Richmond Kickers News Release -- www.richmondkickers.com

Friday, June 7, 2013

RICHMOND, Va. – The Richmond Kickers will attempt to keep their undefeated USL PRO record when they host the Wilmington Hammerheads and Food Truck Fest at City Stadium on Saturday night at 7 p.m. Richmond’s iconic food trucks will headline the event with local favorites such as Curbside Creations, Paris Creperie, King of Pops, Mr. Softee, Arco Iris Latino Market and La Milpa scheduled to attend, serving delicious sandwiches, legendary tacos and all-natural frozen desserts. The Kickers outdoor bar and live music begin at 5:30 p.m. and admission is just $5 before 6:30 p.m.

Richmond and Wilmington conclude their two-game home and away regular season series on Saturday, having met previously at Wilmington’s Legion Stadium on May 3. Claiming three points from their first and only road contest so far this season, veteran midfielder Luke Vercollone converted a second-half penalty to give the visitors the lead before 17-year-old forward Michael Seaton notched the decisive goal in stoppage time in his professional debut.

The Kickers enter Saturday’s game following a 1-0 win over USL PRO expansion franchise Phoenix FC Wolves last week. Keeping their unbeaten streak alive on the back of Nate Robinson’s 30th minute lone goal, the Kickers posted their fourth shutout of the season with goalkeeper Ryan Jones recording a clean sheet in his home debut to solidify the club’s 6-0-3 record and third-place position in the USL PRO standings.

Wilmington battled Phoenix 24 hours later and also collected a valuable three points in their rematch against the Wolves. The Hammerheads raced out to an early lead when former Kickers defender Jamel Wallace connected with Uriah Bentick in the sixth minute. After Phoenix leveled the score just before the break, the Hammerheads capped off the first half minute later with a Daniel Roberts game-winner.

Players to Watch
Kickers: Forward Casey Townsend has been a spark for the Kickers this year in all four games played. With two goals and six shots on target, the loanee from D.C. United has put his stamp on games and, after being sent back to Richmond, will look to get back to his scoring ways.

Appearing in all 11 of the Kickers regular season and U.S. Open Cup matches this season, veteran defender William Yomby has anchored the defensive unit to five shutouts. The Cameroonian earned USL PRO Team of the Week honors this week following another solid defensive effort blanking the Wolves last week.

Versatile midfielder/defender Juan Arbelaez earned his fourth start of the season against Phoenix, recording his first professional assist on the game-winning goal. Selected by the Montreal Impact in the 2013 MLS SuperDraft, the native of Pereira, Colombia signed with the Kickers following two seasons at VCU where he made 38 appearances, tallying one goal and five assists.

Hammerheads: Defender Jamel Wallace has played all but one game this season and has proven to be a force to reckoned with on both sides of the ball, sharing the scoring lead with three goals. The former Kickers defender made 21 appearances in Richmond during the 2011 season.

Midfielder Paul Nicholson is the other scoring leader for the Hammerheads, also notching three goals. In his third season with the Hammerheads, the Englishman has made eight appearances registering a total of 658 minutes.

Des Moines Menace News Release -- www.menacesoccer.com

Friday, June 7, 2013

WEST DES MOINES, Iowa – For the Des Moines Menace, a four-weekend home stand is a welcome sight.

On Saturday night, the Menace (3-2-1) have the first of five straight home matches, welcoming a Springfield Demize (1-1-1) team that fought back for a draw with Des Moines earlier this year. This is the Menace’s first home action in three weeks.

Des Moines returns from a six-game road swing that sent the team throughout the Midwest and into Canada during a two-and-a-half-week stretch. During this stretch, the Menace earned a 2-2 record in Premier Development League matches and went 1-1 against professional teams in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.

Saturday is Youth Soccer Night with the Menace. All youth-soccer players, coaches, and referees get into Valley Stadium for free. The Menace women open with a 4:30 p.m. match against the Madison 56ers.

ABOUT THE MENACE

- Seek to build on their 5-1 triumph against the Kansas City Brass on Wednesday.
- Has a balanced offensive attack; Jimmy Tulloch, who scored twice on Wednesday, is the team’s only multi-goal scorer in PDL play.
- Advanced to the third round of the 2013 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup – a run that ended with a 2-0 loss at Sporting Kansas City (Major League Soccer) on June 28.
- Finished 8-5-3 in 2012, missing the Heartland Division’s second and final playoff spot by a single point to Real Colorado (8-4-4).
- Began 2013 under the direction of a new general manager (Matt Homonoff) and head coach (Mike Jeffries). The last time Des Moines did this, in 2005, the team ended the season as PDL champion (GM Alan Oatsvall and coach Casey Mann).
- The updated roster: www.MenaceSoccer.com/men/roster

ABOUT THE DEMIZE
- Looking to rebound from a 2-0 home defeat to the Kansas City Brass on Monday.
- Have received goals from four different players, topped by Eric Martin (two goals).
- Have yet to play a road match.
- Are led by first-year head coach Sean Fraser, formerly a professional soccer player with the Edmonton Drillers of the Canadian Major Indoor Soccer League.

