BRYC 95 Elite & VSA Heat Blue Crowned 2012 US Youth Soccer National Champions

ROCK HILL, S.C. (July 29, 2012) - The remaining 2012 US Youth Soccer National Champions were crowned today at Manchester Meadows, in Rock Hill, S.C., where the country’s the top teams in the Under-16  through Under-18 Boys and Under-16 through Under-19 Girls age groups met to conclude the final stage of the 2012 US Youth Soccer National Championship Series, presented by the National Guard. After this week's three days of preliminary play, the top two teams played today for their respective national title.

The National Guard's partnership with US Youth Soccer is focused on enriching the soccer experience by positively influencing players and coaches in areas of leadership and character development while adding a strong presence of American pride.

Last night, the Under-14 through Under-15 Boys and Girls National Championships were played in addition to the 77^th annual James P. McGuire Cup televised nationally on FOX Soccer.  Complete recap of last night’s games are available here.

Stories, photos and videos are available following games at http://championships.usyouthsoccer.org/.

Two teams representing Virginia where named National Champions of their age groups: Under-17 Girls:  VSA Heat Blue and Under-16 Girls:  BRYC 95 Elite.

Kickers Split Weekend Series led by Yomby brace

RICHMOND, VA – Two goals from defender William Yomby gave the Richmond Kickers a split of the weekend series on Saturday night as the home side held on to a 2-1 win against the Charlotte Eagles.  Richmond’s victory ended Charlotte’s six game winning streak and pulled the Kickers back into sole possession of the sixth and final USL-PRO playoff spot.

Richmond nearly took the lead off an own-goal in the 8^th minute after Charlotte’s Devon Grousis misplayed a passback to his own goalkeeper.  Grousis overhit a high, looping header over Eagles keeper Clint Irwin, but the ball ricocheted harmlessly off the left post and back into a relieved Irwin’s arms.

Five minutes later, though, Yomby seized a moment of opportunity to pull the Kickers ahead.  A Philippe Davies corner kick rebounded off the arm of a Charlotte defender in the box, giving Richmond a shout for a penalty kick.  As referee Matthew Franz waved off the protests, Yomby charged on to the loose ball at the top of the box and one-timed a low, hard shot through traffic and past Irwin. 

The 13^th minute goal seemed to spur the Eagles on, but they were unable to beat Pascale.  With a half hour gone, space opened up in the middle of the field as both teams looked tired from the stress of back-to-back games in oppressive humidity, and neither team threatened before the half.

Yomby’s offensive opportunism allowed Richmond to double the lead ten minutes after halftime.  Davies again swung a corner into the Charlotte box, sending the ball past a Charlotte defender for a diving Yomby to power a header past Irwin.

Charlotte again seemed to find energy despite falling two goals behind.  The Eagles pulled back within one in the 73^rd minute after Richmond’s Luke Vercollone cleared a ball to the center of the pitch.  Grousis, spotting teammate Jorge Herrera unmarked near the top of the area, one-timed a long ball back into Richmond territory.  An onrushing Herrera was able to control the ball before sending a well-placed shot past Pascale into the top right corner.

The Eagles continued to pile forward after the goal, sending in a number of dangerous crosses but failing to get a clean shot on target.  Grousis, appearing again in the thick of things, attempted to volley Herrera’s corner toward the net, but sent it wide.  As time expired, the Kickers were finally able to maintain possession and run out the clock.  The teams split the season series with two wins each.

The Kickers return to City Stadium next Friday, August 3, for the first of three late season matches against Antigua Barracuda FC.  Featuring several players from the Antigua and Barbuda National Team, a World Cup Qualifying opponent of the United States, the last place Barracudas fell to Richmond 1-0 last July in their only previous meeting.  Kickoff for next Friday’s match is slated for 7:00 p.m. and tickets are available in advance at RichmondKickers.com.

  

Box Score             First Half         Second Half             Final

Richmond                     1                      1                      2

Charlotte                       0                      1                      1

Scoring Summary

13^th minute: Richmond: William Yomby

55^th minute: Richmond: William Yomby (Philippe Davies)

73^rd minute: Charlotte:  Jorge Herrera

Lineups

Kickers: GK Ronnie Pascale, William Yomby, Shane Johnson, Henry Kalungi, Luke Vercollone, Sascha Gorres, Mike Callahan (Gerson Dos Santos 83’), Stanley Nyazamba (Mike Burke – 83’), Philippe Davies (Ryan Heins – 61’), David Bulow (Christopher Agorsor – 61’), Matthew Delicate (Nozomi Hiroyama – 90’)

Eagles: GK Clint Irwin, Cheyne Roberts (Luke Williams – 67’), Mark Bloom, Devon Grousis, Josh Rife, Judson McKinney (Joseph Kabwe – 73’), Jorge Herrera, Miguel Ferrer (Nate Thornton – 54’), Juan Guzman, Darryl Roberts (Mauricio Salles – 60’), Brad Stisser (Christian Meza – 54’)

