Chicago Red Stars Slip Past Sky Blue FC 1-0

The Chicago Red Stars(2-0-1, 7 points) slipped past a spirited Sky Blue FC (1-2-1, 4 points) on Saturday night,at the Village of Lisle-Benedictine University Sports Complex. Chicago midfielder Danielle Colaprico provided the lone tally of the match, registering her first professional goal in the 54^th minute of an eventual 1-0 victory.

“I am really disappointed for our team because we did a very much better job of limiting chances for Chicago to score,” said Jim Gabarra, Sky Blue FC Technical Director & Head Coach. “We really just had the one lapse there off the corner where we didn’t clear the ball away and they scored their goal. Otherwise, we are improving as a team, and I am proud of the performance that our players put forth.”

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With Chicago having a bye during the first week of the season, they entered Saturday’s match with their full roster, which included eight players who will now head to Canada to join their respective nations in preparation for the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup. On the contrary, Sky Blue FC was playing without any of its World Cup participants, but the New Jersey side did not allow that to diminish its collective effort at all, and played one of its best all around matches of the young season, despite coming up on the losing end.

The Sky Blue FC defense was forced to step up early in this contest to stave off Chicago’s aggressive attack. Despite some dangerous opportunities for the Red Stars, Sky Blue defense continued to rise to the occasion.

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Sky Blue FC gained its first serious threat in the 26^th minute when Danish striker Nadia Nadim picked off an ill-advised pass and dropped it at the feet of midfielder Katy Freels, who then turned upfield and knifed her way through the Chicago midfield before setting up a one-two with forward Maya Hayes. After Hayes touched the ball back to her in space, Freels hammered a shot from distance that was just high of the crossbar. It was a display of emerging chemistry between Freels, Nadim and Hayes, who continue to show how lethal they have the potential to be.

The deadlock in this match was finally broken in the 54^th minute. Following a Red Stars corner kick that found the head of midfielder Shannon Boxx, a dangerous deflection landed at the feet of Colaprico, who fired a shot in the direction of the frame. Her initial attempt was blocked but landed right back at her feet, and she would make the second strike count. As the ball approached, Colaprico stepped into it and hammered a shot that went untouched into the upper left netting, giving her side a 1-0 advantage off what was her first professional goal.

This game was nearly tied in the 87^th minute on a free kick opportunity from the right flank, but the chance would come up just short. On the play, Shawna Gordon sent the ball to the far side of the penalty area, where first-year defender Kristin Grubka hit a diving header to the near post that forced Chicago netminder Karina LeBlanc to make a diving save. The Canadian goalkeeper was just able to get her fingertips on the shot, and the Red Stars defense was able to quickly clear the loose ball from danger.
Sky Blue FC continued to turn up the tempo over the closing minutes to find the equalizer but would unable to find it.

Sky Blue FC will now return to Yurcak Field on Saturday, May 9^th, hosting Seattle Reign FC, while the Chicago Red Stars welcome the Boston Breakers.

Sky Blue FC vs. Chicago Red Stars
May 2, 2015 – Village of Lisle-Benedictine University Sports Complex
Lisle, Illinois

Scoring Summary
Sky Blue FC: 0-0-0
Chicago: 0-1-1

CRS 54 D.Colaprico

Lineups:
SBFC – B.Cameron, C.Levin (L.LaBonta-81), K.Grubka, H.Haagsma, L.Cutshall, K.Freels, S.Killion, S.Gordon, T.Lytle (M. Morris-61), N.Nadim, M.Hayes (K.DeCesare-71)
Substitutes Not Used: A.Bledsoe, T.Diederich

CRS: K.LeBlanc, J.Johnston, T.Hemmings, S.Johnson, D.Colaprico (A.Erceg-90), S.Boxx, V.DiBernardo, L.Chalupny, S.Huerta (A.Gilliland-63), C.Press, J.Hoy (C.Walls-65)
Substitutes: A.Mautz, R.Quon, M.Lomnicki, M.Dalton

Misconduct Summary:
85 SBFC Yellow N.Nadim

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