PDL Feature

Wednesday, September 17, 2014

A new season has brought a new conference for the Rutgers Scarlet Knights, who made their debut as part of the Big Ten this fall. One of the key players for the Scarlet Knights this season has been Jersey Express midfielder JP Correa, and he claimed the program’s first Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week award this week after leading the side to a thrilling 3-2 victory against Wisconsin Friday night.

Correa scored twice for the Scarlet Knights against the Badgers, including the winner in overtime, for Rutgers’ first Big Ten victory in any sport. Correa had pulled the Scarlet Knights level in the first half after Wisconsin took an early lead, and then headed home a cross from Thomas O’Rourke to grab victory in the 98th minute.

Penn State’s Mason Klerks, who played this summer for the LA Misioneros, joined Correa in being honored by the Big Ten as he was named Defensive Player of the Week after leading the Nittany Lions to victory against Indiana on Sunday afternoon. Klerks scored the game-winning goal and helped limit the Hoosiers to two shots on goal as Penn State moved up to No. 10 in the latest NSCAA rankings.

The Portland Timbers U-23s’ Ben Strong was named ACC Co-Player of the Week as he led Louisville to a 5-0 victory against Duke on Sunday. Strong scored his first two goals for the Cardinals as they romped past the Blue Devils.

The OC Pateadores Blues’ Jake McGuire claimed the American Athletic Conference’s Goalkeeper of the Week award as he recorded five saves in Tulsa’s 1-1 draw on the road against No. 2 Creighton. A sophomore, McGuire made three saves in overtime to allow the Golden Hurricane to finish level with the Bluejays.

Former Thunder Bay Chill standout Axel Sjoberg was named the Big East’s Defensive Player of the Week as he led Marquette to a 2-0 victory against Drake on Saturday night. A 2013 PDL All-League selection, Sjoberg helped limit the Bulldogs to one shot on goal as the Golden Eagles took their third consecutive victory.

Former Jersey Express goalkeeper Jordan Stagmiller was also honored as he took the Big East’s Goalkeeper of the Year honor after recording his first collegiate shutout for St. John’s. Stagmiller recorded four saves for the Red Storm in a scoreless draw against Princeton, and then posted a career-high six saves as St. John’s defeated Harvard 2-1 on Saturday night.

Former Vancouver Whitecaps FC U-23 player Callum Irving claimed Conference USA’s Defensive Player of the Week award as he helped Kentucky upset Notre Dame. Irving made a season-high seven saves as the Wildcats defeated the defending national champion, and then recorded his 10th career shutout in a victory against East Tennessee on Saturday night.

Portland Timbers U-23s defender Kyle Fisher was named the Atlantic 10 Co-Player of the Week as he helped VCU take victory against No. 6 Georgetown. Fisher, who made 11 appearances for the Timbers U-23s this summer, scored the equalizer to send the game to overtime, and then provided the assist on Jose Manel’s winner for the Rams.

Former LA Misioneros forward Chumdum Mez took the Big West Offensive Player of the Week award as he scored the game-winning goal in both of Sacramento State’s games last week. Mez led the Hornets to a 2-1 victory against San Jose State and a 2-0 win against Cleveland State for the team’s first two wins of the season.

Lane United goalkeeper Wade Hamilton was also honored as he took Big West Defensive Player of the Week honors as he recorded another pair of shutouts for Cal Poly. A junior, Hamilton has a shutout streak of 339 minutes which was extended this past weekend as the Mustangs earned a 0-0 draw with No. 1 UCLA.

Former Michigan Bucks goalkeeper Nathan Steinwascher claimed Horizon League Co-Defensive Player of the Week honors as he was named the Outstanding Defensive Player at the UNLV Nike Invitational for the University of Detroit. Steinwascher made 12 saves in two games, including a five-save shutout of UNLV.

Princeton’s Julian Griggs was named the Ivy League’s Co-Player of the Week as the former Baltimore Bohemians man had two goals and an assist in the Tigers’ wild 5-4 victory against Seton Hall. Griggs’ second goal of the game proved to be the game-winner as he put away a pass from Miles McGinley with 28 seconds to play.

Former Portland Timbers U-23s player Saad Abdul-Salaam was named the Mid-American Conference’s Co-Player of the Week as he led Akron to a pair of emphatic victories this past weekend. Abdul-Salaam was named the Offensive MVP of the University of Akron Tournament as he scored twice in the Zips’ victories against Central Florida and Hartford.

Baltimore Bohemians defender Ryan Tuck claimed the Patriot League’s Defensive Player of the Week honor, as he helped Loyola Maryland take a win and a draw in non-conference action. Tuck, who appeared 12 times this summer for the Bohemians, played every minute of both games and scored his first collegiate goal in a 1-1 draw against Stetson, and then anchored a Greyhounds defense that allowed only eight shots in a 1-0 win against Drexel.

Former Des Moines Menace defender Felipe da Silva claimed his third career Summit League Defensive Player of the Week award as he helped Omaha claim a 1-0 victory on the road at UMKC. The Mavericks held the Kangaroos to two shots on goal as da Silva and his teammates earned a hard-fought victory.

Finally, FC Tucson goalkeeper Kendall McIntosh claimed the West Coast Conference’s Player of the Week award as he recorded his fourth consecutive shutout in Santa Clara’s 1-0 win against UC Riverside this weekend. The Broncos also earned a scoreless draw with UCLA, and recorded 11 saves in the two games to lower his goals-against average for the season to 0.47.

W-League Feature

Wednesday, September 17, 2014

TAMPA, Fla. – Former Seattle Sounders Women and Laval Comets midfielder Marta Bakowska-Mathews had an impressive week for the No. 5-ranked Florida State Seminoles and earned a trio of honors, leading the list of W-League players recognized for their NCAA Division I performances last week. A senior, Bakowska-Mathews was chosen as NSCAA Division I Women’s Player of the Week and ACC Co-Player of the Week, while also being selected to the TopDrawerSoccer.com Team of the Week.

Bakowska-Mathews recorded nine points on four goals and an assist in leading Florida State to shutout wins against St. John’s and Stetson. The Kent, England, native had a goal and an assist in the 4-0 win against the Red Storm and concluded the week recording her first career hat trick against the Hatters.

Pepperdine’s Lynn Williams – the 2012 W-League Rookie of the Year with the Pali Blues – picked up her second WCC Player of the Week honor and was also named TopDrawerSoccer.com Player of the Week after a three-goal week that included a pair of game-winners. Williams helped lead the No. 13 Waves to a 2-0 record last week with wins against Xavier and Kentucky, tallying three goals. The victories helped Pepperdine continue its push up the national rankings, moving the team’s record to an impressive 6-1-1.

Ani Sarkisian of the North Jersey Valkyries was chosen as Big 10 Offensive Player of the Week and Freshman of the Week after recording three of Michigan’s four goals in its home wins against Minnesota and No. 9 Wisconsin. Sarkisian, who scored in the opening 10 minutes of both games, led the Wolverines to their first victory against a top-10 opponent since 2003. In 11 matches with the Valkyries this past summer, Sarkisian tallied three goals and an assist.

The SEC honored a pair of W-League standouts for their work with the South Carolina Gamecocks, as Toronto Lady Lynx goalkeeper Sabrina D’Angelo was named Defensive Player of the Week and Carolina Elite Cobras forward Savannah McCaskill was chosen as Freshman of the Week. D'Angelo continues to close in on the program shutout record of 31 after collecting her 25th and 26th career shutouts at the USF Soccer Classic against USF and FGCU. McCaskill (profiled by the W-League Tuesday) was one of two Gamecocks to post three-point weekends at the tournament, earning an assist on sophomore Sophie Groff's goal vs. USF Friday and scoring her first career goal in the 81st minute on Sunday to cap a 2-0 win and an undefeated weekend.

Another member of the Lady Lynx was also part of the TopDrawerSoccer.com Team of the Week as defender Melanie Pickert was selected after she helped Iowa pick up wins in its first two Big Ten encounters, blanking Illinois and Northwestern. Pickert, who played the full 90 at the back in both wins, bagged the game winner in Friday’s defeat of the Illini.

Colorado Rush forward Janine Beckie took home the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week nod, as the junior scored a pair of game-winners as Texas Tech improved to 7-0 with wins at No. 10 California and against Abilene Christian. Also named to the TopDrawerSoccer.com Team of the Week, Beckie connected on the lone goal in a 1-0 victory against the Bears, heading in a corner kick with 32 seconds remaining in double overtime. She added her second goal only 24 seconds into the second half in a 2-0 win against ACU.

