Three Breakers Voted Among First XI Selections for WPS All-Star Game

Boston Breakers defenders Amy LePeilbet and Alex Scott, along with midfielder Kelly Smith, were among Women’s Professional Soccer’s selections of the league’s First XI in preparation for its 2009 WPS All-Star Game it was announced on Tuesday. 

Each of the players selected are invited to the 2009 WPS All-Star Game. The players were selected based on votes by fans (25%), media (25%), coaches (25%) and players (25%). Listed by position, club team and national team:

WPS All-Stars – First XI

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

LePeilbet was among the leading vote-getters, finishing first overall in the player vote, and tied for first in the coaches voting with Los Angeles Sol’s Marta.

This has been a breakthrough season for the former Arizona State and Pali Blues standout, as LePeilbet was brought back into the U.S. National Team for the first time since 2006. She has started in each of the United States’ past three matches, and has played in every minute of every Breakers game in which she wasn’t on National Team duty.

Smith leads the Breakers with five goals scored and was named the first WPS Player of the Month back in April. She has been slowed down by a knee injury for much of the season, but has provided a spark in Boston’s last two matches.

Scott has become arguably the top right back in the league and has proven to be a threat both in attack and defense. She has one goal and two assists this season.

Both Smith and Scott are not expected to play in the All-Star game, as they will be competing with England at the European Championships at the time the All-Star Game will be played.

Marta was the highest overall vote-getter, selected by 94% of all media ballots, along with all eligible coach’s ballots (teams can’t vote for their own players), second in the player vote, and finished fourth overall in the fan vote. Among each category of voters the top three vote-getters in descending order were:

Coaches: 1.) Marta & Amy LePeilbet (tie); 3.) Eniola Aluko & Lori Chalupny (tie)

Media: 1.) Marta; 2.) Camille Abily; 3.) Sonia Bompastor

Players: 1.) Amy LePeilbet; 2.) Marta; 3.) Sonia Bompastor

Fans: 1.) Hope Solo; 2.) Lori Chalupny; 3.) Shannon Boxx 

More than 25,000 ballots were cast online by fans, and all players on WPS rosters voted, including their choice for the WPS All-Star Team Head Coach (though similar to the coach’s vote, players could not vote for their teammates). The players selected Los Angeles Sol head coach, Abner Rogers, to lead the 2009 WPS All-Stars.

With several players expected to be unavailable due to national team commitments at the 2009 European Championships, the First XI players who cannot play will be replaced by the next-highest vote-getters at that position announced later this week.

A total of 18 WPS players will be part of the WPS All-Star Team, with the WPS Commissioner and the All-Star Game Head Coach, Abner Rogers, selecting the other seven WPS All-Star Team members. 

The 2009 WPS All-Star Game features the WPS All-Stars against Swedish league champions Umeå IK at The Anheuser-Busch Soccer Park in Fenton, Mo., on Sunday, August 30, with kick-off scheduled for 5:30pm ET/4:30pm CT.

The game will be televised live nationally on Fox Soccer Channel and regionally on select Fox Sports Net affiliates (check local listings) with coverage starting at 5:00 p.m. ET with a half-hour pre-game show prior to kick-off.

For information or to reserve tickets for the 2009 WPS All Star Game call 1-888-STL-GOAL or visit www.SaintLouisAthletica.com. Group and individual tickets are now on sale.

The Anheuser-Busch Soccer Park is currently the home field of the Saint Louis Athletica and has a rich soccer tradition dating back almost three decades to when it opened in 1982. 

About Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS)

Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS) is the premier women’s soccer league in the world and the global standard by which women’s professional sports are measured.  The Inaugural Season kicked off on March 29 and runs through August 22, 2009, with WPS teams based in the Bay Area, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New Jersey/New York, St. Louis, and Washington, D.C.  The league’s eighth and nine franchises, Philadelphia and Atlanta, will begin play in 2010. For more information, visit www.womensprosoccer.com.

The previous story was excerpted from a press release by the Boston Breakers Media Department and used in this story as part of an agreement between Bleacher Report and the WPS. Photo Credit David Silverman