MENACE VS. DEMIZE IN 2013
- Home-side Springfield scored late to salvage a 1-1 draw on May 11 in the teams’ season opener.
- The lone Menace goal came from a volley by David Santamaria in the 29th minute.
- Springfield got the equalizer on a counter-attack by Mark Heath-Preston in the 86th minute.
- This is the teams’ second and final meeting of 2013.

ALL-TIME SERIES
- The Menace leads the all-time series 13-1-1.
- Des Moines is perfect at home against the Demize, with a 7-0-0 record and a scoring advantage of 32-2.
- The Menace are 2-1-1 in their last four meetings with the Demize, after winning the first 11 encounters.

HOME-TURF DEFENSE
- The Menace has five straight home games to finish out June, including four PDL matches and an exhibition with Twin Cities BK.
- Des Moines has played only one of its first six PDL matches on friendly ground.
- The Menace has six of its final eight PDL matches at Valley Stadium.
- The Menace went 5-1-2 at Valley Stadium last season, following a 7-1-0 home mark in 2011.

SATURDAY’S PROMOTIONS
- On Saturday, the Menace celebrate Youth Soccer Night. All youth-soccer players, coaches and referees will be admitted to the game free of charge.
- All YMCA of Greater Des Moines members will also be admitted free, when they show proof of membership.

UP NEXT: HOME SWEEET HOME
- The Menace return to Valley Stadium for back-to-back matches against arch-rival Thunder Bay next Friday, June 14 and Saturday, June 15.
- Bobblehead Night arrives on Friday, June 14, with the first 1,000 fans receiving a limited-edition Maniac (mascot) bobblehead.
- On Saturday, June 15, the Menace look to blackout the stadium with $5 tickets for anyone wearing black. Des Moines will also be celebrating Menace Alumni Night.

Charleston Battery News Release -- www.charlestonbattery.com

Friday, June 7, 2013

CHARLESTON, S.C. -- The Charleston Battery (6-3-2) will conclude a five-game home stretch on Saturday night with a game against Major League Soccer’s Houston Dynamo Reserves (4-1-0). Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. at Blackbaud Stadium.

Saturday night is Irish Night at Blackbaud Stadium presented by Molly Darcy’s Irish Pub. There will be bagpipe players, Irish dancers, and a Hurling exhibition at halftime. In addition, the stadium concessions will be featuring a 16 oz Guinness Draft or Magners (Irish Cider) draft for only $5.

The Battery are coming off a rainy Wednesday night match in which they played to a 2-2 tie with nearby rival, the Charlotte Eagles. Heviel Cordoves was a big contributor in the match with a beautiful goal in the second half to tie the game up and an assist to Dane Kelly just minutes later to give the Battery the lead.

Charleston was able to maintain the lead going into stoppage time but Charlotte continued to attack and found an equalizer of their own in the waning minutes of extra time when midfield Drew Yates snuck a header past the Battery goalkeeper.

The Houston Dynamo are a familiar opponent for the Charleston Battery, having traveled to Charleston three times to participate in the annual Carolina Challenge Cup at Blackbaud Stadium. The Dynamo were back-to-back champions in 2006 and 2007. In addition the teams have met on several occasions in the U.S. Open Cup.

The Battery defeated the Dynamo Reserves in their first meeting this past May by a score of 1-0, behind Dane Kelly, who volleyed home Emmanuel Adjetey’s cross late in the first half. The loss was the Dynamo Reserve’s first and only of the season. The Dynamo Reserves currently sit in first place in the MLS Reserve League East Division with 12 points.

Live Broadcast Information
Saturday’s match will be broadcast live on SportsRadio 1450 AM WQNT presented by the Angie Gainey Bailey Real Estate Team, the match will also be streamed live on www.uslnation.com.

Doubleheader Saturday – SC United Bantams versus WV Chaos (PDL)
Saturday’s match includes a special PDL game before the Charleston Battery kick off. At 5 p.m. the SC United Bantams will take on the West Virginia Chaos in a USL PDL match. SC United’s roster includes several ex-Battery development academy players; current Charleston Battery forward Austin Savage played for the Bantams last season.

Ticket Information
All Charleston Battery home games are played at Blackbaud Stadium, Daniel Island; gates open at 4 p.m. on Saturday with the Charleston Battery kickoff set for 7:30 p.m. Tickets start at just $10 (includes both games); for directions, more information or to purchase tickets please call (843) 971-GOAL (4625) or visit www.charlestonbattery.com.

U.S. Open Cup
After defeating MLS’s San Jose Earthquakes the Battery moves on to a fourth round game against Major League Soccer’s Real Salt Lake. The match will take place at Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy, Utah on Wednesday night (Sports Radio 1450 AM / kick off 9:30 PM EST).

The win against the Earthquakes gave the Battery their ninth victory against MLS opposition in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup; DC United (1999), MetroStars (2001, 2004), Houston Dynamo (2007, 2008), FC Dallas (2008), Chivas USA (2009), Chicago Fire (2010) and San Jose Earthquakes (2013).

Sounders Women News Release - www.sounderswomen.com

Friday, June 7, 2013

SANTA CLARITA, Calif. - After a fantastic start that included two Sounders goals, the Sounders Women held off a late charge from the Santa Clarita Blue Heat to win 2-1 for their second win during a three-match road trip.

