Newman & Haller Lead Long Island Fury to WPSL Title

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GARDEN CITY, N.Y. – Duke University sophomore Cody Newman and freshman Maddy Haller guided the Long Island Fury to a 1-0 victory over California's Ajax America on Sunday in the championship match of the Women's Premier Soccer League (WPSL) at Adelphi University's Competition Field in Garden City, N.Y.

Newman, who is a native of Bellerose, N.Y., and Haller, a product of South Salem, N.Y., helped guide the Fury to an overall 14-0-1 record in 2009. They downed former Blue Devil Carmen Bognanno and Ajax, which posted a 15-2-1 mark. Bognanno is a 2005 Duke graduate and led Ajax to the 2008 WPSL title.

Molly Bruh registered a 21-yard direct kick in the 74th minute that hit the upper left corner for the game-winning goal. Long Island received the free kick when Fury forward Vicki DiMartino was tripped while dribbling outside the Ajax penalty area.

The phrase that “defense wins championships” proved true again as the Fury shut out all five playoff opponents in 2009 and did not surrender a goal for the last 514 minutes of play. With seven blocked shots and aggressive defending throughout both games, Tara Mendoza of Valley Stream was named the 2009 Final Four MVP.

Newman earned her second national championship with the Fury as she was also a member of the squad in 2006.

About the Women's Premier Soccer League (WPSL): The WPSL is a 50-plus team national women's soccer league with five conferences and is considered one of the top amateur women's soccer leagues in the world.

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