Three goals in two matches earned former Washington Spirit Reserves midfielder Aly Shaughnessy Colonial Athletic Association Player of the Week honors, as the William & Mary senior led her team to victories against Richmond (4-1) and Penn (3-0) last week. Shaughnessy recorded her first career multi-goal game by scoring once in each half against the Spiders and gave the Tribe a 2-0 advantage with a goal in the 15th minute at Penn.

Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Week honors went to Atlanta Silverbacks goalkeeper Brie Haynes, who recorded her first win of the season in a 1-0 shutout victory for Georgia State against North Florida Friday. Haynes recorded another shutout in a scoreless draw Sunday against Davidson, and has not allowed a goal in more than 366 minutes after another scoreless draw against Belmont the previous week.

USL PRO Feature

Wednesday, September 17, 2014

A season ago, the Harrisburg City Islanders were arguably the most entertaining side to watch in USL PRO. Bill Becher’s side led the league with 55 goals as the duo of Lucky Mkosana and Sainey Touray combined for 24 goals to lead the club’s free-flowing attack.

This offseason, both Mkosana and Touray departed, but the City Islanders’ have remained just as entertaining with another 45 goals. Instead of relying on a pair of double-digit scorers, however, Harrisburg has received contributions from across the squad, with three players tied for a team-high with six goals.

One of those, Morgan Langley, credits the bond between teammates for the team’s ability to find a way to remain strong in the final third this season.

“This team is incredible, it’s not about individuals, it’s about what the team can do and how the team can play together, and I think the goals just go ahead to prove that,” Langley said. “We had a lot of goals last year, a lot of them came from Lucky Mkosana and then Sainey Touray, but they’re gone, so we knew we had to score another 30, 35 goals that we don’t have from last year. I think everyone understood that and stepped into their role to be able to contribute to the goal-scoring.”

That team spirit, and the willingness to work for each other, was also in evidence Saturday as the City Islanders took victory against regular-season champion Orlando City in the quarterfinals of the 2014 USL PRO Playoffs. A goal by Antoine Hoppenot, and some resolute defending, proved enough to send the No. 8 seed into the semifinals.

In addition to the solid work by the back four, however, one of the biggest keys was the contributions of midfielders Yann Ekra and Jose Barril, who worked diligently in the center of midfield to break up attacks, win loose balls and get the City Islanders quickly on the attack. According to Langley, making the move to put both players in the center of the park was the key to the club’s turnaround from a slow start to the regular season.

“If you look earlier in the season when we were struggling a little bit, they weren’t playing in that position,” Langley said. “As we started to move the puzzle pieces around, and end up putting those two as our holding midfielders, it just worked out brilliantly. I mean, one of them from Lyon, the other from Real Madrid, they both have the pedigree, they’re both just class players and it shows on the field. When you have a midfield like that, the rest of the team is going to be confident heading into games.”

Getting one up on Orlando in the Lions’ final season in USL PRO was also satisfying for Langley. The only member of Saturday’s squad that was also part of the team that fell in dramatic fashion to City in the 2011 USL PRO Championship Game, Langley was pleased the City Islanders finished with the final say on Saturday night.

“I’ll never forget the feeling when I looked up at the scoreboard and thought we might have wrapped up the USL championship in 2011,” he said. “Orlando sneaks in, gets a penalty late and ties it up, and we lose in penalty kicks after that. So when you have that feeling like it’s right there and it’s slipped out of your hands, to come back and beat them at their place, the No. 1 seed, I wouldn’t say revenge is the word, but it’s definitely satisfying to be able to finally close that chapter of our battles with Orlando. In a way it closes out their USL PRO tenure, but we’ve had some battles over the years with them, and it was fun to end up on top finally.”

The City Islanders are now one win away from a return to the championship game as they visit the Richmond Kickers on Saturday night in the semifinals. Richmond held the upper hand in the regular season as they took victory in all three contests between the sides, but Langley believes the City Islanders side is a different one to the one that last faced the Kickers in July.

“With this team, we have an incredible amount of talent,” Langley said. “Going back to 2011, we did make it to the final then, but this team is more talented, so I think for us as a team, if everybody remains confident and we have that team mentality that we did in Orlando, we shouldn’t have to look back at our losses against Richmond because I think everybody is confident and knows that if everyone plays their game we should have no problem, just like Richmond is thinking the same thing.”

USL PRO News Release

Wednesday, September 17, 2014

TAMPA, Fla. – USL PRO is proud to announce the Charlotte Independence will join the league beginning with the 2015 season. The team will feature an ownership group led by Jim McPhilliamy, the current President & Managing Partner of Major League Lacrosse’s Charlotte Hounds.

Professional soccer has a long and illustrious history in Charlotte, with the Charlotte Eagles having spent 20 years in USL’s professional divisions, the past four in USL PRO. With the transfer of the Charlotte USL PRO rights to the Independence, the Eagles will move down to the U23 PDL beginning in 2015.

“USL is doubly delighted to welcome the Charlotte Independence into USL PRO and the Charlotte Eagles into the PDL,” USL CEO Alec Papadakis said. “These developments, along with Orlando City moving up to MLS and the Austin Aztex moving up from the PDL to USL PRO, demonstrate precisely the type of structure underneath MLS that will create a solid foundation for the future of American soccer.

“The Charlotte Independence, with their distinguished professional sports experience, will be one of the driving factors in placing the city of Charlotte prominently on the U.S. soccer map while contributing to the growth and success of USL PRO, on and off the field,” Papadakis continued.

Owned and operated by Queen City Soccer Club LLC, the Independence will play at historic American Legion Memorial Stadium, home of the Charlotte Hounds. The Independence are currently working with Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation, the City of Charlotte and the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority to prepare the stadium for the 2015 USL PRO season.

“We are excited to be launching the Charlotte Independence at a time when soccer is booming,” McPhilliamy said. “Our vision is to make Charlotte a better place to live by increasing the quantity and quality of the events we bring to town. The announcement of the Charlotte Independence soccer team is a huge leap for our organization in furthering that vision.

“We will try to make each event as much fun as possible for the Charlotte community. This team will be a true community property and it’s going to be exciting to see it grow and succeed here in Charlotte.”

The team name was chosen after a round of focus groups with Charlotte’s most passionate soccer fans. Independence serves as a nod to the famous May 20, 1775 date when the citizens of Mecklenburg County signed the first document calling for complete independence from the Crown of England. To encourage active involvement with fans and the community, the Independence will initiate a “Choose the Logo” campaign with fans able to vote for their favorite option at www.charlotteindependence.com.

Announcements regarding Independence coaching staff and management will be made in the coming weeks.

USL PRO features 14 teams in 2014 with new franchises already announced for 2015 in Austin, Texas, Colorado Springs, Colorado, Louisville, Kentucky, St. Louis, Missouri and Tulsa, Oklahoma. For the past several years USL PRO has been part of a groundbreaking partnership with MLS that has further elevated the quality and stature of USL PRO, strengthened the competition in both leagues, and established a solid foundation for future collaboration.

USL PRO Feature

Thursday, September 18, 2014

As LA Galaxy II forward Chandler Hoffman sees it, 2014 couldn’t have gone much better.

“For me, it’s been a dream situation this year,” Hoffman said by phone this week. “My first two years in the league, I’m on the cusp of trying to break into a first-team squad. In the reserve league you have 10 games over a calendar year, which isn’t enough to improve, especially when you’re young you need games and you need important games that matter, so for this year it was huge. I get 17 regular-season games, and that way when I’m stepping into the first team I have confidence, I feel fit, I feel sharp, and that’s something I couldn’t necessarily say the last two seasons.”

Hoffman has had a standout season in USL PRO, with 13 goals in the regular season and a goal and an assist in Los Dos’ 2-1 victory against the Rochester Rhinos last Saturday in the quarterfinals of the playoffs. The former PDL All-League selection, now in his third professional year after signing with MLS as a Generation adidas player in 2012, has broken through in impressive fashion as he continues to work toward regular first-team action for the Galaxy.

Getting the chance to prove his worth to Bruce Arena with the Galaxy II, and getting the chance to build his confidence and sharpness during a full season, has certainly provided solid backing to the vision the Galaxy had when they became the first MLS club to form its own USL PRO side.  

