Independence rested to meet Wambach and magicJack in WPS semifinal

Tasha Kai and her Independence teammates are rested and ready to take on magicJack in a Women's Professional Soccer League semifinal, 4 p.m. Saturday at PPL Park.

Independence coach Paul Riley gave Kai, his leading scorer, off Sunday in Florida against magicJack in the regular-season finale. The 28-year-old forward, known for her all-out style of play, needed a rest.

MagicJack (10-7-2) defeated the Independence, 2-1, then beat Boston, 3-1, Wednesday in the quarterfinal round of the playoffs for third place.

Kai and Co. will have to lift the second-place Independence (11-4-3) to victory in the semifinal against Amy Wambach's team in order to play in the championship game for the second consecutive year.

The Independence were runners-up to FC Gold Pride last year.

MagicJack player-coach Wambach, a U.S. national team star in the World Cup, scored twice against Boston and is tied with Kai in scoring with nine goals. Wambach said magicJack match up well with the Independence and are tough to defend.

Kai, heavily tattooed and superstitious, will test magicJack's defense. With nine goals and one assist, she leads an offense that includes player of the year Veronica Boquete, Amy Rodriguez, Laura del Rio, and Danesha Adams.

Adams and Rodriguez are a little nicked but should be ready by game time.

"This is the best I've felt all season," said Kai, who practices in a black jogging suit because without it once she tore a hamstring. "I wanted to play [Sunday], but it was a good coaching decision for me to rest.

"We all hate losing, but we have to look at the bigger picture, and we knew that I had to be 100 percent for this weekend."

Boquete has five goals (including three straight game- winners) and four assists in 11 games.

"I am so happy because this is my first year here," Boquete said. "I am happy with the team, with the coach.

"When I play more I feel more confident. I think I have ability with the ball [at her feet], and I am fast, explosive."

The Independence defense is no less explosive to the ball with Kia McNeill and Nikki Krzysik as center backs. Riley, who won coach of the year for the second consecutive time, brought in McNeill this year because of her speed.

"Nikki is the organizer and Kia is the destroyer," he said.

McNeill and Wambach have battled each other before, and it will be no different this time.

"It's definitely going to be a fight on Saturday that we'll both look forward to, I think," McNeill said.