Victoria Highlanders News Release -- www.victoriahighlandersfc.com

Thursday, May 12, 2011

VICTORIA, British Columbia – The Victoria Highlanders WFC side will make history at home this weekend when they kick off their first ever USL W-League match versus the Seattle Sounders Women at Bear Mountain Stadium on Saturday at 7 p.m.

The Victoria Highlanders Women will kick off their first W-League season with back-to-back home dates on May 14th and 15th versus the Sounders and Vancouver Whitecaps respectively. It’s a task which will give the team a good indication of where it stands in the W-League’s power structure given the performance of Seattle and Vancouver in the past.

The Seattle Sounders appeared in four consecutive final fours from 2006-2008 but had a tough 2010 season, amassing only 12 goals and managing only a draw in six of 10 matches. The Sounders will be looking to regain their prior form as they are hosting this year’s Championship Weekend, guaranteeing them a spot in the event.

The Vancouver Whitecaps Women, meanwhile, look to have picked up where the Sounders left off, appearing in four W-League Finals and winning two championships. The Whitecaps are looking to rebound from a tough loss to Buffalo in last year’s final with a rebuilt squad featuring several players who will be off on international duty as they compete for Canada in the Women’s World Cup held June 26th–July 17th in Germany. Assuming they can cope with the loss of some their strongest players during that stretch, the Whitecaps are once again pegged as one of the W-League’s top teams.

The Highlanders Women’s program has grown in leaps and bounds since the club took over operation of the Victoria Stars Women’s program just prior to the 2010 season. After just one season in the PCSL under the Highlanders banner, the club announced that they would be joining the USL’s W-League, one of North America’s largest female soccer leagues, in 2011. New Highlanders signings Kendra Flock, Keara Thompson, and Amelie Mercier will join returning players Liz Hansen, Mariel Solsberg, and Nicole Bates-Eamer in this year’s squad.

USL News Release

Thursday, May 12, 2011

TAMPA, Fla. – United Soccer Leagues today announced the USL Premier Development League Team of the Week for Week 2 of the season, honoring Victoria Highlanders goalkeeper Elliot Mitrou as Player of the Week after he saved two penalty kicks in the second half of the Highlanders’ 1-0 victory against reigning PDL champions the Portland Timbers U-23s on Saturday afternoon.

Starting in place of regular Highlanders goalkeeper Trevor Stiles, who was absent due to injury, Mitrou made saves in the 60th and 88th minutes to record his first shutout.

Reading United AC’s Matt Sanner leads the forwards on this week’s Team of the Week after scoring a hat trick against the Brooklyn Knights in Reading’s opening game of the season. He is joined by Cameron Hepple of the Kitsap Pumas and Esteban Bayona, who scored twice for the Laredo Heat in their 5-1 victory against the RGV Grandes last Friday night.

Ventura County Fusion midfielder Daniel Barrera earned his place on the team with a strong all-around performance that saw him record a goal and three assists, while the Central Florida Kraze’s Fredrick Brustad and Orange County Blue Star’s Luis Silva each bagged a pair of goals in their team’s victories over the weekend.

Defensively, Fort Lauderdale Schulz Academy’s Alex Trujillo and MPS Portland Phoenix’s Kyle Clinton each earned nods after helping their sides record shutout victories, while the Westchester Flames’ Ryan Dillon-Curran had an assist in his side’s 3-0 victory against the New Jersey Rangers.

USL Premier Development League Team of the Week

Honorable Mention: Central Florida – Johnny Mendoza; Chivas El Paso – Rodrigo Morin; IMG – Sebastian Thuriere; Kitsap – Matt Friesen; Laredo – Juan Ibarra; MPS Portland – Mike Kennedy; Orange County – David Ponce, Chandler Hoffman; Portland U23s – Bim Ogunyemi; Reading – Christian Barreiro; RGV Grandes – Alfonso Cavazos; Victoria – Jared Stephens; Westchester – Jacob Keegan; West Texas United – Jose Munoz, Oswaldo Valdivia; West Virginia – Richard Isberner, Dion Peters.

Los Angeles Blues News Release -- www.bluessoccerclub.com

Thursday, May 12, 2011

LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Blues recorded a hard earned victory on Thursday night, beating the Charlotte Eagles 2-1 behind goals by Mike Randolph and Chukwudi Chijindu. The Eagles’ Darren Toby equalized late in the game, but the home side pressed for the game winner and was rewarded moments from full time.

The Blues took an early lead in the sixth minute of play, goalkeeper Oscar Dautt launching a long ball over the top that was flicked on awkwardly by an Eagles defender and found the blistering speed of Randolph. The former Los Angeles Galaxy man broke on goal and coolly slotted past onrushing Eagles netminder Eric Reed.

The visitors showed a strong reaction and nearly equalized just three minutes later, Los Angeles failing to clear a corner from the right and allowing defender Weston Roberts to redirect it on frame from close range. Dautt did well to leave his feet and tip the ball wide. The Eagles created another outstanding opportunity in the 17th minute, as Walter Moore raced down the left flank and took the ball down beautifully on his chest. The 26-year-old took a couple more touches and blasted a wicked half-volley towards goal that beat Dautt, only to go off the crossbar and behind for a goal kick.

The Blues recovered nicely from the pair of Eagles opportunities and created two quality chances of their own, Chijindu coming close on each occasion. In the 20th minute, the striker displayed some great footwork in the area and released a dangerous effort that forced a nice diving save from Reed. The 25-year-old on loan from Chivas USA looked even more impressive on the dribble at the half-hour mark as he received the ball from Randolph on the left side of the box and cut it back to his right foot before curling a nice shot across that whistled inches wide of the far post.

The Eagles had the final dangerous look of the first period, Sierra Leone international forward Sallieu Bundu being brought down hard on the edge of the penalty area and setting up a free-kick opportunity for Jorge Herrera, who sent a right-footed curler toward the far post. Dautt reacted well to go down to his left and tip the ball wide.

