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RICHMOND, VA -- The Richmond Kickers are pleased to kickoff their 15th Anniversary with an exhibition featuring D.C. United of Major League Soccer (MLS) on Saturday, March 22, 2008 at 7:00 p.m. at the University of Richmond Stadium (just off the Downtown Expressway). This preseason exhibition will serve as DC United’s final warm-up game prior to the start of the MLS season. General admission tickets are $15/person and can be ordered in advance via www.RichmondKickers.com. “To host DC United’s first team is a wonderful way to kick-off our 15th anniversary celebration,” comments Leigh Cowlishaw, Richmond Kickers Head Coach and Vice President, Soccer Programs. “We are very honored to be able to play DC United a week before their MLS season opener. The exhibition will be challenging as our players will just have begun their preseason program but as always, I am sure they, along with our staff and fans, will be looking forward to the match up immensely.” As a charter member of MLS, four-time MLS Cup Champion (1996, 1997, 1999 and 2004) D.C. United enters its 13th season of play. This year’s exhibition will mark the ninth meeting between the two clubs with the Kickers and United splitting the series 3-3-1 (The 2006 exhibition match was terminated in the 20th minute due to lightning). United made their most recent appearance in Richmond last season for an exhibition, during which the defending USL2 Champions came away with a 3-2 victory over the MLS powerhouse. Previously, D.C. United traveled to Richmond during the U.S. Open Cup, coming away with a 3-1 victory in 2005 in the Fourth Round, one year after the Kickers ousted the Black-and-Red, 2-1, in the Third Round of the 2004 tournament. With 11 major domestic and international trophies to the team's credit, D.C. United is the most successful team in American professional soccer history. The club has won four MLS Cup championships (1996, 1997, 1999 and 2004), four Supporters' Shields (1997, 1998, 2006 and 2007), a CONCACAF Champions' Cup (1998), an InterAmerican Cup (1998) and a U.S. Open Cup title (1996). United has made the MLS Cup Playoffs nine of 12 seasons, winning 15 of 19 playoff series, and has an overall record of 24-8-2 in all playoff games. Richmond Kickers: Celebrating 15 Years of Soccer
Excellence Tickets Richmond Kickers Record Versus D.C. United Hokies Lose Patrick Nyarko To MLS Major League Soccer and adidas has announced the 2008 class
of Generation adidas players that will enter the professional ranks for
the 2008 Major League Soccer season. MLS and adidas identified nine of
the most promising soccer players in the United States. These players
signed MLS contracts before completing their NCAA eligibility and can
be selected in the upcoming 2008 MLS SuperDraft. Highlighting this year’s class are seven players
that have experience with the U.S. Youth National Teams and a finalist
for this year’s MAC Hermann Trophy, college soccer’s version
of the Heisman Trophy. Six of the nine players are leaving college early
to enter the MLS SuperDraft - Eric Avila (UC Santa Barbara),
Tony Beltran (UCLA), Chance Myers (UCLA),
Patrick Nyarko (Virginia Tech), Ciaran O’Brien
(UC Santa Barbara) and Rob Valentino (Univ. of South
Florida). Three players – Josh Lambo (Chicago Magic
FC), Alex Nimo (FC Portland) and Brek Shea
(Texans FC) – are high school students who are foregoing their college
eligibility to sign professional contracts. Player Pos. Age Hometown College/Club National
Team adidas adiPure Brian Edwards (Wake Forest University) Andrew Kartunen (Stanford University) Dominic Cervi (University of Tulsa) * Players currently with the U.S. U-23 National Team. They
