2002 IN REVIEW: August 24: Prinz crowned four times

• by Soccer America , Dec 30, 2002

Led by first-year German Birgit Prinz, the Carolina Charge completed a remarkable worst-to-first campaign by beating Washington, 3-2, in Founders Cup II, the WUSA final.

The WUSA championship was Birgit Prinz's fourth title of 2002:

DFB-POKAL FRAUEN. The German striker's hat trick carried FFC Frankfurt past Hamburger SV, 5-0, in the May 11 final at Berlin's Olympiastadion, its fourth successive German Cup title.

BUNDESLIGA-FRAUEN. Prinz netted 17 goals as Frankfurt romped to its third league championship in four years, going unbeaten with an 18-0-4 record to best Turbine Potsdam and Rumeln Duisburg by 14 points.

UEFA WOMEN'S CUP. The German champs conquered Europe, winning UEFA's first women's club championship May 23, besting Swedish titlist Umea IK, 2-0, before 12,106 in the final match at Frankfurt's Waldstadion before reconstruction for the 2006 World Cup started. Prinz set up Steffi Jones in the 69th minute with a mis-shot off a corner kick, then added another in the 90th.

FOUNDERS CUP. Prinz was the MVP after scoring a goal and assisting on another in a five-minute span early before 15,321 at Atlanta's Herndon Stadium in the second half of Carolina's 3-2 victory over Washington in the WUSA's second title game. Prinz was tied for second in scoring during the regular season, with 12 goals and eight assists in 15 games.

by Soccer America Editors