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Lalor-Nielsen, Perez are women’s pro soccer stars of the year

Jen Lalor-Nielsen: 1992 BVHS grad still setting the standard

Posted Dec. 31, 2006
Jen Lalor-Nielsen, at 32, remains an ageless wonder. The 1992 Bonita Vista High graduate helped lead the San Diego WFC SeaLions to the Final Four round of this year’s Women’s Premier Soccer League championship tournament in Salt Lake City. One of the original players drafted in the defunct Women’s United Soccer Association and a former member of the United States women’s national team, Lalor brought her professionalism and skill to a young team comprised primarily of college players and helped elevate that team to contenders for a national club championship.

That Lalor-Nielsen suffered an untimely game-ending knee injury in the tournament likely had a lot to do with the SeaLions’ fourth-place finish in the July 28-29 event.

The SeaLions — paced by the rejuvenated Lalor-Nielsen and former WUSA San Diego Spirit teammate Ouying Zhang — had been originally tabbed as tournament favorites after finishing regular season play 10-1-1.

The former Baron standout, who went on to a likewise stellar career at Santa Clara University and an appearance in the 1995 Women’s World Cup, led the SeaLions in regular season scoring with seven goals. She was instrumental in organizing the team’s midfield and, in the WPSL Final Four, her superior skill and playmaking ability may have been at its best — facets that unfortunately displayed just how much her game was above that of most of her supporting players.

Most players, in fact, would have wilted in the 112-degree heat present on the opening day of competition, but Lalor-Nielsen’s will to lead her team remained like iron.

“Jen played great. She looked young,” SeaLions coach Sean Bowers said.

Though Lalor-Nielsen left the pitch at Juan Diego Catholic High School on an ambulance stretcher clutching her right knee, she was back on the sideline helping coach Poway High with her husband Bo Nielsen during the 27th annual Barons-Mustangs tournament earlier this month.

Her Titans clashed with her former Barons, coached once more by Ron Pietila, who had served as her high school coach.

Poway topped Bonita Vista, 5-1, to qualify for the tournament semifinals, losing in penalty kicks to eventual Premier Division runner-up Westview.

"Jen has done a wonderful job at Poway. I believe, at this point, Torrey Pines and Poway are 1-2 in the county," Pietila said. "I have many former players and assistants coaching around the county. I am proud of each of them and don't take it personally when they are successful against my teams. I probably have a very poor record in such matches."

Lalor played for Pietila in the 1988-89 and 1989-90 seasons before choosing not to play her final two seasons in high school (instead playing for the Los Angeles-based Southern California Blues) to pursue a better chance at obtaining the type of scholarship, at the college level, that she had in mind.

"It worked out well for her as she became an All-American at Santa Clara University, and Kristen Nicita became an All-CIF midfielder in Jen's place for the Barons," Pietila said. "Jen was also an All-CIF performer. No one doubted Jen's skills and determination as she was moving along in the soccer world. However, I was concerned that her diminutive size would hold her back at the highest levels. She became a genius at compensating for her size by doing only those tasks of which she was capable. For example, Jen would not challenge a player that was a half foot taller than she. Rather she would strip the ball after it was collected. Jen's parents, Christine and Mike, always provided valuable support."

WPSL Final Four
The Long Island Fury, which featured eight teen-agers on its roster, defeated the River Cities Futbol Club, 1-0, in the championship game played amid a thunderstorm. U.S. under-21 national team member Rebecca Moros scored the decisive goal in the 88th minute as both first-year clubs had battled to an otherwise stalemate on the pitch.

The first-place team received a check for $500; the second-place team received a check for $250.

“Being a first-year team, we didn’t know what to expect. We didn’t think we had a chance to win the championship,” said Long Island midfielder Kelly Henderson, who earned honors as the WPSL Final Four’s Most Valuable Player. “But then we reached a point when we realized we were good. We were up for every performance.”