Melissa Busque and Sara Campbell scored in the 7th minute and 10th minutes respectively. Despite the hot start for Seattle, the Blue Heat controlled most of the second half and made things intense after a 62nd-minute goal to pull within one. Erin McNulty saves, the crossbar, and tightened defense all contributed to the Sounders’ slim victory.

The Sounders Women looked like they might cruise to an easy victory after the first 10 minutes of the game. Initially it was Busque with her first goal of the W-League regular season. She reacted better than the Santa Clarita defense to pounce on a long bouncing ball. Her first touch was to pass the ball into the bottom far corner of the goal.

The Sounders added another goal three minutes later off a corner kick. The ball was floated to the back post where defender Shannon Woeller calmly brought it down and touched it to her left to open up space in front of goal. Her shot was redirected by Campbell into the net for her second goal in as many games.

The Sounders controlled the first half, but the second half was a different story.

In the 62nd minute the Blue Heat poured gasoline on their small first-half flame. Ana Borges picked the ball up on the right channel, turned the Sounders defense and crossed accurately to the head of Rhianne Parsons in front of goal for a sharp header goal.

The home team continued to push for an equalizer for the final half hour. A short time after their goal, Natalia Gomez-Junco smashed a shot off the crossbar. Her effort from the top of the box drilled the underside of the bar and bounced a foot in front of the goal line before the Sounders keeper could save it from danger.

Each team tried to add to their tally during the last 10 minutes of the match but saves from Cynthia Jacobo for Santa Clarita and McNulty for Seattle kept the final score 2-1.

The win gives the Sounders 10 points from their first four matches to sit on top the Western Conference table.

The Sounders Women stay in Southern California for one more match this week. The final game of the three-match road trip is on Sunday at 3 p.m. against the second-place team in the Western conference, the Pali Blues.

Friday, June 7, 2013

THUNDER BAY, Ontario – The Thunder Bay Chill (4-0-0) stayed perfect on the season with a convincing 3-0 victory on a warm, sunny Friday night at tbaytel Field at Chapples Park. Thunder Bay controlled most of the play and held most of the possession in the first half but went to the locker room with nothing to show on the scoreboard. Three second-half goals, however, allowed the Chill to regain sole possession of first place in the Heartland Division with a two-point lead over the Des Moines Menace and two games in hand.

Although there were several opportunities for the Chill to open the scoring in the first half, the chances went astray. Lions goalkeeper Noah Fazekas had to be very sharp on the evening, making six great saves on point-blank shots, while the Chill also squandered opporunities as they missed the target.

The Chill came out in the second half determined to get the goal that eluded them in the first half, and 12 minutes in captain Nolan Intermoia scored what proved to be the winner when he put the ball in the back of the net. The goal came after Paul Dillon took a short free kick to Sergio Campano Franco, who then laid it off nicely to Abraham Villon. Intermoia was on hand to finish off the cross after Villon drove to the right side of the goal and crossed to create the opportunity.

Five minutes later, Chill striker Sunny Omoregie entered the game. He ended up scoring two goals in the 77th and 90th minutes to ice the victory for Thunder Bay. Omoregie could have had a third goal but as the ball was rolling into an empty net it was cleared at the last possible moment by Lion’s defender Mike Mesle. Omoergie, was happy with being able to play as he has not played since the first game of season on May 24th against WSA Winnipeg where he suffered a lower body injury.

Omoregie’s first goal came off a Dominic Roberts run down the left side of the field. Roberts laid the ball off to Omoregie who made a strong run into the box and slotted the ball low to the far corner of the net. His second goal came late in injury time off a pass from Zephaniah Thomas. The Chill had several other chances as well in the late going but Lions keeper stood his ground and made some great saves to keep the score respectable.

Chill head coach Tony Colistro was happy with the result but felt the “the team looked a little sluggish”, feeling perhaps that the field may have something to do with it.

These same two teams will play each other again on Saturday night at 7:30 pm ET at tbaytel Field at Chapples Park.

Friday, June 7, 2013

ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- The Rochester Rhinos tied the Montreal Impact Reserves 1-1 on Friday night at Sahlen’s Stadium. Rhinos forward Tam McManus scored his second goal in his last two matches to give the home side a first-half lead. However, Karl Ouimette tied the match in the 86th minute to take two points from the Rhinos.

Rochester scored the only goal of the first half in the 19th minute as McManus headed the ball into the goal off a cross from J.C. Banks that came from the right side. McManus’s shot first hit the crossbar before deflecting back into the net. With the assist, Banks moved up to No. 8 on the Rhinos’ list for all-time assists. He is now tied with Rhinos legend Johnny Menyongar, who had 13 career assists in 105 matches. Banks notched his 13 career assist in his 38th career start.

Rhinos coach Pat Ercoli made three line-up changes in the second half, first subbing in Mike Reidy for Banks in the 61st minute and Josh Faga for left midfielder Danny Earls in the 73rd minute. McManus was replaced by Kendell McFayden in the 79th minute, after suffering what appeared to be an ankle injury.

