacey Tullock, Deliah Arrington, Marinette Pichon (Lorrie Fair 54).TOTAL SHOTS: 10 (Melanie Hoffmann 3); SHOTS ON GOAL: 6 (Melanie Hoffmann 2, Stacey Tullock 2); FOULS: 13 (Kelly Smith 4); OFFSIDES: 1 (Deliah Arrington 1); CORNER KICKS: 1 (Pavlina Scasna 1); SAVES: 2 (Melissa Moore 2) Boston Breakers -- Karina LeBlanc, Jena Kluegel, Monica Gonzalez, Christine McCann, Heather Aldama, Sarah Popper (Erin O'Grady 45), Devvyn Hawkins, Rebekah McDowell, Maren Meinert, Stephanie Mugneret-Beghe, Dagny Mellgren (Marcia Wallis 84).TOTAL SHOTS: 6 (Maren Meinert 3); SHOTS ON GOAL: 5 (Maren Meinert 2); FOULS: 13 (Rebekah McDowell 3); OFFSIDES: 4 (Dagny Mellgren 2); CORNER KICKS: 3 (Dagny Mellgren 3); SAVES: 5 (Karina LeBlanc 5) Misconduct Summary: PHI -- Deliah Arrington (caution) 68 Referee: Tony Russo |
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