will be available only for games on Sunday, Jan. 13. MLS PLAYER COMBINE GAME SCHEDULE Saturday, January 12 Virginia Tech Advances To Men’s College Cup Key defensive plays by Charlie Campbell and Patrick Nyarko's 31st career goal led the # 11 seed Virginia Tech men's soccer team at # 3 seed Connecticut Saturday afternoon at Morrone Stadium in Storrs, Conn. The Hokies entered 13-3-5 overall and 3-2-4 on the road. Tech was also 6-0-0 in day matches, and 7-1-1 in non-conference action this season. Tech was 2-2-2 all-time in the NCAA Tournament entering tonight's match. Tech took four corner kicks within the first 10 minutes but Connecticut almost converted a score when Julius James headed high of the post. The Hokies immediately raced back down the muddy field and Patrick Nyarko gained possession of a long, leading pass and weaved between a pair of Huskie defenders and delivered a 20-yard grounder that hit the far post and to the back of the net to give Tech an early 1-0 lead at 21:39. Nyarko has a team-high 26 points this season, and is now tied for the team lead in goals with seven markers as well as a team-leading 10 assists. The Kumasi, Ghana native is tied for third place on the school's all-time goals with 31 goals in 56 career games. He is also fourth place in Tech history with 86 career points. The Hokies entered the match 10-1-2 when scoring first and were 5-0-1 when Nyarko scores a goal. O'Brian White managed another UConn chance by crossing a header which went directly into the hands of Aigner 10 minutes into the second half. White had another quality chance when he missed wide left in the 61st minute. Midfielder Charlie Campbell came up with a key 'team' save of another shot by James in the 19th minute off a UConn corner kick. The Harrisburg City Islanders defeated the Richmond Kickers
8-7 in a nine-round penalty kick shootout Saturday night at the University
of Richmond Stadium after playing to a 1-1 draw through 120 minutes of
regulation and overtime. It was the fourth USL-2 title game to go past
regulation in the last five years. Richmond’s offense looked to their leader, USL Second Division MVP Mike Burke, on the right wing throughout the first half, but Harrisburg limited his one-on-one chances with quick arriving second and third defenders. Burke’s chances were limited to several trickling deflections that Nelson quickly gobbled up. Harrisburg went up 1-0 just before halftime on a goal by Ombiji. Harrisburg’s strength being defense and Richmond being down a goal, it was not surprising to see Richmond on the offensive to begin the second 45. The Kickers controlled play for a large portion of the second
half, getting consecutive chances for the first time in the 57th minute.
This chance came from a close-range free kick taken by Burke. He approached
it and bent a ball towards the upper left corner of Nelson’s goal.
The ball beat Nelson to his left, but sailed harmlessly wide of the target. Nearing crunch time in the 75th minute, Schramm leveled the Kickers 1-1 with his team-leading seventh goal of the season. But, the goal was less Schramm than it was Michael Burke, who brought down a cross from the left flank with a one-time heel pass to Schramm just outside the six yard box. Schramm had enough time to tell Burke how pretty the pass was before firing a ball past Nelson. After overtime, the headed to kicks from the mark for the second time in three years for Richmond and for the third time in the last four USL-2 Championship games. Nate Baker led off a precise, nine-round marathon between two champions that refused to bid farewell to the most competitive USL Second Division season in history. He finished into the low left corner of the net for a 1-0 Harrisburg lead. Bulow got a better look than his first opportunity and, over 110 minutes later, he proved he did have better. Lookingland and Gorres made it 2-2 in the second round, but Nelson guessed correctly in the third, making a diving save to his left to give Harrisburg an edge. Pascale would not be outdone. He stonewalled the next shot he saw to even the score back up, 3-3 going into the fifth round of kicks. Four more rounds of precise finishing followed for both clubs. Defenders and goalkeepers stepped up to the mark as every player left on the field at the end of overtime became an important part of the scoring regime. Pascale, two years after seeing his seventh round shot go off the crossbar in Seattle to give the Sounders the title, stepped to the mark in the eighth round and put it away this time. In the ninth round, defender Ryan Pierce flirted with disaster, hammering his shot centimeters under the crossbar to put Harrisburg up 8-7. Richmond defender Evan Harding stepped to the mark and tried the same trick, but the crossbar, now awakened, would have none of it. The ball ricocheted down and forward, back onto the field. Harrisburg was the champion of USL’s Second Division. “It’s tough,” said Richmond Captain and USL-2 MVP Mike Burke following the match. “This is a tough way to end a season but they deserved it. Harrisburg came in here, to our environment, to our field – and won. The game was very evenly matched, all the way down to the ninth round of penalty kicks but I am happy for them. It feels good to win like that. I have a lot of respect for them.” “I cannot ask for more,” said USL-2 Final MVP,