Shots                           Saves                           Fouls                           Corners

Eagles:         6              Eagles:            2             Eagles:        9              Eagles:     12          

Kickers:        6              Kickers:          3             Kickers:       10            Kickers:      5                 

Cautions:

42^nd minute: Vercollone (Richmond)

75^th minute: Herrera (Charlotte)

Ejections:

None

Referee:                                                Matthew Franz

Assistant Referees:                               Robert Velbis, Matthew Nelson

Fourth Official:                                     Michael Samaan

Attendance:                                          1,791

Weather:                                               Sunny, Humid 87º

Three from Virginia Named to U.S. Paralympic National Team

Virginia will be well represented on the upcoming U.S. Paralympic National Team roster with defender Chad Jones (Virginia Beach, Va.), and midfielders Adam Ballou (Virginia Beach, Va.) and Jerreme Wade (Chesapeake, Va.) making it onto the 12-man roster.

Named as alternates where midfielder Nick Creasey (Richmond, Va.) and forward Charlie Howard (Washington, D.C.).

U.S. Paralympic National Team Head Coach Jay Hoffman Selects 12-Player Roster for 2012 Paralympic Games

D.C. United Women Head Coach Mike Jorden named Coach of the Year Finalist

D.C. United Women head coach Mike Jorden has been named a finalist for 2012 W-League Coach of the Year. Jorden will be leading his team in semifinals action this upcoming weekend in Ottawa, Ontario.



D.C. United Women Head Coach Mike Jorden



Courtesy of USLSoccer.com

TAMPA, Fla. – The W-League today announced the finalists for its 2012 regular season honors. The awards for Most Valuable Player, Rookie of the Year, Defender of the Year, Goalkeeper of the Year and Coach of the Year will be presented at Saturday’s Media & Awards Banquet at the 2012 W-League Championship presented by Umbro in Ottawa, Ontario.

A total of nine W-League teams are represented among the finalists, with the Pali Blues leading the way with six nominations. Pali goalkeeper Anna Maria Picarelli, named to the All-League Team Tuesday, is a nominee for both MVP and Goalkeeper of the Year. Ten of the nominees will participate in the 2012 W-League Championship final four Friday and Sunday in Ottawa.

The host Ottawa Fury boast a pair of award finalists – Katrina-Lee Gorry for Rookie of the Year and Jasmine Phillips for Goalkeeper of the Year. The Seattle Sounders Women, North Jersey Valkyries and Charlotte Lady Eagles also have a pair of finalists each. 

Votes for W-League honors are submitted by W-League team management and finalists are determined by All-Conference voting.  

2012 W-League Award Finalists

MVP

Grace Hawkins, Long Island Rough Riders

Veronica Perez, Seattle Sounders Women

Anna Maria Picarelli, Pali Blues

Rookie of the Year

Katherine Courter, North Jersey Valkyries

Katrina-Lee Gorry, Ottawa Fury

Michelle Pao, Pali Blues 

Lynn Williams, Pali Blues

                  

Defender of the Year

Sasha Andrews, Pali Blues

Stephanie Cox, Seattle Sounders Women

Cindy Walsh, Laval Comets

Goalkeeper of the Year

Robyn Jones, Charlotte Lady Eagles

Jasmine Phillips, Ottawa Fury

Anna Maria Picarelli, Pali Blues

Coach of the Year

Samir Ghrib, Quebec City Amiral

Lee Horton, Charlotte Lady Eagles

Mike Jorden, D.C. United Women

Charlie Naimo, Pali Blues

Mark White, North Jersey Valkyries

Trio of D.C. United Women named to Super-20 All-Tournament Team

Mónica Mendes (D), Lindsey Lane (M), and Stephanie Hamilton (F) where all named to the Womens' Super-20 All-Tournament Team.

Courtesy of USLSoccer.com

TAMPA, Fla. -- The Super-20 League announced its 2012 North American Finals All-Tournament Team today, honoring Colorado Rapids forward Karisa Price as the Finals’ Most Valuable Player for leading her team to the championship this past weekend at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida.

Price scored four goals in group play and assisted the game-winning goal in the Final for Colorado, just missing out on the Golden Boot Award. Her tireless work-rate in tracking back defensively and chasing down every loose ball stood out to observers. She is joined on the All-Tournament Team by two teammates: defender Renee Hurd and Safe Hands Award-winning goalkeeper Hannah Clark. USL National Technical Director Peter Mellor characterized the three players’ performances throughout the tournament as vital to the Rapids’ championship.

“Renee is very tactically aware,” Mellor said. “She was able to win the ball and knew where to go with it. Karisa Price can run for days and has the ability to beat defenders and get to goal.”

D.C. United, which lost to Colorado in the Final 1-0, is represented on the All-Tournament Team by defender Mónica Mendes, midfielder Lindsey Lane, and Golden Boot Award-winner Stephanie Hamilton. Hamilton recorded four goals and two assists, including a hat trick in D.C.’s 5-1 win against TSF Academy. Mendes scored the late, game-winning goal in United’s first group match against the Ottawa Fury and was part of a back line that conceded only five times in four games.

