Dagny Mellgren has recorded a goal or an assist in 7 of the Breakers 9 games. (Credit: Getty Images) Email photo to friend

BOSTON (May 31, 2003) -- Dagny Mellgren broke a scoreless tie in the 83rd minute to give the Boston Breakers a 1-0 victory over the San Jose CyberRays on Saturday afternoon at Nickerson Field. With the win, Boston bounces back after having its 13-game home win streak snapped last week. It is also the Breakers’ first win in May (1-2-2).

Boston now improves to 4-3-2 on the year. San Jose drops to 4-4-0. The Breakers are now 2-1-1 at home. San Jose falls below .500 on the road at 2-3-0.

Mellgren scored the lone goal of the game in 83rd minute after she collected a loose ball behind charging San Jose goalkeeper LaKeysia Beene. The Norwegian forward slipped behind Beene and buried a low shot into the back of the net past a sliding CyberRays defender.

"It's one of those 60-40 in her favor,” Beene said afterwards. “I actually didn't touch it at all and she didn't touch it at all. She took it back outside after I tried to strike it. I probably should have stayed on my line at that point in the match."

The goal was Mellgren's sixth of the year. She now has six goals and one assist for 13 points on the season. Mellgren has recorded a goal or an assist in 7 of 9 games.

"It was a great through-ball from Maren (Meinert)," Mellgren said. "I saw (Beene) was going to come out, but it was weird because the ball got through her."

The Breaker's Maren Meinert collected an assist on the play after a tremendous individual effort just past midfield allowed her to break loose and feed a through ball up the right-hand side of the 18-yard box past a running Mellgren. Beene misplayed the ball and Mellgren knocked it home.

Meinert now has six goals and four assists for 16 points this year. She has collected a goal or an assist in seven straight games.

Boston's dynamic duo of Meinert and Mellgren has combined for 12 of the team’s 14 goals in 2003.

"San Jose played better than we did in the second half, however, our defense was solid and we have Maren Meinert and Dagny Mellgren,” said Breakers head coach Pia Sundhage. “In the back, I think Kate Sobrero played a very good game."

Mellgren’s goal came against the run of play in the second half, which completely favored the CyberRays. But despite a half-dozen shots on goal, the CyberRays couldn’t finish.

A half-volley from the left by Pretinha was saved in the 22nd minute by Boston keeper Karina LeBlanc, and later in the same minute Pretinha headed a Michelle French corner kick that Boston midfielder Stephanie Mugneret-Beghe blocked on the goal line. Just before the half, a Katia header inside the 6-yard box was saved, and Katia’s second shot on goal – a 25-yarder – was stopped on a fingertip grab by LeBlanc.

"We didn’t put our chances away," coach Ian Sawyers said. "It’s the same old story. We played possession well. Our passing in final third wasn’t good. We kept Kristine Lilly quiet, and we kept their two strikers quiet until the final gift. But there are no moral victories in professional sport."

Sobrero and the Breakers defense faced eight shots in total from the CyberRays, who failed to score for the third time this season.

"When it comes to actual chances, they may have had a few more than we did, but we still did have enough quality chances,” said Sobrero. “It's great to have possession, but if it doesn't result in chances, I would rather play sloppy, get a goal and win."

Breakers goalkeeper Karina LeBlanc made six saves and registered her first shutout of the season with the victory. It was the third shutout of her career. LeBlanc was tested several times by the CyberRays in the game's closing minutes - including a hard-hit free kick by Brandi Chastain that ricocheted off the left-hand corner of the goalpost from about 25 yards out in the 89th minute.

"I felt we had the game,” said Chastain. “When you play that well you have to score to win games. We can defend and posses the ball, but we need to focus on scoring."

CyberRays head coach Ian Sawyers was also disappointed.

"This is a heartbreaking loss,” he said. “We felt like we dominated."

Boston's next match is against the Washington Freedom on June 8th at RFK Stadium (4:00 p.m. ET). San Jose returns home after a three-game road trip (1-2) to host New York on June 8 at 3:00 p.m. PT.

Game Summary
1 2 F
San Jose 0 0 0
BOSTON 0 1 1

Scoring Summary:
B, Dagny Mellgren (6) (Maren Meinert 4, Mary-Frances Monroe 1), 83

SAN JOSE CYBERRAYS: LaKeysia Beene, Keri Sanchez, Amanda Cromwell, Thori Bryan, Brandi Chastain, Betsy Barr (Tisha Venturini-Hoch, 85), Sissi, Michelle French, Mandy Clemens (Katie Barnes, half), Pretinha, Katia.

TOTALS: TOTAL SHOTS: 8 (Pretinha, Katia 2); SHOTS ON GOAL: 6 (Katia 2); FOULS: 8 (Chastain 2); OFFSIDE: 2 (Clemens, Katia 1); CORNER KICKS: 9 (Sissi 5); SAVES: 3 (Beene); CAUTIONS: None; EJECTIONS: None.

BOSTON BREAKERS: Karina LeBlanc, Jena Kluegel, Kate Sobrero, Chrisy McCann, Heather Aldama, Stephanie Mugneret-Beghe (Erin O'Grady, half), Angela Hucles, Sarah Popper (Mary-Frances Monroe, 74) Kristine Lilly, Maren Meinert, Dagny Mellgren.

TOTALS: TOTAL SHOTS: 9 (Mellgren 3); SHOTS ON GOAL: 4 (Lilly, Mellgren 2); FOULS: 5 (Lilly 3); OFFSIDE: 7 (Meinert 4); CORNER KICKS: 1 (Meinert); SAVES: 6 (LeBlanc); CAUTIONS: None; EJECTIONS: None.

Referee: Erich Simmons
Referee's Assistants: Bahij Salman, Niko Bratsis
4th Official: Claudiu Badea
Temperature: Cloudy and 63
Attendance: 8,168