The Blues made three changes at halftime, most significantly brining on Argentine superstar Walter Gaitán, who had missed his side’s home opener against Antigua Barracuda FC due to a quadriceps injury. Also returning from injury was forward Cesar Rivera, who replaced Jhonatan Bravo up top and instantly looked to link up with Gaitán to rediscover the trademark chemistry shared by the duo earlier in the season.

In the 51st minute of play, the two substitutes combined beautifully and nearly doubled the lead for the home team. Rivera showed some nice technique on the right and laid the ball off to Gaitán, who hit a great curling shot from the top of the penalty area. The ball dipped sharply and forced Reed to scramble back and leave his feet for a spectacular tip over the crossbar.

Rivera added to his strong display in the 72nd minute, working his magic on the left flank before cutting to his right and releasing a curling effort that had Reed beaten. The Charlotte backline took a deep breath of relief as the ball bounced off the crossbar. Three minutes later, another of the Blues’ attacking bright spots nearly put his name on the score sheet, as Randolph found himself open in the box and hit a hard close-range shot on target that sent Reed to the ground for a solid block.

The Eagles displayed increased urgency to find an equalizer late in the second half, and they would be rewarded. After Jorge Herrera saw his 78th minute blast from 25 yards out whistle just high of the crossbar, he released Darren Toby with a wonderfully threaded through-ball just five minutes later, and the striker had plenty of time to calmly slot past a helpless Dautt for an easy finish.

The goal sent shock waves through Centennial High School’s Husky Stadium, but the Blues reacted quickly and would not be denied the three points. In the 88th minute, Randolph found Rivera with a beautiful heel pass and the 24-year-old passed the ball on to Chijindu in the penalty area. The striker faked out two defenders with a nifty move and cut to his left before hitting an unstoppable low shot for the game’s best-worked goal.

The Eagles will have a chance for revenge this coming Saturday, as the two teams face off again at Titan Stadium on the campus of Cal State Fullerton. Kickoff is at 7.30 p.m. PST.

USL Feature

Thursday, May 12, 2011

By NICHOLAS MURRAY

Now entering thier fifth season in the USL Premier Development League, the Mississippi Brilla have had a pretty simple method for building the club into the success it has become, earning back-to-back Southeast Division titles in the past two seasons.

Coach Dave Dixon, in fact, points towards just a pair of factors that have allowed the club to thrive.

“I think that the staff has done a really good job of recruiting players and taking their time to actively go out and attend college games all throughout the fall and follow up on every lead of every player that has been thrown our way,” Dixon said. That’s helped to create a really good network of coaches at who will recommend two or three players to us and two or three players from their league who have the quality to play in the PDL.

“Then I think our overall staff and our city, our fans here do a really good of making the guys feel special and making a real, as best as we can, professional atmosphere to play in, and I think that’s really fun for the guys. They like to play in front of fans and have kids come and cheer them on, so that’s a big part of it as well.”

Creating that sense of community hasn’t been hard for the club. Thanks to its association with the Brilla Soccer Ministries, the club has been able to develop deep roots in the community, giving players an atmosphere they enjoy being part of. Of course, the fact the Brilla have also been able to develop players to move on to the professional level hasn’t hurt either, with the club providing as close to a professional atmosphere as it can with its approach to training and player development.

“Our goal is obviously sending these guys on to the next level and get them hooked up with pro contracts as much as possible, and we were able to do that with a few of our players,” Brilla President and GM Rusty Bryant said. “It’s great for the fans because even if a player isn’t from around like, for example, [English-born player] Nick Rich, it’s just like he’s one of us. The fans, the kids have grown attached to him, they enjoy seeing him every summer and this will probably be his last summer because hopefully he’ll get a pro contract, but that’s kind of the idea.

“If we can get these young players in and give them a great experience so they want to come back, bring their friends with them, they want to bring the best players because they want to be on a winning team, and that means a lot when they return.”

The Brilla’s regular season success hasn’t yet translated into the playoffs. Last season, with the team battling late-season injuries, it was eliminated in the Southern Conference semifinals in a penalty shootout by the Houston Leones. While that defeat was a frustrating one for Dixon, it gave him a better idea of what the side would need this season in order to make a run at the PDL championship weekend and even the league championship.

“I think one thing that we’ve tried to address this year, which we haven’t the last two years, is our depth,” Dixon said. “We have to have more competition for spots so as the season goes on we’re sharper and fresher, and that’s a big key going into those playoffs, it’s compressed in a short amount of time and it’s how fresh your team is and how healthy and your depth, so we wanted to address all of those things. … We have a great blend of young players and experienced players, so we’ll see.”

But as with all PDL teams the biggest source of pride for Dixon and Bryant comes from when one the team’s players does get to the next level, especially those who might not have received a chance unless they were playing for the Brilla. This season both Lucas Paulini and Willie Hunt are playing their rookie professional seasons with the Atlanta Silverbacks, while others like Debola Ogunseye, now in the Turkish First Division, and David Lilly have preceded them in entering the pro ranks.

“It’s unbelievable, a great feeling,” Bryant said. “I actually got to go this weekend over to Atlanta to see Willie and Lucas play, and Lucas is the captain of the team, Willie is the starting center back and to me, I know I’m a little biased, but I thought they were the two best players on the field and they’ve really done a great job.”

Almost as good as the job the Brilla have done in building a strong PDL club both on and off the field.

USL Feature - www.uslsoccer.com

Friday, May 13, 2011

Saturday the W-League kicks off its 17th season as the pinnacle of women’s soccer in the USL pyramid. The weekend features six matches as clubs will begin their quest to claim the W-League Championship.

The prominent theme of the weekend is that it will feature the debut of three new W-League clubs in search of their inaugural franchise victory.

