May 8, 2001

Results of first week of W-1 & W-2 Leagues

W-1 League

May 4 Jacksonville Jade 2 Texas Odyssey 1 (in overtime)
The Odyssey and Jade kicked off the 2001 W-League season Friday and it didn't take long for the first celebration as Jacksonville midfielder Sandra Roos scored just three minutes into the game.

But, the expansion club was able to tie the game just before the halftime whistle when Brooke Hopkins scored the Odyssey's first-ever goal on an assist from Laura Snyder.

Despite Texas outshooting the Jade, 5-0, in the second half, the game remained tied at the end of regulation. After being shut out for 88 minutes, Roos scored the game-winner in the first minute of extra time to give the Jade their first win over a W-1 opponent in nearly two years.

May 5 Tampa Bay Extreme 1 Texas Odyssey 2 (in overtime)
Odyssey jumped on top with an early goal as former Chicago Cobras forward Courtney Linex scored in the second minute. Substitute forward Jesssica LiMauro tied the game in the 83rd minute, but midfielder Katie Branston secured the milestone win with just more than six minutes left in sudden death overtime.

New York Magic 0 Boston Renegades 0

At Bowditch Field in Boston on Sunday, a crowd of 847 saw plenty of excitement, despite not seeing any goals. New York goalkeeper Maria Yatrakis was credited with 13 saves as she recorded her first W-League clean sheet, while Renegades 'keeper Angela Harrison made a game-saving stop on 2000 W-2 Most Valuable Player Noelle Meeke in the 73rd minute.

W-2 League

South Jersey Banshees 3 New Jersey Wildcats 2

In the 2001 W-2 season opener, South Jersey Banshees forward Theresa Irwin took the early goal-scoring lead with a pair of first-halfgoals, including the eventual game-winner in the 40th minute. That goal put the Banshees on top 3-0, but as the clock ticked away the three-goal lead looked precarious.

New Jersey's Debbie McWhinnie began the Wildcats' comeback bid with an unassisted goal in the 88th minute and Julie Roesager scored a minute later to cut the Banshees' lead to 3-2. McWhinnie came up with a chance to tie and complete the comeback in stoppage time, but her effort sailed over the bar.

Upcoming games
Action picks up in both leagues this weekend with 13 games on the W-League schedule. The 2000 champions make their respective debuts, with the W-2 champion Springfield Sirens making their W-1 debut at Boston Friday and the W-1 champion Chicago Cobras making their first W-2 apppearances with a pair of home games Saturday against Indiana and Sunday against Cincinnati.

South Jersey's Irwin is player of the week -

South Jersey Banshees forward Theresa Irwin was honored as the W-League Player of the Week after scoring two goals, including the game-winner Saturday to pace the team's first-ever victory, a 3-2 win over the New Jersey Wildcats.