The 2009 Saint Louis Athletica season was the inaugural season for the team (as part of the inaugural season for Women's Professional Soccer).
Off-season
On August 26, 2008, it was announced that the Saint Louis' head coach would be Jorge Barcellos, the then-head coach of the Brazilian women's team. Team Chairman Jeff Cooper's organization SLSU has plans for a soccer-specific stadium ready, but the construction will not start until St. Louis is also awarded an MLS franchise.
On September 11, 2008, "St. Louis" was revealed as the official team name through an online video, along with a new team crest. The name and crest were further updated on November 25 unveiling "Saint Louis Athletica" as the new name.
On 16 September 2008, the initial WPS player allocation was conducted; US Women's National Team players Hope Solo, Lori Chalupny and Tina Ellertson were allocated to St. Louis.
On 24 September 2008, the 2008 WPS International Draft was conducted; Brazilians Daniela and Renata Costa, Swedish striker Lotta Schelin and Canadian Melissa Tancredi also were allocated to St. Louis. Eniola Aluko of England and Ingvild Stensland of Norway were named as post-draft discovery players in the following two days.
On 6 October 2008, the 2008 WPS General Draft took place. St. Louis drafted players India Trotter, Angie Woznuk, Joanna Lohman and Amanda Cinalli.
On 17 November 2008, St. Louis renounced its right to negotiate with Stensland, naming Brazilian Francielle as the next post-draft discovery player. Two days later, St. Louis also renounced its negotiation rights to Schelin, naming fellow Swede Sara Larsson in her stead.
Trotter signed a two-year contract with FFC Frankfurt in July 2008 and thus most likely will not be coming. On the positive side, both Larsson scroll down and Aluko link to interview on iTunes have expressed a large interest in Athletica, and have made statements suggesting that they will be coming, despite no contracts officially being announced as of early January 2009.
On January 16, at the 2009 NSCAA convention held in St. Louis, the Athletica drafted Notre Dame forward Kerri Hanks, (first round, sixth overall,) Boston College alumnus Kia McNeill, (second round, ninth overall,) University of Texas at Austin defender Stephanie Logterman, (third round, twentieth overall,) Notre Dame defender Elise Weber, (trade* with Washington to be twenty-first,) UConn defender Niki Cross, (fifth round, thirty-fourth,) Villanova goalkeeper Jillian Loyden, (sixth round, thirty-seventh,) West Virginia University midfielder Lisa Stoia, (seventh round, forty-eighth,) Florida forward Megan Kerns, (eighth round, fifty-first,) Penn State defender/midfielder Sheree Gray, (ninth round, sixty-second,) and Clemson midfielder/forward Lydia Vandenbergh (tenth round, sixty-fifth). Official WPS Draft summary sheet summary with notes by Michael Minnich (www.soccerbroadcaster.com) *The Athletica traded away Joanna Lohman and their 23rd overall pick to get the 21st pick. see first Jan. 16 entry
On January 21, it was announced that Renata Costa had signed with Swedish club LdB FC instead of the Athletica.
On March 3, Athletica's initial preseason roster was released, along with those of all WPS teams, having 35 players listed. left column, page 2 On March 12, Athletica released nine of those players, including draftee Megan Kerns. Post-Dispatch writer Tom Timmermann a slightly short list (down to twenty-four players) on March 16.
Personnel
Players
Transfers
IN: Christie Welsh From Los Angeles Sol (5/8/09) IN: Kendall Fletcher From Los Angeles Sol (5/8/09) OUT: Lydia Vandenburgh Released (5/14/09) IN: Sarah Walsh From Sky Blue FC (6/26/09) OUT: Francielle To Sky Blue FC (6/26/09) OUT: Kerri Hanks To Sky Blue FC (6/26/09)
Preseason
Athletica only played two preseason games, less than any other WPS team, and didn't play any other WPS team in those games. Athletica convincingly won both games, though: 7-2 versus the University of Missouri and 3-1 versus Notre Dame. Both games were closed to the public.
Regular season Overall Record:10 - 6 - 4 34 pts. 2nd/7GF:19 - GA:15 GD:+4Match1234567891011121314151617181920Date4/44/114/255/35/95/235/306/76/146/206/246/287/57/87/187/227/268/18/58/9OpponentCHIBOSLAWSHBAYCHILANJBOSWSHLANJBAYLAWSHNJBAYBOSCHIBAYH/A?HAHAHAAHAHHAAAAHHHHAResult 0-10-20-03-31-02-00-21-01-00-11-22-11-01-00-11-01-11-02-01-1Scores are posted as STL-opponentA note on home games: Game 1 was played at Ralph Korte Stadium at SIUE, game 3 was played at Robert R. Hermann Stadium at SLU, game 5 was back at Korte Stadium, and the remaining home games take place at Anheuser-Busch Soccer Park. Athletica got off to a very slow start, being the only team with no points after the first two games and winless after the first four, despite usually outplaying their opponents; Athletica was in last place or tied for last place in the league for the first two months of the season. In the fourth game, Athletica lost what was assumed to be their star player, Brazilian Daniela, to a season-ending injury, and this combined with the slow start made many people write Athletica off. However, Athletica went 10-4-2 the rest of the season, even better than the eventual season champions Los Angeles Sol during that same time period. With solid play from USWNT players Lori Chalupny, Hope Solo, and Tina Ellertson, and breakout scoring force from English international Eniola Aluko, Athletica fought back to clinch second place in the league two games before their season was over, only losing to two teams (Los Angeles and the Washington Freedom) for the rest of the season.
