Breakers Fall in New Jersey

Kelly Smith Hurt in 2-1 Loss to Sky Blue FC

By Mark Goodman

May 31, 2009

The Boston Breakers� hopes of finishing first in WPS�s inaugural season took a big hit Sunday night when they lost, 2-1, to Sky Blue FC in Piscataway, N.J.

Kelly Smith

Kelly Smith scored a goal against Sky Blue FC, but also left the game with a recurring knee injury. (Photo by CHRIS ADUAMA/aduama.com)

To make matters worse, star midfielder Kelly Smith - who scored her league-leading fifth goal in the 12th minute - left the game late in the first half with an apparent injury to her right knee, which has been bothering the English international the last several weeks.

Sky Blue (2-4-2, 8 points) got on the board in just the 4th minute, courtesy of Natasha Kai. Meghan Schnur sent a through ball up the left wing to Kai, who was played onside by Boston defender Alex Scott on the other side of the field. Kai controlled the pass, cut inside to get past Amy LePeilbet, and beat Boston keeper Kristin Luckenbill.

The Breakers (3-3-2, 11 points) were fortunate to get their one goal. Midfielder Stacy Bishop sent a ball to Scott up the left flank, and Scott had to turn on the jets just to get to the ball before it went over the end line.

Scott�s meek low cross got through the hands of Sky Blue keeper Jen Branam, and Smith was in the right place at the right time to tap the ball into the net.

Both teams had golden opportunities in the next five minutes, with Scott�s blast from 25 yards well saved by Branam and Kai hitting the post after being put it on goal by teammate Kacey White.

White put the home team ahead in the 29th minute, looping a one-time volley over Luckenbill from the middle of the penalty area off a cross from Schnur on the left side. White was all alone in the box as Boston tried to play an offside trap, but Scott again kept the goal-scorer on.

Breakers striker Amy Rodriguez hit the crossbar in the 42nd minute on a header set up by a cross from Kristine Lilly on the right side. Boston�s only other real scoring chance came eight minutes into the second half from Lilly in the box, but Branam made the stop.

Otherwise, Boston had trouble stringing passes together and keeping possession in an overall frustrating performance, with Bishop and Angela Hucles, in particular, struggling with their ball distribution.

�It wasn�t a good enough game for us today,� said Boston head coach Tony DiCicco. �Give Sky Blue FC credit, they scored two good goals, dug us a hole and we were not able to get out of it. We fought hard until the end of the game, but were unable to create quality soccer.�

Just before the halftime whistle, Smith limped off the field, favoring her right leg. Shrewsbury, Massachusetts native Maggie Tomecka came on in her place.

Jennifer Nobis made her first appearance of the season, replacing Rodriguez at halftime, likely to the surprise of some Breakers fans. Aside from a couple good hustle plays to win balls back for the Breakers, Nobis had little discernible effect on the game.

The Breakers drop to third place, one point behind Washington and nine behind Los Angeles, although Boston does have one game in hand on the Sol.

Boston has another bye this weekend, and will return to action at home Sunday, June 14, against Saint Louis Athletica, whom the Breakers defeated 2-0 in their home opener April 11. That match kicks off a stretch of four games in 11 days for the Breakers, with three coming at Harvard Stadium.

Mark Goodman can be reached at newsdesk@soccernewengland.com.