“As hard as you train in practice and as much extra work that you do, there’s no replacement for meaningful games and getting yourself in positions that can only happen in matches when the pressure’s on,” Hoffman said. “I think as a forward you want to score goals, and you want to prove that you can do it at every level, so for me the hardest part has been getting an opportunity, getting a chance. It’s one thing to get eight minutes or five minutes at the end of the game, and it’s another to get meaningful matches where you’re playing the full 90 minutes.”

While Hoffman was an established part of the Galaxy’s squad, two of Los Dos’ key players this season were making their first steps into the professional ranks. The progression of Bradford Jamieson IV, who had six goals this season, and Raul Mendiola, who led the side with seven assists, was fun for Hoffman to be part of and see happen.

“It’s been a really cool experience,” Hoffman said. “We came into preseason and Bradford was this 17-year-old kid, he was shying away from tackles and not going in, and almost a little bit hesitant, and you look at him now and he’s taking on 25-to-30-year-old men who have been doing this for a long time and skinning them on the wings, or playing with a lot of confidence that translates over to the U20 National Team, and he’s got a really promising future.”

“With Raul, too, he’s very good at combining and learning how to compete on a day-to-day basis. The main thing for me is those guys not taking plays off because they were always going to be great with the ball at their feet, and finding players and running at players one-on-one. But now it’s the little things, it’s the playoffs and we’re down a man and we’ve got BJ tracking back 50 yards to win a ball.”

The Galaxy II were forced to work hard to earn victory against the Rhinos Saturday as they were reduced to 10 men with 25 minutes to go after a second yellow card to Rafael Garcia. Even before that, though, the atmosphere of the occasion was noticeably different to Hoffman as the playoffs began.

“The feel of the game - you could tell it was a step up from the regular season. Every play guys were laying it all on the line because it is do or die in this situation,” Hoffman said.

The atmosphere promises to be at an even higher tension as the Galaxy II visit Sacramento Republic FC in front of a sellout crowd at Bonney Field on Saturday. With a burgeoning rivalry forming between the two sides, Hoffman is eager for what he expects will be a tough challenge against Preki’s side.

“He was obviously an incredible player, and now his teams are incredibly organized,” Hoffman said. “Whenever plays start to break down, they’re great at disrupting it with smart fouls at midfield so that we can’t get anything on the counter, and then in the game last weekend they were really dangerous from set pieces. They have some experienced guys that have played in MLS, and it’s going to be a tough test.”

Those types of tests, however, are the reason the Galaxy II are part of USL PRO.

“I can’t wait to play in front of the big crowd,” Hoffman said. “It’s going to be one of those games that mean a lot, one of those games where guys have to step up, man up to get us into the championship game.”

W-League Feature

Friday, September 19, 2014

Two undefeated ACC powers clash on Friday night in one of the top games of the weekend available on national television or online. No. 2 Virginia Tech hosts No. 17 Clemson on ESPN3, with W-League standouts set to feature on both sides, to highlight a big weekend of action that sees conference play begin in earnest in the NCAA Division I Women’s Soccer season.

No. 2 Virginia Tech vs. No. 17 Clemson, Friday, 6 p.m. ET, ESPN3
The conference opener for both sides sees the Hokies looking to set a program record with a 10th consecutive victory to start the season. Virginia Tech has received solid production from the Washington Spirit Reserves’ Katie Yensen, who leads the team with four assists, and former Northern Virginia Majestics midfielder Danielle King, who has a goal and three assists. They’ll face a Tigers side that has made its best start since 2000 with a 7-0-1 record, thanks in part to the standout play of former Toronto Lady Lynx goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan, who has posted a 0.47 goals-against average.

No. 18 Notre Dame vs. No. 9 North Carolina, Saturday, 7 p.m. ET,  ESPN3
After a week off, the Tar Heels will try to build on the positive momentum they built in a pair of victories at the Duke Nike Classic two weeks ago when they visit the Fighting Irish at Alumni Stadium. The LA Blues’ Brooke Elby was named the tournament’s Defensive MVP, and alongside the Washington Spirit Reserves’ Satara Murray will try to continue North Carolina’s strong start at the defensive end that has seen it only concede three goals in six contests.

Auburn vs. No. 14 South Carolina, Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, SEC Network
The Gamecocks open their conference schedule with a visit to the Tigers, who sit just outside the NSCAA Top 25 going into the weekend. South Carolina has won seven of its first eight games, as former Toronto Lady Lynx Sabrina D’Angelo continuing to have a standout season with a miniscule 0.12 goals-against average and seven shutouts. The Gamecocks have also been boosted by the Carolina Elite Cobras’ Savannah McCaskill, who has a goal and three assists, while her teammate with the Cobras, Chelsea Drennan, has notched a pair of goals and an assist.

No. 1 UCLA vs. Loyola Marymount, Sunday, 9 p.m. ET, Pac-12 Network
The top-ranked Bruins welcome the Lions to Drake Stadium looking to extend their perfect start to the season that has been led offensively by a pair of LA Blues. Sam Mewis leads UCLA with 11 points, including a team-high five goals, while 2014 W-League All-League selection Sarah Killion has six assists in addition to a pair of goals. Abby Dahlkember and Caprice Dydasco, who also featured for the Blues as they claimed back-to-back W-League titles the past two summers, have also been excellent defensively, with the Bruins having only conceded once in seven games as they defend their national championship.

Richmond Kickers News Release -- www.richmondkickers.com

Friday, September 19, 2014

RICHMOND, Va. – The No. 4-seed Richmond Kickers return to City Stadium to host the No. 8-seed Harrisburg City Islanders in the semifinals of the 2014 USL PRO Playoffs this Saturday night. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. ET, and the gates open at 5:30 p.m. with live music, craft beer on tap and RVA food trucks. Tickets are on sale now for $12/adult and $7/youth, ages 3-17, at RichmondKickers.com. With the exception of All-Access and Red Army Passes, 2014 Season Passes will not be accepted at this match.

WATCH LIVE | TICKETS

The Kickers enter Saturday’s match following a dramatic 2-1 victory after extra time against the No. 5-seed Charleston Battery in the quarterfinals of the USL PRO Playoffs. Forward Matthew Delicâte’s first touch of the game proved to be decisive, as the Kickers’ leading scorer buried the game-winner in the 117th minute moments after being brought on as a substitute. Collin Martin gave Richmond the lead 11 minutes in, but the Battery responded in the second half as the game ended level after regulation, requiring late game heroics to avoid penalties.

Meanwhile, Harrisburg’s road to the semifinals resulted in a 10-11-7 record and 37 points to round out the field of eight playoff-bound teams.  Recording the only upset in the opening round of the playoffs, the City Islanders stunned the Regular Season Champions and No. 1 seed Orlando City on the road. Antoine Hoppenot struck on a well-executed counter-attack five minutes before halftime that saw Jamiel Hardware spring the Philadelphia Union loanee behind the Lions’ defense to finish into the right corner, and that was all Harrisburg needed as Orlando was unable to find the back of the net in a tense second half.

With a rivalry spanning nearly a decade, the Kickers hold an all-time series record of 15-3-7 over the City Islanders. The Kickers swept the three game regular season series in 2014, relying on a last second goal for a dramatic 3-2 win in Harrisburg on May 31 before edging the City Islanders 1-0 in Richmond two weeks later. The Kickers closed out the series with a narrow 2-1 victory at City Stadium in July.

In addition to heated regular season matches, the two championship contenders have a history of battling in high stakes games. The Kickers last hosted the City Islanders in the semifinals on August 22, 2009, going scoreless through regulation and nearly two full overtime periods before a last-gasp scramble in the box allowed Delicâte to find the back of the net and boost the club to that season’s title match.

Two years earlier, a penalty shootout was required to determine the winner of the Richmond/Harrisburg Championship on August 25, 2007.  Once again held scoreless through regulation and overtime, the Kickers surrendered the title to the City Islanders after nine rounds of penalties.

The winner of Saturday’s game will advance to the 2014 USL PRO Championship Game to face the winner of the contest between the No. 2-seed Sacramento Republic FC and No. 3-seed LA Galaxy II.

Players to Watch
Kickers: Returning to City Stadium after a month-long injury, forward Matthew Delicate immediately picked up where he left off, scoring the game-winning goal with his first and only touch of the night in the 117th minute against Charleston in the quarterfinals last week. Posting a career-high 16 goals through all competitions this season, the club’s all-time leading scorer surpassed the century mark in career goals in June.  Anchoring the midfield in 28 games, Samuel Asante has contributed two goals and three assists during his first season in Richmond. The native of Sunyani, Ghana spent the 2013 season with the Charlotte Eagles, making 21 appearances en route to the USL PRO Championship Game. A stalwart on the back line, veteran William Yomby leads the team in minutes played this season with 2,754. Integral on both sides of the ball, the Cameroonian defender posted two goals during his sixth season in Richmond while contributing to seven shutouts.

