PDL News Release

Friday, July 12, 2013

TAMPA, Fla. – The battle for places in the PDL Playoffs intensified this week as division crowns were claimed by the Thunder Bay Chill and Fresno Fuego. While those two teams lead the pack overall, the remaining seven divisions all have contests that will shape the upcoming postseason, which is now less than two weeks away.

NORTHEAST DIVISION

The Ottawa Fury are on a remarkable run of form, and can clinch the division title this weekend as they host the Seacoast United Phantoms on Friday night. Behind them, though, the battle for second remains tight as the Western Mass Pioneers and GPS Portland Phoenix are tied at 18 points with four games remaining. Portland faces a pair of games this weekend as it hosts the Real Boston Rams on Saturday night and the CFC Azul on Sunday. The Pioneers, meanwhile, host the Azul on Friday night.

MID ATLANTIC DIVISION

Reading United is at the center of this weekend’s key action in the Mid Atlantic Division, with the third-place side hosting the second-place Long Island Rough Riders on Friday night, and then visiting the first-place Ocean City Nor’easters on Sunday. A pair of wins would move United, which remain undefeated, back on top of the division, but the Baltimore Bohemians could be ready to strike should Reading fall and the Bohs take victory against Long Island on Saturday.

SOUTH ATLANTIC DIVISION

While the Carolina Dynamo now lead the division by four points following their win against the West Virginia Chaos, the battle for second place continues, with the SC United Bantams meeting the Virginia Beach Piranhas on Saturday night. Should the Bantams take victory, they would move ahead of the Chaos into second place with another game in hand. A Virginia Beach win, however, would pull the Piranhas level with West Virginia with two games in hand against the Chaos.

SOUTHEAST DIVISION

The Panama City Beach Pirates hold a one-point lead for first place against the Ocala Stampede with three games to play, and both teams will aim to bolster their positions as the Pirates face Ft. Lauderdale Schulz Academy and the Stampede visit the SW Florida Adrenaline this weekend. Third-place Orlando City will try to keep pace as it hosts VSI Tampa Bay FC, hoping one of the two clubs in front slips up and opens up the opportunity to get back into the playoff positions.

MID SOUTH DIVISION

After Oklahoma City and Laredo played to a 1-1 draw on Thursday night, keeping OKC two points ahead of the Heat, the two teams are back in action on Saturday night against opposition at opposite ends of the standings. Oklahoma City visits Austin at House Park, with the Aztex having the opportunity to clinch the division title, while Laredo hosts the El Paso Patriots at Texas A&M International. With Laredo still holding a game in hand against OKC, the Heat could be back in second place with a chance to add to their lead in the final week of the season.

GREAT LAKES DIVISION

Forest City London regained top spot in the division with a 4-3 win against the now second-place Michigan Bucks on Wednesday night, and will try to maintain its lead on Friday as it returns home to host the Chicago Fire PDL before visiting the Toronto Lynx on Sunday to complete a busy week of action. The Lynx could offer the defending PDL champion a challenge as they fight for the third and final spot in the playoffs, which could open the door back open for Michigan as it looks to gain revenge for a defeat earlier this season to another third-place contender, the River City Rovers, on Saturday night.

HEARTLAND DIVISION

The Des Moines Menace sit four points behind Real Colorado as the two teams enter the weekend, and will need to take victory as they host the Foxes on Saturday night at Valley Stadium. A win for the Foxes would wrap up the second place, behind division champion Thunder Bay, with two games to spare in the regular season.

NORTHWEST DIVISION

The Portland Timbers U-23s can make a final charge toward the Northwest Division title this weekend as they face the Vancouver Whitecaps U-23 and Victoria Highlanders. Portland sits eight points behind Victoria, but with two games in hand including Saturday’s clash with the Highlanders, the path to the division title remains open. First, though, the Timbers must face a Vancouver side that is aiming to grab second place away from them, while the fourth-place Sounders FC U23 and fifth-place Kitsap Pumas meet on Saturday night both looking to keep their postseason hopes alive.

SOUTHWEST DIVISION

The Fuego clinched the division title and remained in contention for the regular-season championship in emphatic style on Thursday night as they rolled past the OC Blues Strikers 5-0 at Chukchansi Park. The battle is still on for second place, however, with the second-place Ventura County Fusion visiting the BYU Cougars and third-place LA Misioneros visiting FC Tucson. The Misioneros are three points behind the Fusion entering the weekend, but would set up a huge clash on the final weekend of the season should they at least keep pace, if not gain ground, this Saturday night. 

USL News Release

Friday, July 12, 2013

TAMPA, Fla. – United Soccer Leagues announced today that it has entered into an agreement with Tourbeau Sports Group that will see TSG provide live, exclusive video coverage of every match at the 2013 W-League Championship, Super-20 League Championship and W-20 Championship at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida.

More than 40 games from the three championships will be available via on-demand video and live stream to a worldwide audience for fans, families, clubs, and soccer enthusiasts. The 2013 Super-20 League Championship kicks off Thursday, July 18 at the world-class facilities of IMG Academy, and continues through Sunday, July 21. The W-League and W-20 championships will run simultaneously from July 25-28.

The agreement marks the first time that group stage games for the Super-20 League and W-20 will be available to watch live, in addition to the semifinals and finals. Tourbeau Sports Group, a leading video production and streaming company which works alongside some of the major industry leaders in soccer and sports for video content, will provide all group stage matches on its network, while the semifinals and finals of each league will be broadcast live on USLNation.com.

“Our goal at Tourbeau Sports is to provide a platform and opportunities for players, clubs, leagues and organizations to receive maximum exposure through digital media,” Tourbeau Sports President Chase Neidig said. “We believe bringing a turntable solution to USL and the three leagues not only makes it easy to provide fans with every minute of action from Florida, but also gives the participating clubs and players an opportunity to be branded on a national level using the platform of digital media.”

Nine W-League teams qualify for the postseason with one champion advancing from each conference to the 2013 W-League Championship. Eight teams will earn a trip to the inaugural W-20 Championship, with playoff allocations based on the number of teams in each division. A total of 16 qualifiers from throughout North America will compete for the Super-20 League Championship.

