Katia scored her fifth goal of the season, but it wasn't enough for the CyberRays as they were eliminated from the playoff race. (Credit: Getty Images) Email photo to friend

SAN JOSE (Aug. 6, 2003) – The CyberRays saw their WUSA playoff hopes evaporate tonight in a 1-1 tie against the Atlanta Beat, who earned the right to host a semifinal.

"I’m disappointed for the fans because they’ve been so supportive of us," CyberRays coach Ian Sawyers said. "Our team’s effort was superb."

The CyberRays entered their next-to-last game needing two victories to have a chance at the WUSA’s only remaining playoff berth, but after Katia’s 25th minute goal pulled them into a tie, they could never grab the lead.

As a result of the tie, the San Diego Spirit clinched the first playoff spot in team history, and Atlanta and the Boston Breakers will host semifinal games. Their opponents – the Washington Freedom is also in the post-season – will be determined by the outcome of Saturday’s and Sunday’s games.

Atlanta went up 1-0 in the 10th minute on a Charmaine Hooper penalty kick. The kick was awarded when CyberRays defender Keri Sanchez took down Atlanta forward Maribel Dominguez in the penalty box. Dominguez had gotten a pass behind the CyberRays’ back line and then successfully eluded onrushing goalkeeper LaKeysia Beene for what would have been a wide open shot on goal.

Katia pulled the CyberRays even 15 minutes later when Brandi Chastain looped a short cross into the left side of the penalty box, which Katia flicked to the far post with a header. The goal was Katia’s fifth of the season, tying her with Pretinha, out for the season following ACL surgery, for the team’s goal scoring lead. Four of her goals have come in the last seven CyberRays games.

"Brandi’s ball was amazing," Katia said. "She just found me."

The best defensive series of the first half came in the 43rd minute when a Dominguez shot was blocked on the goal line by Sanchez’s head. The rebound came out to Hooper who cracked a header on frame that defender Amanda Cromwell blocked.

Both teams had chances in the second half but couldn’t convert. Chastain headed a Sissi corner kick into the crossbar in the 46th minute, and Dominguez had a pair of point-blank shots snuffed in the 82nd when first Beene saved a shot without controlling the rebound, and then Dominguez’s second try was stopped when defender Thori Bryan tackled the ball away.

The CyberRays close their season at 3 p.m. Sunday in Spartan Stadium against Boston, and they will celebrate the careers of Tisha Venturini-Hoch and Kelly Lindsey, who are retiring, in a post-game ceremony. The ceremony also will include the retiring of Tish’s No. 15 jersey.

Scoring Summary:

ATLANTA – Hooper 9 (penalty kick) 10th

CYBERRAYS – Katia 5 (Chastain 4, French 4) 25th

ATLANTA – Briana Scurry, Nancy Augustyniak, Kylie Bivens, Leslie Gaston, Sharolta Nonen, Cindy Parlow (Abby Crumpton 74), Homare Sawa, Nikki Serlenga, Kristin Warren, Maribel Dominguez (Callie Withers 82), Charmaine Hooper.

TOTAL SHOTS: 14 (Dominguez 6); SHOTS ON GOAL: 7 (Dominguez 3); FOULS: 14 (Parlow 3); OFFSIDE: 9; CORNER KICKS: 0; SAVES: Scurry 9; CAUTIONS: Bivens 27; EJECTIONS: None.

CYBERRAYS – LaKeysia Beene, Thori Bryan, Brandi Chastain (Christina Bell 81), Amanda Cromwell, Keri Sanchez, Betsy Barr, Michelle French, Sissi, Tisha Venturini-Hoch, Mandy Clemens (Katie Barnes 66), Katia.

TOTAL SHOTS: 24 (Katia 6); SHOTS ON GOAL: 10 (Katia 4); FOULS: 13 (Katia 5); OFFSIDE: 2; CORNER KICKS: 7; SAVES: Beene 4; CAUTIONS: Barr 46+; EJECTIONS: None.

Referee: Sandra Hunt

Referee's Assistants: Chris Strickland, Colin Arblaster

4th Official: Dinesh Singh.

Attendance: 5,244.

Temperature: 72 and Partly Cloudy.