Rochester nearly escaped with a shutout before Montreal’s Ouimette scored an unassisted goal in the 86th minute. Ouimette was played thru behind the Rhinos back four and was in on goal, but Rochester left back Tyler Polak was able to track back and make a sliding tackle to block his shot on goal. The ball bounced back off Ouimette after Polak blocked it, and it ended up looping over Rhinos keeper Kristian Nicht and into the back of the net to level the score.

Tyler Roselund nearly found a winner for the Rhinos in the 89th minute, but Montreal goalie Maxime Crepeau made a diving save to keep the game tied 1-1. Despite three minutes of stoppage time, it was not enough for the Rhinos to score another goal and the game ended in a draw.

The Rhinos will host VSI Tampa Bay FC in their next home match on Friday, June 14th at 7:35 p.m. at Sahlen’s Stadium. Individual tickets are currently available, and they can be purchased by calling (585)454-KICK (5425), by visiting the MVP Health Care Box Office at Sahlen’s Stadium, or by visiting ticketmaster.com. Individual tickets, group tickets and flex packages for the 2013 USL PRO season are also on sale now.

Friday, June 7, 2013

ORLANDO, Fla. — Orlando City SC (9-1-2, 29 points) topped the visiting Phoenix FC Wolves (2-8-3, 9 points) 2-0 on Friday night at Fifth Third Bank Field at the Florida Citrus Bowl behind first-half goals by Jamie Watson and Dom Dwyer. Dwyer’s goal in the 31st minute moved him to 14 goals on the season, breaking the previous USL PRO scoring record of 13 held by Jhonny Arteaga of FC New York in 2011.

“We started a little slow but when I look at the full body of work I was pleased with the result tonight,” said Orlando City Head Coach Adrian Heath. “We had to be honest with our play against a strong Phoenix side tonight, but I’m happy with the result. “

Orlando began on the offensive early, with attacks by wingers Luke Boden and Bryan Burke creating multiple opportunities for the Lions by curling attempts into the box. The midfield of Orlando, which consisted of veterans James O’Connor and Anthony Pulis, kept the possession-oriented style of play alive, holding onto control while Phoenix kept up a defensive front throughout the first 45 minutes.

The Lions broke through the Wolves’ backline in the 27th minute, with Long Tan bullying his way through the defense and into the penalty area. Phoenix's Netinho took down the striker inside the 18-yard mark, and Orlando was awarded a penalty kick. Midfielder Jamie Watson calmly converted the attempt in the bottom left corner, giving the Lions the 1-0 lead.

It didn’t take long after for Orlando to strike again, with Dwyer’s goal giving the Lions a 2-0 advantage. The Sporting Kansas City loanee dribbled across the penalty area just minutes after the first goal and found an open area for his 14th of the season, setting a USL PRO single-season record.

Orlando continued their strong rate of play in the second half, not allowing Phoenix to break through for any chances. The attack continued by Dwyer and company, and though Orlando didn’t score a goal the 2-0 scoreline held to take the three points and victory.

The Lions continue regular season play Sunday night at home vs. Antigua Barracuda. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. The last time the two clubs met, Orlando set a regular-season record for margin of victory in a 7-2 win on May 4. Forward Dom Dwyer scored a hat trick in the victory, his first doing so in Orlando City colors.

Orlando will then travel to Sporting Park in Kansas City in the fourth round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup to play Major League Soccer’s (MLS) Sporting Kansas City. Kickoff is set for 8 p.m. ET. If the Lions advance, they will either play the Chicago Fire or Columbus Crew in the quarterfinals of the 100th edition of the knockout tournament.

For more information on the upcoming matches, please visit Orlandocitysoccer.com.

Pali Blues News Release - www.bluessoccerclub.com

Saturday, June 8, 2013

LOS ANGELES – The Pali Blues (3-1-0) will take on the Seattle Sounders (3-0-1) on Sunday at 3 p.m. PT as the race toward the playoffs heats up. The Blues could take over first place in the Western Conference with a win, but Seattle won’t give up three points easily.

The Blues enter the match with another win under their belts, having defeated the Colorado Rapids 4-0 on Thursday night. Playing her first game with the Blues, Makenzy Doniak got off to a great start, scoring two goals on the night, while Ashley Freyer added two of her own.

The Sounders have earned six points so far in their three-game trip to Southern California. They began with a 2-1 victory against the LA Strikers on Wednesday, then defeated the Santa Clarita Blue Heat 2-1 on Friday. Sara Campbell has scored two of the Sounders’ four goals, while Melissa Busque and Tafara Pulse have added one each.

With the same amount of wins in four matches, only one point separates the Blues from the Sounders, who tied against the Colorado Rush earlier in the season for a point. However, the Blues have scored four more goals (14-10), and allowed three fewer goals (3-6).

The match begins at 3 p.m. on Sunday at Palisades High School. Tickets can be purchased at bluessoccerclub.com/ticketshttp://bluessoccerclub.com/tickets, or at the stadium one hour before kickoff.

Saturday, June 8, 2013

VICTORIA, B.C. -- The Victoria Highlanders took a 2-0 victory against the Washington Crossfire on Saturday night at Royal Athletic Park in front of another strong crowd of 1,306 fans. Jordie Hughes and Brett Levis each scored for the Highlanders as they moved back into a tie for top spot of the PDL’s Northwest Division.

