2010 Atlanta Beat season

Atlanta Beat
2010 season
Owner	Fitz Johnson
Head coach	Gareth O'Sullivan, James Galanis
Stadium	KSU Soccer Stadium
WPS	7th
Playoffs	Did not qualify
Top goalscorer	League: Eniola Aluko (6); All: Eniola Aluko (6)
Highest home attendance	7,248 (May 9 vs. NJ)
Lowest home attendance	2,267 (Sept. 1 vs. BOS)
Average home league attendance	3,690
Biggest win	1 goal (5 matches)
Biggest defeat	1–6 (Aug. 28 vs. BAY)
Home colors	Away colors
	2011 →
	All statistics correct as of July 15, 2022.

The 2010 Atlanta Beat season was the club's inaugural season in Women's Professional Soccer, joining the Philadelphia Independence as expansion teams in the league's second season, and was their first season in the top division of women's soccer in the American soccer pyramid. Including the WUSA franchise, this was the club's fifth year of existence.^[1]

Review and events

The WPS Beat, with few connections to its WUSA predecessor, was announced on June 18, 2009, as an expansion franchise. It began play at the newly built Kennesaw State University Soccer Stadium, a $16.5 million, 8,300-seat facility that had been built in partnership between the university and the Beat.^[1]^[2] Their owner, Fitz Johnson, was an attorney and former defense contractor. The Beat's first signings were through the 2009 WPS International Draft, selecting Ramona Bachmann, Johanna Rasmussen, and Mami Yamaguchi. The team also selected Tobin Heath with the first-overall pick in the 2010 WPS College Draft; however, she injured her ankle three matches into the season and did not appear for the Beat again.^[1]

On June 4, 2010, after the Saint Louis Athletica folded in the middle of the season, the Beat added Lori Chalupny, Hope Solo, Eniola Aluko (who would lead the team in goals scored on the season), and Tina Ellertson.^[1]^[3] Its absorption of so many players from Athletica led to women's soccer bloggers to refer to nickname the team "Atlantica".^[1]

After a 4-10-5 start, including an eight-match winless streak to start the season, the Beat fired head coach Gareth O'Sullivan and assistant coach Robbie Nicholson. James Galanis was hired to take over as coach;^[4] under him, the Beat finished 1-3-1. The Beat conceded the league's most goals in the season (40) and were tied with Sky Blue FC for the fewest scored (20).^[1]

Match results

Preseason

3 April 2010 (2010-04-03)	Saint Louis Athletica	1–2	Atlanta Beat	Tulsa, Oklahoma
	Boxx	Report	McNeil Bachmann

WPS

11 April 2010 (2010-04-11) 1	Philadelphia Independence	0–0	Atlanta Beat	Philadelphia
		Report	McNeill 90+'	Stadium: John A. Farrell Stadium Attendance: 6,028 Referee: Daniel Fitzgerald Assistant referees: Melanie Johnson, Ian O'Neil Fourth official: Zachary Rubinch

18 April 2010 (2010-04-18) 2	Washington Freedom	3–1	Atlanta Beat	Boyds, Maryland
	Wambach 43' Sawa 50' (Wambach) Welsh 89' (Wambach)	Report	Bachmann 44', 47' (Yamaguchi)	Stadium: Maryland SoccerPlex Attendance: 2,665 Referee: Donald Dellavia Assistant referees: Dean Fairweather, Mark Gorak Fourth official: Kia Goodrich

24 April 2010 (2010-04-24) 3	FC Gold Pride	2–1	Atlanta Beat	Castro Valley, California
	Milbrett 10' (Abily) Buehler 26' Dew 89' (Riley)	Report	Ocampo 24' (Kerr) Zerboni 45+'	Stadium: Castro Valley Athletic Stadium Attendance: 3,002 Referee: Dallas Malhiwsky Assistant referees: Verónica Pérez, Mike Kampmeinert Fourth official: Vicente Cortes

