Women's Professional Soccer held its draft on Friday at the NSCAA Convention in Kansas City. Without an expansion team for 2012 to steal away the first pick, 2011's bottom of the table finisher Atlanta Beat grabbed UCLA striker at Sydney Leroux at number one. Sky Blue FC finished fifth in 2011, one spot on the table - but a full 12 points - above the Beat, and thus had the second pick. The New Jersey side also picked at four, nine, 15 and 19, giving the team five of the 23 total picks.

Unlike 2011 where Alex Morgan was the obvious choice to go first, 2012 featured a stronger overall draft class and a lot more uncertainty about who would go at number one. Well, maybe not that much uncertainty - Atlanta scored a league-worst seven goals last season and will enter the 2012 campaign riding a 757 minute goalless streak, so a quality striker was kind of important. The Beat wasn't the only team that went offensive through the first round though, five of the seven picks were forwards, including Sky Blue's first.

And now, all of Sky Blue FC's 2012 draft picks...

Melissa Henderson, F, Notre Dame (2nd overall): Sky Blue's current roster isn't exactly overflowing with offense at the moment, with former occasional Western NY Flash striker Gemma Davison and new-to-WPS Dutch striker Manon Melis the only confirmed firepower so far. Add to that the departures of Adriana and Allie Long to Western NY, Heather O'Reilly's decision to ship up to Boston, and the current free agent status of the rest of 2011's offense and, well, a forward seems even smarter. Not to mention the fact that Melis could miss some time while the Netherlands participates in qualifiers for the 2013 Euros, or that Sky Blue's two previous attempts with Dutch players have gone badly. Henderson netted 70 goals and one national championship while at Notre Dame. She'll need some of that goal scoring prowess, and could be called on to play a big role in her rookie season, especially considering just about every Sky Blue striker ever has fallen victim to either some kind of strange injury problem or suffered a serious case of malaise.

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Parts One and Two broke down the how, why and when it all went wrong for Sky Blue FC - and now in Part Three, the who. There were some that impressed, some that fell short, and a few that never really got a shot to show their stuff. Plus, a new coach that actually stuck around.

Jim Gabarra: First year at the helm of a team not called Washington Freedom was also his first without a playoff appearance. Not a total loss - Gabarra built a team that was capable of some of the league's most attractive soccer. Finished the season with five wins - tied with Kelly Lindsey (2009) and Pauliina Miettinen (2010) for the title of winningest coach in franchise history. Sky Blue's 24 goals this season and a five game unbeaten streak that stretched from May 21st to June 22 are both franchise records. Bonus points for being the first coach in club history to make it a full season. No small feat when you consider he was the sixth person to attempt it.

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Previously in Sky Blue FC's season... The team was riding a five game unbeaten streak and a playoff spot was comfortably in reach as WPS took a break for the Group Stage of the World Cup.

Coming back from the time off, Sky Blue FC looked to keep up the momentum - and did, almost. Facing Philadelphia when play resumed Sky Blue lost to the Independence in a wild 4-3 game. But then - a comeback 2-2 draw with a depleted magicJack side. And Sky Blue's first home loss of the season - 2-0 to Western NY in a match that kicked off just minutes after the US lost to Japan on penalties in the World Cup Final.

With just six games to play and all the internationals back at home, Sky Blue found its way again, baffling Philadelphia in a 2-0 win that showed a team on the field that really was as good as the one paper. Then off to Florida to top a now-full strength magicJack by the same score and Sky Blue was suddenly in a battle for third place with magicJack - comfortably clear of the struggling Boston Breakers below. But that win against magicJack - Sky Blue's fifth victory of the season - was the last points the New Jersey side would see.

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In 2009 Sky Blue FC made a miraculous run to the inaugural WPS Championship - sneaking into the playoffs on the final day of the regular season and embarking on a cross-country road trip, knocking off the Washington Freedom, St. Louis Athletica and LA Sol, all sides Sky Blue had never beaten and all in the span of just eight days en route to the title. That the team was by then on its third coach of the season, Christie Rampone, who also happened to be the captain and central defender - and that following the match Rampone informed teammates that she was pregnant - only made the whole thing more remarkable. Since then Sky Blue has fielded teams that were, on paper at least, better than the one that won that Championship in 2009. And since then Sky Blue FC hasn't made the playoffs.

In 2010 Tasha Kai scored six minutes into the season opener, and then it all went wrong. Carli Lloyd broke her ankle three games in. Kai often found herself relegated to the bench. Rampone missed the beginning of the season on maternity leave. Anita Asante was traded to St. Louis. Meghan Schnur was in and out of the lineup with an injury. Jenni Branam broke her kneecap in a preseason game. Karen Bardsley put in a star-making performance in Branam's place - earning an All-Star starting nod for her troubles - and broke her collarbone in an All-Star training session. Kristin Luckenbill took over in goal, retiring when Branam returned. Branam got hurt again, requiring goalkeeper number four, Meghann Burke, to finish the season between the posts. 