Live video streaming, DVD game film and audio commentary will be provided by Tourbeau Sports Group during each of the events in an effort with USL to continue its boost in content and exposure at the youth development level. 

To find out more about Tourbeau Sports, including how to register on its network to watch all content during the championships, visit www.tourbeausportsgroup.com or follow TSG on Twitter @tourbeausports.

Group Stage Games - Watch Here

Semifinals and Finals - Watch Here

Richmond Kickers News Release -- www.richmondkickers.com

Friday, July 12, 2013

RICHMOND, Va. – The Richmond Kickers are pleased to announce that Academy players Evan Fowler and Vaughn Fowler have signed USL PRO Academy contracts, becoming the first-ever Academy players to play for the Kickers professional team. The landmark youth development was made possible when new USL PRO rules began to allow Academy players to train and play alongside professionals, while maintaining their collegiate eligibility.

"We expect the Kickers pro team to play a major role in the development of the region's top youngsters in the future,” said Leigh Cowlishaw, Richmond Kickers Director of Soccer. “The opportunity for the region's top youth players to test themselves at the highest level possible is a major development and we encourage the most talented players to challenge themselves to reach these levels.”

Defender Evan Fowler and midfielder Vaughn Fowler began playing with the Kickers as U12s and recently completed their third season with the Kickers Academy. Representing the first class of cost-free Academy players in 2013, the Thomas Dale High School graduates will attend Longwood University in the fall.

Also joining the Kickers pro team for training and scrimmages is Academy goalkeeper Christian Alcorn. Affiliated with the Kickers youth program since U10, Alcorn was a member of the Kickers U16 and U18 Academy teams since 2009. Training directly with Kickers pro goalkeepers Ryan Jones and Ryan Taylor, as well as D.C. United goalkeeper Andrew Dykstra this season, the St. Christopher’s School graduate will attend Williams College this fall.

“In addition to being cost-free, the other major advantage for the Kickers Academy is that we can place our players within higher levels of training and professionalism,” said Cowlishaw. “This is just the beginning and we expect teenagers like Evan, Vaughn, Christian and D.C. United's Michael Seaton to be an inspiration for the next generation of youth players in Central Virginia."

New in 2013, expanded roster sizes now allow teams to carry as many as five Academy players in USL PRO competition. USL PRO teams currently have a roster size of 26 players, and will now be able provide important exposure to a professional environment to up-and-coming talent. As the Kickers official MLS partner, D.C. United will have the option to use the additional player slots for their own Academy players.

“MLS has embraced this philosophy, embedding youth development with the professional game,” said Cowlishaw. “We too are focused on enhancing all aspects of our Academy program to find and develop the region’s top players. We are confident and excited regarding the future pipeline of Kickers academy players who will one day represent our first team and beyond."

In the past, several Kickers Academy players have trained and played scrimmages with the pro team including Haydon Bennett (West Virginia), Daniel Lauretano (VA Tech), Christopher Spates (West Virginia), Andrew Wells (VCU) and Finnlay Wyatt (VCU).

Players must meet several requirements in order to qualify for an academy player slot: they must be younger than 21 at the start of the current season; they can’t have competed collegiately; they must never have signed as a professional. Additionally, the player must either be from a club’s region, an affiliate youth team or from an MLS affiliate.

Thursday, July 11, 2013

FRESNO, Calif. -- Midfielder Robert Garcia netted a hat trick to help the Fresno Fuego remain undefeated by rolling past the OC Blues Strikers 5-0 on Thursday at Chukchansi Park. The victory clinched the PDL's Southwest Division for the Fuego with two games remaining in the regular season, while the three goals for Garcia were his first tallies of the season. 

The Fuego opened the scoring in the 11th minute after the Strikers cleared a Fuego corner kick, Fresno defender Eddie Gutierrez headed the ball back into the penalty area. Fellow defender Nick Murphy found the loose ball and whirled it into the upper left corner of the net to give the Fuego a 1-0 lead.

Garcia then scored three consecutive goals, the first coming in the 35th minute as he finished a pass by Dylan Murphy from close range. Garcia added his second goal on a breakaway in the 51st minute, and then capped his hat trick in the 67th minute. 

Alex Caceres capped the match's scoring in the 83rd minute with a goal from near the top of the six-yard box. The victory kept the Fuego in the lead for the best record in the Western Conference, and also in contention for the regular-season PDL championship, where they trail the Central Conference's Thunder Bay Chill by one point. 

Fresno wraps up its home schedule on Saturday against the Southern California Seahorses. Kickoff is at 7 p.m. PT.

Thursday, July 11, 2013

PHOENIX -- Phoenix FC completed a two-match sweep of Antigua Barracuda FC with Thursday night's thrilling 1-0 win at Grand Canyon University. Tommy Ramos scored what proved to be the winning goal in the third minute of second-half stoppage time to move the Wolves up one place in the USL PRO standings.

Ramos led the break on a counter-attack with the Wolves in need of a goal to keep pace in the race for the playoffs in the USL PRO standings. Only three points would work for Phoenix, as a draw against the last-place team in the league might have dashed the club's postseason hopes in one fell swoop. Donny Toia found Ramos, who saw an open net in front of him with the goalkeeper out and finished the play with his second goal of the season as the crowd celebrated in unison.

Phoenix FC is up to 18 points in the USL PRO standings, six points out of the eighth and final playoff position with four of its final six matches at home.

After last Saturday's 1-0 win, the Wolves have their first winning streak of the season. It wasn't easy, as a game Barracudas side threatened with three quality chances to score in the second half with the match still scoreless. One of those was for forward Eugene Kirwan, whose shot went high of the target in the 59th minute, while Tamorley Thomas also went close with a header after a good cross from Kirwan a few minutes later.