The Highlanders showed good jump to start the first half, with both teams exchanging corners in the opening 20 minutes of play, including close chances by Riley O’Neill, Blair Sturrock and numerous attacking runs by Levis. A shot by Victoria’s Kalem Scott looked to be heading in when Washington goalkeeper Spencer Richey managed to get a hand on the ball, pushing it over the bar. Not to be outdone, Highlanders goalkeeper Elliot Mitrou stopped a blast from 25-yards out at the 32-minute mark.

Four minutes later, Levis broke in on a rush with Hughes and fired a shot that the Washington goalkeeper stopped, but Hughes would not be denied, tapping the rebound in past Richey to put the Highlanders up 1-0. Minutes later another Levis shot was stopped with Hughes once again attempting to put in the rebound — this time with his head. Richey lunged to his left to make the save, keeping the game 1-0.

The Highlanders continued to keep up the pressure in the second half, but a breakdown in the 58th minute led to a Washington chance that went high. Minutes later, Sturrock would put on a display of footwork that ended with him firing a shot to the top left corner, the ball would also fly high however.

A low cross by Andrew Ravenhill in the 78th minute bounced once before finding the foot of Levis, who this time fired it to the back of the net to put his team up 2-0. In the 84th minute, a miscue by Mitrou led to a great opportunity for Washington, however defenseman Ryan Ashlee made a beautiful slide, knocking the ball out of danger and keeping the shutout intact as the Highlanders held on to their 2-0 victory.

The Highlanders next home game takes place against the North Sound SeaWolves, Friday, June 14th at 7:00 pm. For more information, please visit www.victoriahighlandersfc.com.

Saturday, June 8, 2013

DAYTON, Ohio -- A late goal by Shane Smith gave the Dayton Dutch Lions a 4-4 draw against met the Columbus Crew Reserves on Dayton’s home turf at Beavercreek Stadium in front of 1,621 fans for a zealous and action-packed game. Joel DeLass also scored twice for Dayton, while the Crew Reserves got a pair of goals from Ryan Finley.  

The Crew went on the offensive early, creating multiple opportunities with galloping attempts into the box. In a game characterized by quick play and intense pressure by both teams, Columbus drew first blood, with Kyle Hyland serving a cross to the head of Finley, who found the net in the sixth minute.

“There was so much space between the lines and our defense was one on one a lot of the time,” Dutch Lions coach Patrick Bal said. “(The Crew) are fast and they play more direct. Our midfielders would receive the ball and touch it several times and pass. These guys open up, pass, and their strikers are already moving, so everything’s a notch quicker. And we were sometimes just a little late.”

Still going strong, both teams linked through their midfield with razor-sharp passing and extraordinary action throughout the half. On multiple occasions, Dayton’s Taylor Lord was able to disrupt the Crew’s attack several times during first half of the match.

A Crew handball in the penalty area in the 27th minute produced a Dayton goal, which DeLass deftly played to the left corner from the penalty spot, putting the Dutch Lions ahead for the first time. The Crew were able to get back on level terms nine minutes later as they took advantage of a Dayton foul, Konrad Warzycha’s dropping free kick finding the back of the Dutch Lions’ net to tie things up.

The battle continued, and a frustrated Crew’s Ethan Finlay pushed his man in the penalty area to give the Dutch Lions their second penalty kick of the half in stoppage time. DeLass again calmly put away the spot kick, sending Crew goalkeeper Matt Lampson the wrong way, as Dayton took a 3-2 lead into the halftime break.

The intensity continued in the second half, when Columbus’ Warzycha took a touch and quickly played the ball out wide to Finley on the wing. Finley served the ball into Dayton’s near post, but Dutch Lions’ keeper Matt Williams was able to punch the ball away, only for his clearance to find Finley’s feet, and the forward put home his second goal of the game to tie the game again.

The Crew then took the lead in the 68th minute as an easy ball bounced just inside the left post from Ben Speas to Bernardo Anor that caught Williams flat-footed, allowing Columbus to take a 4-3 lead.

The Dutch Lions answered again, however, when an 89th-minute corner kick drifted into a sea of orange, finding Gregory Preciado, who cleanly tapped it Smith for a low finish to earn his side a point. Bal praised his side’s effort to get a draw late on.

“This team has a huge heart--they’ve shown us this so many times already,” Bal said.  

The Dutch Lions return to action against visiting VSI Tampa Bay FC (6-3-1) on Sunday, June 16 at 6:30 p.m. ET at Beavercreek Stadium. The Dutch Lions then hit the road to the west coast for two rematches, starting with the Phoenix FC Wolves (2-8-3) on Friday, June 21 and then traveling to Los Angeles to face the LA Blues (5-5-4) on Sunday, June 23rd. For season and individual game tickets, visit the Dutch Lions’ website.

Ottawa Fury News Release - www.ottawafury.com

Saturday, June 8, 2013

WEST DES MOINES, Iowa – The Springfield Demize’s Eric Martin has now scored two streak-busting goals against the Des Moines Menace.

Martin’s goal in the 86th minute on Saturday night gifted the Demize a 1-0 win – its first points on the Menace’s home turf. A year ago, Martin scored late to provide Springfield its first-ever victory over Des Moines, by an identical 1-0 scoreline.

