July 29, 2001 – Boston Breakers 2:1 Washington Freedom, WUSA game at Nickerson Field (Att.: 11,681)

Kristine Lilly set up Dagney Mellgren for goals in the 25^th and 44^th minutes as the Breakers (6W-9L-3D, 21 points) pulled within two points of a playoff berth before a capacity crowd. The match had been sold out for a month, partly because of the arrival of the Freedom’s Mia Hamm, whose future husband, Nomar Garciaparra, would hit a home run in a 4-3 Red Sox win over the Chicago White Sox in a game played simultaneously just down Commonwealth Avenue at Fenway Park.

The Breakers ended in sixth place, four points out of a playoff berth, in the WUSA’s inaugural season.
TODAY IN NEW ENGLAND SOCCER HISTORY