Kickers Coach and Defender USL PRO award finalists

USL PRO has announced the finalists for its 2011 awards honoring the Most Valuable Player, Rookie of the Year, Defender of the Year, Goalkeeper of the Year and Coach of the Year from the 2011 season. The winners will be announced at Friday’s awards ceremony prior to the 2011 USL PRO Championship Game in Orlando, Florida.

Orlando City, which will face the Harrisburg City Islanders in Saturday night’s USL PRO Championship Game (7 p.m. ET, FOX Soccer), has four individuals named to the list of finalists.  The Wilmington Hammerheads have three finalists competing for awards, while the Richmond Kickers and F.C. New York each have two.

  

Votes for the USL PRO honors are submitted by USL PRO team management, and finalists are determined based on total All-League votes.

2011 USL PRO Award Finalists

   

Coach of the Year

Leigh Cowlishaw,  Richmond Kickers               

Adrian Heath, Orlando City               

David Irving, Wilmington Hammerheads

Defender of the Year

Gareth Evans, Wilmington Hammerheads                

Rob Valentino, Orlando City                                

William Yomby, Richmond Kickers

Tribe Players earn National Honors, Rookie of the Week

Tribe’s Nicolas Abrigo Earns National Honors
Courtesy TribeAthletics.com
Mon, August 29, 2011

WILLIAMSBURG, Va. - After scoring a pair of goals in the College's upset win at No. 5-ranked SMU on Saturday night, William and Mary Tribe men's soccer senior Nicolas Abrigo earned three national honors on Monday.  Abrigo was named to both the College Soccer News and Top Drawer Soccer "National Teams of the Week" and he was also named CAA Player of the Week.

The "National Team of the Week" honors are the third and fourth, respectively, in Abrigo's career, while the CAA Player of the Week accolade is his first.  Last year, Abrigo was named to both national teams on November 15 after scoring four goals in helping the Tribe win the 2010 CAA Tournament.  Dating back to last season's CAA semifinals, Abrigo has scored six goals in his last five matches.

This past Saturday (August 27) against No. 5-ranked SMU, Abrigo scored both the game tying and the game-winning goals for the Tribe in its 3-2 win.  Abrigo netted the equalizer in the 37th minute on a great cross from sophomore John Ciampa.  Then in the 60th minute, Abrigo fired a shot from 20 yards out that deflected off a SMU defender and in to the goal for the match winner.

The No. 13-ranked William and Mary Tribe men's soccer team will return home to Williamsburg to face the St. John's Red Storm on Thursday, September 1.  Kickoff at Martin Family Stadium at Albert-Daly Field is scheduled for 7 p.m.

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Tribe’s Emily Fredrikson Named CAA Rookie of the Week
Courtesy TribeAthletics.com
Mon, August 29, 2011

RICHMOND, Va. - After helping the College win the VCYU Tournament this past weekend, William and Mary Tribe women's soccer freshman Emily Fredrikson was named CAA Rookie of the Week, the league office announced on Monday.  The honor is the first in the career for Fredrikson.

Fredrikson, an Ashburn, Virginia native, was a key component in the Tribe posting a pair of shutout victories this past weekend in the VCU Tournament.  On August 26, the College beat Appalachian State, 2-0, before defeating Marshall on August 28, 4-0.  For her efforts, Fredrikson was named the VCU Tournament MVP and to the All-Tournament team.

With its 4-0 win over Marshall on August 28, the Tribe has opened the season with three-straight shutout wins for just the second time in program history.  The last time the College accomplished the feat was during the 1993 season when W&M started the year with four-straight shutout victories.

The William and Mary Tribe women's soccer team will return to Williamsburg to host the Nike Tribe Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Invitational on September 2-4.  The College will open the tournament against No. 13-ranked Georgetown on Friday, September 2.  Kickoff at Martin Family Stadium is scheduled for 7 p.m.

Yomby and Delicâte named USL PRO All-League First Team

Two members of the Richmond Kickers where selected to the 2011 USL PRO All-League First Team today. Defender William Yomby and Forward Matt Delicâte where recognised for their outstanding play this season.

USL PRO honored the top performers from an exciting and successful 2011 regular season today, naming the All-League First and Second Teams as chosen through a vote of team management.

USL PRO regular season champion Orlando City leads the way with four players selected to the First Team and a total of six players honored. The Lions, who will host Saturday’s USL PRO Championship against the Harrisburg City Islanders (7 p.m. ET, FOX Soccer), are represented at every position on the First Team after the selections of striker Maxwell Griffin, midfielder Yordany Alvarez, defender Rob Valentino and goalkeeper Miguel Gallardo.

Wilmington Hammerheads defender Gareth Evans is making his second consecutive appearance on the First Team, while Richmond Kickers defensive leader William Yomby and Richmond striker Matt Delicâte are honored for the third consecutive season. Remarkably, Charlotte Eagles set-up man Jorge Herrera is on the First Team for the fourth consecutive season after finishing second in the league in assists.