City Islanders: Forward Antoine Hoppenot tallied the lone goal in the City Islanders’ 1-0 upset over Orlando City in the quarterfinals of the USL PRO Playoffs last week. On loan from Harrisburg’s Major League Soccer affiliate, Philadelphia Union, the native of Paris, France made nine appearances during the regular season, adding one goal and one assist. In his fourth season in Harrisburg, midfielder Morgan Langley leads the team in scoring, posting six goals and six assists for 18 points in 25 appearances. After leading the City Islanders to the 2011 Championship match, he signed with the Philadelphia Union for a brief stint before returning to Harrisburg in 2012. Defender Richie Marquez anchors the Harrisburg defense as the only player to play every minute of every game this year. Joining the City Islanders on loan from the Philadelphia Union, he was an NSCAA All-American at the University of Redlands.

PDL Feature

Friday, September 19, 2014

A Top-10 clash between two powers in the ACC highlight the weekend’s NCAA Division I Men’s Soccer schedule, with current and former PDL players set to feature in a nationally-televised clash between No. 5 Notre Dame and No. 7 Virginia on ESPNU. Sunday’s game is one of a number set to air this weekend on national television and online as conference play ramps up in week four of the season.

No. 7 Virginia vs. No. 5 Notre Dame, Sunday, 12 p.m. ET, ESPNU
The Cavaliers enter on a three-game winning streak, which has been helped by the play of Northern Virginia Royals goalkeeper Calle Brown, who recorded his second shutout in a 1-0 win against VCU on Monday to lower his goals-against average to 0.48. Reading United forward Darius Madison notched an assist against the Rams as he worked his way back from injury, while the Baltimore Bohemians’ Kyle McCord is one of four Virginia players to find the net so far this season. The Fighting Irish, meanwhile, have been led by the Ocean City Nor’easters Leon Brown, who has a pair of goals this season.

Duke vs. No. 1 North Carolina, Friday, 7 p.m. ET, ESPN3
The Tar Heels’ victory against Pittsburgh last week propelled them into top spot in the latest NSCAA Coaches Poll, and they then took a midweek 2-0 victory against William & Mary that saw the OC Pateadores Blues’ Andy Craven find the net for the fourth time this season. The Chicago Fire U-23’s Tyler Engel also scored against the Tribe, while Portland Timbers U-23s goalkeeper Brendan Moore recorded a fourth consecutive shutout. The Blue Devils should offer their fierce rivals a test on home turf, and will be eager to bounce back after a loss against Louisville on the road last week in their ACC opener. The Carolina Dynamo’s Sean Davis is tied for the team lead with three assists, while former Portland Timbers U-23s midfielder Nick Palodichuk has also chipped in a goal and two assists.

Maryland vs. No. 16 Michigan State, Friday, 8 p.m. ET, Big Ten Network
The Spartans head to face the Terrapins for their conference opener on the back of a 1-0 win against Loyola-Chicago last week that saw K-W United’s Jay Chapman record his first goal of the season. The Portland Timbers U-23s’ Fatai Alashe and the Michigan Bucks’ Ryan Keener have also played an important role for Michigan State this season, as has Bucks goalkeeper Zach Bennett, and they will need to be at their best against a Maryland side that will be looking to bounce back after slipping out of the Top 25 following a three-game winless streak that included a 1-1 draw with Michigan a week ago. Austin Aztex midfielder Dan Metzger is one of five Terrapins who have scored a goal apiece this season, as Maryland’s attack has yet to get into gear.

No. 24 Stanford vs. No. 11 Delaware, Sunday, 4 p.m. ET, Pac-12 Network
The Cardinal enter the weekend on a three-game winning streak that included a 4-1 midweek victory against UC Santa Barbara on Tuesday night. Stanford includes recent U.S. National Team call-up Jordan Morris, who competed this past summer for the Sounders FC U23, and he has a goal and an assist to his credit so far this fall. The Cardinal have also received solid performances from former Ventura County Fusion player Brandon Vincent, and will hope their experience will be enough to defeat a surprising Blue Hens side that has started the season with six consecutive victories.

PDL Feature

Saturday, September 20, 2014

Former Carolina Dynamo midfielder Sean Davis had a goal and assists as Duke upset its rival and current NSCAA No. 1 North Carolina 2-1 on Friday night at Koskinen Stadium. North Carolina had taken a first-half lead, but the Blue Devils roared back with two goals in the final 15 minutes to take their first victory against a top-ranked side under Coach John Kerr.

“We wanted to bounce back with a strong performance,” said Davis. “All week the team worked so hard and put everything on the line to prepare for tonight and it all came together. I just love the guys, the coaches. There’s not a better feeling.”

The Blue Devils fell in their ACC opener to Louisville last weekend, and fell behind against the Tar Heels as the Chicago Fire U-23’s Tyler Engel opened the scoring in the 38th minute. Reading United’s Alex Olofson created the opportunity as he found space on the right, and his cross found Engel for a finish.

Davis pulled Duke level with 15 minutes to go when the Blue Devils were awarded a free kick centrally, 25 yards from goal. The Dynamo standout curled a beautiful free kick over the wall and into the left corner of the net to make it 1-1.

The Blue Devils took the lead six minutes later as Davis flashed in a cross that was met by freshman Cameron Moseley for what proved to be the game-winner. Duke’s victory was its second against a top-ranked side this decade.

No. 5 NEW MEXICO 1, DREXEL 1: Albuquerque Sol F.C.’s Nick Miele had the opening goal, but the Lobos were held to a draw by the Dragons in the TLC Plumbing and Utility Invitational at the UNM Soccer Complex.

Miele opened the scoring in the 37th minute when he got on the end of a cross by Sol teammate Josh Goss and headed home. Drexel equalized with 13 minutes to go, however, as Reading United’s Guido Pena lashed home a finish to level the score.

No. 9 LOUISVILLE 3, BOSTON COLLEGE 2: The Portland Timbers U-23s’ Nolan Moore scored the overtime winner as the Cardinals took victory against the Eagles at Newton Campus Field.

Former Seacoast United Phantoms forward Phil Sandgren put BC on top in the sixth minute, but the Cardinals hit back through 2014 PDL Young Player of the Year Ricardo Velazco in the 22nd minute as the FC Tucson standout put away a rebound in the penalty area. Sandgren struck again for the Eagles as they retook the lead four minutes later, but the Cardinals rallied in the second half as the Timbers U-23’s Ben Strong leveled the score nine minutes after the break. Moore then grabbed the winner nine minutes into the first extra period as he scored his first goal of the season from a set piece by Reading United’s Shane Campbell.

No. 24 STANFORD 2, SIU EDWARDSVILLE 1: Former Ventura County Fusion player Brandon Vincent scored the winner as the Cardinal took victory against the Cougars.

SIU Edwardsville opened the scoring in the 10th minute as Chicago Fire U-23 player Matt Polster found the back of the net, but Stanford gained the lead by the halftime break as Sounders FC U23 standout Jordan Morris set up Marshall Glover his first goal for the school. Vincent added a second three minutes before the halftime break, which proved to be enough for Stanford to take its fourth win of the season.

W-League Feature

Saturday, September 20, 2014

The Colorado Rush’s Janine Beckie continued her standout season for No. 6 Texas Tech as she scored twice in the Red Raiders’ 3-0 victory against Tulsa on Friday night in the Oklahoma State Invitational at the Cowgirl Soccer Complex. The victory kept the Red Raiders perfect this season as they earned their eighth consecutive victory to start the season.

The Golden Hurricane took the lead in the 15th minutes as Rachel Thun opened the scoring, but Texas Tech hit back four minutes later as Beckie bagged her first of the night. After a foul in the penalty area, Beckie converted from the penalty spot to level the score.

The Red Raiders added to their lead in the just past the half-hour break as Caity Heap notched her second goal of the season, and Beckie wrapped up the victory in the second half with her team-leading sixth of the fall as she flicked in a header at the near post from Maddy Crabtree.

"We're certainly happy with the result," Tech head coach Tom Stone said. "We're not really happy with the way the game started as we spotted them one early. I thought (the early goal) really ignited us and I was glad to see the way we responded with several great kicks and a perfectly executed penalty kick from Janine [Beckie]."

