Charleston Blank Austin, Moves Back into 1st Place
Austin Aztex 0:1 Charleston Battery
Battery blank Aztex, 1-0 Charleston Post and Courier
Friday, July 31, 2009
Thursday, July 30, 2009
USL Deducts 2 Points from Aztex
The Austin Aztex have lost two points due to an administrative error that allowed Mike Callahan, a player that should have been suspended for yellow card accumulation, to play a full 90 minutes in the Aztex 2-2 draw against Montreal.
The Aztex will lose one point from the draw against the Impact and a one point penalty for the error. In addition, the club has been fined $250 and Callahan will miss Austin's match against Charleston tonight to serve his suspension .
Hudson Valley Quickstrike Lady Blues to Face Defending Champion Pali Blues in W-League Semifinal
Official Press Release (Hudson Valley Quickstrike Lady Blues)
NEWBURGH, NY – The Hudson Valley Quickstrike Lady Blues will take on the Western Conference Champion and defending W-League Champion Pali Blues in a W-League national semifinal on Friday, July 31, at 7:30 p.m. at Newburgh Free Academy.
The Lady Blues, who won the Regular Season Championship with an undefeated record of 12-0-2, 38 pts., will take on the only undefeated team left in the playoffs in the Pali Blues, who went 9-0-3 (30 pts.) in the regular season.
In 2008, Pali went undefeated on its way to a national championship. The Quickstrike Lady Blues will look to replicate such a season by continuing their quest for a national championship and undefeated season on Friday.
Pali won the Western Conference after defeating the Colorado Force 5-2 in the Western Conference Final on Saturday. The Washington Freedom will host the Ottawa Fury in the other semifinal matchup on Saturday, August 1.
Tickets are now available for Friday’s match online at www.quickstrikefc.com, and fans are encouraged to buy tickets early online. Admission is $7 for adults and $5 for children. Group orders of ten or more will be discounted at a price of $4 per ticket.
Due to the magnitude of the event and the fact that it is a national semifinal and league event, all Lady Blues fans – even those with season tickets – will be required to purchase tickets. Just as in all other professional sports, both season ticket holders and non-season ticket holders will be required to purchase playoff tickets.
The first 2,000 fans to enter the stadium on Friday will receive a commemorative 2009 W-League Regular Season Champion Lady Blues rally towel courtesy of State Farm agent Phil Williams. Those who purchase tickets online early will have a towel reserved for them.
The Lady Blues are also excited to announce that Kicks and Sticks 2009 will continue to be an option for fans of both the Lady Blues and the Hudson Valley Renegades to purchase tickets.
All are encouraged to take part in a weekend “staycation” by purchasing the package for entertainment on Friday and Sunday.
For $22, fans will get a general admission ticket to the Friday, July 31 Lady Blues game, a reserved grandstand ticket to the Sunday, August 2 Renegades game, a Renegades hat and a hot dog and soda voucher for the Renegades game.
The Kicks and Sticks package can be purchased by going to www.GadesGroups.com and entering the password, “quickstrike.”
Fans are also encouraged to log onto www.recordonline.com to enter for the chance to win free tickets and the chance to be a player escort courtesy of the Times-Herald Record.
The Quickstrike Lady Blues are thankful for all of the support they have received this season from the best fans in the W-League and hope to see everyone at this huge national showdown. The Lady Blues are hoping to make the best playing environment in the league even better on their quest for a national championship.
Please direct all media inquiries to Jeff Kassouf, Director of Communications for the Hudson Valley Quickstrike Lady Blues.
Islanders Win 1-0 in Toronto, Head Home for 2nd Leg
The USL continues to find success in the CONCACAF Champions League while Major League Soccer continues to struggle. Last night in Toronto the Puerto Rico Islanders defeated Toronto FC 1-0 in their first leg CCL Qualifying match. Goalkeeper Bill Gaudette was once again outstanding for the Islanders and Kendall Jagdeosingh continued his CCL heroics with the lone goal.
The series resumes Tuesday in Puerto Rico where Puerto Rico will have the chance to qualify for the group stages of the tournament with a win or draw.
Puerto Rico Islanders 1:0 Toronto FC (MLS)
(Islanders Lead Series 1-0)
Life gets a lot harder for Toronto FC The National Post
Toronto FC drops Champions League opener cbc.ca
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Tampa Bay Rowdies Update
Our staff has enjoyed meeting many of you at our season ticket depositor event, Rowdies Day at USF Soccer Stadium, our youth camps and clinics at the YMCA, United Way and Boys & Girls Club, and the other community events we have participated in.
Our organization has been working tirelessly behind the scenes laying the groundwork and infrastructure of the team, preparing ourselves to be a model franchise for years to come and deliver the absolute best possible fan experience.
Through speaking with you at these events and via the emails we have received, we know that many of you are anxious for more information on the team’s development. As a fan, we understand it can become frustrating hearing rumors and waiting on official confirmation and announcements. Unfortunately, with any business, we are not always able to release information until certain times or until deals are completely finalized. However, we remain on our planned course for the rebirth of professional soccer in Tampa Bay and we certainly want to keep you as informed as possible.
With all this in mind, we have taken several of your questions to team Owner and President Andrew Nestor in our first official TBR Mailbag session. We hope this will give you some insight into the process of starting a franchise and the work we’ve been doing behind the scenes. We invite you to write in with questions to mailbag@tbrowdies.com. Our staff will be answering questions on a bi-weekly basis.
Q: What's the deal with the stadium? I haven't heard much since the town meeting.
Andrew Nestor: After the Board of County Commissioner’s land use hearing, we told the public that we would be playing in an existing venue for our first season. Since our hearing, we have been privately working on a short-term stadium solution and long-term home for a new stadium.
We are very close to announcing where we’ll be playing in 2010. We’ve been weighing the options of several venues to make sure we deliver the absolute best fan experience for Rowdies games and ensure a stable future for the team. What I can tell you now is that it will be a stadium with a professional environment … there will not be anything amateur about it. We have some great options and are looking forward to making an announcement that will excite our fan base.
As for our planned new soccer stadium, we are doing diligence on an ideal, centrally located site. Developing a stadium is obviously a long and sensitive process and so far requires confidentiality to ensure that all aspects of the project can be properly worked out. We have no desire to build a stadium in a remote, non-central location. Our plan has always been to build a small venue, appropriate for soccer, which can be an asset and focal point of the Tampa Bay community.
I hope that our fan base can recognize the amount of effort and resources that we’ve poured into this process. We have been working on a stadium for about a year and a half working with a world class architectural firm based in Washington D.C. The plans and vision we have for the stadium has not changed and we believe our project will be a great development to help capture the essence of Tampa Bay culture and be a catalyst for economic and social development.
Q: When are you going to be signing players and a coach?
AN: We have been working on building our team for a year and half now, starting before we publicly announced the team. Our first hire was Perry Van Der Beck. Perry, former Rowdies star and MLS head coach, is the team’s Technical Director. His direct involvement with our pro team is scouting and player evaluation. Perry will also work on our player development / academy programs and community outreach programs.
I will serve as the team’s general manager. The role of the general manager is to work with Perry and our head coach on developing the team’s core sporting philosophy that will dictate the type of players we sign and our training curriculum for player development. Perry, our head coach and scouting staff will then recruit appropriate players for our club. My job is to take our soccer staff’s evaluation of players (quality, age, team role, etc.) and negotiate player contracts.
To date, we’ve attended several player combines. We are also working on development of a reserve team that will be located in another part of the country. This team will serve as both a feeder system for prospects and a reserve club for players that need rehab or talent development before joining our USL-1 club.
The past couple of months have been spent meeting with agents from around the world and researching players and contract specifics. When developing a team and negotiating contracts, it’s extremely important to study the marketplace and develop benchmarks for player valuation. It’s also important to recognize our team’s exact needs and find the right roster balance of veteran’s, stars, and prospects.
We are currently building a “wish list” of veteran players that we’d want as cornerstones for our new club. There is also a great pool of young, established players that will help us win. We feel confident with our connections, the right staff, and proper team building, we can be a winning club.
