Independence bow to Freedom in women's soccer

BOYDS, Md. - Independence coach Paul Riley said his team gave him everything but the desired result.

Despite Sunday's 2-1 Women's Professional Soccer loss to the host Washington Freedom at the Maryland SoccerPlex, Riley said his 3-2-2 expansion team played its best game of the season.

"I thought we played great soccer, we possessed the ball, and if we converted some first-half chances, it could have been a different story," Riley said.

That's soccer.

Washington (4-2-1) avenged a 3-1 road loss to the host Independence on April 25.

The Freedom took a 2-0 first-half lead, played a more defensive style in the second half, and didn't allow the Independence to close the gap until a goal in the 90th minute by Lianne Sanderson.

"They played well, and I thought we could have possessed it better," Washington coach Jim Gabarra said.

What hurt the Independence was an inability to finish things off in the final third of the field.

"We have to be more precise in the final third," Independence midfielder Lori Lindsey said.

The Independence's goal came when they were a player short after midfielder Caroline Seger received a red card in the 87th minute for violent conduct after pushing Sarah Huffman in the face. Seger will now have to sit out Sunday's game vs. the Sky Blue.

"I hit her in the face because she was pulling my pants and I wanted to get her off me," Seger said.

Washington was having success attacking from the back, and it paid off in the first goal when defender Rebecca Moros made a great run, received a pass from Christie Welsh, and scored from a difficult angle in the 24th minute.

Washington's Abby Wambach converted a penalty kick in the 33d minute after Independence defender Sara Larsson took down Sonia Bompastor in the box.