Defender Marisa Kozikowski and midfielder Julianne Boyle helped Force Football Club Academy remain undefeated during group play, as Boyle scored two goals and Kozikowski linked play from the back well. Midfielder Emily Gingrich of Reading United AC recorded two goals and an assist and put in three outstanding performances for the Mid Atlantic Division club.

Triangle FC forward Ashley Clark could not help her team to a back-to-back championship, but was able to score two important goals to keep Triangle from an early exit. Midfielder Sydney Braun-McLeod was a constant threat to the Ottawa Fury’s opposition with her speed, earning her berth to the All-Tournament Team based on her group-play performance.

Women’s Super-20 League All-Tournament Team
GK – Hannah Clark, Colorado Rapids
D – Renee Hurd, Colorado Rapids
D – Mónica Mendes, D.C. United Women
D – Marisa Kozikowski, Force Football Club Academy
M – Julianne Boyle, Force Football Club Academy
M – Emily Gingrich, Reading United AC
M – Lindsey Lane, D.C. United Women
M – Sydney Braun-McLeod, Ottawa Fury
F – Ashley Clark, Triangle FC
F – Stephanie Hamilton, D.C. United Women
F – Karisa Price, Colorado Rapids

Tribe name Lorraine Quinn Assistant Coach

Courtesy TribeAthletics.com 

Tue, July 24, 2012

WILLIAMSBURG, Va. - William and Mary women's soccer head coach John Daly announced the hiring of Lorraine Quinn to the position of assistant coach on Tuesday.  Quinn comes to the College from Durham University in the United Kingdom where she served as an assistant women's soccer coach.

Thoughts From Head Coach John Daly

"Lorraine has played at a very high level and will be a valuable addition to the coaching staff.  She represented the U.S. National Team on the U19, U20 and U23 levels."

For the past year, Quinn served as an assistant at the prestigious Durham University in the United Kingdom.  Her responsibilities at Durham included scheduling, traveling, individual player records, recruiting, training sessions, budget management and film.  During her tenure, Quinn helped guide Durham to a Futsal National Championship in 2011.

A native of Farmingdale, N.Y., Quinn enjoyed an outstanding collegiate career at Duke University where she was a midfielder for the Blue Devils.  A well decorated player at Duke, Quinn was an All-ACC selection three times (2008, 2007, 2004).  In 2007, she garnered All-America honors and was an All-Southeast Region selection on three occasions (2008, 2007, 2004).  In the Duke record books, Quinn ranks first in games played (91) and second in games started (89).  In 2008, she was a member of the championship U.S. U-23 Nordic Cup team that defeated Germany, 3-0, in the tournament finale.

Quinn's success reached beyond the limits of the playing field, as she was a member of the ACC All-Academic Team in 2007 and 2008.  She also made her way onto ACC Honor Roll in 2007 and 2008.  Upon graduation from Duke, Quinn worked elite youth soccer camps at Duke University, Princeton University and the Riley Soccer School of Excellence.  She also served as a volunteer assistant coach for the varsity men's soccer team at Farmingdale High School in 2009.      

Quinn graduated from Duke University in 2008 with a degree in sociology.  During her time at Durham University, Quinn received her Master's in Business Management. 

Kickers Forward Delicate named USL PRO Player of the Week

TAMPA, Fla. – USL PRO announced its Team of the Week for week 16 of the 2012 season today, honoring Richmond Kickers forward Matt Delicâte as Player of the Week after he broke the club’s all-time goal-scoring record with a late finish in the Kickers’ 2-0 win against the Dayton Dutch Lions on Saturday night.

A stalwart with the Kickers, and now in his second spell with the club, the 30-year-old broke the record held by former Kickers player and current President of the club’s Board of Governors Rob Ukrop with his 64^th goal for the club. The goal came in the final minute after Delicâte himself had been brought down in the Dutch Lions penalty area to earn a penalty kick, which he dispatched into the back of the net.



Matthew Delicate, Richmond Kickers

 The goal was Delicâte’s fourth of this season, and helped the Kickers take sole possession of the sixth and final playoff place in the USL PRO standings. The 2011 All-League selection told the Richmond Times-Dispatch’s Vic Dorr Jr. that helping the side reach the postseason was at the front of his mind, even having broken the record.

"It's the kind of thing I'll look back on in the offseason, or after I've retired," he said. "But right now, it's not about [personal] records. Right now, it's about winning soccer matches and getting our team into the playoffs."

Delicâte was joined on the Team of the Week by Kickers teammate William Yomby, who marshaled a defense that helped goalkeeper Ronnie Pascale earn a shutout with just one save. Yomby was joined in defense by Rochester’s Lucas Fernandez, who had an outstanding game in the Rhinos’ 2-0 win against the Pittsburgh Riverhounds, and Orlando’s Luke Boden, who had both assists as City clinched a place in the playoffs with a dramatic 2-1 win against Charleston.