The LA Strikers, one of these debut clubs, will open their W-League campaign with a visit to the Pali Blues on Saturday afternoon. The Pasadena-based Strikers are hoping to down the two-time W-League champs, who are out to reclaim their title after a disappointing 2010 season.

On paper an opening win would be an upset for the Strikers, but with the talent the squad has assembled the Strikers wouldn’t be surprised with success.

“Our expectations are to be very competitive,” Strikers head coach Reggie Rivas said. “[We want] to try to win as many games as possible.”

Backing their quest to succeed in their debut season is a talented roster with many W-League veterans such as Erin Frushon and Cherelle Khassal. Also, the side has a host of international talent including Australian, English, Mexican, and Irish internationals.

“We’re going to be relying on our experienced players this weekend to step up and show us what we really have,” Rivas added.

In the Pacific Northwest, another W-League team will make its debut this weekend when the Victoria Highlanders host the Seattle Sounders and Vancouver Whitecaps.

“Being the new kids on the block, we want to try and prove we can compete in every game,” Highlanders head coach David Dew said. “We know its going to be a difficult task.”

Dew and the Highlanders’ plan is to tap into the rich talent base Vancouver Island has to offer. Their side will be made up of mostly local players who came through the Highlanders system and Dew thinks this approach will be a successful one to build on for the future.

“The future looks very good for us down the road,” Dew said. “I think we’re just touching the tip of the iceberg.”

Seattle is Victoria’s opponent on Saturday and the Sounders are looking for a good start to a big 2011 season for the club. The Sounders will host the 2011 W-League Championship and would like nothing more than to be in the Championship match in front of their home fans.

Despite hosting the final, the Sounders, led by head coach Leighton O’Brien, are not changing their approach to matches.

“We are concentrating on our style of play and playing sharp, quick, and smart,” O’Brien said. “We will not change a thing with the fact that we are hosting the W-League finals. We will compete and look to win every time we step out on the field.”

The Sounders are not taking their opponent lightly this weekend though.

“We are expecting an enthusiastic group that is well coached and will be a difficult season opener for us,” O’Brien said.

On the opposite coast the Virginia Beach Piranhas will play host to the Charlotte Lady Eagles in an Atlantic Division clash. Piranhas head coach Wendy Waddell is confident in her team and is looking to get off to a fast start.

“As far as the individual talent of our players goes the team is definitely ready to compete,” Waddell said. “No matter what, we’re aiming for a win on Saturday and want to show from the beginning that we want to be successful.”

Last season the Lady Eagles fell just short of the playoffs and the Piranhas are hoping to go a step further and take the Atlantic Division title. The Piranhas believe they have the talent to reach that goal this season as well.

“If you look at our roster, we have promising names that are well known and of course we hope and expect that they will produce,” Waddell said. “We have five returning players from last year, and some exciting new players.”

Rounding out the weekend, the New Jersey Rangers will welcome the New York Magic and the debut Dayton Dutch Lions will travel to face the Atlanta Silverbacks.
 

Wilmington Hammerheads News Release -- www.wilmingtonhammerheads.com

Friday, May 13, 2011

WILMINGTON, N.C. -- After a weekend on the road, the Wilmington Hammerheads are back at their home field of Legion Stadium hosting F.C. New York of the USL PRO National Division. The two teams meet for the first time on Saturday, with kickoff scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

The Hammerheads have had a strong start to their season, winning their opening two games of the season at home. The team suffered their first loss this past weekend against the Richmond Kickers at City Stadium. While the Kickers claimed victory, the Hammerheads had a strong showing against the undefeated team, scoring the first goal of the game just three minutes into the first half before Richmond rallied for a 2-1 victory.

With F.C. New York being a new franchise, Hammerheads head coach David Irving is aware that his team must be on their toes for this match.

“Saturday’s opponent will be a tough competitor since we do not know much about them," Irving said. "I had the opportunity to watch them play against Charlotte and they seemed to be a very solid squad…we will certainly have our hands full.  It is very important for us to earn all three points and get back on the winning trail to keep up in our tough division.”

The Hammerheads have several players to watch in the upcoming games. Team captain central defender Ivan Becerra has had a constant presence in the back for the Hammerheads, and is now showing his flexibility and capability on the field by his goal against the Kickers.

Forward Chris Banks’ attacks up top caused the Kickers’ defense some problems, and Paul Nicholson’s tireless energy in the midfield kept the Hammerheads in the game. Both players have proven to be key figures in the team and are sure to stand out on Saturday.

With a slow start to their debut season in USL PRO, F.C. New York will be traveling to Wilmington with the hopes of clinching their first win. Last weekend the new franchise hosted Harrisburg, earning a point after a 1-1 draw.

F.C. New York started quickly against Harrisburg, taking an early lead in the 10th minute. Defender Kyle Hoffer, forward Graciano Brito, and midfielder Owen Morrison all had a hand, in New York’s only goal of the game, showing the team’s depth.

With the Hammerheads coming off a loss against Richmond and F.C. New York still striving to add a win to their record, Saturday night’s game should be an exciting match up.

Ticket prices are $10 for adults, $8 for seniors 65+, and $5 for kids ages 4-12 (Saturday night’s game is “Kid’s Night at Legion- kid’s receive $1 off the original ticket price of $6). Kick off is at 7:30pm and gates open at 6:00pm.

Orlando City News Release -- www.orlandocitysoccer.com

Friday, May 13, 2011

ORLANDO, Fla. -- Orlando City welcomes the Pittsburgh Riverhounds to the Citrus Bowl on Saturday night at 7:30 p.m. as the Lions look to continue their five-game unbeaten streak in the first meeting between the two franchises.

The Riverhounds have earned points in each of their last two games, both 0-0 draws against the Charleston Battery. With defense the foundation for the club's success, the side has recorded shutouts in three of its contests this season thanks to the play of 2010 USL-2 Goalkeeper of the Year Hunter Gilstrap and 2010 USL-2 Defender of the Year Shintaro Harada, who has moved into a holding midfield role this season. 

