The WNY Flash outlasted the Philadelphia Independence in penalties after a long, hard-fought deadlock to become 2011 WPS Champions
On August 27th, in front of a 10,000+ crowd, the two best teams in WPS faced off in Rochester, in what would be one of the grittiest, hard-fought matches in the history of the WPS post-season. It was Regular season Champs WNY Flash, vs. the Philly Independence. The Flash were favorites to win, as Philly was seen as an underdog, mostly based on the fact that their squad wasn't as "stacked" with stars. Nonetheless, both teams deserved to get where they did, and no one was to be taken lightly. What ensued was a pretty even match from both sides.
The first half was actually quite sloppy. The turn overs were plentiful, and the passing accuracy was just plain dreadful. there was moments of brilliance but for the most part, the first half was more gritty and physical, and not as elegant as some would have hoped. The highlight of the first half was the appearance of the "WPS Squirrel" who ran in circles for a few minutes. The players laughed and watched in awe (and maybe fear, for some). After about 8 minutes total, the stadium's staff captured the critter in a box and took him off the field. Play resumed, and eventually the half ended 0-0.
In the second half, things would change. The game relied much more on actual passing and plays, and in the 62nd minute, after both teams having gone back and forth on attacking efforts, the WNY Flash drew first blood. Sinclair latched onto a flawless ball from Chapman, finished with a half-volley past Barnhart, and celebrated with her teammates. Philly and WNY were pretty even for the rest of the half, with Philly having some extremely close calls. Eventually, in the 87th minute, A-Rod would score. After a shot bounched off the post, a scrambling Harris got up and attempted to get into position in time, but A-Rod slotted it right under her. The game was tied and it went into ET.
The ET in this game was some of the most exciting periods of ET I have ever seen. I was on the edge of my seat, hoping it went to penalties (I love seeing penalty shoot outs!), and also, I felt that it was the only way to settle a game like this. They were so well-matched. I know penalties are a terrible way to lose/win, because it doesn't merit how you've played. But that was kind of the reason why I wanted penalties. Both teams played so evenly, I didn't want one to triumph over the other in that regard. It just wouldn't feel fair. I figured in this case, it was best to pull it down to penalties. Anyway, the ET was nerve-wracking. Both teams got dangerously close to goal, and in fact I got most of my family to actually get into it with me. The craziest part was the final corner kick before penalties. It was a Flash corner, and after Marta delivered it, Seger connected. It was about a foot away from bouncing in when Barnhart managed to push it out in the nick of time. After the final play, the game went to penalties.
I'll admit I wanted the Flash to win, but I would have been ok with either team wining. However, I favored the Flash all the way through, and especially wanted my favorite GK, Harris, to do well. The penalty shoot out was even more nerve-wracking than the ET! Every player from each team scored on their turn. Although, both Barnhart and Ashlyn had close calls on a save. The final kicker for Philly, Laura Del Rio, went up. She shot the ball to her right. Ashlyn Harris dove for the ball, made contact, and knocked it away from goal. She got up and ran towards her teammates in what will be a memorable celebration and moment in the history of WPS Championships. What a way to win the game.
Ashlyn Harris, Coast Guard GK of the Year, celebrates after blocking Del Rio's shot. Her save won the game for the Flash, making them 2011 WPS Champs
It was a wonderful conclusion to a wonderful season. As I always say, it seems like it gets better every year. Just when I thought last season couldn't be topped, Year 3 proved me wrong. Despite the loss of some players for a length of time due to the WWC, the season was marvelous, and the return of the WWC players made it that much sweeter. The future looks bright at this point for the league. Increased interest and attendance numbers bode well for the WPS. I expect we'll be treated to another fantastic season in Year 4. But first, there is an off-season to get through! There are talks of expansion, salary caps, etc, and let's not forget we'll likely witness some crazy trades and transfers! Also, the draft(s) will be taking place as well. As we say so long and "thank you" to season 3, we look forward to season 4. I promise that next season I will try my best to cover it better! I fell quite a bit short this year. New season, clean slate! It'll be here before you know! I'll be sure to keep up with off-season events though!
Thanks everyone for reading!
Denise
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