Orlando’s Ian Fuller, who had the game-winning goal in the Lions’ win against the Battery, was also selected, and the forward line was completed by Wilmington’s Cody Arnoux, who scored a spectacular goal from 50 yards out in the Hammerheads’ 2-0 win against Dayton on Friday night. Arnoux was joined by teammate Alex Horwath, who made five saves to earn his seventh shutout of the season.

Leading the quartet of midfielders is Harrisburg’s Tom Mellor, who scored in both of the City Islanders’ games this past week. He is joined by Rochester’s Tyler Rosenlund, who played a key role in the Rhinos’ victory against Pittsburgh, and Dayton’s Kyle Knotek, whose clever back-heel set up the Dutch Lions’ game-winning goal against Harrisburg. Rounding out the group is Charleston’s Jose Cuevas, who had a fine finish in the Battery’s contest with Orlando.

USL PRO Team of the Week

Pos	Player	Team	Highlights
GK	Alex Horwath	Wilmington	Recorded five saves for seventh shutout of season.
D	Lucas Fernandez	Rochester	Had an assist, and helped set up opener, in Rhinos’ victory
D	William Yomby	Richmond	Helped limit Dayton to one shot on goal with stout performance
D	Luke Boden	Orlando	Pair of assists keyed Lions’ dramatic victory in Charleston
M	Jose Cuevas	Charleston	Had seventh goal of season as Battery almost defeated Lions
M	Tyler Rosenlund	Rochester	Controlled the midfield as Rhinos regained second place
M	Kyle Knotek	Dayton	Fine assist allowed Dayton to take victory against Harrisburg
M	Tom Mellor	Harrisburg	Had two goals, including game-winner against Pittsburgh
F	Cody Arnoux	Wilmington	Spectacular finish helped Hammerheads maintain home record
F	Matt Delicâte	Richmond	Late goal clinched victory, broke club’s all-time scoring record
F	Ian Fuller	Orlando	Dramatic game-winner clinched playoff berth for Lions

Honorable Mention –Charleston: Tony Donatelli; Dayton: Gerrit-Jan Bartels, Matt Williams; Harrisburg: Lucky Mkosana; Orlando: Matt Luzunaris, Jamie Watson; Pittsburgh: Matt Kassel; Richmond: Ryan Heins, Sascha Goerres; Rochester: Andrew Hoxie, JC Banks; Wilmington: Dylan Riley, Corey Hertzog.

United Academy Defender Trey Vinson named to u14 U.S. Camp

D.C. United Academy defender Trey Vinson chosen by U.S. under-14 boys national team head coach Hugo Perez as one of 36 players for the training camp July 29-Aug. 5 at The Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif. The squad includes 15 players from California and four each from New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

Under-14 Boys' National Team Meets for Training Camp at The Home Depot Center

Junior Flores Named to U.S. Men's U17 Camp Roster

Junior Flores | Manassasa, VA

Junior Flores (McLean Youth Soccer) has been selected by U.S. under-17 men’s national team head coach Richie Williams to participate in the upcoming week-long training camp July 22-29 at The Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif. The 40-player roster includes Twenty players who were part of the 2012 spring semester at the U-17 Residency Program in Bradenton, Fla.

See Full Roster Click HERE

InsideNOVA.com: Junior Flores signs four-year contract with pro soccer team overseas

Brice Colcombe, FASA Selected to Super-20 All-Tournament Team



Brice Colcombe, FASA



Brice Colcombe of Virginia club FASA was named to the Super-20 League All-Tournament team.

Official USL Soccer Release:

TAMPA, Fla. – The Super-20 League announced its 2012 North American Finals All-Tournament Team today, honoring Chicago Fire midfielder Felipe Cortez as the Finals’ Most Valuable Player for leading his side to the championship this past weekend at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida.

Cortez scored a goal and recorded three assists in five games for Chicago, but it was his all-around play throughout the tournament that led to him being named MVP. Jacob Brindle, also of the Midwest Division club, was the tournament’s leading scorer with five goals and was awarded the Golden Boot Award. He joins Cortez as a member of the All-Tournament Team. Even though the Fire scored 14 goals during the Finals, their defense was also tremendously important in winning the title. Peter Beasley was named for his contributions at the back as well as going forward.

Midfielder Kofi Agyapong and defender Ross Friedman make the All-Tournament Team from the Crew Juniors, the other Finalists in the Men’s division. The Fire’s rivals let in one goal before the 3-1 defeat to Chicago and it was Friedman who earned special praise from USL National Technical Director Peter Mellor.

“I’ve seen him hit a 60-yard diagonal ball and hit his target time after time,” Mellor said. “It’s also the quality of the ball. He’s a great talent.”

The Safe Hands Award was awarded to the best goalkeeper of the tournament, Zachary Bennett of Texas Football Club. The division-winners from the Mid South lost a close 1-0 semifinal against the Crew Juniors and had Bennett to thank for making it out of the group stage.

