May 18, 2012
RED STARS RISING
Team kicks off WPSL Elite Season Sunday

Julianne Sitch returns to the Red Stars for the coming WPSL Elite season. Linda Cuttone/Sports Vue Images

This Sunday marks the home opener and season debut for the Chicago Red Stars in this year’s new WPSL Elite League. They will kickoff at 3pm CT at Concordia University in River Forest, IL, against FC Indiana. Just five days later, the Red Stars head to South Bend for a rematch with FC Indiana on Friday, May 25th.

WPSL Elite League was founded this season in a gap left by Women’s Professional Soccer, which chose to forgo a 2012 season and subsequently ‘permanently suspended’ operations. The Red Stars are joined in WPSL Elite by two other former WPS teams, Boston Breakers and WNY Flash. Other teams in the league include former WPSL teams that made the jump upward into the Elite League.

While many WPS players elected to seek opportunities playing overseas, others chose to remain closer to home including former USWNT captain and gold-medalist Lori Chalupny, a St. Louis native.

“It is a great opportunity to improve as a player and continue to grow women’s soccer in the United States,” she remarked.

The Red Stars added several other WPS veterans including Chicagoland natives Jen Buczkowski and Julianne Sitch, who will look to feature prominently in the Red Stars opening day roster. Another fan favorite who was recently announced, Ella Masar, is still under contract with French side Paris Saint-Germain and will not be available for the FC Indiana series.

The Red Stars two opening contests are against one of the more interesting teams in the league. FC Indiana’s Head Coach, Shek Borkowski, recently became Women’s Technical Director of the Haitian women’s national team and their roster heavily features players from that delegation.

FC Indiana opened their season against a strong WNY Flash side last week, falling 4-1. They take on the Boston Breakers this evening, before heading for the Chicago clash Sunday. With FC Indiana having two games under their belt by Sunday’s opener, the Red Stars side will rely heavily on their veteran players to be ready for a strong start.