Game 1: April 4 vs Chicago
In the home opener on April 4, Athletica controlled the first half well, but faltered in the second half and could not score. Despite outshooting their opponents the Chicago Red Stars by 15–7, they lost the game 0–1 on a 78th-minute goal by Lindsay Tarpley.
Game 2: April 11 at Boston
Athletica repeated their home opener performance in their first away game at the Boston Breakers on April 11: Boston was outshot 14-7 but put two goals past Hope Solo while shutting out Athletica. So, after every team had played their first two games, Athletica was left at the bottom of the table as the only team without a point.
Game 3: April 25 vs Los Angeles
On April 26, in their only home game at SLU, Athletica held the Los Angeles Sol to a 0–0 draw in dramatic fashion as both goalkeepers (Solo and Karina LeBlanc) made incredible saves throughout the game, including a penalty kick each. Athletica was the first team to hold the top-ranked Sol to no goals, though still could not find the back of the net themselves, despite once again well outshooting their opponent 18–7.
Game 4: May 3 at Washington
Athletica finally got on the scoreboard in a highly physical match against the Washington Freedom. In the first match where they did not highly outshoot their opponent (in fact, were beat in shots 15–28) Athletica scored three goals, the first two by solo work from Daniela. Despite leading 3–1 by the middle of the second half, though, Athletica let in two more goals to only come away from the game with a tie after both Daniela and Tina Ellertson were injured within five minutes of each other. Daniela was also sidelined indefinitely, potentially for the rest of the season, after a tackle from Abby Wambach on the rain-wet field gave her "two injured knee ligaments and a crack in her tibia." Kia McNeill was later given a one-game suspension for overly physical play.
Trade: May 8 w/ Los Angeles After the first game against Washington Freedom which ultimately resulted in Athletica losing two starters (Daniela and Kia McNeill) in addition to those already out for injury, Athletica made the first trade in WPS by giving the Los Angeles Sol two draft picks in exchange for Christie Welsh and Kendall Fletcher. Sheree Gray was also cut from the roster, though was later re-added as a developmental player while Lydia Vandenbergh was waived.
Game 5: May 9 vs Bay Area
A week after scoring their first goals, Athletia notched their first win of the season in a 1-0 match against FC Gold Pride at home. After an early flurry near the Gold Pride net (which included 'keeper Nicole Barnhart getting a fractured nose in a collision) Chalupny took a corner kick for Athletica and scored directly with a curving ball into the far top corner of the net. Gold Pride dominated the second half, though, especially with Melissa Tancredi subbing out due to injury, but Solo kept the clean sheet with several spectacular saves to preserve Athletica's first win. Chalupny was later named Player of the Week for her goal and all-around performance.
Game 6: May 23 at Chicago
Despite coming off of a bye week and missing multiple starters due to injury, suspension, and national team duty, Athletica avenged their home opener with a 2–0 victory over the Red Stars. Chicago's Ifeoma Dieke notched WPS's first (official) own goal to put Athletica up 1–0. Athletica the got on the board without help from Chicago before the first half ended on a goal by Eniola Aluko, assisted by Kendall Fletcher, one of the two players Athletica got from a trade with Los Angeles. The Red Stars dominated the second half, but backup 'keeper Jillian Loyden preserved the clean sheet and the win. Loyden was also named Player of the Week, the first goalkeeper to do so in WPS.
Game 7: May 30 at Los Angeles In their second rematch of the season, Athletic played the Los Angeles Sol, this time at the Home Depot Center. Athletica lost 0–2, ending Athletica's four-game unbeaten streak. The Sol's scorers were Camille Abily assisted by Marta in the first half and Shannon Boxx assisted by Han Duan in the second. After the match, both coach Barcellos and captain Chalupny commented on Athletica not getting things together as a team, messing up many passes.
Game 8: June 7 vs New Jersey Athletica's eighth match of the season was their first match against Sky Blue FC. In their opening game at AB Soccer Park, Athletica blanked Sky Blue 1–0 on a 15th-minute goal by Amanda Cinalli. It was Cinalli's first match and start, as it was for Stephanie Logterman, who also contributed greatly to the match. Though Sky Blue had more shots in the match and was the more dangerous team during the second half, Solo and the Athletica back line preserved the shoutout for Athletica's third win. The three points propelled Athletica into the playoff picture for the first time in the season, as a three-way tie between Saint Louis, Boston, and the Bay Area for third place slotted Athletica in fourth place overall by tiebreakers.
Game 9: June 14 at Boston Athletica continued to climb the WPS standings with a 1–0 win over the Breakers in their second trip to Harvard Stadium, leapfrogging into second place. The winning goal was scored by Aluko, her third in the past four games, just before halftime. Twice earlier in the first half it looked like Athletica had also scored, but the first was called offside and the second made the side netting. Boston outshot Saint Louis 4–2, and had eight corner kicks to Athletica's one, but could not find the equalizer. The win means Athletica has climbed the standings from sixth to second place in just two weeks, and has won four of its last five games, the only loss being to league-leaders Los Angeles.
Game 10: June 20 vs Washington Athletica dropped their home rematch with the Freedom 0–1. The heat and humidity may have accounted for the first-half early substitutions for a player on each sides. Athletica played the better game for the most part, forcing Freedom 'keeper Erin McLeod to make seven saves, but never getting past her or the crossbar, which was hit on at least three occasions. The game's only goal came from Rebecca Moros in the 81st minute, as her shot bounced off Athletica's crossbar and went straight down.
Game 11: June 24 vs Los Angeles