USL News Release

Wednesday, July 15

TAMPA, FL – United Soccer Leagues announced today the W-League Team of the Week honoring Minnesota’s Chelsea Cline as Player of the Week following her five goal, one assist performance in the Lightning’s three wins last week.

In Minnesota’s first match of the week against the Fort Wayne Fever, Cline scored the first goal of the game in the 20th minute. Her second goal of the eventual 6-0 win came in the 59th minute and her third strike rounded out the scoring in the 85th minute. Cline added an assist on teammate Caroline Smith’s goal in the 58th minute.

Two days later, Cline played 45 minutes in a 4-0 win over West Michigan before netting her fifth goal of the week in the 50th minute of a 5-0 win over Kalamazoo on Sunday, July 12.

Elsewhere, Atlanta goalkeeper Michelle Betos picked up her league-leading eighth shutout of the season in the Silverbacks 0-0 draw with Charlotte. A venerable opponent in that game, the Eagles’ Christy Rife played 85 minutes against Atlanta before netting two goals in a 3-2 win over the Cary Clarets on Saturday, July 11.

With only two league matches in the Western Conference last week, the spotlight remains in the east where league scoring leader Angelika Johansson (31) extended her advantage over the Lightning’s Caroline Smith (25) by scoring one goal and adding four assists in a two-win week for the Quickstrike Lady Blues.

Finally, in the North, Nicole Mailloux led the Toronto Lady Lynx to an upset victory over the previously unbeaten Ottawa Fury, 2-0.

“Nicole’s veteran presence returning to the lineup led us to a big upset,” said Toronto’s Director of Operations, Rob Irwin. “She anchored our back four.”