The Fury’s “kiddie corps” included three 15-year-olds, one 16-year-old, one 17-year-old and three 18-year olds. Despite its youth, the team finished as regular season runners-up in the East-North Division.

Long Island (10-2-2) advanced to the title contest after defeating the SeaLions, 2-0, in the opening semifinal. Sisters Katelynn and Shannon Donovan had the goals in the 38th and 74th minutes for the New York team. Shannon Donovan’s goal that sealed the victory was perfectly placed to the top corner of the net on a free kick from 32 yards — a shot the Fury coach placed at 1-in-250,000 of going in.

Both teams had brandished top defenses during the season, with the SeaLions outscoring opponents 32-8 with seven shutouts and the Fury — keyed by 15-year-old scoring phenom Alaina Beyar and Irish national team defender Dolores Deasley — piling up a 34-9 scoring edge. The shutout against the SeaLions was the Fury’s seventh of the season.

Long Island coach Paul Riley credited the team’s “young legs” as part of the key to the victory in the game played on sweltering artificial turf.

Lalor-Nielsen, taking a corner kick, set up what appeared to be the game’s opening goal in the 27th minute. However, Carrie Schmit’s shot was cleared off the goal-line by Long Island’s Sue Weber.

River Cities (South Division regular season champions) advanced to the championship match following its 2-1 semifinal victory against the celebrated Ajax America Women. The Ajax America lineup featured three U.S. under-21 national team players (forward Elizabeth Bogus, defender Ashley Valenzuela and goalkeeper Anna Picarelli) and one English under-21 national team player (midfielder Cami Boswell) while River Cities boasted a collection of relative no-names from the greater Missouri region.

River Cities (11-2-2) received goals from Jennifer Nobis and Ashley Pistorus, scored in the 39th and 57th minutes, respectively, to complete a comeback effort after Nicole Bucciarelli-Jacobson had given Ajax a 1-0 lead in the ninth minute. Nobis also assisted on the game-winning goal.

Many considered the River Cities-Ajax match to be the best game of the tournament.

“We had nothing to lose,” the extremely charismatic Nobis said matter-of-factly. “We wanted to show well. Midwestern girls soccer is coming along. Our motto is less is more. We need to keep it simple and play our game. Ajax came out and scored first. We kept pressing and got our first goal. We put our hearts into it. It was a great game. Ajax is a great team. It (was) so exciting to play in the championship game.”

In the third-place match, the SeaLions (11-3-1) scored first, then fell behind twice by scores of 2-1 and 3-2 before former Chinese international Zhang netted the equalizer with 10 minutes to play. Lalor-Nielsen, who went down with five minutes remaining in regulation time, would have been an asset for the San Diego team in the penalty kick tiebreaker, which Ajax took 4-3. The SeaLions held the lead through the first three rounds of penalty kicks, only to miss on their last two attempts.

Sarah Halpenny (Notre Dame/ Irish national team) and Valerie Strocco (USD) scored the SeaLions’ opening two goals in the consolation match.

“It was a great game,” San Diego’s Bowers said. “If we had played that way in the first game, we would have been in the final.”

Conspicuously absent from the SeaLions’ lineup were Ronnie and Lorrie Fair, both former WUSA players, who could not attend the WPSL Final Four tournament because of a prior wedding commitment.

Ajax America received regulation goals from Bucciarelli-Jacobson, Shannon Cross and Bogus. It was Bogus’ shot in the penalty kick tiebreaker that stood up as the match-winner.

“We were disappointed. We felt we had a chance to win it all,” Bogus said. “But we wanted to go out in a positive way. We had a great season. This gave us a lot of pride.”

The Ajax America lineup was stocked with players from the University of Arizona, Arizona State University, Pepperdine University, UC Berkeley, CSU Dominguez Hills, USC, UC Irvine, Cal Poly-Pomona, Portland University and two former WUSA players (San Diego’s Andrea Alfiler and Carolina’s Brooke O’Hanley).

