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OTTAWA FURY & W LEAGUE:

FURY DEFEAT LYNX IN NORTHERN DIVISION PLAYOFF
Ottawa move on to Eastern Conference Finals

26th July 2006

The Ottawa Fury defeated the Toronto Lady Lynx 3-2 this evening at Keith Harris Stadium to move onto the W-League Eastern Conference finals in New Jersey this weekend. Two goals from Amy Vermuelen and another from Kelly Parker saw the Fury through to the next round of the playoffs.

The Fury started the game slowly and it was the Lady Lynx that threatened first with Natalie Martineau and Loredana Riverso causing the Fury some problems with their direct running down the right hand side. In the 8th minute and just as the Fury began to get into their stride Loredana Riverso out paced Marie-Eve Nault down the right, cut inside and beat keeper Taryn Swiatek with a shot which went in off the far post. The Lynx looked dangerous down the flanks with Allysha Chapman and Riverso hitting early crosses deep into the Fury defence.

However, the Fury midfield slowly began to take hold off the game and they would create and squander two gilt-edged chances to equalize. In the 25th minute, Vermuelen and Wilkinson set up Parker in front of goal but she ballooned the ball high over the bar. Minutes later Diana Matheson would do the same when set up by Leah Robinson and Kelly Parker.

The Fury would have to wait until four minutes before half time to draw level. Rhian Wilkinson, recently back from injury, got free down the right and crossed low to the near post where Amy Vermuelen eluded her marker to score with ease.

The Fury took the lead in the 49th minute when Vermuelen put Parker clear and she made no mistake shooting past Anne Ogundele for the go ahead goal. Thirteen minutes later, the Fury seemed to have put the game out of reach when Wilkinson was held back in the penalty box and Amy Vermeulen converted the spot kick to make it 3-1. Now, the Fury looked to be coasting to victory, but the Lynx rallied on a goal from Catherine Marosszeky in the 84th minute. The Fury failed to close down the Lynx defender and she took full advantage, shooting beyond Swiatek to make the score 3-2.

  The Fury played out the closing minutes without further incident and move onto to the Eastern Conference finals in New Jersey this weekend.

The Fury will play in the first semi-final on Saturday July 29th (KO 5:00 PM) at Mercer County Community College while 2005 W-League champion New Jersey will play in the second at 8:00 PM. The two other competing teams and the semi-final match ups will be decided by the results of this evening’s games between the Northern Virginia Majestics who play at the Western Mass Lady Pioneers and the Long Island Lady Riders who play in Boston against the Renegades.