The two-goal game was Beckie’s sixth multi-goal game for the Red Raiders, who will face Memphis on Sunday in their second game of the weekend.

No. 1 UCLA 1, TEXAS 0: Former LA Blues forward Sam Mewis scored in the third minute, and the Bruins defense recorded its seventh shutout of the season, to take victory against the Longhorns at Drake Stadium.

Three Blues played a part in Mewis’ goal, as Caprice Dydasco found Taylor Smith to start the move, and Smith centered for Mewis for what proved to be the game-winner. The Bruins continued to create chances throughout the game, and outshot the Longhorns 21-5, but Mewis’ goal proved enough for their seventh win of the season.

No. 10 CALIFORNIA 3, PACIFIC 0: The Seattle Sounders Women’s Taylor Comeau had a pair of goals as the Bears took victory against the Tigers at Goldman Field.

California took the lead in the 24th minute with a low shot to the right corner of the net, and Comeau doubled the lead nine minutes into the second half as she sent a finish into the top-left corner. Comeau notched her second in the 66th minute as she tapped home a finish from Grace Leer’s cross for her sixth goal of the season.

No. 12 PEPPERDINE 2, BOISE STATE 0: 2012 W-League Rookie of the Year Lynn Williams scored her sixth goal of the season as the Waves took victory against the Broncos at Rokus Field.

Ally Holtz opened the scoring for the Waves before LA Blues standout Williams added a second in the 66th minute. The goal was Williams' 31st of her career at Pepperdine, which moved her into sole possession of second place in the program’s history.

UC IRVINE 2, No. 19 OKLAHOMA 1: Former LA Strikers midfielder Cami Privett found the back of the net as the Anteaters upset the Sooners at Anteater Stadium.

Privett opened the scoring in the 56th minute as she got on the end of a cross by Noel Baham that was flicked on by Laura McGrail. The Anteaters doubled their lead with 11 minutes to go as McGrail added a goal to her assist, and it proved important as the Sooners pulled a goal back with seven minutes to go by Ayana O’Neill, but UCI was able to hold on to take victory.

Sacramento Republic FC News Release -- www.sacrepublicfc.com

Friday, September 19, 2014

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Sacramento Republic FC will host the  LA Galaxy II on Saturday night at Bonney Field in the semifinals of the 2014 USL PRO Playoffs. Kickoff is 7:30 p.m. PT, and gates open at 6 p.m. PT, with the contest already having sold out earlier in the week.

WATCH LIVE

Republic FC and the Galaxy II met four times in the regular season. The first meeting was the inaugural contest in USL PRO for Republic FC and ended in a 1-1 draw. Republic FC won the next two meetings by scores of 3-0 and 2-1, while the final matchup was the last match of the regular season and saw the Galaxy II come away with a 2-1 victory.

Republic FC advanced to the semifinals with a 4-1 win against Wilmington Hammerheads FC last Saturday night. Republic FC defender Mickey Daly had a goal and assisted on one of Nemanja Vuković’s two goals in the victory. Late in the match, forward Adam Jahn sealed the win for Republic FC, adding a goal off a bit of fancy play from defender James Kiffe.

Republic FC midfielder Max Alvarez scored two USL PRO goals this season, both against the Galaxy II. Alvarez scored his first professional goal on April 13 during a 3-0 win for Republic FC. Alvarez sprinted past the defense before chipping the ball over the onrushing keeper. His second goal was a free kick and the only goal against the Galaxy II in a 2-1 loss on September 6.

Republic FC forward Thomas Stewart has also been active against LA. Stewart has scored once and recorded an assist in three appearances against the Galaxy II. 

The Galaxy II advanced to the semifinals when they defeated the Rochester Rhinos 2-1 on September 13.  Rochester scored in the 22nd minute but goals from Chandler Hoffman and Charlie Rugg gave the Galaxy II their first playoff win.

Hoffman played a large role in the playoff match as he added an assist on Rugg's finish, and he has been a catalyst for Los Dos throughout the season with 13 goals in just 17 regular season appearances. Rugg has also been important for the Galaxy II, with eight goals and three assists in the regular season. 

The Galaxy II will play without their leader in minutes played this season, Rafael Garcia, following a red card in the 65th minute against Rochester.

The winner of the match will host the 2014 USL PRO Championship Game, and will take on the winner of the contest between the Richmond Kickers and Harrisburg City Islanders that takes place earlier on Saturday night.

The match will be broadcast on KHTK Sports 1140 AM and streamed live at SacRepublicFC.com/matchday. Updates of the match will also be provided via Twitter @SacRepublicFC and by using #SACvLA.

USL PRO Game Report

Saturday, September 20, 2014

RICHMOND, Va. – Morgan Langley had a goal and assist as the No. 8-seed Harrisburg City Islanders’ dream postseason continued with a dramatic 3-2 victory against the No. 4-seed Richmond Kickers on Saturday night in the semifinals of the 2014 USL PRO Playoffs. The City Islanders, who upset regular-season champion Orlando City SC in the quarterfinals, advanced to next weekend’s USL PRO Championship Game as Jamiel Hardware and Danny DiPrima also found the back of the net.

The Kickers opened the game on the front foot, and almost took the lead in the seventh minute when Shay Spitz was played in on the right side of the penalty area. Spitz was able to get around advancing City Islanders goalkeeper Nick Noble, but his shot from a tight angle struck the outside of the post and went away to safety.

The City Islanders’ first real chance arrived in the 17th minute, when Langley turned his defender and pushed into the penalty area on the left. The Kickers’ defense closed in, keeping Langley from a clear shot, and he passed to Jimmy McLaughlin 20 yards out for a shot that was saved comfortably by Ryan Taylor.

Ten minutes later, however, Langley put Harrisburg ahead. After a good piece of interplay on the right, Langley outmuscled his marker to hold possession, slipped around another defender at the top of the penalty area, and rifled a shot into the left corner.

The Kickers responded quickly, and got back on level terms five minutes later as they forced a turnover just inside the halfway line. A quick pass by Spitz released Jason Yeisley into space, and he finished from just outside the top-right side of the penalty area into the left corner past an advancing Noble.

The goal appeared to spark Richmond, which hit the post again with eight minutes to go before the break. After a corner was played high, a ball into the penalty area by Samuel Asante found George Davis IV, and he turned into space on the right side of the penalty and fired, only for his shot to glance off the left post and out for a goal kick.

Harrisburg regained the lead in the final minute of the first half, though, as Hardware began and finished a strong counter-attack. The Jamaican picked up possession 25 yards inside his own half, and drove forward. He linked up with McLaughlin, who released a streaking Matt Bahner down the right. Hardware continued his run forward into the penalty area, and was rewarded with a fine low cross by Bahner that he put away from eight yards out.

As in the opening half, Richmond got out on the front foot to start the second, and hit the post for the third time nine minutes after the break. Davis IV was again unlucky, as his shot from 20 yards came back off the left post, and was cleared to safety by the City Islanders defense. Davis IV was denied again a minute later as the ball came to him on the left side of the penalty area, only for Noble to stay big and make the stop.

Noble was called on again just past the hour-mark as Shay Spitz fired a volley from 25 yards that the City Islanders’ goalkeeper was at full stretch to keep from the right corner. Richmond continued to create chances, but went down two goals with 14 minutes to go as Langley anticipated a cross-field pass well and stole possession on the right. He broke forward, and passed to DiPrima 20 yards out, who curled a finish into the right corner to make it 3-1.

Richmond was far from finished, and got back within a goal three minutes later when Spitz’s cross from the left was flicked home by Conor Shanosky as he beat Noble to a ball eight yards out. The Kickers pushed everything forward in the final 10 minutes, and almost grabbed an equalizer in the final minute as William Yomby tried a back-heeled flick finish from a low cross that was cleared off the line, but the City Islanders would hold firm in stoppage time to advance to their second USL PRO Championship Game in four seasons.

USL PRO Game Report

Saturday, September 20, 2014

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Rodrigo Lopez had a second-half hat trick as Sacramento Republic FC recorded a dramatic comeback to take a 3-2 victory against the LA Galaxy II at a sold-out Bonney Field in the semifinals of the 2014 USL PRO Playoffs on Saturday night. Republic FC will host the Harrisburg City Islanders next Saturday at 10:30 p.m. ET in the 2014 USL PRO Championship Game.