The Riverhounds' defense will be challenged by the Lions' attack, which has scored nine goals in six games this season. Orlando has found success this season when it scores first, with the Lions currently 4-0-0 when they score first. Look for Pittsburgh to defend the aggressive Orlando front line early in the match to not fall behind.

The Lions currently side third in USL PRO's American Division. After dropping their opening game to league-leader Richmond, Orlando has been on a five-game unbeaten streak. The Lions have recorded four victories in those five wins, serving notice to the soccer world that the Lions are here to stay.

But the Lions could be missing a couple of key pieces from their front line on Saturday. Orlando will likely be without leading scorer Max Griffin, who is tied for first in the league in goals scored (5), due to personal reasons. Along with Griffin being unavailable, Jamie Watson is out with a leg injury. Look for a different front line from the Lions if these two are unable to go, with Kevin Molino and Devorn Jorsling likely to step up and take advantage of the opportunity for more playing time.

Saturday night's match will be broadcast on USL Live, the USL’s free video service. For the first time, an Orlando City match will also be broadcast in Spanish on Viva 1160 AM radio. Additional coverage will be on the Orlando City website at the Game Center tab on www.orlandocitysoccer.com.

Orlando City projected starting line-up (unofficial)

GK – Miguel Gallardo
RB – Mechack Jerome, CB – Demar Stewart, CB – Kieron Bernard, LB – Jack Traynor
RM – Kevin Molino, CM – Luke Boden, CM – Yordany Alvarez, CM – Lawrence Olum, LM – Lewis Neal
FW – Devorn Jorsling

Available subs

Sean Kelley, Ian Fuller, Rob Valentino, Wes Allen, Charlie Campbell, Erik Ustruck

USL Feature

Friday, May 13, 2011

By NICHOLAS MURRAY

It’s hard being the next big thing.

That was the Harrisburg City Islanders’ Jose Angulo in 2007. The precocious talent was considered a can’t-miss prospect when he was tearing up the game for St. Benedict’s Prep in New Jersey, the former school of U.S. National Team legends Tab Ramos and Claudio Reyna, so it was no surprise when the Parade High School All-American decided to forgo college soccer and turn pro straight out of high school.

Trials with Hannover 96 in Germany and Lazio in Italy followed, as did training spells with Major League Soccer’s Columbus Crew and New England Revolution. But just as things appeared set for Angulo’s pro career to get going after signing with the Revolution in 2009, a torn meniscus limited his action and saw his release in preseason.

But despite all of this, Angulo has no regrets on his decision.

“Looking back at the time, I think it was the right time for me,” Angulo said by phone this week. “There were some unfortunate events that occurred right after that that slowed down the process, but looking back I’d definitely do it again. Getting to go overseas on trials and coming back and being with two MLS teams, it’s been a good experience.”

After another preseason tryout, this time with the Philadelphia Union, Angulo joined the Central Jersey Spartans and his revival began. On a team that also included 2011 MLS SuperDraft selections Bryan Meredith and Ryan Kinne, Angulo scored 10 goals in 11 games for the Spartans, re-establishing his credentials.

With the Union continuing to keep tabs on Angulo, he arrived at the open tryouts hosted by the Union and City Islanders in December looking to break back into the pro ranks. But at first glance, City Islanders coach Bill Becher wasn’t initially going to bring the 23-year-old back for a second look. That only changed when the Union’s Rick Jacobs, Angulo’s high school coach, asked Becher to take a second look.

“We brought him in on some Monday nights with some of our guys and he did pretty well,” Becher said, “so we invited him into training camp and he did well. He scored probably four goals in the preseason and really grew on us. Anytime you find a guy who can score goals, he’s always good to have around.”

And now, Angulo is making the most of his opportunity. After opening the season on the bench, an injury to Jason Herrick opened the door for a place in the starting lineup and Angulo immediately responded with goals in his first two starts.

“It’s funny what you can do with opportunity,” Becher said. “He was here ready to go the first game, he didn’t start, he was behind a guy and that player picked up an injury, so he started in New York and scored and got the start again last game and scored again, so he’s taken advantage of the situation and right now he’s the only guy scoring goals, we’ve got to keep him in the lineup.”

Angulo has also been reunited with his St. Benedict’s Prep teammate Nelson Becerra, who provided the assist for his game-winner against the Rochester Rhinos in the club’s home opener. Now he is hoping to take this opportunity to rejoin some of his contemporaries like fellow 2007 All-Americans Brek Shea, Sheanon Williams and Zac MacMath in Major League Soccer.

“I feel like every week I’m improving, so it’s been good so far,” Angulo said of his experience in Harrisburg. “I just hope I can keep scoring and help the team out. Hopefully we can go far, we have a good team, we just need to keep the momentum going and hopefully I can contribute up front.”

It’s been a long way back for a former can’t-miss, but Angulo certainly seems to be back on the right path.

“I feel like I’m slowly getting there, slowly getting back to my form and it’s exciting to finally feel like I can hang with the pros again,” he said. “I’m very excited for the future.”

Richmond Kickers News Release -- www.richmondkickers.com

Friday, May 13, 2011

RICHMOND, Va. – The Richmond Kickers are back on the road this Saturday to take on the Harrisburg City Islanders. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. at the Skyline Sports Complex.

“We are pleased with our performance so far but recognize Harrisburg is much improved from last season,” said Leigh Cowlishaw, Richmond Kickers Head Coach and Director of Soccer. “They are always difficult opponents and have found their fair share of success against us. We are looking forward to continuing our positive start to the season against very tricky opposition.”

