Kristine Lilly set up Dagney Mellgren for goals in the 25th and 44th 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. [Read more…] about July 29, 2001 – Boston Breakers 2:1 Washington Freedom, WUSA game at Nickerson Field (Att.: 11,681)
Kristine Lilly
July 10, 1999 – U.S. 0:0 (5:4 PKs) WWC final at Rose Bowl, Pasadena, Calif. (Att.: 90,185)
Kristine Lilly cleared a 100th-minute Fan Yunjie header off the line and converted the go-ahead penalty kick for the U.S. After Carla Overbeck and Joy Fawcett scored for the U.S. and Xie Huilin and Qui Haiyan for China, Liu Ying’s shot was saved by former UMass goalkeeper Briana Scurry and Lilly’s PK gave the U.S. a 3-2 advantage. [Read more…] about July 10, 1999 – U.S. 0:0 (5:4 PKs) WWC final at Rose Bowl, Pasadena, Calif. (Att.: 90,185)
June 27, 1999 – Largest crowd (50,484) for women’s sporting event in New England
Shannon MacMillan opened the scoring in the 56th minute and Tisha Venturini converted twice as the U.S. blanked North Korea, 3-0, to finish in first place in Group A of the 1999 Women’s World Cup.
The U.S. then edged Germany (3-2) in Landover, Md., and defeated Brazil (2-0) in Palo Alto, Calif., before capturing the title with a penalty kicks victory over China after a 0-0 draw before 90,185 at the Rose Bowl July 10, 1999. [Read more…] about June 27, 1999 – Largest crowd (50,484) for women’s sporting event in New England
May 5, 2001 – Boston Breakers’ home-opener, largest stand-alone crowd for women’s club game
Spectators for the Boston Breakers’ home-opener at Nickerson Field included Mayor Menino, the Boston Red Sox’ Nomar Garciaparra and Lou Merloni, former New England Patriot John Hannah, plus Olympian Joan Benoit Samuelson. Homare Sawa scored past Tracy Ducar (Lawrence/North Andover) in the 62nd minute for the Atlanta Beat, which would go on to play in the WUSA final before a 21,078 crowd at Foxboro Stadium Aug. 25, 2001. The Breakers finished in sixth place in their first two seasons, then won the 2003 regular-season title under coach Pia Sundhage before the league folded.
April 14, 2007 – U.S. 5:0 Mexico at Gillette Stadium (Att. 18,184)
Kristine Lilly scored twice, Lauren Cheney, Lindsay Tarpley and Abby Wambach once as the U.S. Women’s National Team and Mexico met in a doubleheader, along with the Revolution vs. Toronto FC match. New England established itself as an early home for the USWNT, the first significant crowds arriving for Sports Museum of New England Challenge Cup games against Norway in 1991 and ’92. In Foxborough, the U.S. women have compiled a 7W-0L-1D record (28-1 goal differential) at both stadia. Until recently, crowds for USWNT games in Foxborough were strong, especially for the 1999 Women’s World Cup at Foxboro Stadium – 50,484 arrived for a doubleheader as the U.S. took a 3-0 win over North Korea (and Italy blanked Mexico, 2-0) June 27, 1999. In ’99, three WWC dates were staged at Foxboro Stadium and in 2003, two WWC dates were held at Gillette Stadium. [Read more…] about April 14, 2007 – U.S. 5:0 Mexico at Gillette Stadium (Att. 18,184)