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| Event Spotlight: Pichon Leads Charge to First Win of Season, 2-1 Over Power Saturday, May 17, 2003
By Greg Wiley
Philadelphia Charge Correspondent Marinette Pichon scored two goals to lead the Philadelphia Charge to a 2-1 win over the New York Power at Mitchel Athletic Complex on Saturday afternoon. Rookie Hope Solo was forced to make only one save in her first start of the year for the Charge (1-4-0, 3 pts), who ended a four-game losing streak to record their first win of the 2003 season. Stacey Tullock also recorded an assist for Philadelphia, which ended an eight-game road winless streak (1-5-3). The Charge had lost three road tilts this season and five straight dating back to last year. It was the team's first win away from home since June 19, 2002 when it beat Carolina 3-1. Solo started in net in place of veteran Melissa Moore, who had been in goal for the Charge's first four contests. Her attempt at a shutout was foiled in the final minutes, but the University of Washington product helped the Charge avenge a 5-4 home loss to the Power just two weeks ago. Pichon has now scored at least one goal in two straight games. The Frenchwoman didn't play last week versus Washington due to national team duties. However, she did have a goal and an assist the prior game, which was also versus New York. This season the 2002 MVP and Offensive Player of the Year has three goals and one assist for seven points. The Charge will return home to face the San Jose CyberRays on Saturday, May 24 at 7:00 p.m. The first 2,000 fans 14 & under to the game will receive a Marinette Pichon Bobble-leg Doll courtesy of Penn Orthopedics. The game begins a two-game homestand for Philadelphia, which will also face Carolina on Saturday, May 31 at 7 p.m. After 59 minutes of scoreless soccer, the Charge got on the board first. Deliah Arrington started the play by getting out on a breakaway, forcing New York goalkeeper Carly Smolak to come out and knock the ball away. However, the ball went right to Tullock, who was coming down the left flank. Tullock controlled the ball about 20 yards out and served it to Pichon, who half-volleyed it home from 12 yards. On the play, Arrington went down with a right knee sprain and had to be carted off the field. The rookie was replaced by fellow first-year player Rachel Kruze. Arrington's future status is unknown. Pichon later increased the lead to 2-0 when she took a Kruze cross, brought the ball down in front of Smolak, touched it around a Power defender and scored in an open net. The goal came in the 81st minute. After scoring each goal, Pichon lifted her shirt to show off a t-shirt that honored injured teammate Kelly Smith. The t-shirt had the number 8 on it and said "Smith" in big letters across the top. New York spoiled Solo's shot at a shutout in the 91st minute when Joanne Peters knocked home a rebound. Solo then made a save a minute later and Philadelphia staved off a few New York counterattacks in the final minutes to earn its first win of the season and end a two-game losing streak to the Power (3-4-0 9 pts). Solo made a number of good plays in the opening half. She took the ball off the head of Tammy Pearman in the 29th minute. She then intercepted a cross intended for Pearman just minutes later. The Charge had a number of chances to score in the opening 45 minutes. Tullock had a shot in the 25th minute stopped by Smolak and Pichon volleyed the ball over the net in the 40th minute. Philadelphia then had another chance in the 43rd minute. However, Smolak again came up big making a save on a point-blank shot by Melanie Hoffmann. The rebound went to the foot of Pichon, who volleyed the ball over the net. The Charge had to play today without defender Heather Mitts, who played for the U.S. earlier in the day in a 6-0 win over England in Alabama. Lorrie Fair started in the back line in place of Mitts. New York played without Tiffeny Milbrett and Christie Pearce, who were also with the U.S. national team.
PHI -- Marinette Pichon 2 (Stacey Tullock 1) 60 Philadelphia Charge -- Hope Solo, Lorrie Fair, Mary McVeigh, Jennifer Tietjen-Prozzo, Jenny Benson, Marinette Pichon, Melanie Hoffmann, Anne Makinen, Erin Misaki, Stacey Tullock, Deliah Arrington (Rachel Kruze 62). TOTAL SHOTS: 12 (Marinette Pichon 7); SHOTS ON GOAL: 7 (Marinette Pichon 3); FOULS: 10 (Deliah Arrington 3, Jenny Benson 3); OFFSIDES: 3 (Melanie Hoffmann 3); CORNER KICKS: 6 (Melanie Hoffmann 4); SAVES: 1 (Hope Solo 1) New York Power -- Carly Smolak, Lindsey Jones, Jaclyn Raveia, Cheryl Salisbury (Lauren Orlandos 64), Margaret Tietjen, Justi Baumgardt (Emily Janss 73), Shannon Boxx, Joanne Peters, Anita Rapp (Heather Beem 80), Christie Welsh, Tammy Pearman (Krista Davey 62). TOTAL SHOTS: 7 (Shannon Boxx 2, Christie Welsh 2); SHOTS ON GOAL: 2 (Tammy Pearman 1, Joanne Peters 1); FOULS: 8 (Shannon Boxx 4); OFFSIDES: 1 (Tammy Pearman 1); CORNER KICKS: 4 (Justi Baumgardt 3); SAVES: 5 (Carly Smolak 5) Misconduct Summary: Referee: Sandra Hunt |
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