1 May 2010 (2010-05-01) 4	Philadelphia Independence	1–0	Atlanta Beat	Philadelphia
	Lindsey 25' (Falk)	Report		Stadium: John A. Farrell Stadium Attendance: 2,760 Referee: Michelle Cowman Assistant referees: Marlene Duffy, Melanie Johnson Fourth official: John McCloskey

9 May 2010 (2010-05-09) 5	Atlanta Beat	1–0	Sky Blue FC	Kennesaw, GA
		Report	Robinson 50' (o.g.)	Stadium: KSU Soccer Stadium Attendance: 7,248 Referee: Moo Hackett Assistant referees: Melanie Johnson, Patrick Baker Fourth official: Tony Russo

16 May 2010 (2010-05-16) 6	Atlanta Beat	0–2	Washington Freedom	Kennesaw, GA
7:00 p.m. EST (UTC−05:00)		Report	Mykland 28' (Wambach) Wambach 63' (Bompastor) Goebel 86'	Stadium: KSU Soccer Stadium Attendance: 3,112 Referee: Daniel Radford Assistant referees: Marlene Duffy, Amy Mahan Fourth official: Chris Shanku

29 May 2010 (2010-05-29) 7	Atlanta Beat	v	Saint Louis Athletica	Kennesaw, GA
7:00 p.m. EST (UTC−05:00)				Stadium: KSU Soccer Stadium
Note: Saint Louis Athletica dissolved on May 27, 2010.^[5]

6 June 2010 (2010-06-06) 8	Chicago Red Stars	0–0	Atlanta Beat	Bridgeview, Illinois
3:08 p.m. CST (UTC−06:00)	Weber 90+1'	Report		Stadium: Toyota Park Attendance: 4,227 Referee: Daniel Fitzgerald Assistant referees: Shelley Finger, Ann Mayberry Fourth official: Stephanie Toth

19 June 2010 (2010-06-19) 9	Atlanta Beat	1–0	Chicago Red Stars	Kennesaw, GA
	Ellertson 41' (Ocampo)	Report		Stadium: KSU Soccer Stadium Attendance: 3,589
Note: Match highlights

23 June 2010 (2010-06-23) 10	Atlanta Beat	2–2	Philadelphia Independence	Kennesaw, GA
7:30 p.m. EST (UTC−05:00)	Yamaguchi 15' (Zerboni) Ellertson 90+' (Miyama)	Report	Rodriguez 36' (Adams) Bishop 49' (o.g.)	Stadium: KSU Soccer Stadium Attendance: 2,632 Referee: Ted Unkel Assistant referees: Tony Russo, Amy Mahan Fourth official: Chris Shanku

3 July 2010 (2010-07-03) 11	Atlanta Beat	0–4	FC Gold Pride	Kennesaw, GA
	McNeill 34'	Report	Sinclair 1' (Marta) Marta 30', 86' (Barnhart) O'Hara 90' (Sinclair)	Stadium: KSU Soccer Stadium Attendance: 3,111 Referee: Kari Seitz Assistant referees: Ashley Cedro, Patrick Baker Fourth official: Mark Cleland

7 July 2010 (2010-07-07) 12	Chicago Red Stars	1–1	Atlanta Beat	Bridgeview, Illinois
	Masar 42' (Cristiane) Chapman 61'	Report	Rasmussen 30' Miyama 31' Cinalli 90+'	Stadium: Toyota Park Attendance: 3,091 Referee: Daniel Fitzgerald Assistant referees: Vicente Cortes, Miguel Panduro Fourth official: Stephanie Toth

11 July 2010 (2010-07-11) 13	Boston Breakers	3–1	Atlanta Beat	Boston, Massachusetts
	Angeli 49' Smith 53' Bogus 54' (Angeli) Scott 90+'	Report	Rasmussen 7'	Stadium: Harvard Stadium Attendance: 4,194 Referee: Donald Dellavia Assistant referees: Miguel Panduro, Mark Allatin Fourth official: Michael Solla