Des Moines (3-3-1) seemingly had control for most of tonight’s physical match at Valley Stadium. There were 22 fouls called (16 for Springfield), and the Demize ended the match down a player and a head coach. Mark Heath-Preston, whose late equalizer stung the Menace in a 1-1 season-opening draw four weeks ago, received yellow cards in the 53rd and 69th minutes. Coach Sean Fraser was ejected in the 72nd minute.

Nonetheless, the Demize (2-1-1) were able to hang with the Menace. Despite outshooting the visitors, 15-6, the Menace were shut out for the third time this season – and the second by an undermanned foe. The home team’s frantic offensive fury was unable to net the desired result.

“We gave the game away. That’s all you can say,” said Menace head coach Mike Jeffries. “The first half, we were not sharp…The second half, when we were up a man, we wasted our chances.

“It puts us in a difficult spot. That was a difficult game. It puts us in a spot where every match is more and more important.”

At the midpoint of the Menace’s 14-match Premier Development League schedule, the team is fighting to stay in contention for one of the Heartland Division’s two playoff berths.

Entering tonight, the Menace had won all seven of their previous home matches against Springfield, posting a lopsided 32-2 goal differential. Before the team’s loss at Springfield in May 2012, Des Moines won the first 11 meetings between the two teams, while racking up a 40-3 goal differential. Since then, the series has knotted up at 2-2-1.

With their work cut out for them, Jeffries and company prepare for a pivotal Friday-Saturday doubleheader with arch-rival Thunder Bay. The defending Heartland Division champions come to Valley Stadium for a highly anticipated June 14-15 showdown. The Menace are 2-1-0 in its last three home matches against the Chill.

MAN of the MATCH, presented by Seneca Companies: Shadow Sebele, whose three shots tied Fatai Alabi for the team high. Sebele, a native of Zimbabwe, played for West Virginia.

UP NEXT: The Menace welcome arch-rival Thunder Bay for a Friday-Saturday doubleheader – both 7:30 p.m. starts. On Friday, the first 1,000 fans receive bobblehead dolls of the Menace’s mascot, Maniac. On Saturday, fans wearing black get $5 tickets on Blackout Night.

Saturday, June 8, 2013

CHARLESTON, S.C. -- The Charleston Battery came away with victory on Saturday night against Major League Soccer’s Houston Dynamo Reserves at Blackbaud Stadium in front of 2,988 fans. Three different players scored for the Battery, helping them to a 4-1 victory. The Battery’s record turns to (7-3-2) moving them into sole possession of third place in the USL PRO standings.

“It was great to have Quinton back tonight, he always adds another dimension to our game and seeing him and Jose get their first goals was huge. If our wingers are scoring it only makes us more dangerous,” said head coach Mike Anhaeuser after the win.

Nicki Paterson was instrumental for the Battery with two goals and some excellent play in the midfield. Paterson scored in the 18th minute to make it 1-0 with a beautifully taken free kick that he finessed home past Dynamo Reserves keeper, Tyler Deric.

Midfielder Jose Cuevas got his first goal of the year with great awareness on a Battery corner kick. In the 62nd minute, Cuevas snuck in behind the Dynamo Reserves defense and played a tricky angled ball into the side netting to give the Battery a 2-0 advantage.

Houston’s Brian Ownby responded quickly to put the Battery back on their toes with a goal off an attempted Battery clearance in the 63rd minute. The ball was headed right to Ownby, who took a touch in stride and buried it to cut the Battery lead to one.

In the 77th minute, Quinton Griffith played a nice cross into the box for Paterson who snapped a header into the net and put the Battery on top, 3-1. Late in stoppage time, Griffith connected on a cross from Mike Azira to put the Battery up 4-1 and secure the victory. Azira crossed it from the left to the far post for Griffith, who placed a nice volley past Deric into the left side-netting.

The Battery’s next match will be against Major League Soccer’s Real Salt Lake in Salt Lake City, Utah on Wednesday night at 9:30 p.m. for the fourth round of the U.S. Open Cup Tournament. The Battery return to USL PRO action on Saturday, June 15 against the Pittsburgh Riverhounds in Pittsburgh, Pa. at 7 p.m. Both games will be broadcast live on 1450 AM SportsRadio.

Bay Area Breeze News Release - www.bayareabreeze.com

Orlando City News Release -- www.orlandocitysoccer.com

Tuesday, June 11, 2013

ORLANDO, Fla. — Orlando City SC will face Major League Soccer’s Sporting Kansas City on Wednesday night at Sporting Park in Kansas City, Kan., in the fourth round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. Orlando has earned a spot in the fourth round after topping the PDL’s Ocala Stampede 2-1 on May 21 while advancing past Major League Soccer’s Colorado Rapids a week later by the same scoreline.

“We’re really looking forward to the game,“ said Orlando City Head Coach Adrian Heath. “We know it’s going to be a very difficult match, but we want to make a good account of ourselves and show that we can really play. We had a good showing last year against Sporting but want to take it to the next level.”

