Ottawa Fury huge win

[Frank Cunha]

4-0 over Sky Blue



Luso Americana Kim Brandao played for Sky Blue

ladies USL PLAYOFFS

Ottawa Eliminates Sky Blue
Taylor Connects Twice to Propel Fury

OTTAWA, ONT - JULY 28, 2007


Jodie Taylor connected twice and the Ottawa Fury took advantage of its chances to knock off Jersey Sky Blue 4-0 in the semifinals of the Eastern Conference playoffs at Keith Harris Stadium.

Anna Laue and Annie Hamel also scored for Ottawa, which will face the Washington Freedom in the final tomorrow after the Freedom rolled past the Toronto Lady Lynx 6-1 in the earlier semifinal match. Ottawa only held a 12-8 advantage in shots but finished them when it counted as Sky Blue couldn't get past Fury keeper Vanessa Philips-Bosshart, who recorded seven saves to post the shutout.

The first half was evenly played with both sides producing chances but the game turned in a nine-minute span midway through the opening 45 minutes. Sky Blue had two great chances by Lara Dickenmann but she was foiled by Fury keeper Vanessa Philips- Bosshart on both occasions and Taylor came up with a goal as Ottawa led 1-0 at halftime.

At the 25-minute mark, Sky Blue nearly broke open the scoring when Leah Tapscott carried the ball up the left side before cutting a pass back to Dickenmann. The Swiss striker hit a first-time shot that Philips- Bosshart dove to her left to push away.

In the 30th minute, Taylor gave Ottawa the lead off a nice feed from Kelly Parker, who slid a pass through the center of the Sky Blue defense. Taylor held off Sky Blue back Fanta Cooper before poking a shot past keeper Erin Guthrie into the back of the net.

Four minutes later, Tapscott fed Dickenmann again in front of the net but Dickenmann, who racked up 18 goals in the regular season, once again was stopped by Philips-Bosshart, who stuffed her blast from eight yards out.

After halftime, both teams traded chances until Ottawa struck again in the 68th minute thanks to a nice effort by Taylor, who cut past two defenders in the box before hitting a shot past Guthrie.

Three minutes later, it was 3-0 as Laue headed a cross from Hamel inside the left post. Hamel capped the scoring in the 77th minute stealing the ball on the right side before slipping a shot inside the left post from just inside the box on the right.

Sky Blue still attacked and substitute Erla Arnardóttir nearly scored twice before time. The Iceland international lifted a shot over Philips-Bosshart that banged off the crossbar in the 78th minute and then headed another good effort right at the Fury keeper in stoppage time.

7/28/2007 - Keith Harris Stadium 1 2 - FINAL
Jersey Sky Blue 0 0 - 0
Ottawa Fury 1 3 - 4

LINEUPS
JERSEY SKY BLUE: Erin Guthrie, Steph Logterman, Kim Brandão, Lauren Ebert (Erla Arnardóttir 60), Fanta Cooper, Nikki Krzysik (Susanna Lehtinen 76), Leah Tapscott, Katie Griffin (Lizzy Nichols 76), Gina DeMaio (Domenique Esposito 73), Lara Dickenmann, Tricia DiPaolo (Lisa Chinn 70).
OTTAWA FURY: Vanessa Philips-Bosshart, Jenny Jeffers, Faye White, Ciara MacCormack, Marie-Eve Nault, Leah Robinson, Rachael Axon, Kelly Parker (Kylla Sjoman 67), Anna Laue (Christina Julien 80), Annie Hamel (Zoe Avner 80), Jodie Taylor.

GOALS
OF: Taylor (Parker) 30th minute
OF: Taylor 68th minute
OF: Laue (Hamel) 71st minute
OF: Hamel 77th minute

SAVES
JSB: Guthrie 6; OF: Philips- Bossheart 7

SHOTS
JSB: 8; OF: 12

CAUTIONS/EJECTIONS
OF: Jeffers (caution) 44th minute

GAME NOTES
ATTENDANCE: 450
REFEREE: Joe Audi
ASSISTANT: Costa Karamalis
ASSISTANT: Dawn Dinsdale
FOURTH: Donald Pinheiro