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Sunday night's match between the Boston Breakers and Sky Blue FC wasn't technically a playoff match, but it might as well have been. With the final postseason spot at stake Sky Blue traveled to Boston to take on the Breakers in the final match of the regular season. Three points ahead of the Breakers coming into the match, Sky Blue needed just a draw to secure the final postseason berth. For Boston, the match was a must-win - any other result would send the Breakers into the offseason.

Both teams came into the match at Harvard Stadium struggling, with Sky Blue winless in four and the Breakers winless in five, but Boston wasted little time breaking out of their slump. Lauren Cheney scored just 14 seconds into the match and added another in the 18th minute, putting the visitors into a 2-0 hole before the half-hour mark. Sky Blue FC picked up the pressure, but couldn't find the back of the net, leaving Cheney's pair of goals to send the Breakers into the postseason. It is the second consecutive playoff appearance for Boston and the second consecutive playoff-less season for Sky Blue FC.

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Sky Blue FC will take on the Boston Breakers on Sunday afternoon at Harvard Stadium in Boston in the final regular season game for both teams. Sky Blue and Boston are currently fourth and fifth on the table respectively, but just three points separate the two, making Sunday’s match the decider for who gets the final playoff spot. The winner will go on to the postseason, facing third place magicJack in Florida on Wednesday night while the season will be over for the loser. A draw would put Sky Blue FC through.

Boston has somehow managed to become a worse team since the return of its World Cup players, going winless since Rachel Buehler, Amy LePeilbet, Stephanie Cox, Lauren Cheney, Kelley O’Hara, Alex Scott, Kelly Smith and Aya Sameshima rejoined the team. The Breakers head into Sunday without a win in their last five – the last four in that run all losses. Sky Blue FC though hasn’t fared much better recently - the New Jersey side has now dropped three straight. Despite the dip in form Sky Blue still had the chance to secure the final playoff spot and eliminate Boston last weekend against Philadelphia, but a stoppage time goal from the Independence’s Lianne Sanderson destroyed that dream.

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With the opportunity to clinch a playoff spot on the line, Sky Blue FC closed out the season series with the Philadelphia Independence Sunday night in Chester, PA. Because the Boston Breakers lost on Saturday, the New Jersey side needed just a draw to secure the final postseason spot and eliminate Boston from playoff contention. But Sky Blue FC is a team that doesn't like to do things the easy way - or the safe way - and knowing the postseason is a sure thing with a game still remaining? What fun would that be? And so, after playing almost the entire second half down a player and still managing to hold on to a 1-1 score line, Sky Blue gave up the equalizer in stoppage time.

Former Sky Blue FC striker Tasha Kai gave the Independence an early lead before the visitors equalized seven minutes later on a goal from Eniola Aluko. Sky Blue defender Carrie Dew was sent off early in the second frame for her second yellow card of the night, but the ten-woman Sky Blue managed to hold on. Almost. Jenni Branam put in a classic performance in net for Sky Blue, making several point-blank saves, but ultimately the Independence attack was too much. Lianne Sanderson netted the game-winner for Philadelphia in stoppage time, giving the home side the 2-1 win and keeping them at the top of the table. The loss keeps Sky Blue FC winless, and point-less, in two seasons when playing away at Philadelphia.

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Sky Blue FC will take on the Philadelphia Independence on Sunday at 6pm at Leslie Quick Stadium at Widener University in Chester, PA. The two teams have met three previous times this season - a draw and one win for each. Most recently Sky Blue beat Philadelphia 2-0 two weeks ago in New Jersey. Philadelphia has already clinched a home playoff game and is now just battling with Western NY for the regular season title. Sky Blue FC is currently in fourth and still fighting to cement a spot in the postseason. The team is currently three points ahead of Boston for the final berth. Both the Independence and Sky Blue will have one game remaining after Sunday.

Philadelphia is coming off a 1-0 win over Atlanta last weekend, the Independence's second straight victory. Sky Blue suffered a 3-2 loss to magicJack on Wednesday, the New Jersey team's second straight defeat. In two years Sky Blue has never beaten the Independence on the road, either at Philadelphia's old home at West Chester University or this season at Widener. In fact, the New Jersey side has never earned a single point in the Keystone State.

Nicole Barnhart has taken over for Val Henderson in the Philadelphia goal since the loss in New Jersey. Barnhart was Hope Solo's backup at the World Cup and hasn't allowed a goal since returning from Germany. The Sky Blue attack will certainly test Barnhart more than Atlanta did last weekend - Sky Blue has scored at least two goals in each of the three previous meetings this season. Opposite Barnhart, Jenni Branam will likely return between the posts for Sky Blue. Karen Bardsley got the start against magicJack on Wednesday, but looked incredibly shaky, particularly on magicJack's game winner.

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