The 2007 Seattle Crossfire Sounders finished their summer with a victory against the Rochester Raging Rhinos in the USL W-League Final Four consolation match on Aug. 5th.
The Crossfire Sounders squad highlighted their season by breaking two Vancouver Whitecaps winning streaks. First on May 26th, when Chalise Baysa brace at Starfire Sports Entertainment Complex dealt the Canadian powerhouse it’s first loss in over a full season and again when the squad returned to Swangard Stadium in British Columbia and again defeated the Whitecaps, snapping their 33 match home unbeaten streak and all but eliminating them from the playoffs for the first time in their history.
The conference final was played in San Diego after an impressive campaign by the number one seed expansion San Diego SunWaves who featured Mexican National Team Sophia Perez and Maribel Dominguez.
Five days after seeing the number one seed in the west slip away in a disappointing 2 - 0 loss to the SunWaves in the season finale, the Crossfire Sounders returned to Southern California and won the Western Conference title with a hard fought 2 - 1 victory. The win left the team with only 3 days to travel across the country to Rochester, NY and prepare for a red Atlanta Silverbacks in the semifinals.
Despite going ahead in the first half through a Lyndsay Patterson goal, the Crossfire Sounders were unable to finish out against the potent Atlanta attack and their fresh legs and lost the match 4 - 1. Co-Captain Malia Arrant and teammate Arica Slawson were on target in the consolation match and the defense handle everything the home town Raging Rhinos could throw at them repeated as third place finishers and end the season with a victory.
For the second year running, captain Michelle French led her team to the Western Conference title and final four berth earning all Western Conference First Team honors for her effort. She was joined on the all Conference squad by explosive goal scorer Lyndsay Patterson, who led the team in scoring with 10 goals six assist.
I would like to Thank the Crossfire Premier for sponsoring the Women’s USL Crossfire Sounders along with Adrian Hanauer owner of the Seattle Sounders. I would also want to thank Niel Megson for Assistant Coaching and his support.
- Teddy Mitalas
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