The Wolves tried a new lineup that included Cameron Vickers on the right wing and Darren Mackie back at forward, plus newly arrived goalkeeper Lalo Fernandez, on loan from Major League Soccer's Real Salt Lake, in the net after starter Andrew Weber was loaned to Seattle Sounders FC of MLS and Sheldon Parkinson was ruled out with injury. Fernandez, who arrived for one practice session and Thursday's match before he goes back to Real Salt Lake, finished with two saves.

Ramos had an earlier chance to score soon after coming into the match at halftime for Mackie. He hit the post with a shot in the 49th minute, but it was his late finish that proved decisive as he gave his side a vital victory, and denied the Barracudas their first point of the season.

Phoenix remains at home next weekend as they host the Richmond Kickers at Sun Devil Soccer Stadium on Friday, July 19 at 7:30 p.m. PT. For tickets and more information, visit www.phoenixfc.com.

Thursday, July 11, 2013

ORLANDO, Fla. — Orlando City SC (10-2-4, 37 points) downed the visiting Charleston Battery (7-3-6, 27 points) 2-1 on Thursday night at Fifth Third Bank Field at the Florida Citrus Bowl in front of a club mid-week record crowd of 8,729 fans. Jamie Watson scored a goal in each half to propel the Lions to a crucial home win in USL PRO play, moving Orlando four points clear in the league table.

“It’s a huge relief to get this tonight,” said Orlando City Head Coach Adrian Heath. “After losing players and a few past results it was important to get three points.”

The Lions fielded a starting lineup that featured all four Sporting loanees, including Defender Kevin Ellis and Forward C.J. Sapong, who arrived in Central Florida earlier in the afternoon.

The early parts of the first 45 minutes were a back-and-forth affair between the two sides, with Orlando attacking in pockets behind Sapong and team-leading scorer Jamie Watson. Those pockets continued to open up, and the Lions capitalized on a well-played series in the 29th minute.

After a Charleston attack, defender Rob Valentino began the move by clearing out the Battery attack, finding loanee and 2011 MLS Rookie of the Year Sapong at the mid stripe. The striker nodded a pass to fellow Sporting KC player Christian Duke, who played a through-ball to a charging Watson, and he slotted his attempt in the lower right-hand corner past Battery goalkeeper Odisnel Cooper for the 1-0 advantage.

The second half began with Charleston on the offensive, with the Lions backline clearing out multiple early chances by the South Carolina-based side. Charleston equalized in the 55th minute, with a Jose Cuevas goal putting the match at 1-1. Battery Forward Dane Kelly set up the strike, finding Cuevas in open space inside the penalty area as he arrived late before putting away the goal.

The Lions’ pace picked up after allowing the score, controlling possession while creating more opportunities as the second half progressed. Sapong created Orlando’s next scoring chance, with the striker getting tripped up while making a run just inside the penalty area to earn the Lions a penalty kick. Watson took the attempt, converting past Cooper, despite the goalkeeper guessing correctly to give Orlando the 2-1 advantage heading into the final 15 minutes.

Despite some late chances by the visiting side, Orlando held strong while keeping the scoreline at 2-1, gaining three valuable points at home with the win.

Orlando takes to the road for their next two matches, playing away at the Dayton Dutch Lions and Pittsburgh Riverhounds on Sunday, July 14, and Wednesday, July 17, respectively. Dayton currently stands in 7th in the USL PRO table with a record of 7-4-5 (26 points) while Pittsburgh is three spots behind in 10th with a mark of 5-6-6 (17 points). Orlando has taken on Dayton once in 2013, topping the visiting Dutch Lions 4-0 back on April 27. The Lions and Riverhounds have yet to face this season.

Both matches will be streamed live on USLNation.com, with Sunday’s match kicking off at 6:30 p.m. EST. For more information on the upcoming away matches and Orlando’s next home game on Saturday, July 20, visit OrlandoCitySoccer.com.

PDL News Release

Thursday, July 11, 2013

TAMPA, Fla. – The PDL announced its Team of the Week for the 10th week of the season today, with K-W United forward Jarek Whiteman being honored as the Player of the Week. Whiteman, a former Canadian U20 international, had four goals as United took a 5-0 victory against Toronto FC on Saturday night, helping keep his sides playoff hopes alive in the Great Lakes Division.

Whiteman had yet to score this season entering United’s game against Toronto, but got his side on the board as he converted from the penalty spot in the 24th minute after being brought down in the area. Whiteman added a second goal five minutes later, running onto a pass from Justin Portillo, and completed his hat trick a minute before the halftime break. After helping in the build-up to Jay Chapman’s finish six minutes into the second half, Whiteman added his fourth at the hour-mark, capping a remarkable performance.

Whiteman was joined in the Team of the Week attack by fellow Canadian, and former U17 international, Moses Danto, who had five goals as WSA Winnipeg took a pair of victories against the Kansas City Brass. Orlando City U23’s Michael Annarumma had a hat trick in his side’s victory against the Mississippi Brilla on Saturday night to complete the attacking trio.

Laredo’s Frank Lara led the defensive selections as he scored the only goal in the Heat’s 1-0 win against Austin, which handed the Aztex their first defeat of the season. Carolina’s Sebastian Ibeagha was also named after scoring the game-winning goal in the Dynamo’s 3-0 win against West Virginia, while Ocala’s Rafael Alves had three goals in two games as Ocala remained in the playoff positions in the Southeast Division. Houston’s Walter Kromholz rounded out the quartet after a strong performance in a 4-1 win against West Texas, while Ocean City’s Michael O’Keeffe earned the goalkeeping spot after a pair of shutouts against the New Jersey Rangers.

The Ottawa Fury’s Loic Miliani led the midfield selections after he scored twice in his side’s 4-0 win against the Seacoast United Phantoms, and he was joined by FC London’s Jordan Ayris, who had a goal and assist in a 2-0 win against Toronto. Jared Windt completed the group after he had a goal and assist in Virginia Beach’s 3-2 win against Southern West Virginia, keeping his side alive in the race for the playoffs in the South Atlantic Division.

