FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: JULY 12, 2011
Virginia Beach, Virginia – It’s the make or break weekend for the W-League Piranhas. The hunt for a playoff spot in the Atlantic Division will come to a decision as Virginia Beach will face No.2 seed Charlotte Friday and regular season champion Atlanta on Saturday. While the Silverbacks have their first place certain, the Lady Eagles and the Piranhas will fight for second place. The top two teams in the Atlantic Division make the playoffs.
The Piranhas have one game in hand and trail by two points to the Lady Eagles, who will finish their regular season with Friday night’s game. A win seals the deal for the Piranhas as they would overtake the Lady Eagles by one point. In case of a tie or a loss, Virginia Beach would need to beat the Silverbacks on Saturday.
Kickoff Friday evening at Charlotte Christian Stadium is at 5.30 p.m. The game against the Silverbacks on Saturday starts at 7:30 p.m. at Atlanta Silverbacks Park.
W-LEAGUE PIRANHAS (5-3-0)
After some difficulties in the beginning of the season and losses to Charlotte and Dayton, the Piranhas have proven to be a top team in the Atlantic Division, winning five of their last six games. Now it is time for Coach Waddell’s squad to gain the laurels for their extraordinary efforts.
Confidence shouldn’t be an issue for the Red and White, who earned two wins in their last two games, outscoring Northern Virginia with a cumulative score of 10-1.
While the defensive coordination has gotten better each game - only conceding three goals in the last four games - it was the Piranhas’ offensive efforts that provided the spark. With 22 goals, Virginia Beach’s offense is the most dangerous in the division and stands fifth in the 27-team W-League in goals scored.
In both goals and assists, a Piranha is leading the Atlantic Division’s stats: German goal getter Stephanie Goddard has scored ten goals, while skipper Emily Kittleson has scored four. Goddard stands in second place in goals in the League with ten goals in eight games and stands third in points with 22 (10 goals and two assists). Kittleson stands seventh in the League in assists with four in seven games.
Despite those outstanding statistics however, the Piranhas winning record is no one-woman-effort. Instead, this season’s success story is a collective effort and the result of a harmonizing team. Even the statistics prove that, as a total of twelve players have been involved in scoring.
German long runner Anja Barwinksy, the only Piranha not missing a single minute of play this season, argued along those lines.
“We have shown this season that we have enough quality to make the playoffs. Even when we were trailing, the team didn’t give up and came back to get very important wins, said Barwinksy. “That is only possible when you work as a unit.”
The game plan for Friday will be to simply continue doing what has worked.
“Good teamwork will also be key for beating Charlotte. We are on the verge of reaching our goal - now we just have to grab it,” Barwinsky said.
In her first season of coaching without playing, Coach Waddell always believed in her team’s potential to reach the playoffs. Recognizing that the games against Charlotte and Atlanta will decide this season’s fate, the coach continues to trust in her players’ abilities.
“This is our biggest game of the season. I know how much my players want it and with the playoffs on the line they are motivated as ever to get a win.”
Charlotte Lady Eagles (5-2-2)
The Lady Eagles started their 12th W-League season as one of the frontrunners of the Atlantic Division and have lived up to that standard. The defense anchored by Blakely Mattern has proven to be especially tough to beat. Only division-leading Atlanta and the Dayton Dutch Lions found a way past the Charlotte back line and keeper Alyssa Whitehead.
On the other end of the field the Lady Eagles performed solidly as well. Led by forward Ashley Gunning with three goals and two assists, Lee Horton’s team scored an overall of 14 goals. A win against Virginia Beach would mean Charlotte’s 11th playoff participation.
Atlanta Silverbacks (8-1-0)
What a year it has been for the Silverbacks. In eight games Atlanta only conceded a W-League topping four goals, and only lost one game, 3-1 to the Charlotte Lady Eagles.
Lead by forward Tiffini Turpin, who scored six goals and assisted two, the Silverbacks scored an overall of 21 goals, one less than the Virginia Beach scoring machine.
In their first match-up this season the Piranhas lost in a 1-0 heartbreaker at the Sportsplex. Although their nearly perfect record makes the Silverbacks the odds-on-favorite for Saturday’s game, Virginia Beach has one advantage: The result of the game has no impact on the Silverback’s season, as they lead by six points to second place Charlotte and can’t lose their hold on first-place.
About the W-League
The first and longest standing women’s league in North America, the W-League is USL’s highest level of women’s soccer in the United States and Canada. The 2011 USL W-League Campaign will feature 27 teams in three regional conferences playing 10-14 regular season matches. In addition to featuring international and professional stars, elite amateur players have the opportunity to compete on amateur teams in the league while maintaining their collegiate eligibility. The league is recognized worldwide for providing superior competition for female players, while offering affordable family entertainment for fans across North America.
For more information on the 2011 Virginia Beach Piranhas, including tickets, sponsorships or to volunteer, please visit www.vbpiranhas.com or call 757-572-1592.
Sebastian Fischer
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