Passion Still Searching for First Win

Draw 1-1 With New York Magic

June 1, 2008

BERLIN, Conn. – The CFC Passion and New York Magic began their game at Sage Park in Berlin with the same objective: win their first W-League game of 2008. At the end of the match, a first win was still not in either team’s record.

The clubs played to a 1-1 draw in a match delayed 1 hour and 15 minutes by lightning and rain. The teams were in the 44th minute of the first half when the lightning flashed, causing officials to put a halt to the proceeding. The match was the second tie the teams have played in the first four weeks of the season, the other being a 2-2 affair May 10 at Iona College.

After the storm passed, the Passion took a 1-0 lead when Ahna Johnson (Fairfield) scored his first goal of the season. Johnson beat goalkeeper Alicia DeFino with a side foot kick into the center of the net off a nifty pass from Nat Urbas (Sacred Heart University) in the 56th minute.

CFC’s lead was to be short-lived. Noelle Meek found the back of the net for the first time converting a cross-field pass from Mikaela Howell beating CFC goalkeeper Nikki Weiss to the upper right corner of the goal from nine yards out. That goal in the 64th minute proved to be the final one of the match.

Both teams had opportunities to break the tie, the best coming by the Magic in the 80th minute when a header by Meeke off a pass by Kanae Haneishi was stopped by a diving safe by Weiss.

Passion coach and occasional SNE columnist Dave Clarke says the stoppage due to the storm hurt his club as he felt they had the advantage in play in the first half. “The storm, or the upcoming end of the half were bad for us because we were very close to scoring. We just couldn’t take advantage of the opportunities we had.”

The Passion next play June 7 at the Northern Virginia Majectics.

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