PDL Team of the Week

Honorable Mention – Austin: Devin Cook, Tony Rocha; Baltimore: Austin Martz, Christian Wulff; Boston: Luke Finkelstein, Cole DeNormandie; Carolina: Alex Martinez, Hakan Ilhan; CFC Azul: Luke Perry; Fresno: John Lopez, Matt LaGrassa; Houston: Thomas Verhaar, Ray Saari; Jersey: Tommy Macnamara; Kansas City: Mike McDevitt; Kitsap: Alex Chavez; North Sound: Brady Ballew; Ocala: Kyle Breitmeyer, Kenny Hogg; Ocean City: Tapiwa Machingauta, Tim Mulgrew; Oklahoma City: Nicholas Alberto; Ottawa: Chad Bush, Carl Haworth; Reading: Dante Marini, Steven Neumann; Tampa Bay: Jack McVey, Ricardo Webb; Ventura County: Tyler Reinhart, Gaston Cignetti;  Victoria: Gavin Barrett; Virginia Beach: Jerjer Gibson; Vermont: Lucas Cordeiro.

Dayton Dutch Lions News Release -- www.dutchlionsfc.com

Thursday, July 11, 2013

DAYTON, Ohio – The Dayton Dutch Lions FC have been delighting fans all season with exciting play that has translated into unprecedented success in USL PRO. Soccer enthusiasts in the Miami Valley will now have the opportunity to see the Dayton Dutch Lions FC test their skills against a European Champion as they host current F.A. Cup holders Wigan Athletic FC in an international friendly on Tuesday, July 16 at 7 p.m. at Wertz Stadium of Piqua High School in Piqua, Ohio.

Wigan was founded in 1932. The club has captured several championships in its 81-year history, but none more prestigious than the 2013 F.A. Cup. Wigan earned the trophy by beating Manchester City 1-0 in the final. The dramatic game-winning goal was scored by Ben Watson in stoppage time.

The Dutch Lions FC are 7-4-5 in USL PRO League play this season and are poised to make the playoffs for the first time in club history. After playing the club’s opening game in 2010 against a team of former World Cup stars (Global United), this will be the first real exhibition against a team that is in its preseason for the 2013-14 English Championship season.

“The game really fits in our goal as a professional club to bring top soccer to the Dayton region," said Dutch Lions President Mike Mossell. "Besides our own professional team that people can watch, it is games like this that give local soccer fans a chance to see top level players (this time from the 2012-2013 English Premier League) live in action. I am sure it will be a fantastic atmosphere for both our players, staff and also our fans. I also want to thank Beswicks Sports for making this game possible. We like to bring these type of games to the community every year and hope the game against Wigan will be a great way to start this.”

Wigan will also have with them the F.A. Cup. If you are a soccer fan you don’t want to miss being there! Tickets are on sale now. The first 100 entries at the stadium will receive a free t-shirt. Make sure you will be there next Tuesday!

Laredo Heat News Release -- www.laredoheatsc.com

Wednesday, July 10, 2013

LAREDO, Texas -- In one of the most important games in the 10-year history of the Laredo Heat Soccer Club (6-2-2, 20 points), the visiting first year franchise Oklahoma City FC (7-3-1, 22 points) are hoping to come into the Gateway City on Thursday night to defeat the defending Mid South Division champion and take a commanding step towards the PDL Playoffs. With a game in hand, Laredo does have a slight advantage over Oklahoma City in the standings. 

Kickoff is set for 8 P.M. at the Texas A&M International University Soccer Complex.

An Oklahoma City FC victory on Thursday would vault the rookie franchise into the driver’s seat in the run for the second playoff spot in the division. Currently, the Austin Aztex (9-1-1, 28 points), also with 11 games played, are in command for the division title but have yet to clinch. A win by the home side on Thursday would give the Heat a one-point advantage over OKCFC with one less game played plus a little more breathing room to finish out the season with hopes of advancing into the PDL Playoffs.

Oklahoma City FC took the first meeting between the clubs with a 3-2 victory on June 8th at Stars Field in Oklahoma City. Laredo let a 2-0 advantage slip in the second half of the game as Oklahoma City scored in the 68th, 69th and the 82nd minutes to seal the victory.

“This match versus Oklahoma City is an important one for our franchise in terms of the playoff race and history in general” said Heat General Manager J.J. Vela.

“Since our first year in the league (2005), we have not missed the playoffs and we most certainly do not want 2013 to be the first. We have been in this situation before, both in the regular season and playoffs, where we need to win in order to keep hope alive but we need for everyone on the team to embrace the challenge and know their roles in order to make it happen.

“Coach Hernandez and his staff are very clear what is on the line this Thursday and the remainder of the season as the importance of this particular match cannot be understated. As an organization, we are asking for our fans to come out in force and support us, I can promise an exciting soccer match pitting two quality teams that will not disappoint.”

W-League Feature

Thursday, July 11, 2013

OTTAWA, Ont. - The Laval Comets used a stoppage-time goal by Amandine Pierre-Louis to claim a dramatic 2-1 victory Wednesday night, earning the Central Conference regular season title for the first time in their history. The Fury, the reigning W-League champions, had captured nine consecutive regular season division titles entering 2013.

Laval earns the right to host the Central Conference Championship (time and date TBA), with the winner earning a trip to the 2013 W-League Championship presented by Nike, July 26-28 at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Flaorida. Ottawa will face either Toronto or K-W United in the Central Conference Play-In Match, with the winner advancing to face Laval for the conference title.

"This championship is the result of work done by the club since 2006," Laval CEO Philip Ciarlo said. "I need to acknowledge the work of all those involved in our growth, year after year. I thank all the staff in recent years and all the partners who have made this group a championship team.

"The group’s work this year proves that the Quebec soccer has all the ingredients to perform at a high level."

Laval had the brighter start and tested Fury keeper Britt Eckerstrom early and often inside the first 10 minutes. Ottawa found its legs as the half wore on but was unable unable to beat Genevieve Richard in the Laval goal. Kori Chapic would produced the best chance of the first half for Ottawa, but her header was stopped by Richard. Fittingly, the W-League's two best defensive teams headed into halftime knotted at 0-0.

