Washington Freedom

The Charge learned yesterday who their opponent will be in Saturday's WUSA playoff semifinal at Villanova at 1:30 p.m.: Mia Hamm and the Washington Freedom. The Charge's fate was decided last night when Carolina Courage midfielder Hege Riise's goal in the 75th minute gave her team a 1-1 tie against the San Diego Spirit. As a result, the Courage won the WUSA regular-season championship and will host the Atlanta Beat in the other semifinal Saturday. The Charge (11-4-6) finished the regular season in second place, one point behind the Courage, who went from worst last season to first this year.

San Diego's Julie Foudy scored the only goal of the game and the first of her WUSA career as the Spirit beat the Charge, 1-0, last night at Torero Stadium. The loss ended at four games the season-opening winning streak for the Charge (4-1-0). They were shut out for the first time since July 7, a streak of 12 consecutive regular-season games. The run had been a record for the WUSA, which was launched last year. The Charge still remain one point ahead of the Carolina Courage for first place in the WUSA standings.

The Independence missed an opportunity to put a firm grip on second place with Sunday's 1-0 Women's Professional Soccer loss to host Sky Blue at Rutgers University. The loss dropped the Independence to 10-7-4 (34 points) with three games left. They hold a five-point lead over the Boston Breakers for second place, but Boston has played one fewer game. The Independence hosts Boston in Sunday's 6 p.m. match at West Chester University. Earning second place is important because it guarantees a team an automatic berth in the semifinal.

Charge midfielder Lorrie Fair was one of 24 players called to the U.S. women's national team yesterday by head coach April Heinrichs. Heinrichs named the roster that will train for four days before facing Nigeria in a Women's World Cup warm-up match at RFK Stadium in Washington on April 26. Kickoff is at noon, and the match will be televised live on ESPN. The game will be followed by a WUSA contest between the Washington Freedom and the Atlanta Beat that will kick off at 2:30.

Marinette Pichon knows the drill, but it will not be any easier if she has to play two games in two nights in two countries. If Philadelphia wins Saturday's WUSA semifinal game against the Washington Freedom, Pichon will have a problem. The WUSA championship game is Aug. 24 in Atlanta. The day before, her French national team is to host Denmark in a World Cup qualifier. Pichon said that if the situation arose, she would show allegiance to both teams. "I want to play for the national team and for Philadelphia," she said.

In an era of astronomical salaries for athletes, the Women's United Soccer Association is down to earth. The league, in its second year of play, has no players who make six-figure salaries. Ten WUSA players make the maximum salary of $85,000, said John Langel, executive director of the players associations for the WUSA and the U.S. women's national team. Another 10 players earn $80,000, he said. The average salary exceeds $40,000 and the lowest salary is $27,000. Superstars such as Mia Hamm of the Washington Freedom bought into the idea of helping the league develop instead of making as much money as possible.

Not everyone was watching the 76ers defeat the Milwaukee Bucks in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals last night. The Philadelphia Charge drew a season-high sellout crowd of 11,800 fans to witness their 2-1 loss to the Washington Freedom in a Women's United Soccer Association game at Villanova Stadium. Washington's Mia Hamm, a popular former Olympic star, was a big reason for the large turnout. She set up both goals, including Brazilian striker Pretinha's game-winner early in the second half.

Forward Marinette Pichon, who led the Charge with 14 goals and 29 points in her first year in the Women's United Soccer Association, yesterday was named the league's offensive player of the year. The honor was voted on by WUSA coaches, general managers, players, and selected media representatives. Pichon set Charge single-season records in goals and points and became the franchise's all-time leading scorer. She has twice been named player of the year in her native France.

Zhao Lihong's free kick with 5 minutes left lifted the visiting Charge to a 1-1 tie yesterday against the Washington Freedom in a Women's United Soccer Association game. The tie extends the Charge's unbeaten streak to nine games, which equals the second best in WUSA history. Philadelphia (9-1-4) last lost on May 19. The Charge is in second place, two points behind Carolina. The teams meet Saturday (4 p.m.) at Villanova Stadium. Washington (6-5-4) scored first. Abby Wambach took a short pass from Steffi Jones in front of the net, turned quickly and fired a shot past goalkeeper Melissa Moore in the 75th minute.