18 July 2010 (2010-07-18) 14	Sky Blue FC	0–1	Atlanta Beat	Piscataway, New Jersey
		Report	Aluko 7' (Kerr) Sesselmann 85'	Stadium: Yurcak Field Attendance: 2,808 Referee: Margaret Domka

21 July 2010 (2010-07-21) 15	Atlanta Beat	1–0	Chicago Red Stars	Kennesaw, GA
	Aluko 56' (Bishop), 90+' Blank 79'	Report		Stadium: KSU Soccer Stadium Attendance: 3,214 Referee: Michael Donovan Assistant referees: Matthew Kreitzer, Mark Cleland Fourth official: Amy Mahan

28 July 2010 (2010-07-28) 16	Atlanta Beat	3–2	Washington Freedom	Kennesaw, GA
	Rasmussen 20' (Miyama) Ellertson 44' Ocampo 67' (Zerboni), 88' (Miyama)	Report	Marshall 41' (Sawa) Huffman 67' (Wambach)	Stadium: KSU Soccer Stadium Attendance: 3,339 Referee: Michelle Cowman Assistant referees: Amy Willing, Amy Mahan Fourth official: Patrick Baker

1 August 2010 (2010-08-01) 17	Atlanta Beat	0–0	FC Gold Pride	Kennesaw, GA
	Chalupny 9' Bachmann 41'	Report	Chapman 89'	Stadium: KSU Soccer Stadium Attendance: 3,242 Referee: Margaret Domka Assistant referees: Said Ravanfar, J.J. Blodgett Fourth official: Mark Cleland

4 August 2010 (2010-08-04) 18	Boston Breakers	2–0	Atlanta Beat	Kennesaw, GA
	Smith 1' (Tarpley), 62', 66'	Report		Stadium: KSU Soccer Stadium Attendance: 3,251 Referee: Bryan Roslund Assistant referees: Moo Hackett, Russell Wolf Fourth official: Jan Halaska

7 August 2010 (2010-08-07) 19	Atlanta Beat	1–2	Sky Blue FC	Kennesaw, GA
	Aluko 62'	Report	Averbuch 36' Kalmari 44' Ellertson 71' (o.g.) Rosana 79' Schnur 90+'	Stadium: KSU Soccer Stadium Attendance: 3,489 Referee: Michael Donovan Assistant referees: Juan Guzman, Mark Cleland

15 August 2010 (2010-08-15) 20	Philadelphia Independence	3–2	Atlanta Beat	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
	Magnúsdóttir 32' DiMartino 42', 60' (Rodriguez) Lohman 81' (Rodriguez)	Report	Rasmussen 4' (Bachmann) Chalupny 18' (Robinson)	Stadium: John A. Farrell Stadium Attendance: 2,559 Referee: Daniel Fitzgerald Assistant referees: Verónica Pérez, Stanford Nagle III Fourth official: Eric Weisbrod

21 August 2010 (2010-08-21) 21	Boston Breakers	2–3	Atlanta Beat	New Britain, Connecticut
	Tarpley 87' Lilly 90+'	Report	Chalupny 11' Miyama 66' Aluko 73' (Kerr)	Stadium: Veterans Stadium Attendance: 4,071 Referee: Ted Unkel Assistant referees: Kristen Schiereck, Russell Wolf Fourth official: Daniel Hristov

28 August 2010 (2010-08-28) 22	Atlanta Beat	1–6	FC Gold Pride	Kennesaw, GA
	Miyama 52' Kerr 65'	Report	Dew 16' Milbrett 43' (Boxx) Abily 51' Marta 66' (Abily), 70' (Sinclair) O'Hara 72' Boxx 78' Sinclair 88' (Abily)	Stadium: KSU Soccer Stadium Attendance: 4,289 Referee: Jennifer Bennett Assistant referees: Tony Russo, Chris Heintzman Fourth official: Chris Shanku