Ottawa struck first in the second half as Karen Gurnon whipped a cross in for Lisa-Marie Woods, who crossed to the back post for Emily Gielnik. Gielnik headed it back across goal to halftime substitute Katie Brusell, who netted her first goal for the Fury to put the home side in front in the 54th minute.

Laval equalized thanks to a counter attack when Canadian International Christina Julien cut across the top of the 18-yard box and was tackled just inside the area by Chapic, resulting in a penalty. Defender Kelsey Wilson stepped up to the spot and shot down the middle with Eckerstrom going the wrong way, evening the score.

The Fury pressed to regain their lead while the Comets held firm. The Fury had several set pieces late in the game, and while they were unable to convert, a missed opportunity at one end led to a goal at the other as Pierre-Louis countered for Laval and broke in one on one with Eckerstrom in stoppage time, scoring to push the Comets clear atop the Central Conference.

Laval was 2-0-1 against Ottawa in 2013, and the Fury's potential road back to the W-League Championship will have to go through Laval. The Fury will face the Toronto Lady Lynx in their final game of the W-League regular season Saturday evening at Algonquin College.

Laval's final regular season game will be Saturday at 3 p.m. against K-W United at the Centre Sportif Bois-de-Boulogne (Desjardins Stadium). Details for the Central Conference Championship will be announced in the coming days.

Major Beach Soccer Feature

Friday, July 12, 2013

CLEARWATER, Fla. - The Clearwater Major Beach Soccer Tournament got off to a flying start despite some light showers on Friday. Four fields of nonstop action kicked off at 10 a.m. and ended at 5 p.m., and Saturday the adults will get underway and all six fields will be packed from sunup to sundown. 

Friday on the stadium field the Fox Chase Red Devils and the Sand Huskies played a thrilling, physical match. The Red Devils prevailed 8-3, with Kevin Walls bagging the fatal goal on a great header from a set piece, but the Sand Huskies had their fair share of chances as well. Fox Chase is a club based out of Philadelphia that has been sending teams down to Clearwater for 15 years.

“We’ve been doing this longer than I can remember. It’s a rite of passage for our guys. As soon as they’re old enough they can come down and play,” Head Coach Lou Vessels said. “It’s a lot of fun. You definitely don’t have to ask the kids twice. It’s a great vacation and you get to play some sand soccer.”

The Sand Huskies are a local Clearwater/St. Petersburg team made of a mixture of high school and club friends. A rival of sorts with the Sand Vipers, the two clubs split when one outgrew the other.

“It’s exciting to be out here. The kids always have fun. This is our third Clearwater tournament and our second under this team name. The group that came the first year just got too big!” Huskies Coach Patrick Schroder said.

On another field about an hour later the U16 girls began their day. The pun-intended Goal Diggers took a hard knock as they dropped their first match but they didn’t let it dampen their spirits.

“We are just having fun...we got the name off the internet,” one player laughed and shrugged.

“It’s really cool to be able to play out here. All the girls enjoy it, but playing on the sand takes a lot out of you,” Coach Sal van Deutekom said.

The early rain didn’t hold back any of the players and the games were well played on both ends.

“It was a great start," Major Beach Soccer Director Peter Mellor said. "The early rain helped I think, it really cooled things down. Everything was fantastic and I look forward to more of the same.”  

Saturday promises to be another bright day on the beach. Registration for the Ft. Myers tournament in two weeks is still open at www.majorbeachsoccer.com.
 

Ottawa Fury Soccer Club News Release

Saturday, July 13, 2013

OTTAWA, ON. - The Ottawa Fury finished the W-League regular season on a positive note with a 2-1 victory over the Toronto Lady Lynx in a preview of Wednesday's Central Conference Semifinal. Ottawa were powered by first half goals from Lisa-Marie Woods and Kinley McNicoll and some strong work by their back line to preserve the win. The Fury finish the 2013 regular season with a 7-3-2 record, good for second spot in the Central Conference. 

The Ottawa Fury came out of the gate with a determined effort to win home field advantage for opening round of the W-League playoffs. Despite some early pressure, the Fury were unable to find an opener in the early going and were caught offside on four occasions in the first half. 

Toronto would lose striker Ashley Lawrence in the 26th minute to injury which could prove to be a costly loss ahead of Wednesday's semifinal. In the 32nd minute, Lisa-Marie Woods drove a free-kick from just inside midfield. The free kick eluded everyone, including Hope Sabadash in goal, and skipped into the back of the net to put the Fury up 1-0. Three minutes later Kinley McNicoll put her speed and skill to good use stripping the Lady Lynx defense of the ball and eluding another before slotting home a magnificent goal to give Ottawa a two goal lead. 

Emily Gielnik almost made it 3-0 as she looked to get in on the scoring, but saw her shot miss just wide. The two goal lead was short lived as Nichelle Prince got in behind the Fury defense and lobbed Jasmine Phillips to pull the Lady Lynx within one after 42 minutes. With halftime looming the Fury would lose Katie Brusell to injury after a diving header on a Fury corner. Brusell landed heavily on the ground and is likely to miss Wednesday semifinal with a head injury. 

The Fury came out very aggressive for the opening five minutes of the second half, before it turned into a defensive battle. The second half proved a lot more physical with 18 fouls split between the two teams. It was apparent that both teams were trying to send a message ahead of their midweek playoff match that is sure to be intense as this rivalry never disappoints. The Fury will host the Toronto Lady Lynx in the Central Conference Semifinal on Wednesday night (July 17) at Algonquin College at 7 p.m. ET with the winner advancing to the Central Conference Championship in Laval on Saturday. 

Saturday, July 13, 2013

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- The Charlotte Eagles battled back to earn a 3-2 victory against the visiting Wilmington Hammerheads on Saturday night at Queens Sports Complex. The Eagles now move into third place in the USL PRO standings with an 8-2-8 record and 32 points. Second-half goals from Jorge Herrera and Christian Meza were enough to secure the three points.

The Hammerheads struck first in the sixth minute as Daniel Steres took advantage of some miscommunication between Charlotte's defense and put the Hammerheads on top 1-0 early. The Hammerheads kept the offensive pressure and forced Eric Reed into a diving save on a corner kick.