The other semifinalist, FASA, was led by defender Brice Colcombe. Knoxville Soccer Academy midfielder Andrew Palumbo had two assists as his team failed to make it out of the same group as the Chicago Fire. Three Southeast Division teams also have representatives on the All-Tournament Team: midfielder Ellis Curry of the VSI Tampa Flames, midfielder Marco Lobo of IMG, and midfielder Matthew Campbell of Tampa Bay United.

Men’s Super-20 League All-Tournament Team

GK – Zachary Bennett, Texas Football Club

D – Ross Friedman, Crew Juniors

D – Brice Colcombe, FASA

D – Peter Beasley, Chicago Fire

M – Marco Lobo, IMG

M – Ellis Curry, VSI Tampa Flames

M – Andrew Palumbo, Knoxville Soccer Academy

M – Matthew Campbell, Tampa Bay United

M – Kofi Agyapong, Crew Juniors

M – Felipe Cortez, Chicago Fire

F – Jacob Brindle, Chicago Fire

D.C. United Academy Players Recognized

U.S. Soccer Development Academy released the end-of-year awards for the 2011-2012 and a few member of the D.C. United Academy system received recongition for a great season.

Development Academy Announces 2011-12 End of Year Awards

East Conference U-17/18:Goalkeeper: Alex Bono, Empire United
Defender: Dakota Edwards, Albertson SC
Defender: Malcolm Harris, Baltimore Bays Chelsea
Defender: Quincy Thomas, PA Classics
Defender: Patrick Foss, D.C. UnitedMidfielder: Collin Martin, D.C. UnitedMidfielder: Dominik Machado, New England Revolution
Midfielder: Mael Corboz, New York Red Bulls
Forward: Stefanos Stamoulacatos, Empire United
Forward: Brandon Allen, New York Red Bulls
Forward: Christiano Francois, Players Development Academy

East Conference Coach of the Year (U-17/18): Ben Cross, Empire United
East Conference Player of the Year (U-17/18): Stefanos Stamoulacatos, Empire United

East Conference U-15/16:Goalkeeper: Zack Steffen, FC DELCO
Defender: Dylan Greenberg, Albertson SC
Defender: Suliaman Dainkeh, D.C. UnitedDefender: Bryce Cregan, PA Classics
Defender: Christian Sady, New England Revolution
Midfielder: Jacori Hayes, Baltimore Bays Chelsea
Midfielder: Adam Najem, New York Red Bulls
Midfielder: Romilio Hernandez, Baltimore Bays Chelsea
Forward: Amando Moreno, New York Red Bulls
Forward: Frantzdy Pierrot, Seacoast United
Forward: Junior Rosero, NY Cosmos Academy

D.C. United Women Advance to W-League Semifinals

D.C. United Women won two games this past weekend setting themselves up for a W-League semifinals match against Ottawa in Ontario next Sunday.

TAMPA, Fla. – The participants for the 2012 W-League Championship presented by Umbro have been set, with the D.C. United Women, Quebec City Amiral and Pali Blues set to join the host Ottawa Fury for Friday’s semifinals at the Algonquin College Soccer Complex in Ottawa, Ontario. The semifinal winners will advance to the 2012 W-League Championship final at 4 p.m. Sunday.

Both of Friday’s semifinal matchups and Sunday’s championship will be available live on USL Live on UNATION (www.uslnation.com).

The Pali Blues earned their third trip to the final four in their five-year history thanks to a 1-0 victory against the Seattle Sounders Women in Sunday’s Western Conference Final.  Lynn Williams scored the lone goal of the match for Pali, which used the league’s stingiest defense to keep Seattle off the board.

Pali will enter the championship weekend as the top seed and will face the No. 4-seeded Quebec City Amiral, who earned their first trip to the W-League Championship via a thrilling penalty-kick victory against the Laval Comets in the Central Conference playoffs Sunday. With the game knotted at 1-1 following regulation and overtime, Quebec City prevailed 5-4 on PKs to advance.

 

The No. 2-seeded D.C. United Women captured their first Eastern Conference title in only their second season Sunday with a clinical 3-0 victory against the Charlotte Lady Eagles, and will face No. 3-seeded Ottawa, which finished the regular season atop the Central Conference standings at 10-2-0. Ottawa is always formidable on its home turf, having its 30-game home undefeated streak snapped the final weekend of the regular season.

Of the participants, Pali is the only squad to have captured a W-League title, having taken back-to-back crowns in 2008-09. Ottawa previously hosted the W-League Championship in 2004, with the Vancouver Whitecaps taking the crown. Since joining the W-League in 2000, the Fury have amassed a record of 126-25-16 collecting nine division titles, five conference championships, seven final four appearances and three appearances in the championship final.

The Algonquin College Soccer Complex is the year-round home of the Fury, and the $5.4 million soccer-specific facility provides an intimate environment for fans.