We have a short list of potential head coaches and we are currently having discussions with those candidates. Our head coach candidates have significant playing and coaching experience including managing for national teams and English Premier League academies and playing for top clubs around the world.
As for signing players, we can’t really sign good players until the fall as the majority of the players we will sign are currently playing for professional clubs and still in season under contract. For players that are not currently under contract, we will scout those players at future combines held in December and January leading up to the MLS Super Draft.
Q: My friend has a tryout with the Rowdies and I'd like to tryout as well. Are there any open combines coming up?
AN: We have decided to host four select, invite-only combines. I’m proud that we’ve given ourselves ample time to develop our program in a manner that we believe can set us apart from the rest. We are currently receiving player profiles / resumes from players and agents. We are also actively scouting prospects. After evaluating submittals, we will invite players to our combines. No one has been officially invited to tryout yet.
We plan on hosting two combines in Tampa, one is California, and one in the UK. We’d want nothing more than to discover great local talent, so players with solid credentials should certainly submit their info via our website tbrowdies.com.
Q: When are you going to premiere the new jerseys?
AN: We are still working on our Kit / Apparel partnership. This is complicated by the potential for a league-wide sponsor. Once that is settled, we will finalize the design decisions specifically for our club.
Monday, July 27, 2009
Sunday USL Results (7.26.09)
Miami FC Blues 0:4 Carolina RailHawks
Newcomer feels right at home The News & Observer
Richardson's hat trick leads RailHawks' romp Cary News
Western Mass Pioneers 0:3 Pittsburgh Riverhounds
Hounds crush Western Mass 3-0 pittsburghriverhounds.com
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Saturday USL Results (7.25.09)
Cleveland City Stars 1:4 Rochester Rhinos
Menyongar sparks Rochester Rhinos with two goals Rochester Democrat & Chronicle
Montreal Impact 2:2 Austin Aztex
A pair of second-half goals gives Montreal a 2-2 USL tie with Austin Aztex The Canadian Press
Aztex again fumble away win in closing moments Austin American-Statesman
Puerto Rico Islanders 2:4 Vancouver Whitecaps
James scores twice, Whitecaps roll to 4-2 win over Islanders The Canadian Press
Whitecaps score crucial 4-2 win over Islanders Vancouver Sun
Charlotte Eagles 0:0 Crystal Palace Baltimore
The Eagles and Crystal Palace End in 0-0 Draw charlotteeagles.com
Wilmington Hammerheads 2:1 Harrisburg City Islanders
City Islanders tumble 2-1 to Wilmington PennLive.com
2009 PDL Playoffs
CENTRAL CONFERENCE
Great Lakes Division
Chicago Fire 1 - 0 FC London
Division Final - Chicago Fire 2 - 1 Kalamazoo Outrage
Heartland Division
Real Colorado Foxes 1 - 0 Thunder Bay Chill
Division Final - Real Colorado Foxes 1 - 2 Des Moines Menace
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Mid Atlantic Division
Cary Clarets 3 - 1 Carolina Dynamo
Division Final - Cary Clarets 2 - 1Reading Rage
Northeast Division
Ocean City Barons 2 - 0 Long Island Rough Riders
Division Final - Ocean City Barons 2 - 1 Ottawa Fury
SOUTHERN CONFERENCE
Mid South Division
Austin Aztex U23 1 - 2 West Texas United Sockers
Division Final - West Texas United Sockers 0 - 1 Laredo Heat
Southeast Division
New Orleans Jesters 0 - 1 Bradenton Academics
Division Final - Bradenton Academics 3 - 2 Mississippi Brilla
WESTERN CONFERENCE
Northwest Division
Seattle Wolves 3 - 2 Portland Timbers U23
Division Final - Seattle Wolves 0 - 2 Kitsap Pumas
Southwest Division
Los Angeles Legends 1 - 2 Ventura County Fusion
Division Final – Ventura County Fusion 3 - 1 Hollywood United Hitmen
Check out the full USL News Release HERE.
2009 W-League Playoffs
CENTRAL CONFERENCE
Divisional I: Quebec City Amiral 0 - 5 Buffalo Flash
Semifinal I: Chicago Red Eleven 2 - 4 Ottawa Fury
Semifinal II: Buffalo Flash 0 -3 FC Indiana
Central Conference Final: Ottawa Fury v FC Indiana
Sunday, July 26 @ 7:30PM EST @ Jefferson High School
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Semifinal I: Tampa Bay Hellenic 1 - 2 Washington Freedom
Semifinal II: Charlotte Lady Eagles 2 - 1 Atlanta Silverbacks
Eastern Conference Final: Charlotte Lady Eagles 1 - 2 Washington Freedom
WESTERN CONFERENCE
Western Conference Championship: Colorado Force 2 - 5 Pali Blues
W-LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP :: SEMIFINALS
Regular Season Champion: Hudson Valley Quickstrike Lady Blues.
Conference Champion: Pali Blues
Conference Champion: Washington Freedom
Conference Champion: Ottawa Fury
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Friday USL Results (7.24.09)
Carolina RailHawks 1:2 Charleston Battery
Battery returns to the top Charleston Post and Courier
Miami FC Blues 2:1 Minnesota Thunder
Thunder Breaks Three Game Winning Streak with a 2-1 Loss to Miami FC Blues mnthunder.com
Friday, July 24, 2009
Portland and Puerto Rico Play to a Scoreless Draw
The two top teams in the First Division standings battled to a scoreless draw on Thursday night at PGE Park in Portland. Just over 14,000 were in attendance on the same day that the Portland City Council approved a $31 million renovation plan for PGE Park as part of Portland's 2011 transition to MLS.
Puerto Rico Islanders 0:0 Portland Timbers
Timbers and Islanders stay tied atop USL First Division standings OregonLive.com
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Montreal Impact Get Much Needed Win
The victory ends the Impact's five game winless streak in USL competition.
John Mahoney, The GazetteCleveland City Stars 1:4 Montreal Impact
Eduardo Sebrango scores twice as Impact beat City Stars 4-1 The Canadian Press
Impact finally finds back of the net Ottawa Citizen
City Stars dominated by Montreal, 4-1 Cleveland.com Read more...
Whitecaps Release Wesley Charles
Vancouver Whitecaps defender Wesley Charles has been released by the club. Charles was involved in an practice altercation with teammate Jeff Parke, who accused Charles of throwing an elbow and head-butting him. Combined with the incident with teammate Charles Gbeke last month, this was the last straw for the organization.
"It's the second incident between Wesley and a teammate in just over a month," Whitecaps director of professional teams Greg Anderson said Tuesday evening. "After the Gbeke-Charles incident both were warned that if that type of thing happened again that we'd have to take serious action."
You can read the Whitecaps Press Release HERE. Read more...
Rough Riders Fall to Barons 2-0
Official Press Release (Long Island Rough Riders)
Season ends with disappointing loss
South Huntington, N.Y. (July 22, 2009) – The Long Island Rough Riders men’s team 2009 season came to an end on Wednesday night with a 2-0 loss at the hands of the Ocean City Barons in the first round of the PDL playoffs.
With the Barons playing a defensive-minded 5-4-1 formation, the Rough Riders took it to them in the first half firing 11 shots at Ocean City goaltender Tunde Ogunbiyi..
The 23rd minute was the turning point in the match as Rough Riders forward Mike Palacio had an opportunity in deep, but his shot rolled just wide. Moments later, Barons forward Byron Carmichael volleyed a free kick and then pounced on a loose ball to give the visitors a lead they wouldn’t relinquish. Rough Riders goalkeeper Hasely Thorne Holder last-ditch dive could not prevent the ball from slipping across the goal line.
Eight minutes later the Rough Riders would get another chance to get on the board when Pavelid Castaneda’s cross deflected back to him but his rebound hit the side of the net.
The second half saw more of the same with an increased amount of pressure on the Rough Riders to equalize. For each opportunity they created, the Barons defense and Ogunbiyi was there to squash it.