The two squads played each other in 2012 in the third round of Open Cup competition, with Orlando falling to the eventual champions 3-2. After being down a man in the 70th minute, a late Dennis Chin goal nearly got the Lions back in the game but time ran out on the Lions. Sporting went on to win the Open Cup against the Seattle Sounders FC on penalty kicks.

Sporting KC is currently fifth in the MLS Eastern Conference, posting a 6-5-4 record through 15 games. The club’s leading scorer is forward Claudio Bieler, who’s converted seven scores in 15 appearances. The four players on loan from SKC, including Dom Dwyer, Jon Kempin, Christian Duke and Yann Songo’o, will be unavailable for selection on Wednesday.

The winner of Wednesday night’s match will travel to face the victor of the Chicago Fire/Columbus Crew match in the quarterfinal round of the Open Cup. The match will be held on Wednesday, June 26. The tournament continues after the fifth round with the semifinals to take place on August 7 or 21 and the final on October 1 or 2. The winner will receive $250,000 in prize money, a berth in the 2014-2015 CONCACAF Champions League and their name on the Dewar Challenge Trophy.

The Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup is the oldest ongoing national soccer competition in the United States and is open to United States Soccer Federation (USSF) affiliated teams. The Open Cup was first held in 1913, with this year marking the centennial edition of the tournament. This year’s field consisted of 68 teams, the largest field in US Open Cup history.

For more information on Wednesday’s match, go to Orlandocitysoccer.com.

Charleston Battery News Release -- www.charlestonbattery.com

Tuesday, June 11, 2013

CHARLESTON, S.C. -- The Charleston Battery will take on Major League Soccer's Real Salt Lake in the fourth round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup this Wednesday night at Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy, Utah. Kickoff is set for 9:30 p.m. ET; there will be a live radio broadcast of the game on Sports Radio, 1450 AM WQNT.

The Battery defeated Major League Soccer’s San Jose Earthquakes in the third round by a score of 1-0 behind Colin Falvey’s header late in the second half. Salt Lake advanced with a 3-2 win against the Atlanta Silverbacks.

The Battery’s win over San Jose Earthquakes was the club’s ninth versus MLS opposition in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup; D.C. United (1999), MetroStars (2001, 2004), Houston Dynamo (2007, 2008), FC Dallas (2008), Chivas USA (2009), Chicago Fire (2010) and San Jose Earthquakes (2013).

Real Salt Lake are based in Sandy, Utah and were founded in 2004; RSL won MLS Cup in 2009. Former United States international Jason Kreis, coaches the team.

This will be the first time the Battery and Salt Lake have met in a U.S. Open Cup match, however the teams have played once previously in Charleston’s Carolina Challenge Cup competition with RSL claiming a 3-1 win in March, 2010.

If the Battery defeats Real Salt Lake, they will advance to take on either Chivas USA or the Carolina Railhawks in a quarterfinal matchup on Wednesday, June 26 at Blackbaud Stadium.

The Charleston Battery have never won the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup but has advanced to the final once (2008) and the semifinals on three occasions (1999, 2004, 2008).

The U.S. Open Cup is the oldest annual team tournament in American sports, dating back to 1914. The single-elimination competition continues until the final on Oct. 1 or 2. For more information about the tournament and for a full slate of matches please visit www.ussoccer.com.

FC Tucson News Release -- www.fctucson.com

Tuesday, June 11, 2013

LA MIRADA, Calif. — After scoring nine goals against the OC Blues Strikers FC last Thursday night, it’s hard to believe FC Tucson has a scoring problem. But in five of their seven PDL matches, the club has scored just a goal or less.

“It’s tough to say,” said forward Dakota Collins when asked about the lack of scoring. “I think most of it comes down to us not having not been able to play together much. It’s just been games, games, games and not very much training.”

As FC Tucson hits the road again, the residual effects of their massive two-week long road trip can still be felt. Even after this most recent home stand, FC Tucson has still had three consecutive days of training just once since the beginning of the season.

That unfamiliarity between players, which is usually erased during practice, was evident on Saturday against the Fuego. Following the match, Schantz said the decision making in the final third was lacking, with players holding the ball when they should pass and passing the ball when they should hold on to it.

Collins echoed that statement following training on Monday. He described that some players enjoy the ball at their feet while other want a ball slightly ahead of them. Learning those tendencies, as well as how and when certain players make their run, will help unlock the goal-scoring problem.

But Schantz said he wasn’t worried about the lack of goals.

“We’re still creating chances,” Schantz said. “I’m not disappointed at all. The Fresno game was a perfect example. I thought we were dangerous but we just weren’t clinical in the final third.”

Schantz explained that scoring is just as much a mentality than it is making sure everyone is organized and during training on Monday, the club worked on set plays as a way to ingrain the scoring mentality into the players. What Schantz hopes is that when players set up goals for themselves enough in training, they’ll do it in matches without thinking.

FC Tucson will play its third match against the Southern California Seahorses on Tuesday night at 7 p.m. PT. In their two previous meetings, FC Tucson won 3-1 at home and drew with the Seahorses 1-1. In that draw, which was in La Mirada, FC Tucson held a 1-0 lead until Southern California tied it with less then 10 minutes remaining.