defender Dustin Bixler of Harrisburg. “It is the best feeling in
the world and I would not trade it for anything.” Kickers Advance To D-2 Title Game The Richmond Kickers have advanced to their sixth league
Championship appearance, hosting the Harrisburg City Islanders next Saturday,
August 25th in the title match. A hard-fought 2-1 overtime victory in
the semifinal against the Charlotte Eagles sealed the Kickers’ ticket
into to the final around. The home team applied pressure early, creating dangerous scoring opportunities in the 3rd and 6th minutes. Kickers forward David Bulow busted through the Charlotte defense minutes into the match, ending up one on one with Eagles goalkeeper Terry Boss. Bulow attempted a muffled shot that was stifled by Boss who threw himself in the line of fire. Not long after, Kickers midfielder Sascha Görres played a short corner to USL-2 Assist Leader Mike Burke. Under pressure, Burke sent the ball back to Görres, who flicked a curving ball overtop a scuffle in the box, finding defender Kelvin Jones in the air; however, Jones’ header collided with the near-side netting. The Kickers took the lead in the 14th minute when an Eagles player carried along the end line and a poor clearance was intercepted by Bulow. Bulow played the ball back to Burke at the penalty spot but Boss made a one-handed block. The ricochet fell to Watson inside the six-yard box and he tapped it in for the first goal of the night. Ten minute later, the Kickers attempted to double the score when Görres carried the ball down the left flank and sent a long, high cross to a streaking Watson at the opposite touchline. Watson settled the ball and played it back to Bulow at the top of the box but his 18-yard blast sailed inches over the woodwork. The Eagles retaliated in the 30th minute when Swinehart eluded defenders as he closed in on Kickers goalkeeper Ronnie Pascale. He hammered a shot from the right side of the box but it flew inches over Pascale’s reaching fingertips and over the target. As the halftime whistle loomed, Görres turned his man inside-out and ripped a 25 yard left-footer that whizzed past the near post and the diving ‘keeper. Charlotte picked up momentum after the restart, making the initial attempt in the 54th minute. An Eagles corner was taken from the left side and the ball hurtled into the box finding Swinehart but his diving header narrowly escaped the mark. Not long after, midfielder Adam Ruud looked dangerous, minutes after entering the match. Slicing through the Kickers defense, he sent a missile just wide left. An Eagles corner in the 83rd minute resulted in a hustle inside the box as several attempts were made to push the ball into the goal. A Swineart/Pascale collision left the Kickers netminder on the ground and a yellow card caution for Swinehart. Swinehart answered back four minutes later, netting the equalizer in the 87th minute. Forward Jamal Sutton floated a long ball from the far side of the box to Swinehart who, inches from the far post, coolly slid the ball over the goal line. The gritty affair was pushed into overtime, despite stoppage time opportunities to reclaim the lead including attempts by Jaman and Alexander as the final seconds of regulation waned. First, Jaman carried the ball down the center channel, dodging Eagles players and feeding the ball to Burke. Burke pushed it back wide to a flashing Jaman on the right flank who unleashed a powerful strike from 15 yards but it sailed well over the crossbar. Lastly, Görres lined up a free kick that was cleared by Charlotte. The rebound found midfielder Trey Alexander who one-timed a 30-yard laser, destined to shatter the stalemate but Boss was able to get a hand on it to push it wide right, keeping the Eagles in the game. Two 15-minute periods ensued, played in their entirety with the first phase providing opportunities on both sides of the pitch. First, the Kickers took