2012 W-League Championship presented by Umbro

At Algonquin College Soccer Complex

Ottawa, Ontario

Semifinals

Friday, July 27

#4 Quebec City Amiral vs. #1 Pali Blues, 4:30 p.m. ET

#3 Ottawa Fury vs. #2 D.C. United Women, 7:30 p.m. ET

Consolation

Sunday, July 29, 1 p.m. ET

Championship

Sunday, July 29, 4 p.m. ET

W-LEAGUE

The W-League is the first and longest-standing women’s soccer league in North American, featuring the highest level of women’s soccer in the United States and Canada. With emphasis on quality ownership, retention, league standards and player development, the W-League is the strongest, most sophisticated and best organized women’s league on and off the field. The 2012 W-League campaign features 30 teams in three regional conferences playing 12-14 regular season matches. In addition to the league’s international and professional stars, elite amateur players have the opportunity to compete in the W-League while maintaining their collegiate eligibility. The league is recognized throughout the world for providing superior competition for female players, while offering affordable family entertainment for fans throughout North America.

All-Time Leading Scorer Delicate Leads Kickers Past Dayton

RICHMOND, VA – Matthew Delicate became Richmond’s all-time leading scorer with a stoppage time penalty kick as the Kickers secured a hard-fought 2-0 victory over the Dayton Dutch Lions. 

Entering the match as a 65th minute substitute, Delicate had a number of close calls before scoring his 64th goal in a Richmond uniform.  Soon after entering, a failed clearance from a Dayton defender left the Kickers forward through on goal, but his low shot veered just left of the frame.  Delicate had another golden opportunity in the 86th minute only to have his point blank header pushed wide by Dayton keeper Matt Williams.

Delicate again threatened in the 90th but was fouled in the box by Dayton defender Jeff DeGroot.  After several minutes of protest by Dayton players culminated in a straight red card to the Dutch Lions' Gibson Bardsley, Delicate sent his spot kick past Williams to move past Rob Ukrop as the franchise’s all-time leading scorer.

The match was very much in the balance until Delicate’s goal.  Richmond took the lead in the 11th minute when Ryan Heins knocked in the rebound from a saved Sascha Gorres shot.  Running with the ball down the left, Gorres juked two Dayton defenders before unleashing a low shot from the top of the penalty box which a diving Williams could only push aside.  Arriving unmarked down the right, Heins had an easy tap-in for his first goal of the season.

Dayton picked up the pace in the minutes after the goal, twice having dangerous runs into Richmond’s penalty box deflected away by Kickers defenders.  In the 16th, Dutch Lions’ forward Eli Garner looked through on goal, only to lose the ball to a last second tackle by Yomby William. Just minutes later, Bardsley was similarly dispossessed in the box by a lunging Jason Yeisley.

The match settled down for the remainder of the first half as an open midfield left each side with plenty of possession, but few actual attempts on goal.  The likeliest scorer was Kickers forward Chris Agorsor, who had a number of promising runs called back for offside.

Both teams came out with plenty of energy in the second half and Richmond thought they had gone two up in the 47th minute after Agorsor teed up Gorres at the top of the area.  Gorres settled the ball and checked left before sending a shot in past Williams, but the goal was called back after an offside Agorsor was ruled to have blocked the Dayton keeper’s view of the shot.

Dayton maintained plenty of possession during the second half and had a number of dangerous runs, but they failed to trouble Richmond goalkeeper Ronnie Pascale who tallied his fifth clean sheet of the season.

After traveling to Charlotte for a match on Friday evening, the Richmond Kickers return to City Stadium to host the Charlotte Eagles next Saturday, July 28 at 7:00 p.m.  Gates open at 5:30 for Food Truck Fest, where some of Richmond’s best food trucks will provide fans with a chance to sample unique and gourmet foods.  Scheduled to headline the event are local favorites including Habanero’s, Cupcakes & Tacos, Kona Ice, Dress and Press, La Milpa, Curbside, King of Pops and Richmond legend Boka Truck.  Tickets are just $5.00 per person before 6:30 p.m. and are available in advance from RichmondKickers.com with promotional code FOODTRUCK.  




Nike 5 Gato Leather Men's IC Soccer Shoes

 

Box Score             First Half         Second Half             Final
Richmond                     1                      1                      2
Dayton                         0                      0                      0

Scoring Summary
11th minute: Richmond: Ryan Heins (Sascha Gorres)
90th minute: Richmond: Matthew Delicate (PK)

Lineups
Kickers: GK Ronnie Pascale, William Yomby, Shane Johnson, Henry Kalungi, Jason Yeisley, Luke Vercollone, Gerson Dos Santos (Nozomi Hiroyama – 65’), Sascha Gorres, Ryan Heins (Mike Burke – 65’), Philippe Davies (Edson Elcock – 45’), Christopher Agorsor (Matthew Delicate – 65’)