“We really can’t afford to lose or drop any points in the upcoming weeks,” said FC Tucson forward David Clemens. “But this team will fight and we’ll be able to manage to get the points.”

Charlotte Eagles Feature -- www.charlotteeagles.com

Monday, June 10, 2013

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Charlotte Eagles Communications Director Andrew Pierce sat down with Eagles General Manager Tom Engstrom to discuss the Major League Soccer-USL PRO Partnership. The Eagles host the Chicago Fire Reserves on Friday, June 14 at 7 p.m. at the Queens Sports Complex. For tickets CLICK HERE.

Andrew Pierce: On January 23, Major League Soccer and USL PRO announced a groundbreaking, multi-year partnership that will enhance the development of professional players in North America, strengthen the competition in both leagues, and establish a solid foundation for future collaboration. Tom, tell us some of the specifics of the partnership?

Tom Engstrom: I would point to two main things for the 2013 season. One is the two league games that each USL PRO team will play against a MLS Reserve team. These games count for the USL PRO team in the USL PRO standings and for the MLS Reserve team in the MLS Reserve standings. Each MLS team has a roster size of about 30 players. If an MLS team has a game on Saturday, generally 12-14 players on the roster will play. The MLS Reserve League gives the MLS players who didn’t play on Saturday a chance to play a full game usually a day or two later. The Reserve games keep the players fit and sharp.

The second thing I would point to is the formal affiliations that four MLS teams have with USL PRO teams. MLS teams have the opportunity to establish a formal affiliation with a USL PRO club. Those affiliations provide the opportunity for the MLS team to loan players to the USL PRO club. The MLS teams with affiliation agreements do not participate in the MLS Reserve League.

AP: So what you are saying is that there will be a number of MLS players playing against the Eagles this year.

TE: That is true. For example, Dom Dwyer scored against us for Orlando (on loan from Sporting KC) in the 1-1 tie earlier in the year. We also played against a number of MLS players who were on loan to Richmond, Rochester and Harrisburg. Obviously when we play the Chicago Fire Reserves next Friday there will be a number of MLS players playing here in Charlotte!

AP: What can we expect from the Chicago Fire Reserve team?

TE: Most of the players will be younger players that are fighting for more playing time. Generally a couple of players will be starters that may be coming back from an injury. For example, Pablo Mastroeni, who was a key player for the U.S. National Team during the 2002 World Cup Quarterfinal run, played some minutes for the Colorado Rapids Reserves against Harrisburg earlier this year. He was trying to regain fitness after an injury. Then a couple of players are generally younger players from their Academy System or perhaps a player that is trying out for the team.

AP: How have the MLS Reserve-USL PRO games gone so far?

TE: They have been good games. I think USL PRO has won four games, MLS Reserves three games and there have been five ties. It is funny, on one hand I want the USL PRO teams to do well because it gives credibility to our league. On the other hand, I want the USL PRO teams to lose because we are battling them in the standings!

AP: Are the Eagles players looking forward to next Friday, June 14?

TE: I think it goes without saying the players enjoy competing against the best and to see how they stack up. We also play the Chicago Fire Reserves at Toyota Park in Chicago on June 29. I am sure they will look forward to that as well.

Thanks again to Tom Engstrom for sitting down and explaining the MLS-USL PRO Partnership with us.

Keep that Orange Flag Flying High and we’ll see you on Friday, June 14th at beautiful Queens Sports Complex!

USL NEWS RELEASE

Monday, June 10, 2013

TAMPA, Fla. – United Soccer Leagues released the U16 age group qualification allotments today for the 2013 Super Y-League North American Finals, presented by Nike. A total of 12 boys’ teams and eight girls’ teams from the Mid Atlantic, North Atlantic, South Atlantic, New England, Midwest and Southeast divisions will meet at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, from December 5-9 to compete for the Super Y-League championship.

Super Nova FC and Alliance Academy will both be back in 2013 looking for a shot at a Super Y-League boys title. The teams narrowly missed out on the championship match last year, both falling in the semifinal round by way of a penalty shootout at the 2012 U15 finals. For the 2013 U16 season, four teams will receive bids out of the North Atlantic Division. Two teams each will emerge from the Mid Atlantic, New England, and Midwest divisions, and one bid will be allotted to a team out of the South Atlantic and Southeast.

For the girls, Seacoast United Mariners will get another crack at a Super Y-League title after finishing 2012 as the U15 runner-up to Atlanta Fire United. Two teams each will emerge from the Mid Atlantic, New England, and Midwest Divisions. The North Atlantic and Southeast Divisions receive one bid each.

IMG Academy, a division of IMG Worldwide, the global sports, fashion and media company, is the world’s largest and most advanced multi-sport training and education complex. IMG Academy hosted a myriad of soccer team training camps in 2012, including clubs such as the Seattle Sounders, D.C. United, Columbus Crew, Sweden’s Malmö FF, and the U.S. Women’s National Team preparing for the London Olympic Games.

For more than 30 years, IMG Academy has helped countless youth, adult, collegiate and professional athletes reach their full potential in and out of sport, by providing world-class coaching, tailored programs and professional facilities within an energetic environment across a 450-acre campus.

The U17 bid allocations for the U17 age groups will be released later on this week.
 

Boys

Girls