Michigan Bucks News Release -- www.buckssoccer.com
Friday, June 1, 2012
PONTIAC, Mich. -- The Michigan Bucks confirmed today that they were selected to host the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Fourth Round match next Tuesday night at 7:30 p.m., with the game set to be played at Oakland University. The match was moved from previously scheduled Ultimate Soccer Arenas due to the limited seating capacity. The Bucks sold out the overflowing 1,650 seat arena last Tuesday when the Bucks became the only amateur team in the 99-year history of the Open Cup to defeat two different teams from Major League Soccer. The high flying, undefeated Bucks (5-0 on the season) now prepare to take on the Dayton Dutch Lions (USL PRO) in the next round; tickets have just gone on sale at the Bucks web site at www.buckssoccer.com. 
The only complaint received from Bucks fans about last Tuesday's 3-2 overtime thriller over the Fire was that there was not enough seating and that the next round game should be moved to a larger venue. Bucks CEO Dan Duggan heard the fans and immediately contacted Oakland University.
"Oakland University has been a great unofficial partner with the Bucks for nearly a decade," Duggan said. "We use their first-class facilities to house our out of town players and their fields in emergencies. We have not played at Oakland since the university added their lights last year, so it should be quite an exciting venue for our rowdy fans. I expect the crowd to be similar to a college crowd. The fans made the experience on Tuesday. The players feed off of their energy and we are counting on the support big time if we are going to upset our third professional soccer team on three consecutive Tuesday nights."
Bucks head coach Gary Parsons spent 28 years at the helm of the Oakland University men's soccer program and is looking forward to going back home for his first night game as the manager. Parsons was instrumental in the development of not only the soccer program at OU, but also the development of the stadium fields and the recent addition of the lighting.
"With the expanded seating at Oakland, there will be no VIP and all general admission," Parsons said. "While there may be up to 750 bleacher seats, the charm at Oakland is bringing a blanket or chair and sitting on the hill at either end or at midfield. The MotorCity supporters group will be able to wander behind both goals revving up the crowd, so that will add to the atmosphere. The players are really looking forward to a huge crowd on Tuesday to help the team continue to make soccer history."
If the Bucks upset the Dutch Lions on Tuesday, they will face the winner of the Sporting KC/Colorado Rapids game so they are guaranteed another shot at MLS this year in the quarterfinals with a victory. No PDL team has ever made it to the U.S. Open Cup quarterfinals. The Bucks came the closest in 2000, when they appeared to have defeated the Miami Fusion in overtime, only to lose in penalty kicks.
"Most of our players were only 9 years old when we played that game in Saginaw," said Duggan. "We were on our way to play D.C. United in the quarterfinals when that took place. I will show the players the tape of that game because it was perhaps the greatest U.S. Open Cup game ever played by a PDL team and to remind them that we have done a lot of the impossible so far, but if we stay focused we can make soccer history on Tuesday night."
Tickets for the huge match will be $13 General Admission all ages (5 and under free) but can be purchased now for only $10 by visiting the Bucks web site at www.buckssoccer.com and clicking on the TICKETS link. There is no service charge for using this service and all tickets will be left at Will Call at the gate. No tickets will be mailed. For more information about the Bucks' incredible 2012 story, history of the U.S. Open Cup or about United Soccer Leagues, please visit the Bucks web site.
The Bucks travel to Cincinnati on Friday night to take on the Kings in PDL action. Although the team has played more Open Cup games this year so far (3) than regular season games, the team sits in third place in the Great Lakes Division with a record of 2-0. Cincinnati has started the season 0-1-1.