Plainview, NY (July 20, 2010) – The Long Island Rough Riders Women’s team finished the season in fourth place in the Northeast Division with a 7-5-0 record, missing the playoffs by one point after succumbing to the Hudson Valley Quickstrike Lady Blues 1-0 on Sunday.

Long Island needed to lose the game in order to ensure that Hudson Valley would be crowned the regular season champion, which would allow the second and third place teams in the division to advance. The Rough Riders then had to hope that the New Jersey Wildcats would tie or lose to the New York Magic. Unfortunately for Long Island, New Jersey didn’t do its part, defeating New York 4-3, giving it 22 points and the Rough Riders 21.

Because Hudson Valley finished a nation-best 11-1-0 (33 points), the second and third place teams in the Northeast Division made the playoffs, as the top team in the country is awarded an automatic bye to the W-League semifinals in Santa Clarita, California on June 29.

It was an up and down season for the women, who had trouble establishing a consistent starting lineup because of college commitments and general roster turnover. The team was also in the unfortunate position of having to face Hudson Valley three times, which had also been regular season champions in 2009.
Despite this, the women had won their last four games before Sunday, leading to the potential playoff opportunity.

Sue Weber, formerly of the Boston Breakers in WPS, was the only Rough Rider to feature in all 12 games, playing every minute. Sade Ayinde, a University of Maryland star who was recently in the U.S. Under-20 Women’s National Team pool, played in eight games, contributing two goals and one assist.

Brooke DeRosa led the team with three goals and three assists in 11 games, while Amanda Ferranti had three goals and one assist in seven games.

After failing to make the playoffs in 2009, the team hired former Rough Rider Steve Cadet as its new head coach, and former Rough Rider Meghan Frey as its assistant.

“Although disappointed with not making the playoffs this season, the organization and coaching staff is strongly encouraged by the progress the team made throughout the year,” Frey said. “Next year we hope to have a strong core of players back with the team in an effort to make a deep playoff run.”

The team would like to thank its fans for all the support it received this season, and looks forward to playing in front of passionate crowds again when it starts the 2011 season in May.

By Jeff Gordon