The Eagles withstood the early Hammerheads pressure and equalized in the 31st minute as Paul Islas continued his impressive form for his new team. Islas, who joined the Eagles last month from the PDL's Fresno Fuego, took a through-ball and put the ball past an on rushing Troy Hernandez to level the score. The two teams traded possession for the remainder of the half, and the match went to the break tied 1-1.

Wilmington again pressured the Eagles at the start of the half and second half substitute Kyle Greig got on the end of Daniel Roberts' free kick to give Wilmington their second lead of the night in the 63rd minute.

Charlotte responded less than five minutes later as a Tommy Smith throw in was flicked to the back post by Fejiro Okiomah where Herrera was left alone, and his low shot tied the game 2-2.  Herrera was in the middle of the game-winning goal for the Eagles as well as he took an excellent outlet pass from Samuel Asante and found Meza alone in front of the goal with six minutes to go to put the Eagles up 3-2.

The Hammerheads didn't quit and almost found the game-tying goal in stoppage time but their chance hit the crossbar and came back out. The Eagles were able to see out the remaining time, and extend their undefeated streak to nine games as it jumped past the Harrisburg City Islanders.

Charlotte will return home to face the Dayton Dutch Lions on Saturday, July 20th at 7 pm. Tickets are available on www.CharlotteEagles.com.

Major Beach Soccer Feature

Saturday, July 13, 2013

CLEARWATER, Fla. - Saturday was not as lucky as the opening day for the teams participating in the 2013 Clearwater Major Beach Soccer Qualifier. After a few minutes of small showers early in the day, a thunderstorm let loose resulting in a 30-minute rain delay.

The drizzle continued all day, but it made for compact sand that allowed for a faster game among less experienced teams. The weather didn’t dampen the players‘ spirits; the action was as exciting as always.

In the Co-Ed Open Division, the White Shoes and Goggles dropped two heartbreaking games, 4-3 against IABS Yello and 3-2 against Sand Blind. Though they played well, they couldn’t maintain the balance.

“Who knows! Maybe it’s all these early games, but you don’t realize how tired running on the sand makes you,” one player said after cramping.

Later that day in the Women’s Open, two veteran teams tried to secure their spots at the national championship. Lakeland Reality won their opener 6-1, but their form did not continue to the second match where they were defeated 8-6. KMB3 had similar luck, dropping their first 8-0, but were able to find their footing and take an 8-6 win.

“The weather could have been better, but it was still a great day for some fun in the sand. I always enjoy watching the teams adapt as the games go on,” Major Beach Soccer Director Peter Mellor said.

The U12 and U10 finals set for tomorrow have been decided. In the U10 Co-ed division Auburndale will take on the Sandstorm. In the girls final it will be the Hotshots taking on the Fishhawks.

In the U12 finals it will be the Sand Vipers taking on the Chargers after both teams qualified through tiebreakers.

Registration is still open for the Ft. Myers Major Beach Soccer Qualifier. To secure your place on the beach visit www.majorbeachsoccer.com.

Saturday, July 13, 2013

AUSTIN, Texas -- The Austin Aztex (10-1-1) clinched the PDL's Mid South Division championship and booked their ticket to the playoffs after a 4-0 win against Oklahoma City FC (7-4-2) on Saturday night at House Park. The match was the final home game of the regular season for the Aztex, who finished with a perfect 7-0-0 record at House Park with 22 goals scored while allowing only three.

“We wanted to perform well in front of our fans for our final home game,” Aztex defender and team captain Zack Pope said. “We have prepared well this week and all season. We put ourselves in a good position be successful and hopefully we win these two remaining games.”

“We said from the very beginning that his is our house, our fortress. That is our battleground out there and we are going to protect this house. That is what we have established from day one. When we play in front of our fans we owe it to them to put on a show and make sure they leave satisfied.”

The Aztex immediately pounced on OKC FC after the opening whistle when Aztex midfielder Tony Rocha intercepted a pass and then sent a pass upfield to Kris Tyrpak, who navigated his way through the OKC FC defense and shot the ball past goalkeeper Brian Byars after just 16 seconds.

Tony Rocha scored the second goal of the game in the 17th minute when he collected the ball in front of OKC FC’s goal after Sito Seoane’s shot was deflected. Rocha chipped the ball past Byars.

Defensively, the Aztex worked to contain Adam Black and OKC FC’s attack. The Aztex continued with a high work rate to press OKC FC when they had possession to make sure they would not get comfortable with the ball.

“It’s just a matter of work rate,” Aztex midfielder Zachary Garcia said. “If we work harder than them then we know we are going to get it done. We respect those players, Black is a great player, but it is a matter of working hard and doing what we need to do to get the win.”

OKC FC came out of halftime revitalized and looking to climb back into the game. For the first 25 minutes of the second half, the Aztex absorbed a flurry of long throw-ins and corner kicks from OKC FC.

Tyrpak collected his second goal of the game and the third goal for the Aztex in the 70th minute when he re-directed Eddie Campbell’s deflected shot in front of OKC FC’s goal, into the back of the net. Tyrpak finished his hat trick with his third goal in the 89th minute when he received a pass from Westlake High School alumnus Tucker Hume and hit the ball into the net.

It is the second time in the team’s first two seasons in which Tyrpak has scored a hat trick in the team’s regular season home finale. Tyrpak received loud applause from the crowd when he was substituted off during stoppage time.

“It felt amazing,” Tyrpak said. It was fantastic to score in front of all the fans. It was the perfect way to end the home finale and was a great way to give back to the fans.”

The shutout continues Devin Cook’s reign as one of the top goalkeepers in the PDL. Cook is among the league leaders with eight wins, six shutouts, and a goals against average of less than 0.500.

The Aztex wrap up their regular season with a road trip, where they will play the West Texas Sockers on Thursday before their season finale against the El Paso Patriots on Saturday. The Aztex will look to compete for home field advantage in the Southern Conference Championships.