Riverhounds: GK Matt Williams, Taylor Lord (Michael Earman – 83’), Gregory Preciado, Mettin Copier, Shane Smith (Jeff DeGroot – 45’), Joel DeLass, Kyle Knotek (Toric Robinson – 59’), Mikael McNamara (Daniel Holowaty – 65’), Eric Kissinger (Gerrit-Jan Bartels – 76’), Gibson Bardsley, Eli Garner

Shots                           Saves                           Fouls                             Corners
Dutch Lions:      5          Dutch Lions:      5          Dutch Lions:      11         Dutch Lions:      2
Kickers:           10         Kickers:            1           Kickers:             5          Kickers:            3

Cautions:
32nd minute: Davies (Richmond)
48th minute: Williams (Dayton)
85th minute: DeLass (Dayton)
90th minute: DeGroot (Dayton)

Ejections:
90th minute: Bardsley (Dayton)

Referee:                                                Jim Sadowski
Assistant Referees:                               Kai Goodrich, James Walker
Fourth Official:                                     Moo Hackett
Attendance:                                          1510

Weather:                                               Overcast, Rain 75º

Richmond Kickers Host Dayton Dutch Lions Saturday

KICKERS HOST DAYTON SATURDAY

Present Avery Spence Youth Community Service Award at Halftime

RICHMOND, VA – (Wednesday, July 18, 2012) – The Richmond Kickers return to Richmond City Stadium this Saturday, July 21 to host the Dayton Dutch Lions.  Kickoff is slated for 7:00 p.m. and the first 250 fans through the gate will receive a cooler bag, courtesy of Challa Law Offices, PLC.  The second annual Avery Spence Youth Community Service Award will be presented to a youth soccer player during halftime and admission is just $7.00, in advance at RichmondKickers.com.

The Kickers battle the Dutch Lions this Saturday for the sixth time in history, and for the second time during the 2012 campaign, having last met in Dayton on May 5.  Kickers midfielder David Bulow converted a stoppage time penalty kick to salvage a point on the road in a 1-1 draw.  Trailing for 90 minutes, the Kickers conceded a goal in the second minute when forward Gibson Bardsley connected on a Joel DeLass cross. 

Previously, the two clubs met three times during 2011 regular season action and once during last season’s U.S. Open Cup tournament, with the Kickers sweeping the series 4-0.  The Kickers last hosted the Dutch Lions at Richmond City Stadium on August 6, 2011 when the home side handed the then-USL PRO expansion franchise a 3-0 scoreline.

Most recently, the Kickers are coming off a decisive 3-1 win over the Pittsburgh Riverhounds.  Defender William Yomby earned USL PRO Team of the Week honors after notching his first goal of the season to open scoring at City Stadium before Matthew Delicâte converted his 63^rd career goal, to draw even with the club’s all-time leading scorer, Rob Ukrop.

Earning a much-needed three points last weekend, the Kickers now reside in a three-way tie for sixth place in the standings, alongside the Charlotte Eagles and Los Angeles Blues, with a record of 6-6-5 and 23 points.  Off to a slow start in their sophomore USL PRO campaign, the Dutch Lions join in the battle for playoff positioning, currently trailing the Kickers by 10 points with a record of 2-8-7 following a scoreless draw against the fifth-place Harrisburg City Islanders last week on the road.  Dayton goalkeeper Matt Williams was named USL PRO Goalkeeper of the Week for his heroic eight-save performance against the City Islanders to preserve his fourth clean sheet of the season.

Saturday’s match-up concludes a grueling three-game road swing for the Dutch Lions who must first travel to Harrisburg on Wednesday, July 18 and to Wilmington on Friday, July 20 before finishing the two-game home and away regular season series against the Kickers on Saturday.

USL PRO Playoff Structure

The 2012 USL PRO Playoffs will include the top six finishers in the table, with the top two seeds receiving a first-round bye the weekend of August 24-26.  The semifinals, featuring the four remaining teams, will be played the following weekend, with the 2012 USL PRO Championship set for the weekend of September 7-9.  All playoff rounds will implement a single-game knockout format.

 Players to Watch

Kickers:  Prolific goal scorer Matthew Delicâte (#7) is on the verge of becoming the club’s all-time leading scorer, having tied Rob Ukrop’s franchise record (63) last Saturday against the Pittsburgh Riverhounds with this third goal of the 2012 campaign.  The veteran forward has posted over 11,000 minutes in 153 appearances with the Kickers over six seasons, notching at least 13 goals in each of his last three seasons.  Stalwart defender
William Yomby (#2) contributed on both sides of the ball during last week’s 3-1 win over Pittsburgh, stifling the Riverhounds attack while netting a pass from Gerson Dos Santos to open scoring.  Earning USL PRO Team of the Week honors for his offensive efforts, the 6’4” defender has made 14 appearances this season, contributing to four shutouts.  Newcomer Philippe Davies (#20) is expected to join the lineup this week, signing with the Kickers just days before the USL PRO roster freeze.  The Canadian international made 29 appearances with the Vancouver Whitecaps (USL-1/USSF D2) over two seasons, before signing as the first-ever homegrown and Canadian player with the Major League Soccer side in 2010.