possession when Görres calmly carried the ball down the field and composedly slipped it to forward Ricky Schramm at the penalty area but his strike was smothered by Boss and deflected wide by Schramm looking for a rebound. Four minutes later, Swinehart appeared dangerous again, this time curling the ball into the box from the right side. USL2 Scoring Champion Jacob Coggins laid the ball off to Sutton. Quick on his feet, Sutton’s right footed shot rifled the side netting. The stalemate was lifted minutes before the outcome was to be decided by penalty kicks when the Kickers recovered the lead in the 110th minute. Görres took a short corner to Schramm at the near post who played it back to Görres. Beating two defenders, he hammered the ball across the crowded goalmouth. Jaman was able to get a piece of the ball, flicking it over the Eagles goalkeeper and breaking the plane, despite the efforts of defenders positioned inside the goal. Kickers Host Bone Marrow Drive The Richmond Kickers will host a Bone Marrow Drive through the National Marrow Donor Program of Virginia on the main concourse during the Kickers exhibition match featuring D.C. United of Major League Soccer on Tuesday, June 19th. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. (gates open at 5:30 p.m.) at the University of Richmond Stadium. The Bone Marrow Drive will benefit former Hermitage High School and University of Illinois soccer player Laura Redmond who was diagnosed with leukemia in April. The $25.00 fee to join the registry will be waived for the first 100 people to volunteer. The National Bone Marrow Donor Program (NMDP) helps people who need a life-saving marrow or blood cell transplant, connecting patients, doctors, donors and researchers to resources they need to help more people live longer, healthier lives. The Kickers Bone Marrow Drive strives to locate potential donors not only for Redmond, but also for other leukemia patients. The initial screening process is brief and virtually painless. Participants, who must be 18 or older, will be asked to complete a short medical survey with the test requiring a cotton swabbing on the inside of the cheek. A transplant requires matching tissue types between patient and donor. These tissue types are inherited, but 70% of patients do not have a matched donor in the family. With millions of potential donors on the Registry, the likelihood of finding an unrelated donor has increased dramatically for patients of all racial and ethnic groups. Nevertheless, some patients are unable to find a match because of the rarity of their tissue types. Because tissue types are inherited, their most likely match is with someone from the same racial or ethnic group. The pressing need remains for more people who identify themselves as American Indian, Alaska Native, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, or multiple-race to volunteer as donors. For more information about bone marrow donation, contact the National Marrow Donor Program of Virginia at (804) 288-9483 or visit www.marrow.org . Top of PageVirginia Beach Mariners Terminated TAMPA, FL - United Soccer Leagues have announced the Virginia Beach Mariners USL First Division and Submariners Premier Development League franchises owned by Virginia Beach Soccer LLC (VBS) have been terminated by USL. As a result, the USL-1 team has been removed from the 2007 schedule and will not be replaced. All players under contract with the Mariners have been released and are free to sign with any team. A decision on the status of the PDL team will be made as early as next week. "This is an extremely unfortunate situation for everyone involved," said USL Executive Vice President and COO Tim Holt. "The Virginia Beach Sportsplex is an excellent facility, there is a great core of dedicated fans, and in many ways the Mariners were headed in a positive direction for the first time in several years. To have this happen in the 11th hour has been a stunning development for all, especially given the rise in the quality of ownership across the league the past few years and the stability that has come with it." "The recent ownership dispute within VBS left the organization without any source of funding. Over the past ten days we have spoken with several groups inside and outside of the market about taking over the team in