Lisle, IL – The Red Stars jumped out to an early start, but it was a late WNY Flash goal that left the match in a tie, capping off a 2-1-1 record over a 4-games in 11 days stretch for Chicago. Red Stars goals scored by Alyssa Mautz in the 1^st minute and Leslie Osborne in the 42nd. WNY goals scored by Adriana Martin in the 13^th minute and Brittany Taylor in the 89th. The Red Stars have made their way up the standings and now have a 3-5-3 record, good for 12 points.

“Every time we play the Flash, it’s a tight battle,” said Red Stars Head Coach Rory Dames after the match. “It’s disappointing to give away the points, but I think the level of where we were a few weeks ago vs today was great.”

The Red Stars may have had the fastest goal in NWSL history when Mautz headed home a deflection off the crossbar under the minute mark to jump the Red Stars out to a quick start and early lead.

The Red Stars pressed hard for that 2^nd goal and nearly found it in the 15^th minute after Rachel Quon was pulled down just outside the 18-yard box. Defender Sonja Fuss took the freekick and found an open Inka Grings, but her header sailed just wide. One minute later, Ella Masar broke away and found WNY GK Franch out of her box. Masar lobbed the ball towards goal but a Flash defender was able to clear it out.

The next 20 minutes didn’t see much danger for either side, as the Red Stars were content to knock the ball around their back line after having already played 3 matches in the previous 10 days. Chalupny was fouled in the 35^th and Taryn Hemmings sent a long ball into the box. After bobbling around it fell to the foot of defender Michelle Wenino who took a 20 yard shot that went just over the crossbar.

In the 36^th, the Red Stars earned a corner kick, taken by Sitch. And Leslie Osborne connected on the header, but Franch lept to make the save.

The Flash came back to life in the 39^th minute when DiMartino got another cross off, this time finding the head of Heyboer. Vancil fully outstretched herself and knocked the ball away.

But it was the Red Stars who would swing back momentum and earn another corner kick in the 41^st minute. Chalupny played a long corner kick and Osborne was able to overcome her defender and head the ball into the upper corner of the net, earning her first goal of the season and putting the Red Stars up 2-1 heading into the half.

The second half was back and forth for the first 20 minutes, until some nice combination play from Masar to Grings, who found Mautz streaking up the middle of the field. Mautz’s shot was expertly saved by Franch to keep the Red Stars from their 3^rd goal. On the ensuing corner kick, Sitch found Osborne who tried to flick the hard cross to the far post, but it went just wide.

In the 71^st, Chalupny had a straight shot to goal breaking down the left side, but she was taken down by McCall Zerboni, earning Zerboni a yellow card. Grings lobbed in the free kick but it went wide of the net.

It looked like the Red Stars would walk away with a victory, but WNY persevered and seemingly created something out of nothing when Brittany Taylor beat the Red Stars GK and her defender with a powerful header from distance off an Alex Sahlen cross that came from behind her. Both teams pressed in the final minutes but the scored ended in a 2-2 draw.

The Red Stars are on a well-earned break for the weekend before heading to Seattle to take on Reign FC on Saturday, June 29.  The Red Stars will return home to meet the Flash on the 4^th of July for a 1pm matchup. Abby Wambach and Carli Lloyd are expected to be back in the lineup for the Flash on July 4th. Tickets are available by visiting chicagoredstars.com or calling 773-697-8699.

Chicago Red Stars (3-5-3, 12pts) vs. WNY Flash (5-2-3, 18pts)
June 19th, 2013 – Benedictine University Sports Complex (Lisle, IL)

Goals by Half               1          2          F
CRS                                    2          0         2
WNY                                  1          1         2

Scoring Summary
CRS – Alyssa Mautz 1’
WNY – Adriana Martin (Vicki DiMartino) 13’
CRS – Leslie Osborne (Lori Chalupny) 41’
WNY – Brittany Taylor (Alex Sahlen) 89’

Lineups:
Chicago: GK Taylor Vancil, Rachel Quon, Sonja Fuss, Taryn Hemmings, Michelle Wenino, Julianne Sitch, Leslie Osborne, Alyssa Mautz, Lori Chalupny, Ella Masar, Inka Grings (Maribel Dominguez 87’)
Subs not used:  Kelsey Devonshire, Dinora Garza, Jen Hoy, Jessica McDonald, Jackie Santacaterina, Lydia Vandenbergh

WNY: GK Adrianna Franch, Alex Sahlen, Brittany Taylor, Estelle Johnson, Katherine Reynolds (Ashley Grove 78’), Angela Salem, Laura Heyboer (Sarah Huffman 62’), Veronica Perez, Vicki DiMartino, McCall Zerboni, Adriana Martin (Amy Barczuk 83’)
Subs not used: Ashley Grove, Bryanna McCarthy, Pamela Tajonar

Misconduct Summary:
WNY: McCall Zerboni (Yellow Card 71’)

Referee: Kara Honthumb
Assistant Referees: Tori Penso, Khalef Al-Latayfeh
Fourth Official: Brendan Barry
Weather: 76 degrees, sunny

All statistics contained in this box score are unofficial.