Women's Professional Soccer All-Star Team Picked
Marta and Los Angeles Sol Heavily Favored in Voting
The Women's Professional Soccer league has announced the First XI All-Star selections for the first-ever WPS All-Star Game. The game will be played on Sunday, August 30 at 5:30 p.m., hosted by the Saint Louis Athletica at The Anheuser-Busch Soccer Park in Fenton, Missouri. The First XI Team will compete against Swedish league champions Umeå IK.
The First XI Team
The First XI Team consists of eleven players selected evenly (25% each) by online fan votes, media votes, player votes and coach votes, with the remaining seven players to be chosen by All-Star Team Head Coach Abner Rogers (Los Angeles Sol) and the WPS Commissioner. Some players have commitments to respective national teams for the 2009 European Championships, so those players will be replaced by the next-highest vote getters in their respective positions.
Los Angeles Sol Represented
Marta from the Los Angeles Sol received the most votes for the All-Star selection, picked by a whopping 94% of media votes, all eligible coach votes, second in eligible player votes and fourth on the fan ballot. She has posted a league-best nine goals this season in 18 games played, leading an offense that is ranked second in goals per game. She joins three teammates from the Sol on the All-Star team roster, including Camille Abily, Karina LeBlanc and Shannon Boxx.
Abily has been equally as dangerous as dangerous as Marta. The midfielder is second in the league with 8 goals, right behind Marta.
LeBlanc has been outstanding in goal for Los Angeles, leading the league with 12 shutouts and 0.50 goals-against average and helping the Sol post a league-best 0.47 GAA.
Sonia Bompastor has been instrumental in Washington's successful season. In 18 games she has chipped in a league best six assists, tied with the Sol's Aya Miyami.
2009 WPS All-Star First XI Team (including native countries)
Karina LeBlanc - GK - Los Angeles Sol (Canada)
Tina Ellertson - D - Saint Louis Athletica (United States)
Camille Abily - M - Los Angeles Sol (United States)
Sonia Bompastor - M - Washington Freedom (England)
Shannon Boxx - M - Los Angeles Sol (France)
Lori Chalupny - M - Saint Louis Athletica (France)
Kelly Smith - M - Boston Breakers (United States)
Eniola Aluko - F - Saint Louis Athletica (United States)
Marta - F - Los Angeles Sol (Brazil)
The playoffs are right around the corner for WPS, beginning on August 15 and finishing with the WPS Championship on August 22 in Los Angeles. For more information on the All-Star Game, visit the WPS Website and the Saint Louis Athetica website.
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