League scoring leader Jhonny Arteaga of F.C. New York was a natural choice for one of the three forward spots after tallying 13 goals and 27 points in 21 games. Rounding out the USL PRO All-League First Team is former MLS defender Nelson Akwari of the Los Angeles Blues and rookie midfield standout Luke Mulholland of Wilmington, who finished tied for second in points.

The finalists for Coach of the Year, Defender of the Year, Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player will be announced on Wednesday, August 31, with the awards being presented at the USL PRO Championship Media Luncheon on Friday, September 2 in Orlando.


2011 USL PRO All-League First Team
GK – Miguel Gallardo, Orlando City
D – Nelson Akwari, Los Angeles Blues
D – Gareth Evans, Wilmington Hammerheads
D – Rob Valentino, Orlando City
D – William Yomby, Richmond KickersMF – Yordany Alvarez, Orlando City
MF – Jorge Herrera, Charlotte Eagles
MF – Luke Mulholland, Wilmington Hammerheads
F – Jhonny Arteaga, F.C. New York
F – Matt Delicâte, Richmond KickersF – Maxwell Griffin, Orlando City

2011 USL PRO All-League Second Team
GK – Neal Kitson, Rochester Rhinos
D – George Dublin, Antigua Barracuda
D – Colin Falvey, Charleston Battery
D – Kyle Hoffer, F.C. New York
D – Troy Roberts, Rochester Rhinos
MF – Lewis Neal, Orlando City
MF – Lawson Robinson, Antigua Barracuda
MF – Jamie Watson, Orlando City
F – Jose Angulo, Harrisburg City Islanders
F – George Davis IV, Dayton Dutch Lions
F – Jason Yeisley, Pittsburgh Riverhounds

Virginia men destroy Richmond 7-1

The University of Virginia left no doubt who the number one mens team in the state is on Monday night.

The No. 11 Virginia men's soccer team scored four goals in a nine-minute span in the first half to break open a scoreless match and roll to a 7-1 win over Richmond Monday evening in front of 1,786 spectators in the home opener at Klöckner Stadium. UVa also scored three goals in a 12-minute period of the second half.

"We played well tonight and were probably a little wounded after our last game (against West Virginia)," Virginia head coach George Gelnovatch said. "Give Richmond and coach Clint Peay credit. They played very hard."

Virginia men vs. Richmond: Highlights

Will Bates scored a pair of goals and dished out two assists for Virginia (1-1-0) as he tied a career high with his six-point effort. UVa received goals from six others in rolling to the win.

True freshman Spencer LaCivita earned his first career win in goal after stopping four shots. Richmond goalkeeper Thomas Hand made eight saves. LaCivita was one of five UVa freshmen in the starting lineup and one of 11 who saw 10 or minutes of action Monday.

Virginia held a dominating 28-8 edge in shots, including a 16-5 advantage in shots on goal. Both teams attempted five corner kicks.

The teams played 27 scoreless minutes before the Cavaliers broke loose for four goals in a wild nine-minute span. Brian Span started the scoring after a great cross into the box from Bates and finished by ripping it past Hand. Just over four minutes later, Ari Dimas cranked from 25 yards out and perfectly placed it in the far left corner to push the lead to 2-0.

UVa scored 53 seconds later, as Bates lofted a cross across the box to freshman Chris Somerville, who powered home his shot from six yards out for his first career goal. Richmond (0-1-0) answered just 43 seconds later as Timmy Albright headed in a corner kick from Spencer Schiff, but UVa quickly quashed the UR momentum with another goal just over two minutes later. After Bates was pulled down in the box in the 36th minute, he was awarded a penalty kick and calmly finished it to push the UVa lead to 4-1.

UVa went 20 minutes without a goal in the second half before scoring three times in just under 12 minutes. After a great lead pass from Dimas, Bates broke away and dribbled around the goalkeeper before tapping in his second goal of the evening in the 66th minute. After a host of substitutions, the Cavalier reserves got into the act as freshman Kyle McCord, on his first career shot, slipped a goal just inside the right post off an assist from fellow rookie Calvin Rezende.

UVa concluded its scoring onslaught in the 78th minute when McCord crossed to Felipe Libreros, who touched it past Hand for the goal.

Virginia will compete in the Hilton Garden Hokie Invitational this weekend in Blacksburg. UVa will battle Cincinnati at 5 p.m. Friday before matching up with Wisconsin at noon Sunday.

Virginia Colleges make SoccerAmerica Top 25

Soccer America Men's Top 25
TEAM (2011 RECORD) LAST WEEK

19. William & Mary (1-0-0) NR
22. Virginia (0-1-0) 11
25. Old Dominion (0-0-0) 25

Soccer America Women's Top 25 (Aug. 29)
TEAM (2011 RECORD) LAST WEEK

14. Virginia (3-0-0) 15
25. Virginia Tech (4-0-0) NR