  

Dutch Lions:  Featuring in every minute of every game played during the 2012 season, midfielder Joel DeLass has notched one goal this season and added an assist against the Kickers last May.  Signing with Dayton in 2011, he spent one season with the Charlotte Eagles.  Fellow former Charlotte player Gibson Bardsley (#17) is second on the team with seven points on three goals and one assist.  He was responsible for a 2^nd minute tally against the Kickers earlier this season and most recently, scored the game-winning goal in the Dutch Lions 4-0 victory over the Wilmington Hammerheads last month.  Matt Williams (#30) earned USL PRO Goalkeeper of the Week honors this week after posting an impressive eight saves against the Harrisburg City Islanders to earn his fourth shutout of the season.  Protecting the nets for every minute of every game for the Dutch Lions in 2012, the former University of Cincinnati standout leads the league in the saves category with 83 saves and is ranked fourth with a goals against average of 1.176.

Avery Spence Youth Community Service Award

The Richmond Kickers will present the second annual Avery Spence Youth Community Service Award to a youth soccer player during the Kickers pro game versus the Dayton Dutch Lions this Saturday, July 21.  The Avery Spence Youth Community Service Award was established to honor Kickers youth player, Avery Spence, who was tragically killed in an automobile accident on May 1, 2011.  In honor of Avery’s #7 jersey, admission to the Kickers pro game will be $7.00 per person, in advance at RichmondKickers.com (enter promo code “AVERY” at checkout).

A longstanding member of the Richmond Kickers youth club, Avery started with the Kickers rec program when she was nine years old, progressing with arguably the best girls team in the Kickers Elite girls program over the past seven seasons.  A committed volunteer since the age of 13, Avery donated countless hours throughout the Richmond community, participating in over 50 youth soccer clinics, Meals on Wheels, caroling to senior citizens, as well as working with the Kickers ADP program for six and seven year olds.  She was in the academic top ten in her class at Manchester High School and was heading to Virginia Tech to pursue a career in dentistry.  Avery had a love for life, sharing her time and talent with kids of all ages.

Each year, the Richmond Kickers will present the Avery Spence Youth Community Service Award to the Kickers youth player that has demonstrated outstanding commitment to the youth community in Richmond.  Criteria will be based on volunteer involvement, commitment, leadership and athletic and academic achievements. 

About Challa Law Offices, PLC

A Richmond, Virginia based law firm specializing in business in immigration law, Challa Law Offices was established by Lakshmi and Shekar Challa in December 2001.  Lakshmi Challa has been practicing immigration law exclusively for over sixteen years. The firm focuses on providing solutions-directed business immigration strategies for a wide range of clients around the globe by leveraging state-of-the-art case management technologies and outstanding client service.  Challa Law Offices specializes in employment-based, temporary and permanent resident visas for business professionals, assisting international companies/individuals in setting up their business in the U.S. as well as family-based temporary and permanent resident visas.

Top Drawer Soccer names Doniak, Meier Top Freshmen to Watch

TopDrawerSoccer.com has released their list of Ten Freshmen to watch in Women's Soccer.

Making the list where University of Virginia F Makenzy Doniak and Virginia Tech MF/D Ashley Meier.

F Makenzy Doniak, Virginia
Seven starters are returning for Virginia, and the addition of an explosive player like Doniak is going to help the program maintain its high level. The California native is on the fringe of the U20 WNT roster for the World Cup, and if she doesn’t make it, there’s little doubt Doniak will be one of the best newcomers in the college game this fall.

Her ability to change games with her speed and finishing ability is matched by few, and she’s going to be a handful for ACC defenses.

MF/D Ashley Meier, Virginia Tech
Landing a player of Meier’s caliber was a huge boost for Virginia Tech, who compiled a winning record but couldn’t climb high in the competitive ACC. Meier is a versatile player capable of playing as a center back or as a central midfielder, bringing quality to that part of the field.

She’s another player in this group on the bubble for the U20 Women’s World Cup team, which would certainly leave a void for Tech if she makes the team.

Women's soccer Fitted Hoodie

38 VYSA Girls Selected to ODP Region I Pool



OFFICIAL VYSA ANNOUNCEMENT:

The VYSA is proud to announce that 38 ODP girls (the same amount as the boys) have been identified as some of the best players in their age group and thus, selected into the Region I Pool Team. They competed against the top players from the 15 Northeastern states making up Region I. We are very proud of these girls as they first came on the radar screen through their outstanding performances at the Region Tournament at Rider University, NJ in early June. They then recently followed that up with a 2nd player identification event where they attended the Region camp at University of Rhode Island. While there they were under the direction and tutelage of the Region staff coaches themselves.

Franklin Tournament Soccer Goal

These players will now be brought into a four day call back camp where they will be eligible to be named to the top 18 players and a member to the prestigious Region I Team. The Region Team competes against the other three regions in the US in an attempt to make the National team and catch the eye of college coaches.

Congratulations to those players and the clubs from which they came.