advance of the 2007 season. Yet, without a firm commitment from any group or individual to finance the team for at least the upcoming season the only responsible course of action is to shut the team down for 2007, even if it is the least desirable option. While there will not be professional men's soccer in Virginia Beach this season, we continue to believe the market can support professional soccer. Although it is our goal to return to the market in 2008 with new ownership for a USL professional team, we will not do so until we are thoroughly convinced that the principals are firmly committed to owning and operating a soccer franchise for the long-term and at a level that will serve to raise the profile of our league and the sport of soccer in the area." The removal of the Mariners from the USL First Division
alignment results in a revised schedule for the 2007 season, which will
see only one home date for the remaining 12 teams changed, and in that
case by just one day. Top of PageClarke Hired To Coach Mariners The Virginia Beach Mariners are pleased to announce Colin Clarke as their new head coach. The former USL First Division coach returns after six years with FC Dallas of Major League Soccer as assistant and head coach. Clarke managed FC Dallas for the past three years. He was appointed interim coach in 2003 for the final six games and took over full time in 2004. Clarke led his team to the playoffs both in 2005 and 2006 and had the most points in MLS last season. Clarke has previously coached in the USL First Division with the nearby rival Richmond Kickers and the San Diego Flash. He led the Kickers to the playoffs in 1998 and 1999 with a total regular season record of 38-18 before moving onto the Flash where he reached the postseason again with a 16-9-3 record. Clarke’s playing career included time with the Northern Ireland National Team, which played in the 1986 FIFA World Cup. In making the announcement, Mike Sidebottom, the Mariners owner stated “Colin brings a wealth of experience and excitement to the game. His impressive record with FC Dallas set many milestones. We look forward to him carrying that winning touch with him to Virginia Beach.” Jay Hoffman, who coached the Mariners for the past two seasons, will be dedicating more of his time to the U.S.Men’s Paralympic Soccer Team in preparation for Beijing in 2008. Top of PageKickers Blank Eagles For Championship RICHMOND, Va. (Saturday, August 26, 2006) -- Strikers Robert Ssejjemba and Chris Carrieri staked Richmond to a two-goal advantage and the Kickers withstood rally to defeat the defending titlist Charlotte Eagles 2-1 and capture the United Soccer Leagues Second Division championship tonight before 3,288 at University of Richmond Stadium. It was the third title for Richmond in its 13-year history. The two others came in 1995 when the Kickers captured the rare double, taking the A-League (now the USL First Division) and U.S. Open Cup championships, but financial difficulties forced the club to drop this season one tier to third division of American soccer. Charlotte came up empty on the first good scoring chance of the match in the second minute when the ball skipped to attacker Andy Guastaferro at the top right corner of the six-yard box. Guastaferro used his first touch to drill a volley just inside the near post, but goalkeeper Ronnie Pascale was there to make the quick save. Richmond went ahead 1-0 in the ninth minute after midfielder Michael Burke, advancing on goal from the left flank, was taken down by Eagles defender Aaron Faro in his penalty area. Ssejjemba buried the subsequent penalty kick into the right side of the net as keeper Dan Benton guessed wrong and dove in the opposite direction. Midfielder Kevin Knight set up the second Kickers' second tally with a cross from the right side into the middle. Carrieri controlled it with his chest, then beat a diving Benton with a volley into the lower right corner for the 2-0 advantage. Burke, the league's "Most Valuable Player," produced another quality chance for Richmond just before intermission. His shot from the top of the box was saved by Benton, but continued to trickle toward the net. Charlotte defender Ben Johnson cleared the ball away from danger just before Ssejjemba reached it. Desperation drove the Eagles to produce some opportunities as time wound down. In the 89th minute, defender Ross Spencer pushed down the right side and sent a low cross to midfielder Sam Casey, but he sent his shot over the crossbar from just above the six-yard box. A minute later, forward Andriy Budnyy perfectly led Spencer with a through pass. Spencer maneuvered around Pascale and deposited a left-footer into the right side of the empty net, pulling Charlotte to within 2-1. Richmond survived the frenzy of stoppage time and claimed