A loose ball in the 73rd minute atop the Rough Riders goal box fell to the feet of Barons midfielder Rory McCrea who fired it past a stretched out Holder gave Ocean City their second goal of the match and a comfortable lead with under 20 minutes remaining.
Desperation set in for the Rough Riders in the final 15 minutes, but again Ogunbiyi and the Barons kept them off the board. Michael Todd had a golden chance for the Rough Riders when in the 83rd minute when his toe-poke trickled wide of the net. It was the Rough Riders best and last goal scoring chance of the night.
With the victory, Ocean City will now travel to play the undefeated Ottawa Fury on Saturday night for the right to advance to the PDL Final Eight.
Hudson Valley Quickstrike Lady Blues Weekly Update: July 22
Official Press Release (Hudson Valley Quickstrike Lady Blues)
NEWBURGH, NY – The Hudson Valley Quickstrike Lady Blues clinched the W-League Regular Season Championship on Sunday, defeating the New York Magic 2-0. The win also means that the Lady Blues completed their first regular season as a franchise with an undefeated record of 12-0-2, 38 pts.
Sunday’s win against the Magic capped off a long week for the Lady Blues after the defeated the New Jersey Wildcats 4-0 at home Wednesday, July 15, in front of a record crowd of over 2,200 and tying the Washington Freedom 0-0 on Thursday, July 16.
The Quickstrike Lady Blues had completed an unbeaten regular season, something that attests to the players buying into the system, Head Coach Jesse Kolmel said.
“As a staff, we knew we had the personnel, the question was do we have the personality,” he said. “How fast were [the players] going to buy into our system? How fast were they going to check their egos at the door? And they did all of that quickly. It’s awesome. I am very proud of them.”
Defender and co-captain Brittany Taylor said that nothing has really had time to sink in yet.
“The other day we sat down and looked at each other and we were like, ‘wow,’” she said. “We can’t really believe it. We are still in the shock phase.”
The celebrations will not last long, however, as the Lady Blues know that now it is time to focus on the W-League Semifinals. As the Regular Season Champion, the Hudson Valley receives an automatic bye to the final four of the league.
The Quickstrike Lady Blues will host that W-League Semifinal on Friday, July 31. The time of the match and opponent are not yet determined.
Regular Season Championship History
There are some interesting facts that go along with becoming W-League Regular Season Champions (via USLsoccer.com).
If you are looking for predictions in this season’s W-League playoffs consider this: the W-League Regular Season Champion has also won the W-League 13 of 19 times (includes W1 and W2 seasons from 1998- 2001). W-League protocol was broken in 2006 and 2007 as the Freedom (2007) and the Whitecaps (2006) proved stronger than the regular season champions, but the Pali Blues unbeaten regular season run in 2008 returned the league to its former custom.
More importantly, of the 13 times the Regular Season Champions also won the W-League, nine of them were first-time regular season champs, as are the Hudson Valley Quickstrike Lady Blues – statistics that lead one to ask, where do these girls come from?
“We went to the WPS Sky Blue tryouts and looked for fringe players,” said Kolmel. “Girls who were bubble players or who needed another year or two of development was where we started. We then added in players from our youth system.”
“Amanda Da Costa, Elise Fugowski and Meghan, Brittany and Janelle Taylor were players who played with us at the 2007 Super-20 League Finals,” added Kolmel. “Those girls brought a special chemistry to the team because they had already been through the process with the coaching staff a few times. It brought everyone together quicker than normal and it is the reason we have been so successful this year. The girls really bought into the system. This is a team-first squad.”
Johansson Wins Scoring Title, Golden Boot
Angelika Johansson’s stoppage time goal on Sunday against the New York Magic secured her the Golden Boot and the scoring title. The goal was her 14th of the season, giving her one more than FC Indiana’s Nikki Lyons.
Johansson’s 14 goals and 36 pts. led the entire 37 team league.
Kelly Honored by League
Defender Katie Kelly was named to the W-League Team of the Week on Wednesday for the final week of the regular season. Kelly was credited for two assists throughout the week in which the Lady Blues went 2-0-1 to clinch the Regular Season Championship.
However, Kelly was also involved in much more of the attack than the statistics suggest and was critical to both the Hudson Valley’s attack and defense at outside back.
Regular Season Champions: Quotables
Defender and Co-Captain Ashleigh Gunning on the team’s mental focus:
“The whole season one of the biggest strong points of our teams has been our mental focus – not letting our emotions get the best of us, not letting wins get to our head. Obviously, we’ll celebrate. We are happy, we love it. This is an accomplishment individually and as a team, but as far as getting ready for the semis it is something where we are again going to be focused. Mentally we are not going to get out of it.”
Defender and Co-Captain Britney Taylor on home field advantage:
“To be able to have – and to be able to call it – the twelfth man there is just a complete advantage. Obviously not having to travel is also a factor. Just knowing that our fan base is there – I think there are games that they have pulled us through games. It’s just so exciting to look and see the community and the fan base that we have built as a team. It makes you very proud.”
Defender and Co-Captain Erica Campanelli on what the team and the season means to her:
“I think this is a huge accomplishment in my life because it is completely different from anything that I have done. I was one hundred percent out of my comfort zone coming from Texas to New York to play with nobody that I knew, for coaches that I didn’t know, in a city I had never heard of. So, I think this was a huge learning experience for me and it made it that much more special. This is a huge accomplishment.”
Midfielder and Co-Captain Erica Stewart on having a playoff mentality:
“When I was in college I was playing at Villanova in the Big East and as you get to NCAA tournament winning each game is basically like you are staying alive for one more game. When you win you make one more accomplishment. It’s basically how far are you willing to go? And that is kind of our motto anyway, so we have felt this way before and in no way am I or the team satisfied.”
Head Coach Jesse Kolmel on battling the elements and winning the regular season:
“I think it’s great for the girls because we saw everything this season from tactics, high pressure, low pressure, big fields, small fields, monsoons, driving places and not playing. We’ve been in every element and the girls found their way through it. They did a phenomenal job with it and hats off to them.”
Assistant Coach and Operations Director Mike D’Agostino on the progression of the team since day one:
“This ranks very high. We had a short period of time to pull this together. We had girls showing up, for the most part, in May. Being able to gel that quickly and being able to put together a team that quickly, it’s extraordinary. You usually see this with teams who have been together for years. It’s a crazy thing to see. You are literally talking about eight years later. This team went out and earned everything that they got so far in the 14 games that they have played. Nothing was a given. They wanted it and they went out and got it. This team has a blue collar feel to it, they really do. I’ve been really happy with the whole organization. This really has been a great story. Everybody has really accepted their roles.”
Please direct all media inquiries to Jeff Kassouf, Director of Communications for the Hudson Valley Quickstrike Lady Blues.
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Minnesota Thunder Facing Financial Issues
On Monday, David La Vaque of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune published an article detailing the financial issues faced by the Minnesota Thunder of USL-1. You can read the article HERE.
The article details the clubs cash-flow concerns and the various outstanding debts facing the Thunder.
Other local businesses are awaiting payment or have taken legal action against the Thunder, which also had experienced internal cash-flow problems. Team owner Dean Johnson, a St. Paul native who heads the Belgium-based real estate company WingField Corp., said the bills will be paid. He blamed the situation on the team's aggressive expansion during a period of economic chaos. Team revenue is down, due in large part to a more than 50 percent drop in sponsorship money since 2008.
"While there have been some moments which were difficult, we have never considered not continuing to invest," Johnson said. "Even in a difficult environment, we're moving forward with this franchise and we're creating something for Minnesota soccer."
For some more perspective on the article and the Thunder's situation, we encourage you to read Brian Quarstad's editorial at Inside Minnesota Soccer. Read more...
Rochester Falls to DC United, All MLS Final in U.S. Open Cup
D.C. United (MLS) 2:1 Rochester Rhinos (USL-1)
Match Report USOpenCup.com
United advances, at a steep price Washington Post
D.C. United ends Rhinos Open Cup hopes Rochester Democrat and Chronicle
Monday, July 20, 2009
Impact Release Sandro Grande
Nine days after choking teammate Mauro Biello, midfielder Sandro Grande has been released by the Montreal Impact.
