Passion Play Over Renegades

Connecticut Takes Down Boston, 2-1

July 17, 2008

Two goals by Furtuna Velaj -- including the game winner in the 62nd minute -- gave the Connecticut Passion a 2-1 victory over the Boston Renegades in a W-League matchup Wednesday.

With the win, the Passion (7-4-2) are in a three-way tie for third place in the Northeast Division with the Long Island Rough Riders and Jersey Sky Blue. All three have 23 points. The Rough Riders are in the driver’s seat for taking third place and an invitation to the playoffs by having a game in hand. The Riders will play that extra game Thursday against the Fredrickburg Lady Gunners.

With the loss, the Renegades (9-3-1) fall to second place in the division behind the defending champion Washington Freedom (10-1-1) who beat the Rough Riders 1-0 on Wednesday. Washington and Boston play in Boston this coming Saturday while the Freedom is the Passion’s final opponent Sunday at Reese Stadium at Yale University in New Haven.

Velaj started the night’s scoring converting a pass to the front of the net from Nat Urbas (Sacred Heart) and kicking the ball low with her right foot past a diving Meghann Burke in the 13th minute.

Ashlee Pistorius tied the game in the 52nd minute with a shot past the Passion’s Kelly Boudreau (Farmington High School). Pistorius beat Boudreau when her shot off the top goal post bounced right back to her for an easy score.

Velaj then gave the Passion the lead for good when a textbook pass from Maggie Westfal (Yale) got behind the Renegade defense and Velaj faked Burke out of position and put the ball in the left corner of the net.

The Renegades still threatened. Good efforts by Mary-Therese McDonnell and Pistorius in the 81st and 82nd minute were stopped by Boudreau. The CFC goalkeeper ended the evening being credited with 10 saves.

The goals give Velaj a team-leading eight on the season and also mark the second game in a row she’s netted a game-winner, having also provided the margin of victory in a 2-1 win over the New Jersey Wildcats.

The Passion will close out their inaugural USL W League Campaign against the Freedom on Sunday evening at 6 p.m.

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