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. - Shortly after missing a one-timer from in front of the goal, Independence forward Danesha Adams made amends, earning her first-year franchise a berth in the Women's Professional Soccer championship. Adams' header off a Christina DiMartino cross in the 103d minute Thursday night gave the Independence a 2-1 win over the Boston Breakers in the league's semifinal at Harvard University's Soldiers Field Soccer Stadium. In the 101st minute, Adams had failed to convert a DiMartino cross, shooting it wide.

The Independence missed an opportunity to put a firm grip on second place with Sunday's 1-0 Women's Professional Soccer loss to host Sky Blue at Rutgers University. The loss dropped the Independence to 10-7-4 (34 points) with three games left. They hold a five-point lead over the Boston Breakers for second place, but Boston has played one fewer game. The Independence hosts Boston in Sunday's 6 p.m. match at West Chester University. Earning second place is important because it guarantees a team an automatic berth in the semifinal.

The Independence remain in a tight race for second place in Women's Professional Soccer after being unable to shake off a nemesis. Leading by a goal at halftime, the Independence settled for a 2-2 tie with the Boston Breakers in Sunday's match at West Chester University. "You have to give Boston credit," said Independence goalie Karina LeBlanc, who, despite the score, made several big saves. "They are fighters, and it is why they are on this streak. " Thus the Independence (8-6-4)

Amy Rodriguez had a number of key scoring chances in her first 21/2 games with the Independence, but after she finally cashed in, her teammates followed her lead. Rodriguez scored the equalizer in the 54th minute, and her U.S. National team teammate Lori Lindsey set up the final two goals as the Independence scored a 3-1 Women's Professional Soccer win over the Washington Freedom on Sunday at soggy West Chester University. After the first win in franchise history, the Independence are 1-0-2.

What a great time it is for women's pro sports in America, womens' soccer in particular. Mia Hamm, one of the greatest soccer players of all time - male or female - is the cover story in the latest Sports Illustrated. Today, the first game of the Women's World Cup - the contest Hamm and her teammates triumphed at in 1991 and 1999 - takes place at Lincoln Financial Field. It used to be women's professional teams had cutesy names like the Milwaukee Chicks (one of the teams in the old All-American Girls Professional Baseball League)

Darci Borski acknowledges that it wasn't easy to relax at first. She was trying to begin a professional soccer career, and every day in practice the most recognized player in the world, Mia Hamm, was on the same field. Unlike her days at Nazareth Academy in Northeast Philadelphia, where she scored 100 career goals, or her time at the University of Virginia, where four of her 11 goals as a senior were game-winners, Borski had to do her best just to keep up. Eventually, she became accustomed to being on the field with the Washington Freedom, the team that made her the 20th overall selection in the 2003 WUSA draft.

WASHINGTON - Playing shorthanded because of injury, the Philadelphia Charge couldn't do much to slow down the Washington Freedom yesterday, particularly forward Abby Wambach. Wambach scored three goals in a 4-1 Washington win that dropped the Charge to 0-4 on the WUSA season. The Charge was without its best offensive player, forward Kelly Smith. Injured in last week's game, Smith underwent surgery Friday to repair torn cartilage in her right knee. The news didn't get any better after Smith's surgery.

Charge midfielder Lorrie Fair was one of 24 players called to the U.S. women's national team yesterday by head coach April Heinrichs. Heinrichs named the roster that will train for four days before facing Nigeria in a Women's World Cup warm-up match at RFK Stadium in Washington on April 26. Kickoff is at noon, and the match will be televised live on ESPN. The game will be followed by a WUSA contest between the Washington Freedom and the Atlanta Beat that will kick off at 2:30.

The Charge will begin their third Women's United Soccer Association season April 5 against the CyberRays in San Jose, Calif. Schedules for the eight WUSA teams were released yesterday. All will open their seasons on April 5. The Charge's home opener will be May 3, against the New York Power. For the third consecutive year, the team will play its home games at Villanova Stadium. Although each home game is scheduled for 7 p.m., the WUSA is working on a national television agreement that could affect the starting times.

Forward Marinette Pichon, who led the Charge with 14 goals and 29 points in her first year in the Women's United Soccer Association, yesterday was named the league's offensive player of the year. The honor was voted on by WUSA coaches, general managers, players, and selected media representatives. Pichon set Charge single-season records in goals and points and became the franchise's all-time leading scorer. She has twice been named player of the year in her native France.