"Sandro's act was completely unacceptable and our organization does not tolerate such behaviour, we have therefore taken the necessary disciplinary measures. "Regardless of the circumstances or the player involved, violence is not accepted in our club." -Impact president Joey Saputo
Read more about the incident here and here.
Sunday USL Results (7.19.09)
Puerto Rico 1:0 Montreal Impact
Impact fail to score for fifth straight game, fall 1-0 to Islanders
The Canadian Press
Impact continue to struggle with loss to Islanders TSN
Portland Timbers 3:0 Miami FC Blues
Timbers extend their record unbeaten streak to 16 games OregonLive.com
Miami FC's unbeaten streak ends Miami Herald
Bermuda Hogges 2:2 Western Mass Pioneers
Western Mass. Pioneers settle for tie MassLive.com
PDL Results
W-League Results
Riverhounds Fall 1-0 in Harrisburg
Official Press Release (Pittsburgh Riverhounds)
Long Road Trip Ends With Pittsburgh Going 1-3
(Harrisburg) – The defensive-minded Pittsburgh Riverhounds put up another good fight, but fell 1-0 to the Harrisburg City Islanders before 2,413 fans at the Skyline Sports Complex on City Island in the state capital. The Isles’ Chad Seevers scored the game’s lone goal in the 64th minute. Tiyi Shipalane assisted.
Harrisburg outshot the Riverhounds by a 10-9 margin, including a 7-3 difference in the second half of the match. Pittsburgh goalkeeper Danny Waltman and Harrisburg’s Chase Harrison were each credited with three saves.
The Hounds are now 4-8-3 (15-points) in the United Soccer Leagues Second Division. Harrisburg improves to 9-4-2 (29-points) and remains tied for first place in the USL-2 with the Richmond Kickers.
Pittsburgh finished the four-game road swing with only one victory, a 2-1 win in Bermuda on July 2nd. The Hounds dropped a 1-0 decision in Bermuda on the 4th then lost 2-1 to Real Maryland on the 11th.
Now, the Riverhounds come home to Chartiers Valley Stadium for their final five regular season matches. The Western Mass Pioneers come to Pittsburgh for two games; Friday and Sunday, July 24th at 7:05 p.m. and July 26th at 3:05 p.m. Then, they host Wilmington on August 1st, Charlotte on August 8th, and Crystal Palace Baltimore on August 15th.
Tickets for all home games are on sale at www.riverhounds.com, by phone at 412-539-1191, and at the gate on game days.
Wildcats Edged in Season Finale
Official Press Release (New Jersey Wildcats)
Late Connecticut Goal Gives Passion Tight 2-1 Victory
West Windsor, N.J. (Sunday, July 19, 2009) - In a battle between two talented W-League clubs, the New Jersey Wildcats and Connecticut Passion gritted out inspired efforts tonight in their 2009 season finale. Less than a day after they both last took the field, Connecticut squeezed out a narrow 2-1 win after a balanced 90 minutes of soccer were played on the pitch at Mercer County Community College.
"It is disappointing to lose today, but we knew coming into the match that Connecticut is a very good team," Wildcats head coach Dave Barbour commented. "Our girls gave a full effort, and you can't ask for more than that. I thought they were a bit more fortunate than us, but sometimes that is how the game is played."
The legs of both teams were a bit heavy when this match started, but both sides fought through their exhaustion to provide the hometown Wildcat fans with a very entertaining game.
The Passion hung the first score of this match-up in the 12th minute when forward Kerry Scalora put a ball just off the fingertips of a diving Robyn Jones in the New Jersey goal, gaining an early 1-0 advantage. With the momentum turning towards Connecticut, the Wildcats fought to regain their stride and came up just short on a pair of through-ball opportunities in the 18th minute. They would eventually get their equalizer in the 32nd minute after striker Kristin Hextall weaved her way through the Passion defense and dished a feed over to midfielder Marguerite Ferrell. The Fairleigh Dickinson product then launched a bomb towards her target and placed the attempt in the right upper 90 to even the count at a notch each.
The second half of action seemed to be going in the favor of New Jersey in the early-going, and Hextall nearly put her club on top when a well-struck chip hit just off the top of the crossbar. Ferrell got a lot of things going in the Wildcat attack throughout the half, but New Jersey would come up unlucky on those chances. In the 77th minute of the contest, Connecticut got their game-winner when a ball slipped into the Wildcats backfield and Passion forward Linda Velaj was in the right place to push the ball past the end line.
While disappointment was somewhat prevalent on the faces of the New Jersey players after their inspired play came up just short today, there is no denying the fact that this is a Wildcat franchise that is headed in a positive direction.
"The success of this organization all starts with (President) Kevin McDermott and (Vice President) Jim Gooley," Barbour remarked. "Their leadership and experience has everything rolling in the right direction, and our coaching staff in addition to the commitment of our players has played a huge role as well. Soccer at this level seems to have been reestablished in this area, and it's great to see that the Wildcat fans and supporters are excited about soccer in Central Jersey again."
As the Wildcats season comes to a close, the team extends their unending gratitude to those that continue to support the franchise. Plans are already in the works for a season-long celebration next year in observance of the 15th season of play for the Wildcats, and all updates with the team will be announced through www.njwildcats.com throughout the upcoming offseason.
Hudson Valley Quickstrike Lady Blues Defeat New York, Clinch Regular Season Title
Official Press Release (Hudson Valley Quickstrike Lady Blues)
BROOKLYN, NY – The Hudson Valley Quickstrike Lady Blues clinched the W-League Regular Season Championship on Sunday, defeating the New York Magic 2-0. The win also means that the Lady Blues complete their first regular season as a franchise with an undefeated record of 12-0-2, 38 pts.
Katona, NY, native Amand DaCosta opened the scoring for the Hudson Valley in the 29th minute when she beat New York goalkeeper Alicia Defino. After bringing down a perfect through ball from defender Katie Kelly, DaCosta tapped the ball into the far post.
From there, the game got physical, with the Lady Blues getting most of the chances. Ashleigh Gunning had two dipping shots in the span of two minutes midway through the half that both went just over the crossbar.
Elise Fugowski also narrowly missed a chance in the 28th minute after Alicia Tirelli’s cross found her at the far post. Overall, the Lady Blues outshot New York 22-5 on the day.
Angelika Johansson sealed the game for the Lady Blues in stoppage time of the second half when she pick-pocketed a New York defender and buried the ball into the back of the net. Soon after, the final whistle blew and the celebrations began.
The Quickstrike Lady Blues had completed an unbeaten regular season, something that attests to the players buying into the system, Head Coach Jesse Kolmel said.
“As a staff, we knew we had the personnel, the question was do we have the personality,” he said. “How fast were [the players] going to buy into our system? How fast were they going to check their egos at the door? And they did all of that quickly. It’s awesome. I am very proud of them.”
Defender and co-captain Brittany Taylor said that nothing has really had time to sink in yet.
"The other day we sat down and looked at each other and we were like, ‘wow,’” she said. “We can’t really believe it. We are still in the shock phase.”
The celebrations will not last long, however, as the Lady Blues know that now it is time to focus on the W-League Semifinals. As the Regular Season Champion, the Hudson Valley receives an automatic bye to the final four of the league.
The Quickstrike Lady Blues will host that W-League Semifinal on Friday, July 31. The time of the match and opponent are not yet determined.
Scoring Summary:
HV 1-0 NJ: 29th minute HV Goal by Amanda DaCosta (Assist: Katie Kelly)
HV 2-0 NJ: 90th minute HV Goal by Angelika Johansson
Please direct all media inquiries to Jeff Kassouf, Director of Communications for the Hudson Valley Quickstrike Lady Blues.
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Wildcats Have Winning Record in Their Sights
Official Press Release (New Jersey Wildcats)
High Powered First Half Sparks 3-0 Win over New York Magic
West Windsor, N.J. (Saturday, July 18, 2009) - The New Jersey Wildcats hit the ground running tonight at Mercer County Community College, scoring two goals in the first five minutes of the match to trigger an eventual 3-0 victory over the New York Magic. With only a 4:00 p.m. Sunday hosting of the Connecticut Passion left on their 2009 slate, New Jersey is now just a single win away from finishing the year with a winning record.
