Getting a big kick out of the Breakers

WPS game at Harvard Stadium a winning atmosphere for all

MADDIE R. and SARAH G.

The crowd screams and cheers, vendors yell for people to come buy their goods, and different companies – such as Cabot Cheese, Stonyfield Yogurt, and Webkinz – give away their free products. Harvard Stadium has thousands of people coming to cheer on the Boston Breakers as they play their opponents, Sky Blue FC. From the press box, all of Boston is lit up and it seems as if the whole city is cheering for the teams.

This was the scene when the Breakers played June 13 in a Women’s Professional Soccer game. It was fun atmosphere. People were very happy, although it was a little chilly and there was a good chance of rain. A band stood in one corner of the stadium stands and played music throughout the game.

The game was going well for Breakers with a goal scored by Jordan Angeli on a rebound in the first half. Her teammates jumped all over when she scored.

The action raced from one end of the field to the other, the ball flying from head to head, and the crowd cheering wildly. At halftime, there was a canine Frisbee show and vendors were opened again for lunch.

In the second half, Heather O’Reilly scored for Sky Blue, with a shot that sailed over goalie Ashley Phillips’s head in the 53d minute. There were no more goals, although there were several good attempts.

When it came to the end of the second 45-minute half, the score was still tied. But, it didn’t end there. The game went into penalty time for three minutes. One minute into the penalty time, Rosana scored the winning goal on a penalty kick.

After the game, Lindsay Tarpley, a two-time Olympic gold medalist (2004, 2008), talked about her first game with the Breakers. When asked what advice she would give to young aspiring soccer players, she said, “Discipline goes into hard work and sacrifice.”

After both teams finished cooling down, many players from both sides signed autographs and talked with their fans.

(For information about Women’s Professional Soccer and the Boston Breakers, including their home schedule and ticket information, go to www.BostonBreakers.com .)

–June 25, 2010–