1 September 2010 (2010-09-01) 23	Atlanta Beat	1–3	Boston Breakers	Kennesaw, GA
	Aluko 64' (Miyama) McNeill 65'	Report	Tarpley 22' (Smith) Angeli 33' (LePeilbet) Lilly 45+' (Scott)	Stadium: KSU Soccer Stadium Attendance: 2,267 Referee: Daniel Radford Assistant referees: John Schmitz, Brandon Adams Fourth official: Amy Mahan

5 September 2010 (2010-09-05) 24	Atlanta Beat	0–0	Sky Blue FC	Kennesaw, GA
		Report	Lloyd 88'	Stadium: KSU Soccer Stadium Attendance: 4,752 Referee: Allan Chapman Assistant referees: Melanie Johnson, Mark Cleland Fourth official: Justin Nelson

11 September 2010 (2010-09-11) 25	Washington Freedom	1–0	Atlanta Beat	Boyds, Maryland
	Wambach 52', 88' (Sauerbrunn)	Report	Sesselmann 15' 76' Miyama 90+'	Stadium: Maryland SoccerPlex Attendance: 3,545 Referee: Kari Seitz Assistant referees: Verónica Pérez, Marlene Duffy Fourth official: Michael Donovan

Club

Roster

As of September 5, 2010^[6]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.


No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
0	GK	USA	Mallori Lofton-Malachi
2	MF	USA	McCall Zerboni
4	MF	USA	Stacy Bishop
6	DF	USA	Kia McNeill
7	DF	USA	Leigh Ann Robinson
8	FW	MEX	Mónica Ocampo
9	MF	JPN	Mami Yamaguchi
10	FW	SUI	Ramona Bachmann
11	MF	USA	Angie Kerr
12	MF	USA	Lori Chalupny
13	FW	DEN	Johanna Rasmussen


No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
14	MF	USA	Carolyn Blank
15	FW	USA	Amanda Cinalli
16	DF	USA	Kaley Fountain
17	GK	USA	Brett Maron
18	MF	JPN	Aya Miyama
19	MF	ENG	Rebecca Nolin
21	FW	ENG	Eniola Aluko
23	DF	USA	Tina Ellertson
24	FW	USA	Lauren Sesselmann
78	GK	USA	Hope Solo
—	MF	USA	Manya Makoski

Management and staff

Front Office

Position	Staff
Owner & Chief Executive Officer	T. Fitz Johnson
General Manager	Shawn McGee
Player and Community Relations Director	Jen Plante
Sales and Marketing Director	Chris Sperry
Corporate Partnerships Manager	Sherry King-Castellanos
Media Relations Manager	Christa Mann
Crowd Building Director	Scott Foster
Operations Director	Kristin Lettiere
Benefits Coordinator	Jan Williams
Administrative Assistant	Maria Pacheco

Last updated: August 10, 2010
Source: Atlanta Beat

Coaching Staff

Position	Staff
Interim Head Coach	James Galanis
Asst. Coach/GK Coach	Russ Stroud

Last updated: September 10, 2010
Source: Atlanta Beat^[6]

Standings

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
4	Washington Freedom	24	8	7	9	33	33	0	31	Advance to First Round
5	Sky Blue FC	24	7	7	10	20	31	−11	28
6	Chicago Red Stars	24	7	6	11	21	27	−6	27
7	Atlanta Beat	24	5	6	13	20	40	−20	21
8	Saint Louis Athletica	6	2	3	1	9	8	+1	9	Team withdrawn

Source: WPS Soccerway
Rules for classification: 1) points, 2) goal difference, 3) head-to-head result.

