In a hard-fought, bruising game, the Carolina Courage held the Atlanta Beat to a 1-1 tie in front of 4,858 fans at Fetzer Field on Sunday. The defenses dictated the pace of play for both teams, stifling the depleted offenses. Both teams were missing players due to international duty, injury or card accumulation. The tie allowed the Courage (2-7-2 record, 8 points) to retain the upper hand over Atlanta (5-1-5, 20) in the season series, though both teams remained in last and second place, respectively. The Courage notched its only away win in Atlanta, and the Beat was unable to return the favor in Chapel Hill. “We weren’t trying to revenge anything as much as we were trying to play better, which we did,” said Atlanta coach Tom Stone. Regardless of the history between the two teams, neither rose up to take control of the match in the first half. Both squads had opportunities, but couldn’t put the ball in the net under heavy pressure from defenders. At the break, both to went to their locker rooms scoreless. In the second half, again the teams came out to battle, but it would be the Courage who struck first. In the 57th minute, forward Danielle Fotopoulos laid the ball off to Staci Burt as she raced unmarked just outside the Atlanta penalty area. Burt controlled the ball then lofted it over the Atlanta defense, past the outstretched arms of goalkeeper Melanie Wilson and into the far side of the net for her first ever WUSA goal. “Staci Burt has been one of our quality players on both sides,” Courage coach Marcia McDermott said of the young defender. “We are trying to get her more involved in our attack.” Wilson was making her second straight start in place of injured starter Briana Scurry, who has a bruised knee. Carolina’s Kristine Luckenbill also made her second straight start in place of starter Bente Nordby, who is in Germany with Norway for the European Championship. The Courage began to control the game after the goal, but couldn’t keep the Beat from putting in an equalizer in the 73rd minute. Atlanta defender Kylie Bivens threaded a ball through the Carolina defense, allowing Canadian striker Charmaine Hooper to walk in alone on Luckenbill. Hooper showed her international class as she calmly clipped the ball over the charging keeper. Both teams pressed for a winner in the waning moments of the game, but the defenses held firm and the game ended with the score tied, 1-1. McDermott was disappointed with only a tie, but said the team played well despite missing dominant Norwegian midfielder Hege Riise. “We miss Hege Riise, but we are starting to adjust our team to not having her,” McDermott said. Elsewhere on Sunday, host San Diego held the Bay Area to a 0-0 tie in the second meeting between Spirit midfielder Julie Foudy and the team coached by her husband, the CyberRays’ Ian Sawyers. Bay Area goalkeeper extended her league-record mark for scoreless minutes to 527. “Julie had a great game,” said Sawyers. “She contained and got forward very well.” The Bay Area had a bit more of the match in the first half, while it was San Diego who played the aggressor in the second period, but in the end, neither team could earn the much-needed three points. With the one point, the CyberRays moved to a 4-4-3 record and 15 points, enough to leapfrog Washington (4-5-2, 14) for sole possession of fourth place. The Spirit moved into a tie with Boston for sixth place with a 3-5-3 record (12 points). June 24 in Chapel Hill, N.C. CAROLINA 1, ATLANTA 1 Scoring Summary: CAR û Staci Burt (Danielle Fotopoulos) 57. ATL û Charmaine Hooper (Kylie Bivens) 73. ATLANTA — Melanie Wilson, Sharolta Nonen, Dayna Smith, Lisa Krzykowski (Nancy Augustyniak, 59), Kylie Bivens, Nikki Serlenga, Amy Walsh (Kelly Cagle, 61), Nikki Lamb, Homare Sawa, Emily Burt (Charmaine Hooper, 45), Kerry Gragg. CAUTIONS: Serlenga 30; EJECTIONS: None. CAROLINA — Kristin Luckenbill, Staci Burt, Jaclyn Raveia, Carla Overbeck, Staci Wilson, Tiffany Roberts, Erin Baxter, Wen Lirong (Beth Sheppard, 79), Silvana Burtini (Mikka Hansen, 55), Meredith Florance (Maren Hendershot, 79), Danielle Fotopoulos. CAUTIONS: None; EJECTIONS: None. Referee: Kari Seitz. Attendance: 4,858. Weather: Partly Cloudy, Warm û 85 degrees June 24 in San Diego SAN DIEGO 0 BAY AREA 0 SAN DIEGO — Jaime Pagliarulo, Margaret Tietjen, Fan Yunjie, Kim Pickup, Rhiannon Tanaka, Shannon Boxx, Traci Arkenberg, Julie Foudy, Shannon MacMillan, Jen Mascaro (Erin Montoya, 43), Mercy Akide (Tara Koleski, 67). CAUTIONS: None; EJECTIONS: None. BAY AREA — LaKeysia Beene, Thori Bryan, Kelly Lindsey, Dianne Alagich, Brandi Chastain, Carey Dorn, Tisha Venturini (Lisa Nanez, 71), Sissi (Venus James, 89), Christina Bell (Kim Clark, 60), Katia, Julie Murray (Jacqui Little, 80). CAUTIONS: Katia 44; EJECTIONS: None. Referee: Thomas Perry. Attendance: 5,554. Weather: Hot, brilliant sunshine — 83 degrees.