"Tonight, we were very sharp," Wildcats head coach Dave Barbour reflected. "You could tell the girls really wanted it from the opening whistle, and I am very happy with how effective we played. Once we scored those two early goals, we never looked back."
The two early goals that Barbour mentioned occurred in just the first five minutes of the game. New Jersey had an aggressive demeanor early and earned a corner kick in the fourth minute of the contest. With midfielder Amy Hoyer on top of the ball, the 2007 NEC Player of the Year delivered a well-placed cross to the center of the box that saw forward Kristin Hextall strike the ball into the back of the net for an early 1-0 advantage. After only 30 seconds of play had elapsed, the Wildcats stretched the gap to 2-0 when defender Beth Troutman set up a Marguerite Ferrell tally.
New Jersey then added an insurance goal in the 25th minute to increase their lead to 3-0. Goalkeeper Robyn Jones snatched a cross out of the air with New York on the attack, and she quickly distributed the ball to a wide-open Ferrell on the left wing. The Rahway native then aired out a feed to striker Rachel Breton on the right flank, and Breton then shook Magic netminder Nicole McClure and walked the ball into the goal. New York nearly got on the board in first half stoppage time, but a brilliant leaping save by Jones sent the Wildcats into intermission with a three goal advantage.
In the second 45 minutes of the evening, New Jersey did well to protect their end of the field and secured their fourth shutout of the year. Jones played 77 nearly perfect minutes in net before Barbour brought on Ashley Lewis to close out the win. Lewis was actively tested in her 13 minutes on the pitch, recording four saves in that short amount of time.
Tomorrow marks the final match-up of the W-League season for the Wildcats, and the team is in position to take a fourth season series on the year. When they squared off against the Connecticut Passion in early June, the Wildcats traveled north in the fourth contest of a four-game road trip to open the 2009 season and took a 3-1 result over the Passion. New Jersey will look for strong play at the friendly confines of Mercer County Community College in this season finale and ask all of the fans of the team to come support them in what looks to be a highly contested match.
At the conclusion of that Sunday pairing with Connecticut, the Wildcats invite all of their fans and supporters to join them at City Streets Café for an end-of-season celebration.
"It's been a successful year, and we look to finish off the season with a great weekend of soccer in front of our fans at Mercer County Community College," Wildcats President Kevin McDermott commented. "Once we finish up the action on the pitch, we invite everyone to come celebrate a great season with our players and staff at City Streets Café. We encourage everyone to come join us for some great food and a great time!"
The menu at City Streets Café ranges from Mexican to Asian food all the way to Italian and contemporary American dishes. City Streets Cafe is also engulfed within the surrounding community, buying fresh ingredients from nearby grocers and farmers while also having murals in the restaurant that were painted by a local artist. The restaurant has a mahogany walk-around bar as well as areas to enjoy a meal in a comfortable setting or watch the live entertainment that they often have performing. For more information, they can be visited on the web at www.citystreetscafe.com.
Don't miss your last chance to see the Wildcats this season! Tickets for Sunday's game are available now by calling (732) 963-9769.
Rough Riders Close Out Regular Season on the Road
Official Press Release (Long Island Rough Riders)
Men have outside shot at division crown
Plainview, NY (July 17, 2009) – The Long Island Rough Riders men’s and women’s team will take to the road on Sunday and play their final matches of the regular season. The women will end their season with a visit to the Washington Freedom, while the men travel to New Hampshire before hosting a PDL first-round playoff game sometime next week.
Looking to end their season on a two-game winning streak, the Rough Riders women (6-6-1, 19 pts.) face a Freedom (10-1-1, 31 pts.) team who are looking for a Northeast Division title with two games remaining. Led by W-League Team of the Week member Kelly McConnell, who has five points in the past two games, the Rough Riders are looking to finish the season above the .500 mark.
Heading into their match-up with the Phantoms (3-8-3, 12 pts.) on Sunday afternoon, the Rough Riders men (11-2-2, 35 pts.) know that with a win and a loss by the Ottawa Fury, they will clinch the Northeast Division title. Should Ottawa beat or tie the Brooklyn Knights on Sunday, then the Rough Riders will settle for second place and face the Ocean City Baron in a mid-week match, with the winner heading to Ottawa next weekend for a chance to qualify for the PDL Final Four.
“We’re not in control of our destiny, so all we can do now is just focus on getting the points from New Hampshire,” said Rough Riders head coach Dan Fisher.
The Rough Riders were 1-0 victors thanks to Adam Himeno’s 40th minute goal when the two teams last met on Opening Day back on May 9.
The Rough Riders men’s team will be hosting a first round PDL playoff match some time next week at Cy Donnelly Stadium at St. Anthony’s High School in South Huntington. The date and an opponent are still to be determined and fans are encouraged to keep checking www.liroughriders.com for the latest information on how to purchase tickets.
Saturday USL Results (7.18.09)
Charleston Battery 1:1 Rochester Rhinos
Charleston ties Rochester, in sole possession of first Charleston Post and Courier
Rhinos record third straight tie Richmond Democrat and Chronicle
Austin Aztex 0:1 Minnesota Thunder
Thunder Outlast Austin Aztex 1-0 mnthunder.com
Richmond Kickers 2:1 Crystal Palace Baltimore
Kickers collect road win at Crystal Palace Baltimore Richmond Times-Dispatch
Palace's playoff hopes dwindle with 2-1 defeat to Richmond Examiner.com
Pittsburgh Riverhounds 0:1 Harrisburg City Islanders
Islanders edge Pittsburgh 1-0 PennLive.com
Real Maryland Monarchs 1:1 Charlotte Eagles
Eagles' 1-1 tie delays grab for a playoff spot Charlotte Observer
PDL Results
W-League Results
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Friday USL Results (7.17.09)
Charleston Battery 0:0 Cleveland City Stars
Battery Tie City Stars WCBD
Portland Timbers 1:1 Miami FC Blues
Win slips away from Blues Miami Herald
Late goal spoils Miami FC upset bid SunSentinel.com
Timbers match USL record for longest unbeaten streak OregonLive.com
Vancouver Whitecaps 1:2 Carolina RailHawks
Whitecaps lose 2-1 to RailHawks Vancouver Sun
Hawks take out Caps The News & Observer
Richardson scores on USL debut Trinidad & Tobago Express
Real Maryland Monarchs 1:3 Wilmington Hammerheads
Jaime Watson leads Hammerheads to share of first StarNewsOnline
Bermuda Hogges 0:5 Western Mass Pioneers
Pioneers boss Bermuda Hogges 5-0 MassLive.com
PDL Results
W-League Results
Friday, July 17, 2009
Riverhounds Tangle With First-Place Harrisburg
Official Press Release (Pittsburgh Riverhounds)
Saturday’s Match Ends Pittsburgh’s Month On The Road
(Harrisburg, PA) – The Pittsburgh Riverhounds continue their four-game road swing Saturday night against one of the two teams tied for the top spot in the United Soccer Leagues Second Division. The Hounds challenge the Harrisburg City Islanders at the Skyline Sports Complex in the state capital. Kickoff is at 7:05 p.m. The match is the last of four consecutive games away from home.
So far on the trip, Pittsburgh has picked up three-points with their 2-1 victory at Bermuda in the first game of the set. The Hogges responded, taking the second match 1-0. The Hounds then went to Real Maryland where the Monarchs scored twice within a four-minute span and held on for a 2-1 win.
Saturday’s game pits the Riverhounds against the City Islanders for the third and final time of the 2009 regular season. Harrisburg owns two victories over the Hounds; a 3-0 win on City Island on May 9th and a 1-0 win in Pittsburgh on May 16th.
