WPS Names All-Star Team
The Sol's Brazilian star Marta was the top vote-getter overall, being named on all coaches ballots, 94 percent of media ballots (hello, media types), but finishing second to Boston Breakers defender Amy LePeilbet on players ballots (hmm, guess Marta is not exactly popular among her peers?). And the top three players fans voted for? Hope Solo, Lori Chalupny and Shannon Boxx. Guess we won't be seeing Marta doing many product endorsements then.
Full disclosure: I didn't vote, although more than 25,000 ballots were cast.
Three Sol players were named to the first XI, including Torrance native Shannon Boxx:
Karina LeBlanc GK Los Angeles Sol Canada
Tina Ellertson D Saint Louis Athletica United States
Amy LePeilbet D Boston Breakers United States
Alex Scott D Boston Breakers England
Camille Abily M Los Angeles Sol France
Sonia Bompastor M Washington Freedom France
Shannon Boxx M Los Angeles Sol United States
Lori Chalupny M Saint Louis Athletica United States
Kelly Smith M Boston Breakers England
Eniola Aluko F Saint Louis Athletica England
Marta F Los Angeles Sol Brazil
Sol Coach Abner Rogers will lead the team in the Aug. 30 game against Swedish league champions Umeå IK in St. Louis.
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Sportswriter Nick Green has written the 100 Percent Soccer column since 2005 for the Daily News, Daily Breeze and other Los Angeles area newspapers. The blog of the same name began in 2007. A native of England, he began writing about soccer in the mid-1980s and in 2000 permanently exchanged a seat in the stands for one in the press box. He lives six miles from Carson's Home Depot Center, home of the Los Angeles Galaxy, Chivas USA and the training headquarters for U.S. Soccer and is married to a long-suffering soccer widow. Join Nick on FaceBook and follow him on Twitter.
What a joke. You're telling me that Hope Solo got the most votes from fans but didn't make the starting XI? It's a popularity contest, and I bet she got no votes from players. It seems that Solo still stands alone. When are they going to realize that you put the best player on the field. The fans were wanting to see Solo between the pipes. There is no comparison between her and LeBlanc. Hope is considered one of the best in the world and is by far the best GK in this league. Stats mean nothing. Don't count me in to watch the game. What a joke.
A boys high school team would beat these "All Stars"
Boring...