Central Florida Kraze News Release -- www.krazesoccer.com
Monday, June 13, 2011
WINTER PARK, Fla. -- The Central Florida Kraze will travel to North Carolina as they put aside the USL Premier Development League regular season for a few days in preparation for the challenge of professional opposition in the first round of the U.S. Open Cup on Tuesday night in Wilmington, N.C.
The Kraze, who are playing in the tournament for the second consecutive season, will face the Wilmington Hammerheads of USL PRO in the opening round in a game being played at Legion Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.
The Kraze qualified for the Open Cup after going a perfect 4-0-0 in qualifying, completing the perfect sequence with a 3-0 victory against the IMG Bradenton Academics through goals by Sean Hart, Fresrick Brustad and Ronald Caicedo. Brustad currently leads the team with four goals this season, but the side has also seen a number of excellent performances by 18-year-old goalkeeper Keneil Baker. The Rollins College player was named the Premier Development League Player of the Week earlier in the season and has had an excellent season overall, currently holding a 0.736 goals against average while recording four shutouts in seven outings.
That record will be challenged by the Hammerheads, though, who have started the USL PRO season strongly. Wilmington is currently 5-3-2 in the American Division, only having lost once at home in six games. The Hammerheads have also been excellent offensively at Legion stadium, scoring 15 goals in six home contests.
The Hammerheads have been led offensively by Chris Banks and Luke Mulholland, both of whom have four goals this season, and their squad also contains a familiar face for Kraze fans as former player Tanner Wolfe, who played for the Kraze for three seasons between 2007-09, is in his rookie professional season with the side.
The winner of Tuesday night's game will face the winner of another USL PRO vs. USL PDL contest on Tuesday as the PDL South Atlantic Division's Carolina Dynamo host USL PRO's Charlotte Eagles on Tuesday night. If the Kraze manage to come out on top, they will hit the road again to face either the Dynamo or Eagles on the road on Tuesday, June 21st.
About the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup:
Dating all the way back to 1914, the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup is one of the oldest soccer tournaments in the United States. The tournament was originally called the National Challenge Cup before being renamed in 1999 to honor one of American soccer’s most important patrons, Lamar Hunt.
The Cup includes all qualifying Unites States Soccer Federation affiliated teams, ranging from amateur adult club teams to MLS. The U.S. Open Cup is a single-elimination tournament, with games tied after regulation extended by two 15-minute overtime halves. If a winner is not determined in overtime, advancement will be determined by penalty kicks.
The Seattle Sounders FC of Major League Soccer are the reigning Open Cup Champions, winning the tournament in both 2009 and 2010.