“This is unreal, man,” Lopez said. “I never could have imagined it being this way, you know? All the credit to the Galaxy, they’re a great opponent, they made it hard for us throughout 90 minutes, and that’s just the way the game goes, we were able to pull out a victory.”

The Galaxy II had taken a 2-0 lead at the break behind a pair of goals by Charlie Rugg. Sacramento opened the second half aggressively, and Tommy Stewart sent a shot high and wide inside the opening minute as Republic FC looked to get back into the game.

LA’s defense would remain solid, as Republic FC struggled to get a clear look on goal again until the 66th minute when Justin Braun’s header from a set piece was saved by Brian Perk. Four minutes later, however, the comeback began as Ivan Mirkovic was brought down as he broke into the left side of the penalty area. Perk went the right way, but was unable to get a hand on Lopez’s penalty kick into the left corner of the net as Republic FC halved its deficit.

The Galaxy II had a chance to restore their two-goal lead in the 76th minute as a free kick found Bradford Jamieson IV for a clean header, but his effort went off the crossbar and was cleared to safety. Sacramento was then awarded another penalty kick with seven minutes to go as Joe Franco was ruled to have handled a cross from the right, and again Lopez stepped up to convert and set up a big finish.

Lopez completed the comeback in stoppage time. After a foul 22 yards from goal, just to the right of center, the club’s captain curled a perfect  finish over the wall and into the top-right corner past Perk, sending all 8,000 fans at Bonney Field into massive celebrations. The Galaxy II pushed forward in the time that remained, but were unable to force extra time.

“It could have been anyone, you know, but I’ve been taking the PKs and I felt confident,” Lopez said. “I felt like I had a bad first half and I had to make up for it, and if it wasn’t for my teammates, the coaching staff, the amazing crowd behind us, I couldn’t have done it. It is unreal, man, it’s a moment I’ll never forget.”

Both teams had early chances, as Sacramento forced an early save by Perk off a header by Lopez, and the Galaxy II’s Tommy Meyer sent a looping header on goal from Auras’ corner kick, only for Lopez to clear off the line. Sacramento created another opportunity in the 16th minute as a good piece of work down the right by Max Alvarez set up a chance for Octavio Guzman from 20 yards out, but his shot flew high of the crossbar.

The Galaxy II almost took the lead six minutes later when Chandler Hoffman beat the offside trap with a well-timed run in behind on the left. The Galaxy II’s leading scorer broke into the penalty area, but Sacramento goalkeeper Jake Gleeson narrowed Hoffman’s shooting angle well, and pushed aside the finish.

Five minutes later, Los Dos would take the lead. Jamieson IV picked up possession 40 yards from goal, and drifted to the right side before he slipped a pass to Dragan Sjojkov as he broke to the byline. A first-time cross was met at the top of the six-yard area by Rugg, who powered home a header that Gleeson had no chance to save.

Sacramento tried to get back into the game, Alvarez had a difficult chance on a volley go high off a cross by Emrah Klimenta, but the Galaxy II doubled their lead a minute before the break as a free kick from just inside Sacramento’s half found Jamieson IV in the left side of the penalty area. The U.S. U20 international controlled, and centered for Rugg to finish on the second try at the near post for a 2-0 halftime lead.

But while Rugg shone in the first half, Lopez would have the final word as Sacramento advanced to host the 2014 USL PRO Championship Game in its inaugural season.

USL PRO News Release

Sunday, September 21, 2014

TAMPA, Fla. – Sacramento Republic FC will host the Harrisburg City Islanders in the 2014 USL PRO Championship Game on Saturday night at 10:30 p.m. ET at Bonney Field after a dramatic night of action that saw both teams advance with 3-2 victories in the playoff semifinals. The City Islanders took their second consecutive road upset against the Richmond Kickers, while Sacramento rallied from a two-goal deficit to defeat the LA Galaxy II.

No. 8 Harrisburg City Islanders 3, No. 4 Richmond Kickers 2
Morgan Langley had a goal and an assist as the City Islanders held off a late rally by the Kickers to take victory at City Stadium. Harrisburg took the lead in the 27th minute as Langley drove a low finish into the left corner, but Richmond hit back five minutes later as Jason Yeisley finished a breakaway off a turnover just inside the City Islanders’ half.

Harrisburg regained the lead in the final minute of the first half as Jamiel Hardware finished off a move he began in his own half from eight yards. Richmond hit the post three times, with George Davis finding the woodwork twice, but Harrisburg made it 3-1 with 14 minutes to go as he curled home a finish from Langley’s pass. Conor Shanosky headed home a cross by Shay Spitz with 11 minutes to go, but Harrisburg held on to advance to its second USL PRO Championship Game in four seasons.

No. 2 Sacramento Republic FC 3, No. 3 LA Galaxy II 2
Rodrigo Lopez had a second-half hat trick as Republic FC rallied past the Galaxy II in front of a sellout crowd at Bonney Field. Los Dos took a two-goal halftime lead as Charlie Rugg scored twice off crosses by Dragan Stojkov and Bradford Jamieson IV, and held their lead well into the second half.

Sacramento’s comeback began with 20 minutes to go as Lopez converted from the penalty spot after Ivan Mirkovic was brought down in the penalty area. Jamieson IV almost restored LA’s two-goal lead, only for his header to come back off the crossbar, and Republic FC pulled level with seven minutes to go, again through Lopez from the penalty spot.

The former Chivas USA player grabbed victory for Sacramento in stoppage time as he curled home an outstanding free kick into the top-right corner to complete his hat trick and send Republic FC into the championship game in its first season.

2014 USL PRO PLAYOFFS
Semifinals
Saturday, September 20
Harrisburg 3, Richmond 2
Sacramento 3, LA Galaxy II 2

Championship Game
Saturday, September 27
No. 2 Sacramento Republic FC vs. No. 8 Harrisburg City Islanders, 10:30 p.m. ET

The 2014 USL PRO Championship Game can be watched live on the USL PRO YouTube channel, with live updates also available via Twitter (@USLPRO). For news, match previews and reports from throughout the league, follow USL PRO on Facebook, Google+ and Instagram.

USL PRO News Release

Tuesday, September 23, 2014

TAMPA, Fla. – USL PRO honored the top performers from the 2014 regular season today, naming the All-League First and Second Teams as chosen through a vote of team management and selected media.

The Harrisburg City Islanders and Sacramento Republic FC, who will meet at 10:30 p.m. ET Saturday night at Bonney Field in the 2014 USL PRO Championship Game presented by Nike, are both represented on the All-League teams. Republic FC placed a pair of players on the First Team – midfielder Rodrigo Lopez and defender Nemanja Vukovic – while the City Islanders are represented on the Second Team by defender Matt Bahner.

The Richmond Kickers led all clubs with four players selected to the All-League teams, with Orlando City and the LA Galaxy II next in line with three selections each. Sacramento and the Rochester Rhinos each had two players honored, while Arizona, Charlotte, Charleston, Dayton, Harrisburg, OKC, Orange County and Wilmington had one each.

2014 USL PRO All-League First Team
GK – John McCarthy, Rochester Rhinos
D – Luke Boden, Orlando City SC
D – Ashani Fairclough, W. Hammerheads FC
D – Nemanja Vukovic, Sac. Republic FC
D – William Yomby, Richmond Kickers
MF – George Davis, Richmond Kickers
MF – Rodrigo Lopez, Sac. Republic FC
MF – Kevin Molino, Orlando City SC
F – Matthew Delicâte, Richmond Kickers
F – Chandler Hoffman, LA Galaxy II
F – Dane Kelly, Charleston Battery

2014 USL PRO All-League Second Team
GK – Joe Willis, Richmond Kickers
D – Matt Bahner, Harrisburg City Islanders
D – Gareth Evans, OKC Energy FC
D – Brad Rusin, Orlando City SC
D – Daniel Steres, LA Galaxy II
MF – Andre Auras, LA Galaxy II
MF – Jorge Herrera, Charlotte Eagles
MF – Allan Russell, Orange County Blues FC
F – J.C. Banks, Rochester Rhinos
F – Aaron Schoenfeld, Dayton Dutch Lions
F – Long Tan, Arizona United SC

The finalists for Coach of the Year, Defender of the Year, Goalkeeper of the Year, Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player will be announced on Wednesday, September 24, with the awards being presented at the USL PRO Championship news conference on Friday, September 26 in Sacramento.

