The Philadelphia Independence pounded Sky Blue FC in a 4-1 win Saturday in West Chester, Penn behind beautifully creative play from midfielder Caroline Seger, who had three assists on the evening.

Joanna Lohman opened the scoring in just the 7th minute when she headed a cross from Seger into the back of the net to put Philadelphia up 1-0 early.  Just one minute later, Seger threaded a perfect through ball between Sky Blue FC center back Daphne Koster and Christie Rampone to play Amy Rodriguez in behind the defense.  Rodriguez calmly took a touch and hammered the ball over the head of goalkeeper Kristin Luckenbill to double the home side's advantage.

Things got worse for the visitors in the 21st minute when Holmfridur Magnusdottir made an advanced run down the left flank, chopped the ball past Sky Blue FC defender Brittany Taylor and slotted it past Luckenbill.

Sky Blue FC entered the half dejected and down 3-0 and Philadelphia continued to press forward in the second half in search of more.  In the 52nd minute, Seger obtained her third assist on a perfect through ball over the top to Rodriguez, who finished past Luckenbill to make it 4-0 on the evening.  The two goals give Rodriguez nine on the season, good for second in WPS.

Brittany Taylor pushed forward from her right back spot into more of an attacking role late in the match and she gutted the center of Philadelphia's defense in the 80th minute to get one back for the visitors, but it was little consolation for Sky Blue FC, which would fall 4-1 on the road.

"I think we had a lot of punch tonight," Philadelphia Head Coach Paul Riley said.  "We challenged Seger during the week.  We felt Seger was key to the second half of our season, because I think A-Rod, Lori Lindsey and Falk have been carrying us to this point.  As a team we challenged Seger this time in this week and it's time that she started pulling her weight a little bit and I think she was the best player on the field today.  She was industrious; she was good on the ball; her passes were spot on."

Sky Blue FC (5-7-3, 18 pts.) still maintains its spot in third place after FC Gold Pride topped the Washington Freedom 4-1 Saturday.  Meanwhile, Philadelphia (7-5-3, 24 pts.) extends the gap between itself and New Jersey, although the Independence did not make up any ground on league-leading FC Gold Pride, which Riley admits has all but won the league already.