The Kickers continue to lead the American Division with a 6-0-0 record to start the season. Last time out, the Kickers rallied to a 2-1 win over division rivals Wilmington at City Stadium. After conceding a goal in the third minute, the Hammerheads staunch defense held onto the advantage until midfielder Gerson dos Santos unleashed an unstoppable low drive past rookie goalkeeper Brock Duckworth to tie the score at one apiece in the 65th minute. With the momentum shifting in favor of the home side, it was the Kickers inexhaustible goal-scorer Matthew Delicâte who pulled through with an 80th minute game-winner.

Meanwhile, inclement weather forced a late start for Harrisburg as they saw their first two home games of the USL PRO campaign postponed. Opening the season unexpectedly on the road, the City Islanders dropped a narrow 1-0 decision to the Pittsburgh Riverhounds and battled to a 1-1 draw against F.C. New York last month.

With their first home game against the Rochester Rhinos rescheduled for nearly a month later, the City Islanders reversed their fortunes on Tuesday night to pick up three points over their division foes with a 1-0 victory. Forward Jose Angulo’s 26th minute lone goal was his second of the season to get the City Islanders back on track.

Over the past five seasons, the Kickers hold a 9-2-4 record over the City Islanders. The heated rivalry continues as Richmond has not forgotten the 2007 USL-2 Championship match when Harrisburg stripped the defending champions of the title after nine rounds of heart-wrenching penalty kicks. The two clubs met four times during the regular season last year, with the Kickers coming away with 3-0-1 record. Opening the 2010 campaign with a 2-2 stalemate in Richmond, the Kickers served the City Islanders a trio of shutouts later that season with Delicâte tallying four of the Kickers’ six goals.

Team of the Week

The Kickers placed a pair of goal scorers on the USL PRO Team of the Week, with Delicâte and dos Santos earning the honors following their offensive efforts last weekend. The credit for the Kickers 2-1 come-from-behind victory over the Wilmington Hammerheads is due to dos Santos, who notched the 65th minute equalizer and Delicâte, who registered his fourth game-winning goal of the season in the 80th minute. Japanese international, Nozomi Hiroyama, earned an Honorable Mention after anchoring the midfield in his first start for the Kickers.

Next Up

The Richmond Kickers continue their three-game road stand next week, with a tough back-to-back stretch against Charleston and Orlando on May 24 and May 25, respectively. The Kickers return to Richmond City Stadium on Saturday, May 28 to host F.C. New York at 7 p.m. Click and print your tickets in advance at RichmondKickers.com.

Rochester Rhinos News Release -- www.rhinossoccer.com

Friday, May 13, 2011

ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- The Rochester Rhinos will return to action on Saturday night when they host Antigua Barracuda FC at Sahlen’s Stadium. Kickoff for the match is slated for 7 p.m.

Antigua has gotten out of the gates quickly, posting a 6-2-0 record through its first eight games. Forward Peter Byers leads the club and is third in the league with four goals and nine points respectively. Fellow forward Stefan Smith ranks fourth in points with eight.

“Antigua has had a good start to their season” said Rhinos Head Coach Bob Lilley. “Right now they are atop the league with 18 points. They will provide a good challenge for us.”

The Rhinos are currently 2-3 in the National Division with all three losses coming by 1-0 results, including a setback to the Harrisburg City Islanders on Tuesday night. Rochester defeated the defending USL-2 champion Charleston Battery at Sahlen’s Stadium last weekend. In that match midfielder Tony Donatelli tallied his first goal as a Rhino while Neal Kitson recorded his first shutout of the season and eighth of his career.

Charleston Battery News Release -- www.charlestonbattery.com

Friday, May 13, 2011

CHARLESTON, S.C. -- Expansion USL PRO side F.C. New York won its first ever game Friday evening at Blackbaud Stadium, defeating the Charleston Battery 1-0. Forward Graciano Brito scored the lone goal, slipping the ball under Battery goalkeeper Keith Wiggans in the 35th minute.

The Battery managed 10 shots to New York’s three but were unable to finish any of their chances as they lost their first home league game at Blackbaud Stadium since the 2009 season.

The loss drops Charleston to 3-3-2, 11 points, fourth position in the American Division. New York 1-2-2, 5 points move up to a tie for third place in the National Division.

The Battery started well and had New York on the back foot in the opening thirty minutes. Defender Nigel Marples saw a left-footed attempt sail high in the 15th minute and then Colin Falvey came close just before the half-hour mark after a goalmouth scramble. Falvey reacted to the loose ball first but his driven shot was saved at the near-post by New York goalkeeper Steven Diaz.

The goal came minutes later as New York pumped the ball long into the Battery half. Brito fought off the challenge of Battery defenders John Wilson and Colin Falvey and kept his composure well to slot home from 12 yards out.

Battery head coach Mike Anhaeuser made a double swap at half time replacing forward Seedy Bah with Jamaican striker Dane Kelly and rookie midfielder Alex Caskey came in for Kevin Jackson.

Kelly had an early opportunity after Stephen Armstrong whipped in a cross to him at the near post but his flicked attempt missed just to the right of the goal.

Kelly was involved again in the 80th minute as he won possession of the ball just inside of the box, taking it from New York’s Josiah Snelgrove. He pulled the ball onto his left foot but his shot was stopped by Diaz who made a falling save to his left to deny him.

With time running out the Battery threw everything forward and almost pulled level in the 90th minute. Substitute midfielder Zach Prince picked the ball up on the left side, he cut past his defender but his left-footed strike was smothered by Diaz on the goal line.

The Battery heads to Wilmington, N.C. next Saturday night to take on the Wilmington Hammerheads. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. (1340 AM / www.charlestonbattery.com).

Laredo Heat News Release -- www.laredoheatsc.com

Friday, May 13, 2011

LAREDO, Texas -- A late goal by Leone Cruz allowed the Laredo Heat to earn their second victory of the season as they rallied for a 2-1 victory against the West Texas United Sockers on Friday night at the Texas A&M International University Soccer Complex.