The WPSL, formed in 1998, features 39 teams and includes current college, former professional and national team players (both domestic and international).

All-tournament team
The WPSL champion Fury placed five players on the all-tournament team: midfielders Kelly Henderson (Boston College), Rebecca Moros (USA under-21 national team), Lorraine Quinn (Duke University), Alyssa Pember (Northport High School) and defender Mary Schneck (Boston College). Forward Jennifer Nobis (University of Missouri), goalkeeper Meghann Burke (WUSA) and defender Katarina Tarr (University of Missouri) represented River Cities while forwards Elizabeth Bogus (Arizona State University) and Nicole Bucciarelli-Jacobson (UC Irvine) represented Ajax America. Midfielder/forward Ouying Zhang (WUSA San Diego Spirit) represented the SeaLions.

The Jen Lalor-Nielsen File
Position: Midfielder
Height: 5-2
Born: Sept. 5, 1974
High School: Bonita Vista (1989-92)
College: Santa Clara University (1992-96)
USA National Team: 1992-2001, 23 matches (eight starts)
Team USA record: 17-5-1
WUSA: 2001-02 (New York Power); 2003 (San Diego Spirit)
Notable: Played in the 1995 Women’s World Cup, helping Team USA to a third-place finish ... scored two international goals ... led the NCAA in assists in 1994 and 1996 … appeared in two NCAA Final Four tournaments with Santa Clara University … earned All-American honors in 1993, 1994, 1996 with the Broncos ... won two Metro Conference titles with undefeated seasons as a freshman and sophomore before opting to play her final two years in high school with the Southern California Blues club team … won a WPSL championship with San Diego WFC in 2000 ... married to former Danish soccer player Bo Nielsen ...the couple has a daughter Elisa, born 2005.

Sofia Perez:
Former Baron has Mexico teetering on Women’s World Cup berth

When Sofia Perez played at Bonita Vista High School, she stood above the rest. When she played at San Diego State University, she stood above the rest. Now as the starting goalkeeper for the Mexican women’s national team, she continues to stand above the rest.

She also now has certain expectations — that stand above the rest.

“I thought this was going to finally be the time we beat them,” said Perez, now 24, after her Mexican team fell 2-0 to the United States in the semifinals of the CONCACAF Gold Cup Nov. 22 at The Home Depot Center in Carson.

Perez made two saves (and perhaps a dozen interceptions on crosses in front of the net) in that semifinal matchup against the Abby Wambach- and Kristine Lilly-led U.S. squad.

But it wasn’t enough to carry the upset-minded Mexicans past the No. 1-ranked team in the Americas.

“This was the third time we had played them since I’ve been on the team. We lost 3-0 the first time and 3-1 the second time,” Perez said. “I’m really disappointed because I thought we would do better this time. I am also disappointed we weren’t seeded on the other side of the bracket. It would have been nice to play them in the championship game, not the semifinals.”

There is no question the teams are getting closer on the scoreboard. Double-digit routs on behalf of Team USA used to be commonplace when Mexico first started up its women’s program. The U.S. won 12-0 in the team’s initial meeting in 1991. But that has changed in recent years, particularly since Leonardo Cuellar has taken over as head coach. Cuellar had praise for his team in that Nov. 22 match but also clearly a sense of expectation as well.

“It’s difficult competing against a team like the United States with all its resources but we are making progress with the resources we have,” said Cuellar, who may be remembered for his wild “afro” hairstyle while playing for the San Diego Sockers of the North American Soccer League.

The Gold Cup served as a qualifier for the 2007 Women’s World Cup, scheduled next September in China. The two teams qualifying for the championship game (the USA and Canada) earned berths, with the third-place finisher (Mexico) earning a two-game playoff for the final Women’s World Cup berth.

Some say it was unfortunate that Mexico did not qualify for the last Women’s World Cup, held in 2003 in the United States after the SARS outbreak precluded the tournament from being held in China, as originally planned.

