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.