The 2014 USL PRO Championship Game will see the No. 2 seed Sacramento host the No. 8 seed City Islanders after both took exciting 3-2 wins in the semifinals. The City Islanders scored their second consecutive road upset against the No. 4 Richmond Kickers, while Republic FC came back from a two-goal deficit in the second half to down the No. 3-seeded LA Galaxy II.

The 2014 USL PRO Championship Game can be watched live on the USL PRO YouTube channel, with live updates also available via Twitter (@USLPRO). For news, match previews and reports from throughout the league, follow USL PRO on Facebook, Google+ and Instagram.

W-League Feature

Wednesday, September 24, 2014

TAMPA, Fla. – Seattle Sounders Women midfielder Taylor Comeau was named Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Week, leading the list of W-League players recognized for their NCAA Division I performances last week, after she turned in a career game against Pacific to lead Cal to a 3-0 victory. The senior midfielder, who tallied an assist in six games with the Sounders Women in 2014, scored twice in a game for the first time in her tenure with the Golden Bears. Comeau leads Cal with 15 points on six goals and three assists, including three game-winning goals.

A pair of veteran W-League goalkeepers were named BIG 10 Co-Defensive Players of the Week, as Laval Comets star and two-time W-League Goalkeeper of the Year Genevieve Richard shared the honors with Hannah Clark of the Colorado Storm. Richard tallied six saves in Wisconsin’s 3-0 shutout victory against Nebraska, her fourth shutout of the season and the 11th of her career. Clark recorded five saves in Iowa’s 1-0 road win against Minnesota for her fourth consecutive shutout and the 15^th of her career.

Thanks to the first two-goal game of her career in Hofstra's 4-1 victory against Monmouth on Sunday, Long Island Rough Riders defender Kristin Desmond was named Colonial Athletic Association Rookie of the Week. The freshman scored the eventual game-winner in the 65th minute as she finished a corner kick, and converted a penalty kick in the 83rd minute to increase the Hofstra lead to 3-1.

Quebec Dynamo ARSQ defender Amanda Goulet was named Northeast Conference Co-Player of the Week after she earned four points during a 3-0 Fairleigh Dickinson win against Vermont on Friday night. Goulet scored the eventual game-winner before setting up the second and third goals of the evening. It was the third contest in which the junior tallied two assists this season.

Sam Mewis and Makenzy Doniak helped the LA Blues capture the 2013 W-League Championship, and both were named to the TopDrawerSoccer.com Team of the Week after strong performances for national powers. Mewis scored twice and added an assist for top-ranked UCLA in two games during the weekend, including the lone goal in a 1-0 win against Texas on Friday night. A forward at Virginia, Doniak scored twice and set up two more goals as the ACC side won a pair of games last week, including a 3-1 win against Miami (Fla.) on Saturday.

Former Atlanta Silverbacks goalkeeper Connie Organ earned the American Athletic Conference Goalkeeper of the Week nod, while Colorado Pride defender Sophie Howard – Organ’s UCF teammate – took AAC Defensive Player of the Week honors. Both were chosen after the Knights recorded back-to-back shutout wins against Long Beach State and Mississippi, with No. 23 Long Beach being held without a shot on goal.

K-W United FC standout goalkeeper Stephanie Bukovec earned the Horizon League Defensive Player of the Week nod after recording a league-best 12 saves for Oakland University last week. The sophomore recorded a career-high nine saves on Friday night as Oakland tied Kent State, 1-1, and on Sunday she rebounded from an early deficit to earn her first career win as the Golden Grizzlies defeated St. Francis (Pa.) 4-1.

Ottawa Fury FC W-20 goalkeeper Katie McCormick picked up her first weekly honors, as the Radford freshman was named Big South Defensive Player of the Week. McCormick backstopped Radford to two wins last weekend, making three saves to earn her first collegiate shutout in a 1-0 win at VMI and registering six saves in a 2-1 win against Appalachian State.

USL PRO News Release

Wednesday, September 24, 2014

TAMPA, Fla. – USL PRO has announced the finalists for its 2014 regular season awards, honoring the Most Valuable Player, Rookie of the Year, Defender of the Year, Goalkeeper of the Year and Coach of the Year from the 2014 season.

Sacramento Republic FC, which will host the Harrisburg City Islanders in Saturday night’s USL PRO Championship Game at Bonney Field (10:30 p.m. ET, YouTube) has finalists in four categories after finishing second in the regular season table in its inaugural USL PRO season. Orlando City SC and the Richmond Kickers, both dispatched from the postseason by Harrisburg, also have finalists in four categories.

The award winners will be announced at 4:30 p.m. ET Friday at the 2014 USL PRO Championship Press Conference at the Citizen Hotel in Sacramento, California. Participants will include USL President Tim Holt and the management, coaches and players from both teams.

Votes for the USL PRO honors are submitted by USL PRO team management and select media from each market, and finalists are determined based on total All-League votes.

2014 USL PRO Award Finalists

Most Valuable Player
Matthew Delicâte, Richmond Kickers
Rodrigo Lopez, Sacramento Republic FC
Kevin Molino, Orlando City SC

Coach of the Year
Leigh Cowlishaw, Richmond Kickers
Adrian Heath, Orlando City SC
Bob Lilley, Rochester Rhinos
Preki, Sacramento Republic FC

Defender of the Year
Luke Boden, Orlando City SC
Nemanja Vukovic, Sacramento Republic FC
William Yomby, Richmond Kickers

Goalkeeper of the Year
Jake Gleeson, Sacramento Republic FC
John McCarthy, Rochester Rhinos
Joe Willis, Richmond Kickers

Rookie of the Year
Bradford Jamieson IV, LA Galaxy II
John McCarthy, Rochester Rhinos
Tyler Turner, Orlando City SC

The 2014 USL PRO Championship Game can be watched live on the USL PRO YouTube channel, with live updates also available via Twitter (@USLPRO). For news, match previews and reports from throughout the league, follow USL PRO on Facebook, Google+ and Instagram.

PDL Feature

Wednesday, September 24, 2014

Beating your biggest rival always feels good. To rally for victory, when your biggest rival is ranked No. 1 in the nation? Even better.

Former Carolina Dynamo standout Sean Davis helped Duke accomplish just that this past weekend, as the Blue Devils took a 2-1 victory against then-No. 1 North Carolina for their first ACC win of the season. For his goal and assist to lead the rally, Davis claimed both the TopDrawerSoccer.com and ACC Player of the Week awards, leading a number of current and former PDL players honored this week.

Davis and the Blue Devils trailed the Tar Heels midway through the second half, but the midfielder got his side on level terms with a beautiful curling free kick that found the top-left corner of the net with 15 minutes to go. Six minutes later, David delivered a free kick that was headed home by freshman Cameron Moseley for what proved to be the game-winner in the Blue Devils’ dramatic victory.

Davis was joined on the TopDrawerSoccer Team of the Week by Albuquerque Sol F.C.’s Nick Miele, who was named the Defensive MVP of the TLC Invitational as New Mexico earned a win and a draw against VCU and Drexel. Miele scored for the Lobos in a 1-1 draw with the Dragons, and was then strong defensively against the Rams in a 2-0 victory to round out the weekend tournament.

Reading United AC defender Wesley Charpie also earned selection after a pair of good performance for South Florida. The full back leads the Bulls in assists after picking up a pair in a 3-1 win against Brown, and also put in a positive performance in a 2-1 loss to No. 8 Washington.

While his Tar Heels fell to Duke, the Chicago Fire U-23’s Tyler Engel claimed a spot on the Team of the Week as he scored in both of UNC’s games last week. Engel’s goal against William & Mary in midweek proved to be the game-winner, and he now sits one behind team-leader Andy Craven with three goals.

Rounding out the TDS Team of the Week selections was former Ventura County Fusion midfielder Gor Kirakosyan. The standout UC Irvine midfielder scored overtime game-winners against Loyola Marymount and San Diego as the Anteaters remained undefeated, which also earned Kirakosyan the Big West’s Offensive Player of the Week honor.

In conference awards, former River City Rovers forward John Manga was named the American Athletic Conference’s Offensive Player of the Week as he scored three goals in two victories for Cincinnati. Manga hit the target twice in the Bearcats’ 5-0 win against IPFW in midweek, and then notched an overtime winner against Eastern Illinois.