its trophy. Top of PageRichmond Host Charlotte For USL D-2 Title The USL Second Division regular season champion Richmond Kickers have advanced to the Championship final after a 0-0 draw in Cincinnati, and will take on the #2 seeded Charlotte Eagles at the University of Richmond stadium in a single-game championship match on Saturday, Aug. 26. Kickoff is 7:00/. After defeating the Kings 2-1 on in the first leg of the two-game, aggregate score series, the Kickers have advanced 2-1 on aggregate. Eagles advanced to the USL-2 Championship for the third
consecutive year and have earned the right to defend their 2005 Championship
title. Charlotte defeated the Pittsburgh Riverhounds 2-1 and won the series
with a 6-1 aggregate goal advantage. David Flavius got the first goal in the 14th minute giving Pittsburgh the 1-0 lead. Jason Kutney set up the goal working down the right side and serving the ball into the middle for Flavius. Flavius volleyed it in from eight yards out with a one-timer. Charlotte answered in the 42nd minute with a goal by Joseph Kabwe. Kabwe collected the ball in the midfield and pushed it through some congestion before touching it to Jacob Coggins. Coggins put a pass right back to Kabwe on the run, breaking through the defense. Kabwe touched the ball right and then beat McNelis to the right side of the net to tie up the match 1-1. The first half ended even at one goal a piece. Andriy Budnyy scored the game-winning goal for Charlotte in the 76th minute of play. Dustin Swinehart served the ball from midfield, connecting with the run of Budnyy with a breakaway. Budnyy placed the shot in the lower right corner to beat McNelis. Dan Benton had 5 saves for Charlotte, including a great diving save in the 58th minute to prevent Pittsburgh from taking back the lead. Charlotte head coach Mark Steffens commented on the Eagles strategy tonight: "Our plan for tonight was to possess the ball in the attacking half to prevent Pittsburgh from getting many opportunities. We didn't do a great job of that in the first half but we really cleaned it up a bit in the second."
Top of PageRichmond Plays Carolina Dynamo In U.S. Open Cup The Richmond Kickers will travel to Greensboro, North Carolina to face the Carolina Dynamo of the Premier Development League in the Second Round of the U.S. Open Cup on Wednesday, June 28th. The winner will advance to the Third Round to host the defending USL First Division Champion Seattle Sounders on Wednesday, July 12th. Undefeated in the regular season (8-0-0), the Dynamo defeated the Cape Cod Crusader, 4-3, after postponing the match due to severe weather. Leading the PDL in scoring with 25 goals, the Dynamo features three players in the top six in the league scoring table. For the second consecutive year, a total of 42 (26 professional and 16 amateur) teams will compete in the 2006 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. The league-leading Richmond Kickers (6-1-2, 20 points) join three USL Second Division teams and four USL First Division teams in the Second Round of play. The Kickers first six regular season games (April 22nd through May 27th) doubled as U.S. Open Cup qualifiers. The top six of the nine teams in the USL Second Division, including defending league champion Charlotte Eagles, qualified for Cup play based on point percentage* from regular season games played through May 28th. The Richmond Kickers (.72), New Hampshire Phantoms (.58) and Cincinnati Kings (.56) join the Eagles in the Second Round on Wednesday, June 28th (opponent and site to be determined), along with First Division sides Charleston Battery, Miami FC, Minnesota Thunder and Virginia Beach Mariners, based on last year’s standings. Wilmington and Pittsburgh, as the bottom two USL-2 qualifiers, entered the First Round of competition on Wednesday, June 14th, joining six teams