Going into the weekend, Harrisburg is 8-4-2 (26-points) and in a tie with the Richmond Kickers for the USL-2 lead. Richmond is 7-2-5 (26-points). Pittsburgh is in a two-way tie for seventh place in the loop. Both the Riverhounds and the Western Mass Pioneers have records of 4-7-3 (15-points). Only the top five teams qualify for the USL-2 playoffs, so the Riverhounds are starting to feel the pressure to win.
A positive; after Saturday’s match in Harrisburg, the Riverhounds will play their last five straight regular season games at home at Chartiers Valley Stadium in Pittsburgh. Two will be against Western Mass on July 24th and 26th with an opportunity to gain some separation in the standings. Wilmington, Charlotte, and Crystal Palace Baltimore will also come calling in August.
Tickets for all remaining Riverhounds’ home games are on sale at www.riverhounds.com, by phone at 412-539-1191, and at the gate on game days.
Dos Santos Ejected for Altercation with Rhino's Fitzpatrick
Sorry for the delay, it's been a busy week!
Montreal Impact 0:0 Rochester Rhinos
Rhinos, Montreal play to scoreless tie Rochester Democrat and Chronicle
Djekanovic faces 17 shots as Impact battle to 0-0 draw with Rhinos The Canadian Press
Impact head coach Marc Dos Santos was sent off after an altercation with Thino's midfielder Tiger Fitzpatrick. You can read the story HERE.
Dos Santos, who replaced John Limniatis earlier this season, was tossed for putting his hand on Fitzpatrick's neck and lightly shoving him. He held the ball after it went out of bounds and Fitzpatrick came toward him to ask for the ball. He said the Rhinos have talked about playing restarts more quickly.Read more..."I was like, 'C'mon, don't slap the ball from my hand,' like I would do to my brother and the ref said I hit him. It's too bad," Dos Santos said.
They spoke briefly at halftime, Fitzpatrick said.
"I don't think there was any malice or intent," Fitzpatrick said. "It was just something that happened in the heat of the game, but obviously he put his hand to my face."
Hudson Valley Quickstrike Lady Blues Tie Washington, Inch Closer to Regular Season Title
Official Press Release (Hudson Valley Quickstrike Lady Blues)
BOYDS, MD – Fresh off of a 4-0 win over New Jersey at home in front of a record crowd of 2,203 Wednesday, the Hudson Valley Quickstrike Lady Blues tied the second place Washington Freedom in Boyds, MD. The win keeps the Lady Blues (11-0-2, 35 pts.) undefeated and atop the W-League Northeast Division.
Erin McNulty had five saves in net to preserve the shutout for the Lady Blues, who grinded out the tie after a long road trip less than 24 hours after beating New Jersey.
“The girls really showed a lot of character tonight with two games in 24 hours,” Assistant Coach Mike D’Agostino said. “It was really a hard-fought victory.”
The result means that a win for the Lady Blues against New York on Sunday (4 p.m.) would clinch the regular season title. That means that the Hudson Valley would get a bye past the Eastern Conference Playoffs and go straight to the W-League semifinals as the No. 1 seed in the national final four.
Please direct all media inquiries to Jeff Kassouf, Director of Communications for the Hudson Valley Quickstrike Lady Blues.
Read more...
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Hudson Valley Quickstrike Lady Blues Defeat New Jersey 4-0 in Front of Record Crowd
Official Press Release (Hudson Valley Quickstrike Lady Blues)
NEWBURGH, NY – The Hudson Valley Quickstrike Lady Blues defeated the New Jersey Wildcats 4-0 Wednesday in front of a season-high 2,203 fans at Newburgh Free Academy. The win keeps the Lady Blues (11-0-1, 34 pts.) undefeated and atop the W-League Northeast Division.
Whitney Palmer opened the scoring in the 19th minute when she beat New Jersey goalkeeper Robyn Jones. Kristen Edmonds slotted Palmer behind the Wildcats defense with a perfect through ball and Palmer struck the ball far post and into the side netting to give the Hudson Valley the 1-0 advantage.
Alicia Tirelli then doubled the advantage for the Lady Blues in the 32nd minute when she cleaned up the rebound of an Angelika Johansson shot that Jones had parried away.
“It’s kind of funny because [Johansson] always says that she steals everyone’s goals and that time I stole her goal,” Tirelli said.
New Jersey had some threatening chances early on, but failed to capitalize on them and went into halftime down 2-0.
The home side then iced the game with two goals in seven minutes midway through the second half.
Tirelli scored her second goal of the game off a feed from defender Katie Kelly in the 71st minute and Angelika Johansson sealed the game for the Hudson Valley in the 78th minute when she found net.
The goal was Johansson’s 13th of the season, which ties her for the league lead with FC Indiana’s Nikki Lyons. Today’s goal and assist gives Johansson a league-leading 34 pts. with two games to play.
Lady Blues Head Coach Jesse Kolmel was happy that his team could stay unbeaten at home in front of such a large crowd. The Hudson Valley ended the regular season with an unblemished record of 7-0-0 (21 pts.) at Newburgh Free Academy.
“Going into tonight, one of our goals was to stay undefeated at home because we have had so much support from the community and it was their motivation before the game to make sure that they left this field undefeated, the same way that they started the season,” he said.
Tirelli had similar thoughts about the great fans of the Hudson Valley.
“It was our last home game and we were all just so excited to play in front of our fans because they have been so awesome all along,” she said.
The Quickstrike Lady Blues now travel to Washington for a 7 p.m. showdown with the Freedom (10-1-0, 30 pts.), which is in second place in the Northeast Division. A win would mean that the Lady Blues clinch the W-League Northeast Division Title in their first season of play.
Midfielder Jane Vongvorachoti credited the team’s chemistry as the catalyst of its success.
“It’s about everyone on the team,” she said. “From day one we were all together doing everything together – cooking dinners together, going out to community services and the team bonding brings us all together. The coaches have done a great job building that environment.”
Scoring Summary:
HV 1-0 NJ: 19th minute HV Goal by Whitney Palmer (Assist: Kristen Edmonds)
HV 2-0 NJ: 32nd minute HV Goal by Alicia Tirelli (Assist: Angelika Johansson)
HV 3-0 NJ: 71st minute HV Goal by Alicia Tirelli (Assist: Katie Kelly)
HV 4-0 NJ: 78th minute HV Goal by Angelika Johansson
Please direct all media inquiries to Jeff Kassouf, Director of Communications for the Hudson Valley Quickstrike Lady Blues.
Rough Riders Men Held by Westchester
Official Press Release (Long Island Rough Riders)
Rough Riders Hold outside chance at division title
South Huntington, N.Y. (July 15, 2009) – The Long Island Rough Riders men’s team settled for a scoreless draw with the Westchester Flames in front of an excited crowd of 549 fans at Cy Donnelly Stadium on Wednesday night. Goalkeeper Hasely Thorne preserved the shutout with two key saves in the first half.
With an opportunity to tie the undefeated Ottawa Fury atop the Northeast Division with a victory, the Rough Riders (11-2-2, 35 pts.) relentlessly pressured the Flames all night long with Westchester (3-8-4, 13 pts.) goalkeeper Dario Cabanas facing 16 shots. Michael Todd had the Rough Riders best chance midway through the first half after receiving a ball atop the goal box with room to move, but his shot was deflected away off the back of a Flames defender.
In the 69th minute, Rough Riders head coach Dan Fisher replaced defender Chris Aloisi with Mike Adamcewicz, giving the team a much more offensive look. The final 20 minutes of the match saw Long Island pester the Westchester defensive third, but fail to cash in on their two best opportunities.
First, Mike Palacio’s header off a Danny Kramer corner kick in the 83rd minute was flicked just wide of the Flames goal. Four minutes later, with time running out, Palacio had a golden chance inside the penalty box but his lunging attempt slipped out of bounds, inches from the goal post.
On Sunday, the Rough Riders will finish the regular season with a visit to New Hampshire to take on the Phantoms. A Long Island victory coupled with an Ottawa loss at home to Brooklyn on Sunday would clinch a division championship for the Rough Riders. However the results end up, the Rough Riders will be hosting a first round match some time next week Cy Donnelly Stadium at St. Anthony’s High School in South Huntington. The date and an opponent are still to be determined and fans are encouraged to keep checking www.liroughriders.com for the latest information on how to purchase tickets.
