USL PRO News Release
Tuesday, May 21, 2013
TAMPA, Fla. – USL PRO named its Team of the Week for Week Nine of the season on Tuesday, with the Charleston Battery’s Dane Kelly earning Player of the Week honors after scoring the game-winning goal in the Battery’s 1-0 win against the Houston Dynamo Reserves on Sunday morning. The win moved the Battery into second place in the USL PRO standings, and handed Houston its first reserve defeat this season.
Kelly proved a threat from the off against the Dynamo Reserves, making good runs in behind the defense and helping create attacking opportunities throughout. Kelly was rewarded in the 35th minute as the Battery took a quick free kick that released Emmanuel Adjetay down the left, and his cross to the far post was volleyed home by Kelly for his second goal of the season.
Joining Kelly on the Team of the Week was his Battery teammate Colin Falvey, who put in a strong performance defensively as the Battery withstood late Houston pressure to claim victory. Falvey made a key block of a shot by Brian Ownby, sending the ball out for a corner, and kept his back line organized throughout the contest.
Falvey was joined in the Team of the Week defense by the Charlotte Eagles’ Shaun Francis, who scored a spectacular goal to give his side a 1-0 win against Charleston last Tuesday night. Wilmington’s Jamel Wallace was also selected after scoring in the Hammerheads’ 2-1 win against Los Angeles on Saturday, while Richmond’s Andrew Dykstra earned selection after making a number of key saves to earn the Kickers a point against Los Angeles on Friday.
Los Angeles’ Shay Spitz earned a berth in the midfield after his industriousness helped the Blues rally to claim a late equalizer against the Kickers on Friday night. Pittsburgh’s Matt Dallman was also selected after recording assists on both goals by the Riverhounds in their 2-2 draw with Dayton. The Dutch Lions’ Tjeerd Westdijk also earned selection, scoring the game-tying goal and recording an assist in the same contest.
Orlando’s Erik Ustruck was selected after scoring the game-winning goal for the Lions in their 1-0 win against Rochester, while Harrisburg’s Don Anding rounded out the quintet after a standout performance that saw him assist on Sainey Touray’s opening goal and prove a threat for much of the game down the flank. Completing the side is Orlando’s Dom Dwyer, who earns his fourth consecutive selection after scoring another pair of goals to take his league-leading total to 12 in the Lions’ 2-2 draw with Harrisburg.
The USL PRO season continues on Thursday night as the Charlotte Eagles head west to take on Phoenix FC at Sun Devil Soccer Stadium at 10:30 p.m. ET. Friday night brings a pair of games, with the Richmond Kickers hosting the Harrisburg City Islanders in a must-see clash from City Stadium at 7 p.m. ET, and the Pittsburgh Riverhounds hosting Antigua Barracuda FC at 7 p.m. ET at Highmark Stadium.
The Charleston Battery host the Rochester Rhinos on Saturday night at 7:30 p.m. ET, with Pat Ercoli returning to the sidelines for his first league game as coach for the Rhinos. Also on Saturday, the Wilmington Hammerheads begin their Florida swing with a visit to Orlando City at 7:30 p.m. ET, with the night being capped by Charlotte’s visit to the Los Angeles Blues at 10:30 p.m. ET.
The weekend concludes on Sunday evening as Antigua Barracuda FC visit the Dayton Dutch Lions at 6:30 p.m. ET. VSI Tampa Bay FC then returns to league action as it hosts Wilmington at Plant City Stadium at 7:30 p.m. ET.
Every game of the USL PRO season can be seen on USLNation.com, with live updates also available via Twitter (@USLPRO), Facebook and Google+.
USL PRO Team of the Week
| Pos | Player | Team | Highlights |
| GK | Andrew Dykstra | Richmond | Had five saves to preserve Kickers’ undefeated start to season |
| D | Jamel Wallace | Wilmington | Scored opening goal as Hammerheads took victory against Blues |
| D | Colin Falvey | Charleston | Helped Battery record shutout against Dynamo Reserves |
| D | Sean Francis | Charlotte | Brilliant free kick earned Eagles victory against Battery |
| M | Erik Ustruck | Orlando | Had game-winning goal as 10-man Lions defeated Rochester |
| M | Matt Dallman | Pittsburgh | Recorded pair of assists in Riverhounds’ 2-2 draw with Dayton |
| M | Don Anding | Harrisburg | Put in excellent performance, recorded assist, for City Islanders |
| M | Tjeerd Westdijk | Dayton | Had game-tying goal, assist as Dutch Lions earned point |
| M | Shay Spitz | Los Angeles | Provided impetus for Blues’ comeback against Kickers |
| F | Dane Kelly | Charleston | Scored game-winner in Battery’s victory in Houston |
| F | Dom Dwyer | Orlando | Two more goals in Lions’ 2-2 draw against Harrisburg |
Honorable Mention: Charleston – Emmanuel Adjetay, Jose Cuevas; Dayton – Gibson Bardsley; Harrisburg – Yann Ekra, Coady Andrews; Los Angeles – Allan Russell, Juan Perez; Orlando – Rob Valentino, Kevin Molino; Pittsburgh – Andrew Marshall, Jhonny Arteaga; Richmond – Luke Vercollone, Joseph Ngwenya; Wilmington – Daniel Steres, Tom Parratt.