from the PDL, six USASA regional qualifiers and the Des Moines Menace and Cape Cod Crusaders, winners of the two Qualifying Round matches between PDL and USASA teams. Dating back to 1914, the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup is the oldest cup competition in the United States and is among the oldest in the world. Open to all affiliated and professional teams in the United States, the 91-year old, single-elimination domestic cup competition gives any affiliated team in the United States a chance at winning the title of “United States Club Champions.” USL Entrants By Round Qualifying Round First Round Second Round Third Round Fourth Round Top of PageThe USL Richmond Kickers have announced that the franchise will re-align the professional team, shifting to the USL Second Division (USL2) for the 2006 season. The Kickers were the runnerup for the 2005 USL First Division championship, losing the title game on penalty kicks. By moving to the Second Division, the Kickers will reestablish
long-time rivalries with the Wilmington Hammerheads and Charlotte Eagles,
who have played in the division with the Pittsburgh Riverhounds, Harrisburg
City Islanders, Cincinnati Kings, Long Island Rough Riders, Western Massachusetts
Pioneers and the New Hampshire Phantoms. The Kickers have been a USL franchise since 1993. The club has grown to include a men’s PDL team and a women’s W-League team, and is a multi-level youth soccer club. “We are different than most professional sporting endeavors in the fact that the Richmond Kickers are more than just a pro team trying to win a championship,” said President Tom Depcrynski, “We are a club that aims to serve this community through our involvement and our resources. We are working on numerous projects, that in due time, will be announced to re-affirm this desire.” One result of the move to Second Division will be the elimination of travel for the Kickers to the West Coast. All Second Division clubs are in the eastern half of the U.S. Richmond will have a 20-game league schedule in 2006, during the months of April through August. Home games will continue to be played at the University of Richmond Stadium. The club plans to continue a home-and-away series with the First Division Virginia Beach Mariners, as well as a guaranteed exhibition match with D.C. United of Major League Soccer. While the salary structure is different from First Division, the Kickers hope to retain many of their current players as they move to Second Division. Top of PageKickers Drop National Title On PKs Seattle Sounders captured the United Soccer Leagues First Division championship, defeating the Richmond Kickers 4-3 in a tense seven-round penalty-kicks tiebreaker after playing a 1-1 draw with the Richmond Kickers in the title match before 8,011 at Qwest Field tonight. The Sounders, who rallied from a 1-0 deficit, joined the Rochester Raging Rhinos as three-time USL First Division champions. Seattle, which lost 2-0 to the Montreal impact in last year's final, previously won crowns in 1995 and 1996. Rochester won in 1998, 2000 and 2001. Andrew Gregor, Leighton O'Brien, Kevin Sakuda and Scott Jenkins converted penalties in the tiebreaker for the Sounders with their goalkeeper Preston Burpo making one save. Sascha Gorres, Tony Williams and Matt Pauls made PKs for Richmond while their keeper made two crucial saves after the Kickers had fallen behind 2-0. Kevin Jeffrey had a chance to win the tiebreaker and match for Richmond in the fifth round, but shot high. Burpo was named "Championship Most Valuable Player." Richmond took a 1-0 lead on a goal by Gorres in the 24th minute. The ball rebounded out of the box after a Richmond corner kick and went to Gorres, a midfielder nearly 30 yards out. He touched the ball with his right foot to his left and nailed a rocket past Burpo into the top right corner of the net for his third goal of the season and first of the playoffs. Seattle equalized at 1-1 in the 73rd minute when forward Maykel Galindo took a pass from Ryan Edwards and slid the ball over the goal-line after a series of deflections in the box allowed Ryan Edwards to slot the ball to Galindo crashing in on goal. Richmond midfielder Mike Burke crossed the ball to Matthew Delicate for shots in the fourth and 10th minutes. Each attempt was tipped over the