Awards

WPS Player of the Week

Week	Player	Week's Statline
16	Allison Lipsher	11 saves in two matches^[7]^[8]
19	Eniola Aluko	Game-winning goal vs. Boston^[9]^[10]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f "Atlanta Beat (2010-2011)". Fun While It Lasted. May 18, 2015. Archived from the original on January 26, 2021. Retrieved July 15, 2022.
^ Lauren Green (December 14, 2009). "Atlanta Beat, Kennesaw State University Announce New Stadium Partnership". Bleacher Report. Archived from the original on February 9, 2010. Retrieved July 15, 2022.
^ Whitney Keller (June 4, 2010). "Atlanta Beat Get Big Talent from St. Louis Athletica". Bleacher Report. Archived from the original on July 15, 2022. Retrieved July 15, 2022.
^ Whitney Keller (August 21, 2020). "Meet Atlanta Beat Interim Head Coach James Galanis". Bleacher Report. Archived from the original on August 11, 2016. Retrieved July 15, 2022.
^ "WPS team St. Louis Athletica announces shock shut down mid-season". Potomoac Soccer Wire. May 27, 2010. Archived from the original on May 31, 2010.
^ ^a ^b "Atlanta Beat vs. Sky Blue FC" (PDF). Atlanta Beat. September 5, 2010. Archived (PDF) from the original on July 15, 2022. Retrieved July 15, 2022.
^ "WPS Weekly – Week 16". oursportscentral.com. Women's Professional Soccer. August 3, 2010. Archived from the original on July 15, 2022. Retrieved July 15, 2022.
^ "Goal.com WPS Player Of The Week: Hope Solo, Atlanta Beat". Goal. August 2, 2010. Archived from the original on August 31, 2010. Retrieved July 15, 2022.
^ "Aluko Named WPS Player of the Week". oursportscentral.com. Atlanta Beat. August 24, 2010. Archived from the original on January 24, 2021. Retrieved July 15, 2022.
^ "Women's Professional Soccer Weekly – Week 20". Box Score News. August 31, 2010. Archived from the original on July 15, 2022. Retrieved July 15, 2022.

[FWIL-1] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f "Atlanta Beat (2010-2011)". Fun While It Lasted. May 18, 2015. Archived from the original on January 26, 2021. Retrieved July 15, 2022.

[2] Lauren Green (December 14, 2009). "Atlanta Beat, Kennesaw State University Announce New Stadium Partnership". Bleacher Report. Archived from the original on February 9, 2010. Retrieved July 15, 2022.

[3] Whitney Keller (June 4, 2010). "Atlanta Beat Get Big Talent from St. Louis Athletica". Bleacher Report. Archived from the original on July 15, 2022. Retrieved July 15, 2022.

[4] Whitney Keller (August 21, 2020). "Meet Atlanta Beat Interim Head Coach James Galanis". Bleacher Report. Archived from the original on August 11, 2016. Retrieved July 15, 2022.

[5] "WPS team St. Louis Athletica announces shock shut down mid-season". Potomoac Soccer Wire. May 27, 2010. Archived from the original on May 31, 2010.

[20100905-program-6] "Atlanta Beat vs. Sky Blue FC" (PDF). Atlanta Beat. September 5, 2010. Archived (PDF) from the original on July 15, 2022. Retrieved July 15, 2022.

[7] "WPS Weekly – Week 16". oursportscentral.com. Women's Professional Soccer. August 3, 2010. Archived from the original on July 15, 2022. Retrieved July 15, 2022.

[8] "Goal.com WPS Player Of The Week: Hope Solo, Atlanta Beat". Goal. August 2, 2010. Archived from the original on August 31, 2010. Retrieved July 15, 2022.

[9] "Aluko Named WPS Player of the Week". oursportscentral.com. Atlanta Beat. August 24, 2010. Archived from the original on January 24, 2021. Retrieved July 15, 2022.

[10] "Women's Professional Soccer Weekly – Week 20". Box Score News. August 31, 2010. Archived from the original on July 15, 2022. Retrieved July 15, 2022.

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