Saturday, July 13, 2013

HARRISBURG, Pa. -- A late counter-attack goal was the difference on City Island on Saturday night as the Richmond Kickers downed the Harrisburg City Islanders 1-0 in a pivotal match-up of two of USL PRO's top teams. Michael Seaton scored the only goal of the game, his fifth of the season, as the Kickers extended their undefeated streak to 17 games and moved to the top of the USL PRO standings. 

Physical play dominated most of the game and the series of events that led up to the goal were no different. It was a battle for a ball on the sideline that left the Islanders on their heels and out-manned with the Kickers charging down the field with Stanley Nyazamba and Seaton. Noble came out to cut off the angle but Nyazamba made a simple pass to his left and had Seaton alone with an empty net for a simple finish.

The Islanders were not going to give up a loss at home that easily, and came close to finding an equalizer in one of the last plays of the match. Jimmy McLaughlin swung the ball into the penalty area and found leading scorer Sainey Touray, who finished from close range, but the assistant referee's flag was raised for offside, ruling out the goal and allowing the Kickers to hold on for victory. 

The first 15 minutes of the game proved uneventful with both teams feeling each other out. The play was physical and sloppy at times and both teams could not get into a groove until a hard shot from Harrisburg's Matt Bahner skimmed off the crossbar. 

Following the Bahner shot play opened up and the Islanders had quality chances to break through and earn the important first goal. Touray had two chances to put the Islanders ahead, with the first coming when he drove into the penalty area, only to send his shot off the outside of the side-netting.

The second half started with a few chances for both teams but none of great quality. One of the best chances of the half was a rising shot by Islander Tom Mellor that looked destined for the back of the net, until Richmond's Andrew Dykstra, one of the league’s top goalkeepers, got his fingers to it and tipped it over the net. 

With good chances seeming to be a premium on this muggy night on the Island, a sequence of the Mellor shot and a Touray shot seemed, at the time to be the pivotal point in the match.

Along with the huge match, the Islanders also had to momentous occasions tonight at Skyline Sports Complex. They retired the No. 3 jersey worn by Dustin Bixler in his seven-year career as an Islander. The other occasion of the night was the announcing of the All-Decade team. Most of the eleven players announced, and some who earned honorable mention were on the field during halftime to be honored.

The Harrisburg City Islanders will play back at Skyline Sports Complex on July 24 at 7 p.m. when they take on the Dayton Dutch Lions. For information about the City Islanders visit www.cityislanders.com or call (717)-441-GOAL.

Charlotte Lady Eagles News Release

Saturday, July 13, 2013

CHARLOTTE, NC. - The Carolina Elite Cobras earned a berth in the Southeastern Conference Championship with a 1-0 win against the Charlotte Lady Eagles on Saturday night. Tayler Parker scored the game winner in stoppage time to send Carolina into a matchup against the Dayton Dutch Lions on Friday, July 19. 

The Lady Eagles started the game with some good offensive pressure as Leah Fortune and Macky Wingo both created chances in the first fifteen minutes but couldn’t get the ball passed Cobras goalkeeper Rose Hull.  

India Trotter and Tiffni Turpin answered with offensive pressure for the Cobras but Robyn Jones was equal to the task and made two of her six saves in the first 25 minutes. 

Charlotte had the better run of play in the final 15 minutes of the first half but were unable to connect in the final third as the first 45 minutes came to a close.

The rain came in the second half, which altered both teams' style of play to a more conservative ground game.  Charlotte tested Hull from the start but Leah Fortune was unable to get on the end of a cross to put it on frame.  Alex Brandt’s shot rolled wide of the Cobra goal and Gloria Douglas’ header went straight to Hull as the Lady Eagles maintained the high pressure.

Both teams desperately pressed forward and with moments to spare Carolina struck the winner. The Cobras caught Charlotte on a counter attack in second half injury time. Tayler Parker was left alone at the top of the penalty area and her low shot beat Robyn Jones to the corner. 

Carolina advances to play Dayton in the USL W-League Southeastern Conference Championship on Friday, July 19 in Dayton, OH. The winner of that game will then travel to Bradenton, FL to participate in the W-League Championship presented by Nike.

Sunday, July 14, 2013

BEAVERCREEK, Ohio — The Dayton Dutch Lions got an 89th-minute equalizer from Brandon Swartzendruber to earn his side a 3-3 draw against Orlando City on Sunday evening at Beavercreek Stadium. Orlando had taken the lead on three separate occasions, but Dayton found an equalizer each time to earn a point despite being down to 10 men for most of the second half.

Dayton’s equalizer came through a well-played volley from Swartzendruber, brought on as a second-half substitute, who beat Kempin in the upper right hand corner to tie the match. Orlando tried to find a late winner in stoppage time, but the Dutch Lions were able to withstand the late pressure.

Orlando opening the scoring in the 24th minute, with Dennis Chin knocking in a loose ball in front of Dayton goalkeeper Matthew Williams to give the Lions a 1-0 advantage. After the ball was previously scooped up by Williams, Chin refused to give up on the play as he knocked home the finish after Williams fumbled the ball away.

The Dutch Lions responded just over 10 minutes later as Dayton midfielder Shintaro Harada equalized in the 35th minute. After a deep corner kick from the left was sent back into the penalty area, it came to an unmarked Harada level with the left post, and he shot low into the right corner past Sporting Kansas City loanee and Goalkeeper Jon Kempin for the goal.

Orlando regained the lead before the halftime break when a well played give-and-go between Renan Boufleur and loanee C.J. Sapong opened up a chance for the English midfielder for the Lions’ second. After receiving a pass in midfield, Boufleur made a run on the left side of the pitch, finding Sapong in the heart of the Dutch Lions’ defense. Sapong immediately fed it back to Boufleur behind the Dayton backline, with the defender converting for the 2-1 lead.

