March 23, 2001

GERMANTOWN, Md. - The Maryland women's soccer team dropped a pair of games at the Kicks Against Breast Cancer Tournament held at the Germantown Soccer Complex on March 17, 2001, falling to Penn State, 1-0 and the U-17 Region I team, 3-1.

The wonderful event culminated with the WUSA's Washington Freedom and Carolina Courage facing each other in an exhibition with the Courage coming away with a 1-0 victory.

Maryland, playing with a small squad, battled hard in both games, but was unable to come up with a win. Audra Poulin scored Maryland's only goal on a free kick against the U-17 team to put Maryland up 1-0 before they lost 3-1.

"I'm pleased with how the team is coming along," said head coach Shannon Higgins-Cirovski. "There were a lot of positives. Kim King played well, as did Audra. The defense was solid. We do have to work on our game in the air, winning the 50-50 balls, and we are still working on different defensive formations."

The WUSA exhibition was the signature event of the weekend-long Kicks Against Breast Cancer Tournament. The KABC Tournament honors the memory of Claudia Mayer, who died of breast cancer at the age of 47 in 1996. Claudia was a soccer enthusiast and a woman who displayed extraordinary courage as she battled the disease that eventually took her life.

Since the tournament began in 1997, more than $150,000 has been raised to benefit the Claudia Mayer Cancer Resource and Image Center. More than $60,000 was raised during the event in 2001.

Maryland will continue its spring schedule on April 1 at Wake Forest as they take part in the ACC Challenge in Winston-Salem, N.C. Maryland will face four ACC teams in four 40-minute games.

The highlight of the spring season will come on April 6, as they Terps welcome the Washington Freedom to Ludwig Field for an exhibition match at 7 p.m. Tickets will only be available at the Ludwig Field gate prior to the match. For additional information, pleas call (301) 314-7034.