An early goal in the third minute by the Sockers' Mariano Sapien took the air out of the home crowd and that shock lasted up until the half as West Texas United (1–2–0) and outstanding goalkeeper Leif Craddack held on to its 1–0 lead though the home side was dominating possession.

It wasn’t until 13 minutes into the second half that the home side equalized when midfielder Armando Begines found the back of the net by placing a header into the back of the net off a corner kick that bounced around the six-yard box.

As the game continued, it looked as if the Heat (2–0–0) would have to settle for a tie with the Midland-based team but late game heroics brought the home crowd up on its feet.

In the 87th minute, Cruz took a beautifully placed cross from 19-year-old local sensation Danny Garza that finally got past the outstretched arms of Craddack and gave the Heat victory.

The final seven minutes of the game (three regular and four additional) were hectic as West Texas United tried to press into the Heat defensive backfield but was unsuccessful in getting past the veteran backline.

“This was a tough game, we started slow but I really liked the resiliency that the boys showed the entire game”, said Heat Coach Israel Collazo. “We knew that West Texas United would not be an easy match because over the past three years, they always show up to play. Now we have less than 24 hours to get ready for our second game of the weekend as the Chivas El Paso Patriots will come looking for a win here in our home. I hope we get the same support from our fan base as we got today because the team really feeds off their energy.”

With their win this evening over West Texas United, the Heat are 1–0–0 and plus one in their goal differential in trying to qualify into the 2011 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. The remaining U.S. Open Cup Qualifying Games for the Heat are against the Chivas El Paso Patriots at home on Saturday and on the road against the New Orleans Jesters and Baton Rouge Capitals in Louisiana later this month.

Rochester Rhinos News Release - www.rhinossoccer.com

Saturday, May 14, 2011

ROCHESTER, N.Y - The Rochester Rhinos welcomed Antigua Barracuda FC to Sahlen’s Stadium on Saturday night, and a pair of second-half goals for Rochester paved the way for its third USL PRO win of the season, 2-0.

The first quality scoring opportunity came off the foot of Tony Donatelli who ripped a shot that forced Antigua ‘keeper Keita DeCastro to be sharp diving to his right to make the save.

Rochester continued to pressure Antigua throughout the first half. Kendall Jagdeosignh nearly had a one-on-one with DeCastro after a long ball played by Alfonso Motagalvan led him directly toward the ‘keeper. DeCastro was quicker to the ball however clearing it out of harms way.

With five minutes remaining in the first half Quavas Kirk had a look off a corner blasting a 10 yarder wide of the goal. Minutes later rookie JC Banks fed Tyler Rosenlund inside the penalty area but the midfielder couldn’t get the shot off.

The second half saw the Rhinos continue to pressure Antigua. In the 53rd Jagdeosingh tallied his first goal of the season to give Rochester a 1-0 lead. Banks set up Jagdeosingh who made a run into the box. Jagdeosingh cut back eluding a falling defender and let go a hard low shot past DeCastro for a 1-0 lead.

Seven minutes later Rochester would strike again as Banks once again drove to the middle of the field sending a ball to Rosenlund who beat an on-rushing DeCastro for a 2-0 Rochester lead. Rochester continued to mount pressure offensively but couldn’t convert an insurance goal at the end of the match.

“It was a good win for us against a quality team who is at the top of the league” said Rhinos Head Coach Bob Lilley. “It is a good step for us in getting to where we ant to be.”

Harrisburg City Islanders News Release - www.cityislanders.com

Saturday, May, 14, 2011

HARRISBURG, Penn. - The Harrisburg City Islanders tied the top team in the USL PRO, the Richmond Kickers, 1-1 at Skyline Sports Complex on Saturday night. Nelson Becerra converted his first goal of the season in the 56th minute but Richmond’s Shaka Bangura would spoil the fun for the City Islanders in the 82nd minute, tying the game 1-1.

The first half of the match was very uneventful. The first goal-scoring opportunity came in the 9th minute as Richmond’s Ryan Heins dribbled the ball within the City Islanders’ box, cut towards the middle and bent a shot with his right foot straight to Islanders’ goalkeeper Chase Harrison. In the 11th minute, Kickers midfielder Gerson dos Santos was tackled from behind by Islanders’ midfielder Jason Pelletier, earning the game’s first yellow card. Forward David Bulow would substitute for the injured dos Santos in the 16th minute.

The game would remain slow, both teams exchanging possessions, but momentum would peak towards the end of the first half. Richmond’s David Bulow received a long ball in the box from his backline, launching a sky rocket, missing the goal. Richmond would return with a 35 yard blast in the 42nd minute from defender Luke Vercollone, but missed wide.

In the second half, the City Islanders began the pressure with forward Jose Angulo blasting a right foot shot from 40 yards out, just a tad high of the goal. In the 54th minute, Luke Vercollone of the Richmond Kickers held onto Angulo inside the box on a free-kick cross, resulting in a penalty kick. Nelson Becerra made no mistake with the spot kick, putting it past Richmond goalkeeper Ronnie Pascale for the 1-0 lead. It was Becerra’s first goal of the season.

But that wouldn’t stop Richmond. Two minutes later, on a corner kick, Kickers midfielder Stanley Nyazamba bent the ball with his right foot to the goal, challenging Chase Harrison for the save. Violence broke out in the 64th minute as Nelson Becerra tackled Richmond’s David Hertel late. Richmond’s Edson Elcock ran towards Becerra, pushing the Islanders’ Brian Ombiji down to the ground, receiving a red card. The Kickers would come through in the 82nd minute as Shaka Bangura scored the game tying goal off of a header by Matthew Delicâte.

The City Islanders’ next home game of the season is scheduled for 3:00pm next Sunday, May, 22 at Skyline Sports Complex on City Island against Orlando City. For more information on the City Islanders, or to order tickets, contact the team at 717-441-GOAL, or visit www.cityislanders.com.