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
MiamiSoccerFan.com Exclusive Interview with Richard Perdomo
From MiamiSoccerFan.com, the online home of the Miami Ultras:
MiamiSoccerFan.com was fortunate enough to be in contact with Richard Perdomo recently. Yes, the rumors are true. Richard finalized a 1 year contract with 1st Division Honduras club, C.D. Platense. This signing holds a special place in Richard's heart as his father started for this club and also played for the Honduras National team.
Click HERE to read their exclusive interview with Perdomo. Read more...
Johansson Named to W-League Team of the Week
Official Press Release (Hudson Valley Quickstrike Lady Blues)
NEWBURGH, NY – Hudson Valley Quickstrike Lady Blues forward Angelika Johansson has been named to the W-League Team of the Week for her efforts in last week’s two road wins over Long Island and Connecticut.
Johansson had a goal in the Hudson Valley’s 4-2 comeback over Long Island on Wednesday, July 8, and notched four assists in a 5-0 win over Connecticut on Sunday.
This is the fourth time this season that Johansson has been named to the W-League Team of the Week, including being named Player of the Week on June 10 for assisting on Whitney Palmer’s game-tying goal and scoring the game-winning goal in a 2-1 win over Boston on June 6.
Currently, Johansson leads the league in points (31) and is tied for the league lead in goals (12) with less than a week left in W-League regular season play.
The Lady Blues return home tonight, Wednesday, July 15 at 7:30 p.m. against the New Jersey Wildcats for their final regular season home game. Then, the Hudson Valley ends the regular season at Washington on Thursday and at New York on Sunday.
Please direct all media inquiries to Jeff Kassouf, Director of Communications for the Hudson Valley Quickstrike Lady Blues.
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Hudson Valley Quickstrike Lady Blues Weekly Update: July 14
Official Press Release (Hudson Valley Quickstrike Lady Blues)
NEWBURGH, NY – The Hudson Valley Quickstrike Lady Blues stayed undefeated after beating Long Island 4-2 on Wednesday and Connecticut 5-0 on Sunday. The two victories, combined with other league results, helped the Lady Blues (10-0-1, 31 pts.) clinch a W-League playoff spot.
First, the Hudson Valley defeated the Long Island Rough Riders 4-2 on Wednesday after trailing 2-0 in the first 25 minutes. Long Island’s Kelly McConnell and Leigh-Ann Cummings helped the home side get out to an early lead.
However, the Lady Blues responded late in the half when Elise Fugowski found the back of the net in the 38th minute and Ashleigh Gunning’s 40 yard shot snuck under the crossbar in the 45th minute.
Kristen Edmonds then scored in the 55th minute to give the Lady Blues a 3-2 lead right after halftime. The ball popped out to Edmonds and her shot found the upper corner of the goal. It was the eventual game winner.
Angelika Johansson then sealed the game in the 83rd minute with a great piece of teamwork with Alicia Tirelli. Johansson collected the ball and fed it to a wide open Tirelli, who returned the favor with a cross to Johansson. The Swedish forward then beat the goalkeeper to the ball and buried it home. That completed the comeback and strong result for the Lady Blues.
“At the end of the day it wasn’t about tactics, it was about pride,” Head Coach Jesse Kolmel said. “In this league, being down 2-0 – there is usually no coming back. But, we found a way and we pulled through.”
Then, the Quickstrike Lady Blues rolled over Connecticut 5-0 on Sunday at Yale University. Elise Fugowski and Whitney Palmer had two goals each and Brittany Taylor added the final one to help the Hudson Valley cruise to victory.
Forward Angelika Johansson assisted on four of the five goals and leads the league in points (31) and is tied for the league lead in goals (12). Whitney Palmer is close behind with eight goals this season.
Quickstrike Lady Blues Host New Jersey Wednesday in Final Regular Season Home Game
The Lady Blues return home on Wednesday, July 15 at 7:30 p.m. against the New Jersey Wildcats for their final regular season home game. The two teams last played in New Jersey on July 1, when the Hudson Valley won 3-0.
The game is part of a special doubleheader with the Hudson Valley Renegades. At 12:05 p.m., the Renegades Batavia Muckdogs at Dutchess Stadium and then the Lady Blues game is later that night at Newburgh Free Academy.
For just $20, fans can purchase the “Sticks and Kicks” package that gets them a ticket to each game as well as a Renegades hat and a hot dog and soda voucher. Go to GadesGroups.com and enter the password “quickstrike” to receive the deal.
Also, kids wearing their soccer camp t-shirts will also get into the game for free. The Lady Blues will need all the support they can get in the final home game of the season as they look to push for the number one spot in the W-League.
Fans can also purchase tickets at www.quickstrikefc.com.
Following Wednesday’s match, the Hudson Valley travels to Washington to take on the Freedom and then to New York on Sunday to take on the Magic for its final regular season match.
Playoff Scenarios for Lady Blues
The Quickstrike Lady Blues have already clinched a playoff berth, but there is still a lot to play for. Currently, they hold the best regular season record in the league by the percentage of total number of points obtained from the possible points. The Lady Blues have 31 pts. out of a possible 33 pts.
Should they win all three of their final games, they will have the best regular season record, which grants an automatic bye to the W-League Semifinals, held on August 1st and 2nd. That would mean that they skip the entire Eastern Conference Playoffs and go straight to the national semifinals against the three conference champions.
The Lady Blues could also hold onto the regular season title by beating New Jersey and New York and tying Washington. Any losses would make it nearly impossible to receive the bye into the league semifinals, as Washington and several other teams are right on the Hudson Valley’s heals.
Should they not win the regular season title, the Quickstrike Lady Blues would enter the Eastern Conference Playoffs on July 24th and 26th. The No. 1 seed from the Northeast Division plays the No. 2 seed from the Atlantic Division, while the No. 1 seed from the Atlantic Division plays the No. 2 seed from the Northeast Division.
Should the Hudson Valley or Washington win the regular season title, the next two best teams in the Northeast Division would fill those spots.
Follow the Lady Blues while they are on the road at www.twitter.com/QuickstrikeFC.
Please direct all media inquiries to Jeff Kassouf, Director of Communications for the Hudson Valley Quickstrike Lady Blues.
The 2009 USL W-League Combine
USL News Release
TAMPA, FL – USL announced today the dates for the second annual USL W-League Combine. The event will be held Thursday, September 24 through Sunday, September 27 at Ed Radice Sports Complex in Northwest Tampa, Florida.
“Improving on an event that sent 35 players to seven WPS franchises will not be an easy task,” said USL Combine Coordinator, Amanda Duffy. “Our overall objective in 2008 was to get as many W-League players as possible into the WPS Combine and eventually into WPS preseason camps. We have had a lot of success as our players continue to fill WPS rosters throughout their inaugural season.”
Players invited to the 2009 USL W-League Combine will be selected through an application process which begins today.
Read the entire News Release HERE.
Rough Riders Men Host Westchester on Wednesday
Official Press Release (Long Island Rough Riders)
Free entry for kids wearing any soccer jersey!
Plainview, NY (July 14, 2009) – The Long Island Rough Riders men’s team will host the Westchester Flames on Wednesday, July 15th in their regular season home finale. Kick off will be 8PM (originally scheduled for 7PM) at Cy Donnelly Stadium located at St. Anthony’s High School in South Huntington. Any kids who are wearing a soccer jersey of their favorite team or club they play for will receive a free ticket.
It’s the final regular season home finale for the Rough Riders (11-2-1, 34 pts.) who will be hosting a PDL playoff game next week. (The first round date and opponent are still to be determined). The Rough Riders currently sit in second place, three points behind the undefeated Ottawa Fury in the Northeast Division standings. The men clinched at least second place with Westchester (3-8-3, 12 pts.) defeating Brooklyn over the weekend, but a division title is still achievable with some help.
Group packages are available for Wednesday night’s game. To purchase tickets or for more information, please visit http://www.liroughriders.com/ or call (516) 622-3900.