2013 PDL All-League selection Axel Sjoberg of the Thunder Bay Chill took the Big East’s Defensive Player of the Week award as Marquette extended its school-record shutout streak to 508 minutes, 39 seconds with a pair of 2-0 victories against Milwaukee-Wisconsin and Northern Illinois. The conference also honored DePaul’s Jalen Harvey, formerly of the Bermuda Hogges, as Offensive Player of the Week, and former Washington Crossfire goalkeeper Andy Holte, who took Goalkeeper of the Week honors for Butler.

Former IMG Academy Bradenton forward Mikey Minutillo claimed Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week honors as he led Penn State to victories against St. Francis (Pa.) and Ohio State with two goals and an assist. Chicago Fire U-23 goalkeeper Tyler Miller and Minutillo’s teammate at IMG and Penn State Andrew Wolverton shared the conference’s Defensive Player of the Week honor as Miller posted two shutouts for Northwestern, and Wolverton recorded a pair of shutouts for the Nittany Lions.

Former Vancouver Whitecaps U-23 goalkeeper Callum Irving claimed his second consecutive Conference USA Defensive Player of the Week award for Kentucky as he posted shutouts in a pair of contests that went to overtime. Irving’s personal shutout streak is now at 414 minutes after a 0-0 draw with Furman and a 1-0 victory against Xavier.

FC London’s Jamie Dell took his second Colonial Athletic Association Offensive Player of the Week award for UNC Wilmington, as the senior midfielder scored both goals in the Seahawks’ 2-1 overtime win against Old Dominion. Dell earned his first award of the season on September 1, and was also named to the College Soccer News Team of the Week for his performance.

Reading United AC’s Ignacio Maganto claimed the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference’s Offensive Player of the Week award as he had a pair of goals for Iona. Maganto’s goal against Fairleigh Dickinson proved to be the game-winner, and he also struck against Connecticut to earn the Gaels a 1-1 draw with the Huskies. Ocean City Nor’easters goalkeeper Eric Klenofsky was also honored as Defensive Player of the Week as he recorded a shutout in Monmouth’s first victory in program history against Rutgers.

FC Tucson’s Christian Volesky was named the Missouri Valley Conference’s Offensive Player of the Week as he moved atop the conference’s scoring charts with his fifth goal of the season for SIU-Edwardsville. Volesky found the net against Stanford on Sunday to move into first place in goals, goals-per-game and points in the MVC.

The Baltimore Bohemians’ Ryan Tuck earned his second consecutive Patriot League Defensive Player of the Week award for Loyola Maryland as he scored in his side’s 1-1 draw with No. 21 UMBC and also put in a strong defensive display in an overtime victory against La Salle.

Finally, Lane United FC’s Connor Bevans claimed the West Coast Conference’s Player of the Week award as he had a goal and two assists to lead Gonzaga past UNLV. The win was the Bulldogs’ first of the season, and Bevans’ first collegiate four-point game knocked the Rebels from the ranks of the undefeated.

USL PRO Feature

Wednesday, September 24, 2014 

After a 2-6-2 start to the season, putting the side in a tie for 12th place at the end of May, things weren’t looking particular bright for the Harrisburg City Islanders as they looked to return to the playoffs for a fourth consecutive season.

With a talented squad and a standout head coach, Harrisburg’s players knew that if they could just find a way into the postseason, anything could happen.

“Obviously, that's in all sports really,” goalkeeper Nick Noble said to the Harrisburg Patriot-News this week. “And then this league's so close and level that any of the eight teams in the playoffs could have made a run. We've seen it the last few years with Charlotte and Wilmington all making runs as lower seeds.

“What we've done hasn't been pretty — it wasn't pretty in Richmond — but we got the job done. And in the playoffs, that's all that matters.”

As Noble points out, that the City Islanders made a run as a lower seed shouldn’t come as a surprise. This year’s USL PRO Championship Game will be the third in a row that will not feature the regular season champion after Harrisburg defeated Orlando City SC 1-0 in the quarterfinals two weeks ago on a goal by Antoine Hoppenot.

The City Islanders then defeated last season’s regular-season champion for good measure in the semifinals with a thrilling 3-2 victory against the Richmond Kickers. Morgan Langley starred in that victory with a goal and an assist, but the score sheet overall reflected the balanced attack that has been Harrisburg’s hallmark all season. While the club scored 45 goals in the regular season, no player scored more than six individually, an indication of the attacking depth in the squad.

“This team is incredible, it’s not about individuals, it’s about what the team can do and how the team can play together, and I think the goals just go ahead to prove that,” Langley said. “We had a lot of goals last year, a lot of them came from Lucky Mkosana and then Sainey Touray, but they’re gone, so we knew we had to score another 30, 35 goals that we don’t have from last year. I think everyone understood that and stepped into their role to be able to contribute to the goal-scoring.”

For the playoffs, though, the City Islanders have used a new blueprint for success, with a focus on defensive solidity early and getting the opening goal to put their higher-seeded hosts on the back foot.

"I think we learned from our mistakes early on," Langley told the Patriot-News. "Early in the season we let in a lot of early goals and we found ourselves chasing games. We realize now — and it came through the learning process where we were actually losing — how important it is for us to get that opening goal.

"So we're absolutely pushing for that opening goal all the time," Langley continued. "We want to put our stamp on the game before the other team can put their stamp on the game. Again, with the attacking options we have, it's hard to contain us.

"So if we go in there and we get that early goal, we're going to feel really comfortable. We're looking for the same thing against Sacramento, of course."

The odds are against the No. 8-seed City Islanders once again this weekend, and both of their predecessors in No. 5-seed Wilmington (2012) and No. 5-seed Charlotte (2013) were unable to take the final step and claim a third consecutive road victory, and the title.

Don’t tell that to the players, though.

“We have a very talented team, the most talented team I've played on for the City Islanders,” Langley told the Patriot-News. “So at the beginning of the season, even though we weren't doing well, I thought talent-wise we should be in the position we're in now. And we're exactly where we want to be.”

USL PRO Feature

Wednesday, September 24, 2014

From the start of training camp, it quickly became apparent to Sacramento Republic FC captain Rodrigo Lopez something special might be brewing for his new team. With a strong ownership group, well-connected general manager, and former MLS Coach of the Year at the helm, the expectations for the club’s inaugural season were certainly high.

Reaching and hosting the USL PRO Championship Game, though? That certainly appeared to be a lofty goal.

 “I obviously didn’t think we were going to do this great,” Lopez said recently. “But as soon as we started clicking and playing well, and guys started showing what they could do, I never had a doubt that we would do well in the league, and it’s been fun. It’s been a really fun year, a lot of hard work, but it’s also been very enjoyable.”

A finalist for the USL PRO Most Valuable Player award, Lopez has been the fulcrum for a dazzling attack that has proved as adept at slicing opposing defenses open in the run of play as from set pieces. While previously known as a creator, Lopez’s goal-scoring also came to the fore as he finished with 10 goals, and eight assists.

With a number of attacking pieces at its disposal, such as 11-goal scorer Tommy Stewart, San Jose Earthquakes loanee Adam Jahn and former MLS forward Justin Braun, Republic FC’s attack has been at times exhilarating to watch, as it finished with 49 goals, fourth most in the league.

“When you have players who know the game, and know how to play the game, it just makes things so much easier,” Lopez said. “It’s not just us, it’s not just offensive guys who are attacking. We have so many guys on the team that have contributed and had great seasons. It’s a young team, and to be honest they’ve done so well, the rookies, guys in their first years, and even some guys in their second years, they’ve done so well.”

While the club found success quickly on the field, it found success at the box office even more quickly. Sellout crowds greeted the side at both Hughes Stadium and the club’s permanent home at Bonney Field, providing the players a lift every time they step onto the field.

“The fans and town have been great,” defender Mickey Daly said. “The support behind the club and our support staff, everyone involved in the club has done a great job promoting, getting us out there and just getting the community to know us more. It’s been really fun.”

That community support, and the efforts by the team’s front office to build a strong club from its foundation up, have served as motivation for Republic FC’s players.

“For everyone in the club, players included, coaching staff, in the office, you should see the amount of work they put in,” Lopez said. “The people in the front office are always working hard, even if tickets are sold out, they’re still there working hard, so for them this would be such a great gift, and obviously it would be something we’ve done together, not just us on the field, but people on and off the field have contributed just as much.”

Now all that remains is one more game, and the chance for one more victory, which would cap a remarkable first season.

“To win this year, would be something special for Sacramento,” Lopez said. “You can see how much the city is into this sport and into this team, when I go out to eat with my family I see Sac Republic gear everywhere, so it’s very special, and to cap it off in the first year with a championship would be phenomenal.”