While the tournament was moved to the United States, China remained the host nation and thus received an automatic berth in the international draw. Even though the United States served as the de facto host country, it already had qualified for the tournament, thus leaving one less qualifying spot for a team from the Americas.

If Team USA didn’t have to qualify, that could have left the door open for the Mexicans, who instead met Japan in an admission contest in front of an estimated 80,000 fans in Azteca Stadium.

But all that is now in the past and this time the Mexicans have their future in their own hands … or feet, as the case may be.

By virtue of its third-place finish in this year’s Gold Cup — Mexico defeated Jamaica by a 3-0 score in the consolation game on Nov. 26 — the Mexican team now enters into a home-and-away playoff against Japan for the final Women’s World Cup berth.

It’s a series Mexico could win. At the least, Perez and her teammates have another chance to prove themselves on the international stage.

As it was, it took a penalty kick in the final minute of overtime for Team USA to outlast Canada, 2-1, in the Gold Cup championship game. Lilly teed up the shot against Canadian goalkeeper Erin McLeod after Team USA’s Carli Lloyd had originally been fouled in the penalty box. Lilly’s goal lifted the Americans to the championship title of the six-team tournament. Wambach scored both U.S. goals against Mexico, including one that seemed to defy the laws of physics
The focus clearly remains on the future for Perez, who backstopped Mexico to a 3-0 victory against Trinidad and Tobago in the Gold Cup quarterfinals.

That future looks even brighter after she recently signed to play for the new San Diego Sunwaves of the W-League — the successor to the San Diego Gauchos women’s team.

Perez earned MVP honors for the Gauchos both seasons the team played in the W-League.

Perez said the Sunwaves’ new ownership group is trying to aggressively develop a Hispanic fan base. Fellow Mexican national teammate (and former WUSA standout) Maribel Dominguez also has signed to play for the club.

“It’s going to be awesome to have Maribel on the team,” said Perez, who was born in Ventura.

Before earning accolades at Sanb Diego State University, Perez began her climb up the soccer ladder while playing at Bonita Vista High School in Chula Vista. The school, located in south suburban San Diego County, has produced many exceptional soccer athletes, both male and female alike.

"Sophia has always been an exceptional athlete, choosing to play basketball her frosh and soph years," current Bonita Vista High School soccer coach Ron Pietila said. "While she did a credible job as goalkeeper for BV, she never really got untracked. We already had Elena Romero, who I thought could have been goalkeeper at the Division I level. Sophia's development began at community college and enriched at San Diego State University. As with Jen Lalor-Nielsen (former member of the U.S. women's national team), Sophia is focused and self-motivated. I am fortunate to have been connected to Jen and Sophia. Their continuing successes are a result of talent and relentless pursuit of excellence."

Gold Cup notepad
Team USA increased its all-time record to 18-0 against Mexico with the semifinal victory ... Team USA’s championship game victory against Canada extended its unbeaten streak to 32 consecutive matches, an all-time record ... Team USA has has qualified for all five Women’s World Cup tournaments ... Mexico, currently ranked 25th in the world, became the first Spanish-speaking country to qualify both for the Women’s World Cup (in 1999) and the Summer Olympic Games (in 2004).

The Sofia Perez file
Position: Goalkeeper
Born: June 6, 1982
High School: Bonita Vista
College: San Diego State University
Club: San Diego Gauchos Women (2005-06)
Mexican women’s national team: 2004 to present
Notable: In 2005, Perez keyed Mexico to a 1-1 tie against Canada (the second-best result in Mexico’s history) … during the 2004 NCAA season, Perez recorded 11 shutouts and posted a 0.66 goals-against average in leading the Aztecs to the final game of the Mountain West Conference championship tournament … She ended the 2004 season as the MWC tournament’s Most Valuable Player, was named on the all-tournament team, earned first team all-MWC honors and was named SDSU’s Most Valuable Defensive Player.