Grande Suspended by Impact
The Montral Impact released the following press release last night:
MONTREAL – Following an altercation between midfielder Sandro Grande and captain Mauro Biello during Saturday night’s game in Minnesota, the Montreal Impact has announced disciplinary sanctions against Grande for unsportmanlike conduct. “Sandro’s gesture was unacceptable and we will take the necessary measures, said Technical Director Nick De Santis. "Even though there is no doubt that the two players have resolved this issue, such actions cannot be tolerated. As a club, we cannot accept such a reaction because it goes against our values and philosophy. In sports like elsewhere in life, regardless of the circumstances or stakes, violence cannot be admitted.”
Sandro Grande will serve a suspension to be determined by the club.
Inside Minnesota Soccer has more on this situation and some background on Sandro Grande. Read more...
Monday, July 13, 2009
Impact Player Attacks Teammate
Inside Minnesota Soccer has posted pictures taken by photographer Jeremy Olson of Impact midfielder Sandro Grande choking teammate and fellow midfielder Mauro Biello during Saturday's match against the Minnesota Thunder.
Photo by Jeremy Olson
There are more images of the confrontation available at Inside Minnesota Soccer.
This is the second known incident in USL this season of a teammate assaulting (or attempting to assault) another during play. Unlike the incident in Vancouver earlier this season between Charles Gbeke and Wesley Charles, the match referee did not see the event and there was no on-field punishment.
USL News has contacted the Montreal Impact for their comment on the situation, we will update this post with any response we receive. Read more...
Dos Santos Not Pleased; Impact Supporters Furious
Montreal Impact coach Marc Dos Santos was clearly not happy with his team after their 3-0 loss to the last place Minnesota Thunder over the weekend. After the match, Dos Santos has this to say about his team's performance:
"It's extremely disappointing to see that certain players aren't reacting,"
"You have to ask yourself if you really want to win. We'll have to make some changes, maybe by playing some of the younger players."
What is very clear, despite being mostly in French, is that Dos Santos' anger is nothing compared to the furor of the Impact supporters. Unfortunately, none of us at USL News are knowledgeable in the French language but the frustration and anger comes through loud and clear in French and in the rather poor translation from Yahoo BabelFish.
We are looking for any Montreal supporters that would like to have their voice heard about the situation around the Impact. Feel free to comment on this post or send in your reactions to news@uslnews.com and we will post them here on the site.
Hudson Valley Quickstrike Lady Blues Topple Connecticut 5-0
Official Press Release (Hudson Valley Quickstrike Lady Blues)
NEW HAVEN, CONN – The Hudson Valley Quickstrike Lady Blues defeated the Connecticut Passion 5-0 Sunday to stay undefeated and atop the W-League Northeast Division.
Angelika Johansson, who leads the league in goals and points, led the way with four assists and Elise Fugowski and Whitney Palmer had a pair of goals each.
Fugowski opened the scoring for the Lady Blues (10-0-1, 31 pts.) in the 12th minute when she cleaned up a scramble in the box. Defender Katie Kelly played a quick free kick into Kristen Edmonds on the flank, who crossed-up the Connecticut defender to create space.
Edmonds then sent in a cross that found Alicia Tirelli at the back posted, who redirected the ball back across the goalmouth to Johansson. Her shot was saved by Connecticut goalkeeper Kelly Boudreau, but Fugowski finished it to make it 1-0.
Fugowski then added her second goal of the game and doubles the Hudson Valley’s lead in the 21st minute. Johansson flicked the ball over her head and played it into space to put Fugowski one-on-one with Boudreau for the easy finish.
“We did a really good job today of the forwards holding the ball and the midfielders coming up and just laying it off to them,” Fugowski said.
Palmer ended the half right for the Hudson Valley. She worked well with Johansson to put pressure on the Connecticut defense and it paid off when Palmer intercepted the ball and used her speed to get into a one-on-one position and chip the goalkeeper. That made it 3-0 going into the break.
Both teams switched goalkeepers at the half, but Connecticut keeper Jami Kranich could not save the day for the home side.
Palmer got her second of the game in the 57th minute when Johansson played her in behind the defense to give the Lady Blues a 4-0 advantage.
Finally, Brittany Taylor’s 67th minute goal made the game 5-0 and ended the scoring for the Quickstrike Lady Blues. She hammered the ball into the back of the net off of an assist from Johansson, her fourth of the game.
“I think we were just working the ball around really well and finding each other and connecting on passes and everyone was making good runs,” said forward Tonya Hipsman.
Johansson left the game in the 77th minute to an ovation – even on the road- with four assists and a taped up bloody nose. Fugowski and Palmer led the way with two goals each.
“I think it went great,” Head Coach Jesse Kolmel said. “I think this is one of the best jobs we have done all season on executing what we were trying to accomplish beforehand. It was a great performance.”
The Lady Blues return home on Wednesday, July 15 at 7:30 p.m. against the New Jersey Wildcats for their final regular season home game. The game is part of a special doubleheader with the Hudson Valley Renegades.
At 12:05 p.m., the Renegades Batavia Muckdogs at Dutchess Stadium and then the Lady Blues game is later that night at Newburgh Free Academy. For just $20, fans can purchase the “Sticks and Kicks” package that gets them a ticket to each game as well as a Renegades hat and a hot dog and soda voucher. Go to GadesGroups.com and enter the password “quickstrike” to receive the deal.
All other fans can purchase tickets at www.quickstrikefc.com.
Scoring Summary:
HV 1-0 CT: 12th minute HV Goal by Elise Fugowski
HV 2-0 CT: 21st minute HV Goal by Elise Fugowski (Assist: Angelika Johansson)
HV 3-0 CT: 41st minute HV Goal by Whitney Palmer (Assist: Angelika Johansson)
HV 4-0 CT: 57th minute HV Goal by Whitney Palmer (Assist: Angelika Johansson)
HV 5-0 CT: 67th minute HV Goal by Brittany Taylor (Assist: Angelika Johansson)
Please direct all media inquiries to Jeff Kassouf, Director of Communications for the Hudson Valley Quickstrike Lady Blues.
Wildcats and Freedom Battle in Mercer County
Official Press Release (New Jersey Wildcats)
Washington Gets the Better of Wildcats
West Windsor, N.J. (Saturday, July 11, 2009) – The New Jersey Wildcats (5-5-1) finished out their season series with the Washington Freedom (10-1-0) today at Mercer County Community College, with the Freedom securing a 3-0 victory. Slowed by a handful of injuries, the Wildcats fought hard in this contest but were unable to catch any lucky bounces in their favor.
“Matches like this are tough to take, but I know that we can bounce back,” Wildcats head coach Dave Barbour commented. “Our effort was decent at times in the first half, but we had a tough second half. I know this team will refocus, and it’s not something that we can’t work out.”
New Jersey did move the ball well throughout the first half, but they would end up on the wrong side of an unfortunate break in the 26th minute when Washington midfielder Jennifer Parson made good on a connection with fellow midfielder Sandra Matute. That 1-0 tally would stand until the referee blew the whistle for intermission.
The Wildcats had their best opportunity of the evening in the 51st minute when a streaking Rachel Breton broke loose on the left flank, and she then delivered a solid push to striker Jess Fuccello. The UPenn product then struck the ball towards the net, but her attempt would go just inches wide of her target. A Washington goal three minutes later and an additional stoppage time score would hang the final count in this match, 3-0.
Next up for New Jersey is a Saturday road pairing with the division leading Hudson Valley Quickstrike (9-0-1) before the Wildcats finish out the season with a pair at home next Saturday and Sunday.
“We head into a very tough environment to play a difficult game this Wednesday,” Barbour stated. “We must remain very focused on our defensive responsibilities, and we have to play aggressive and smart. We must do our best to not allow opportunities, and hopefully we can steal an opportunity ourselves.”
New Jersey will then host the New York Magic at 7:00 p.m. on Saturday night and the Connecticut Passion at 4:00 p.m. the following day. Tickets are available now by calling (732) 963-9769.
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