Wilmington Hammerheads News Release - www.wilmingtonhammerheads.com

Saturday, May 14, 2011

WILMINGTON, N.C. - The Hammerheads welcomed FC New York into Legion Stadium and brought home a win to keep their home record perfect.

The game was closer than the 3-1 score indicates. The Hammers grabbed the lead early when Budnyy penetrated New York’s defense all the way to the endline and passed back to Chris Banks who scooted the ball past the keeper in the 14th minute.

New York answered back almost immediately when Brito Graciano put the ball past Hammerhead goalie Duckworth aided by a defensive error.

The early scoring frenzy was capped with another Hammerheads goal by Banks in the 18th minute. The Hammerheads quickly moved the ball up field to answer and regain the lead that would hold through the half.

Paul Nicholson had a shot miss just right in the 22nd minute, followed by Manny Guzman’s strong shot that sailed over the crossbar.

New York came out in the second half with energy that caught the Hammerheads on their heels. New York rarely lost possession of the ball and kept it on the Hammerheads’ defensive end of the field for the majority of the second half.

New York had a few good looks early on; one that was tipped over the crossbar by Brock Duckworth in the 51st minute. New York didn’t get any other quality looks at goal till late in the half.

Chris Spendlove was given a yellow card in the 83rd minute for a slide tackle which gave New York the first of two free kicks. The first bounced around in box before being cleared by Hammerhead defense. The second free kick came in the 86th minute which was easily blocked by the Hammerheads’ wall.

In the 89th minute Hammerhead forward Jyler Noviello found the back of the net on a break away down the right side, giving the Hammerheads a 3-1 lead.

After 3 minutes of stoppage time, the Hammerheads emerged victorious and moving their record to 3-1-0.

Orlando City SC News Release - www.orlandocitysc.com

Saturday, May 14, 2011

ORLANDO, FL - Orlando City (5-1-1, 16 points) remained undefeated at home with a 1-0 win over the visiting Pittsburgh Riverhounds (1-3-2, 5 points).  The win extends City’s unbeaten streak to six games overall, and is the Lions third consecutive victory.

Trinidadian international Kevin Molino got the Lions off to a dream start in the third minute when he took a Yordany Alvarez pass in-between two defenders and fired home his first goal of the season.  From that point, City was in complete control.  The Lions dominated possession and outshot the ‘Hounds seven to two in the first half. 

City returns home on May 25^th to face league-leading Richmond.  The Lions will try to avenge their only loss of the season on Military Night.  Mayor Buddy Dyer will be inducting future soldiers into the US Army during halftime.  To order tickets, call 407-536-5368 or visit www.orlandocitysoccer.com.

L.A. Blues News Release - www.bluessoccerclub.com

Saturday, May 14, 2011

FULLERTON, Calif. – The Los Angeles Blues dropped a 2-1 result to the visiting Charlotte Eagles on Saturday night. The Eagles’ Cheyne Roberts put his side up in the first half, but the Blues battled back in impressive fashion in the second half despite going a player down just before the break. After Walter Gaitán equalized for Los Angeles in the 75th minute, Charlotte’s Jorge Herrera scored from the penalty spot in stoppage time to give his team the full three points.

The visitors started out with the greater urgency to get on the board in the opening stages, but the Blues did well to mark up in the area and clear several dangerous crosses. The scrappy defending helped the home side settle down and build some confidence going forward. Los Angeles created the game’s first outstanding opportunity, Erlys Garcia crashing the penalty area on a Josh Tudela corner kick and beating opposing netminder Eric Reed with a determined header, only to see the ball cleared off the line.

The Eagles reacted well to create a dangerous chance on the other end, playmaker Jorge Herrera finding Luke Williams with a nice ball down the left flank. The 27-year-old took a few touches before sending a cross into the area from a full sprint. The ball was met by Herrera at the far post, as the midfielder had continued his run and laid it off beautifully to Mark Bloom, whose volley from a sharp angle forced Dautt to leave his feet and deflect it around the post.

The Eagles would strike first on the ensuing 22nd minute corner kick, Herrera whipping a great cross in from the right that was met by Cheyne Roberts, who left Blues goalkeeper Oscar Dautt without a chance on a powerful half-volley. It took the Blues about 15 minutes to recover from the blow and create their next opportunity. Israel Sesay dribbled into the penalty area on the left and had the ball poked away by a defender. However, it fell straight into the path of a streaking Chukwudi Chijindu, who reacted well to hit an excellent first-time volley that rattled the crossbar.

The Blues made life even more difficult for themselves shortly after the near miss, Garcia going in studs-up on Charlotte’s Alan Sanchez in the 42nd minutes to send the midfielder to the ground in pain and earn himself a straight red card from center referee Reed Christy. Staying true to his attacking style, Los Angeles Head Coach Charlie Naimo did not sacrifice a midfielder or a forward following the defender’s ejection but stuck with three in the back.

In fact, at halftime, Naimo took off holding midfielder Edwin Miranda and another defender in Nelson Akwari to replace them with two attacking players in Akeem Priestley and Jhonatan Bravo. Mike Randolph was pulled back from the left wing to make up for the absence of Akwari and become his side’s third defender.

After an eventless half hour to start the second period, the Blues hit on a corner quick in the 75th minute to level the score and make the home crowd erupt in joy. Tudela swung it in from the left and Reed went up to clear, but the Eagles goalkeeper ran into traffic and couldn’t keep the ball from springing free in the area. It fell straight to Gaitán who reacted quickly to slam it home from about ten yards out for the equalizer.

Despite the man down, Los Angeles continued to attack and displayed impressive fighting spirit, even giving themselves a chance to come away with three points. After Blues forward Chijindu’s went down in the box and had his appeal for a penalty kick waved off, all those in attendance thought the game would end in a fair share of the points. However the home fans’ hearts were broken when referee Christy called a hand ball on Leonard Griffin at the other end and provided Herrera with a golden opportunity from the spot. The Eagles playmaker stepped up and converted confidently, sending Dautt the wrong way and giving his side a crucial road win.