The Dutch Lions were reduced to 10 men just two minutes into the second half as Harada, who was shown a yellow card late in the first half, clipped down a breaking attacker to earn his second caution of the game. Despite being a man down, however, Dayton equalized off a penalty kick in the 60th minute after a handball in the penalty area by Orlando. Joel DeLass converted from the spot, only for the referee to call for a re-take after encroachment into the penalty area, but the midfielder kept his cool and shot home into the right corner of the net 

The Lions answered with a penalty conversion of their own six minutes later with Sapong scoring his first goal for Orlando. Williams was called for a foul on Sapong pushing off Sapong as the forward attempted to take away possession. The 2011 MLS Rookie of the Year slotted the penalty kick it past Williams into the left coern, giving Orlando the 3-2 advantage.

Orlando had seemed set to claim all three points having regained the lead, but the Dutch Lions stepped up the pressure in the final 10 minutes. Second-half substitute Swartzendruber was the man on hand to volley home from the top of the penlaty area, giving his eighth-placed team a six-point cushio on the ninth-placed Wilmington Hammerheads.

W-LEAGUE News Release

Sunday, July 14, 2013

TAMPA, Fla. – The W-League announced the schedule for its four Conference Championships today, with the Dayton Dutch Lions, Laval Comets, Pali Blues and Virginia Beach Piranhas having earned the right to host the championships beginning this Friday. Three of the four conference title games are set, with the Central Conference play-in match between the Toronto Lady Lynx and Ottawa Fury scheduled for Wednesday.

The four conference champions that emerge from next weekend’s action will travel to IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida July 26-28 to compete at the 2013 W-League Championship presented by Nike.

The Virginia Beach Piranhas (10-1-1) are the regular season champions and earned the right to host the Northeastern Conference Championship, which is set for 8 p.m. ET Friday at the Virginia Beach Sportsplex. The Piranhas will face the Washington Spirit Reserves, who finished 7-3-2 and dropped a 2-1 result vs. Virginia Beach Saturday in a warm-up for the conference championship.

The Western Conference race was decided on the regular season’s final night as the Pali Blues (8-2-2) earned the right to host the conference championship by virtue of a 2-0 victory against the Santa Clarita Blue Heat. Pali will face the LA Strikers (8-4-0), who defeated the Colorado Rush 3-2 Sunday to finish the season with five consecutive wins and claim second place. The Seattle Sounders Women (7-3-2) dropped out of playoff position after losing 2-0 at the Bay Area Breeze Sunday.

The Laval Comets finished the regular season at 8-1-3 to capture their first Central Conference regular season crown, and will host the winner of a play-in match between the defending W-League champions, the Ottawa Fury (7-3-2), and the Toronto Lady Lynx (5-2-5), set for Wednesday at 7 p.m. ET at the Algonquin College Soccer Complex. The winner will move on to face Laval Saturday at 4 p.m. ET at Bois-de-Boulogne Sports Center.

Ottawa closed out the regular season with a 2-1 victory against Toronto Saturday, while Laval ended K-W United’s postseason aspirations with a 4-1 win Saturday.

The Dutch Lions (5-2-3) completed a remarkable worst-to-first turnaround to capture the regular season Southeastern Conference crown. Dayton will welcome the Carolina Elite Cobras at 8 p.m. ET Friday at Beavercreek High School for the Southeastern Conference Championship. Carolina Elite (5-4-1) earned its spot in the conference title game in stunning fashion Saturday when Taylor Parker’s stoppage-time strike earned the Cobras a 1-0 win at Charlotte, vaulting Carolina Elite past the Lady Eagles and Atlanta to earn the postseason berth.

Central Conference Championship

Play-in Game
Wednesday, July 17, 2013
Algonquin College Soccer Complex, Ottawa, Ontario

Toronto Lady Lynx at Ottawa Fury, 7 p.m. ET

Conference Championship
Saturday, July 20
Bois-de-Boulogne Sports Center, Laval, Quebec

Play-in winner vs. Laval Comets, 4 p.m. ET

Northeastern Conference Championship
Friday, July 19
Virginia Beach Sportsplex, Virginia Beach, Virginia

Washington Spirit Reserves vs. Virginia Beach Piranhas, 8 p.m.

Southeastern Conference Championship
Friday, July 19
Beavercreek High School, Beavercreek, Ohio

Carolina Elite Cobras vs. Dayton Dutch Lions, 8 p.m.

Western Conference Championship
Sunday, July 21
Titan Stadium, Fullerton, California

LA Strikers at Pali Blues, 12:30 p.m.

Sunday, July 14, 2013

OCEAN CITY, N.J. -- The Ocean City Nor'easters claimed the Mid Atlantic Division for the second consecutive season as they took a 2-1 victory against Reading United at Carey Stadium on Sunday night. Dwayne Reid had both goals for the Nor'easters, who earned the first place at the PDL's Eastern Conference Championships in two weeks.

The game started with a very tense atmosphere hanging over the first 10 minutes. Possession was switched back and forth as both teams tried to find a tempo. After 10 minutes, the Nor’easters had a great chance with Zoncher Dennis crossing for Ken Tribbett who lays it back for Ted Cribley, whose shot was saved.

The opening goal came on 18 miuntes as Reid scored from a Frank Tweneboa through-ball. Reid out-muscled his defender and finished hard and low past Reading goalkeeper Alex Bono. Just five minutes later the Nor’easters scored again, and again it was Reid with the finish to make it nine goals in his past three games. Reid began the attack by beating the Reading United left back and crossing for McLaws, whose shot was blocked, but Reid reached the rebound first and shot low in the corner off the far post.

The second half begun with Ocean City's Cribley jinking inside and shooting just wide. Reading United had some chances, but Michael O’Keeffe looked comfortable in goal and Tapiwa Machingauta was a rock at the back as they dealt with everything that came near them.

The half burst into life for the wrong reason after an altercation between two players saw Reid sent off but no punishment for the Reading United player involved. The sending off saw some sustained Reading pressure but, the Nor'easters defense was able to maintain the side's two-goal advantage.

Reading would hit back in stoppage time, as Jordan Vale headed home off a wonderfully delivered free kick from Jason Plumhoff from the right hand corner of the penalty area, but Ocean City would hold on to take victory and clinch the division title.