The Blues look to bounce back from the disappointing result on Friday, May 20th, when they travel to take on the Dayton Dutch Lions. Meanwhile, Charlotte hopes to build on its first victory of the season when it hosts Antigua Barracuda FC, also on May 20th.
 

Pali Blues News Release - www.bluessoccerclub.com

Sunday, May 15, 2011

FULLERTON, Calif. – The Pali Blues opened the 2011 W-League season at Titan Stadium, home of the LA Blues, with a 1-0 win over LA Strikers FC. Tiffany McCarty provided the lone goal in the 87^th minute.

The Blues, who came into the game with only 3 subs, had trouble finding the net, hitting the post numerous times.

Head coach Jacob Tudela shared his thoughts on the match. “It was a game where we came out, we created opportunities, we couldn’t get a goal. (We) ended up having to fight hard because of our numbers in the second half, showed character, showed heart, and got the result on the end.”

The Blues outshot the Strikers, 18-8 and it was until the final minutes that they were able to get the ball in the back of the net. 

“It is frustrating, but games go like that in soccer,” said Tudela, younger brother of LA Blues captain Josh Tudela. Some days you’re on, we easily could have put in five or six of them, and some days it just doesn’t fall for you.”

Jamia Fields and Tiffany McCarty took most of the shots for the team, but were often denied by the post or Strikers goalkeeper Erin Frushon.

It was until the 87^th minute that McCarty put the Blues on the board. A long ball from Shawna Gordon in the middle of the field found Anisa Guajardo on the right side. She dribbled the ball inside the penalty area and played it McCarty who took a first shot that Frushon got a hand on. McCarty’s second effort paid off as she poked a slow-roller into the goal.”

“It started off pretty good, but we just were unlucky with a lot of our shots. We hit the post like 7 times, and that was only in the first half,” she said laughing. “It was frustrating but we kept going and we got the result, and that’s the most important thing.

The Blues showed signs that they aren’t playing at their best.  They had a hard time connecting passes and finding each other at times, but Tudela knows they will work hard to play better soccer and build that team chemistry they need.

“We have a lot of stuff (to work on). The possession is going to get better. For (having had) two practices, they created a lot of opportunities and usually that striker is going to put in three or four of those, so we’ll get better.”

McCarty had similar feelings on the team’s level of play.

“It think (the chemistry) will come. I know I just got in yesterday, and a lot of us are just coming on from college and stuff like that. As the season goes, I think we’ll get more comfortable with each other and our touches will be more sharp.”

Laredo Heat News Release -- www.laredoheatsc.com

Monday, May 16, 2011

LAREDO, Texas -- In an early season surprise for its fans, the Laredo Heat Soccer Club is pleased to announce that it will be hosting the FMF’s (Federacion Mexicana de Futbol) Monterrey Rayados U-20 squad on Thursday, May 19 at the Texas A&M International University Soccer Complex. Kickoff for the exhibition match is sscheduled for 8 p.m.

Ticket pricing for this match will not change from the Heat’s regular season and will continue at $5 for adults and $1 for children 12-and-under for general admission seating.

“We have had a healthy working and professional relationship with the Rayados organization for several years now and a few weeks ago we started discussing the possibility of hosting their Under-20 squad here in Laredo," Heat General Manager J.J. Vela said. "Due to their regular season schedule, it was difficult to set a date; however, last week, with their season coming to an end and their players still under contract through the end of next week, the possibility of the team coming to play in Laredo became a reality.

“On Tuesday of this past week, I got final confirmation from Monterrey; however, since they are a foreign team coming to play in the United States, U.S. Soccer must first grant the hosting club permission for the match and that process takes a couple of days to complete. Once we got the go ahead from U.S. Soccer late on Friday afternoon, we began preparing for the game and everything involved in hosting this match-up.

“We are excited to bring these types of matches to Laredo for both soccer and sports fans to enjoy as one never really knows what future star is being developed and we get to see them in that process. Just a few years ago, we hosted the Chivas de Guadalajara “Reserva Especial” and a little known 17-year-old called Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez, who is now a star for Manchester United, played in Laredo.”

Richmond Kickers News Release -- www.richmondkickers.com

Monday, May 16, 2011 

RICHMOND, Va. – The Richmond Kickers are pleased to announce that defender Henry Kalungi has been called up for Uganda National Team duty for an African Cup of Nations 2012 qualifier match against Guinea Bissau on June 4, 2011 at Mandela National Stadium in Uganda.

“We are pleased that Henry’s consistent performances for the Kickers have been recognized,” said Leigh Cowlishaw, Richmond Kickers Head Coach and Director of Soccer. “Henry is a model professional who has contributed greatly to the team’s success over the last two seasons. It is a dream of players around the world to represent their country and we congratulate Henry on achieving this wonderful honor.”

“I’m very privileged to be called to play for my country,” added Kalungi. “We play football but it’s always special when you get a call like this. I have to pay back by doing what is expected of me on the pitch.”

Originally from Kampala, Uganda, Kalungi represented his country as a member of the U-20 National Team. He came to the United States to play for Winthrop University, earning honors as All-Big South in 2006, as well as team MVP, Big South All-Tournament Team and NSCAA/adidas All-South Atlantic Region Team.

In 2009, Kalungi joined the Kickers and earned USL Second Division Player of the Week Honors on two occasions. The 2010 campaign was no different for the Ugandan international, earning another USL-2 Player of the Week nod for his defensive efforts. An advocate for youth player development in Richmond as well, Kalungi acts as a coach for the Richmond Kickers Youth Soccer Club Advanced Development Program (ADP).

Uganda tops Group J with seven points, with Kenya in second place with four points and Guinea Bissau and Angola tied with three apiece. Last time out, Uganda defeated Guinea Bissau, 1-0, on March 26, 2011.