crossbar by a leaping Burpo, who was named "Championship Most Valuable Player." The Sounders retaliated in the 13th minute when Galindo, a Cuban international forward, sent a dangerous strike from the right side into the box. The ball was cleared by the Richmond defense. Richmond midfielder Joey Worthen created several opportunities throughout the first half, including warding off two defenders in the 17th and 23rd minute minutes, only to send shots over the bar. Seattle closed out the first half with two close calls. Defender Taylor Graham sent a 30th-minute header just wide right of the goal. Two minutes later, midfielder Kevin Sakuda had a 12-yard try glance just past the far left post. After tying the game at 1, Seattle gained momentum as striker Roger Levesque created several opportunities, including a 75th minute shot sent just wide left and a 76th minute header over net. Three minute later, Delicate, deep on the right side, sent a cross to midfielder Tim Brown whose header sailed just wide left. There was an abundance of pushing and shoving in both boxes during set pieces throughout the match. After Brown's header sailed out of play, a scuffle ensued inside the box and resulted in the red-card ejections to Worthen and Seattle's C.J. Klaas. During stoppage time, both teams created last minute attempts to break the tie. First, Delicate received a cross from Robert Ssejjemba, but his low, bouncing shot was cleared by the Sounders defense. Seconds later, Seattle defender Billy Sleeth, open on the right side, sent a dangerous cross to Gregor, but his effort was smothered by Pascale. Seattle opened the first 15-minute period of overtime with a shot from the top of the box, but Pascale scooped the ball up. Graham added pressure in the 107th and 108th minutes with consecutive shots sailing wide of the target. Ssejjemba received crosses from Delicate in the 110th and
the 118th minutes, but shot high in each instance. Lineups: Seattle - Preston Burpo, Billy Sleeth (Jake Segare 119), Taylor Graham, Ryan Edwards (Scott Jenkins 91), Zach Scott (Brett Whitfield 70), Kevin Sakuda, C.J. Klaas, Leighton O'Brien, Gabe Sturm (Andrew Gregor 55), Roger Levesque, Mikael Galindo (Ben Somoza 99). Richmond - Ronnie Pascale, Chris Fox (Matt Pauls 119), Kevin Knight, Peter Luzak, Tony Williams, Tim Brown, Sascha Gorres, Joey Worthen, Chris Carrieri (Kevin Jeffrey 73), Mike Burke (Robert Ssejjemba 89), Matthew Delicate. Scoring: Penalty kicks: Seattle Gregor - goal, O'Brien - goal, Levesque - saved, Somoza - missed, Graham - saved, Sakuda - goal, Jenkins - goal; Richmond - Delicate - missed, SSejjemba - saved, Gorres - goal, Williams - goal, Jeffrey miss, Pauls - goal, Pascale - miss. Attendance: 8,011 at Qwest Field in Seattle. Weather: Cool,
50 degrees. Referee: Ricardo Valenzuela. Referee's assistants: Yaker Reyes,
Colin Arblaster. Top of PageRichmond Kickers Play For USL Title The sixth-seeded Richmond Kickers shocked the United Soccer League by eliminating the second-seeded Rochester Raging Rhinos 4-2 on aggregate in the semifinals of the USL First Division playoffs. came away with a 3-1 advantage over the second-seeded Rochester Raging Rhinos during the first leg of the USL First Division Semifinals. Richmond forward Matthew Delicâte snapped a 315-minute scoreless streak in the 12th minute on an assist from forward McColm Cephas to set the stage for an opening 3-1 win at home. In the second game the Kickers tied the Rhinos 1-1 in Rochester. The outburst in the home semifinal game was a breakout for the Kickers offense which has had trouble scoring goals in the second-half of the season. An own goal in the 15th minute briefly equalized the score for the Rhinos before Delicâte and Cephas paired up again for a second Richmond goal in the 55th minute followed by a third Richmond goal by midfielder Joey Worthen in the 65th minute. The winner of the Semifinal round will be determined this
Sunday, September 25th as the Kickers travel to Rochester for the second
leg of the home-and-away, aggregate goal series. The Seattle Sounders, who scored in the 90th minute to edge top-seeded Montreal 2-1, advanced on aggregate (4-3) over the Impact. Those two teams had tied 2-2 in the semifinal opener. Seattle will host the USL First Division championship game
on Saturday, Oct. 1. Top of PageThe Richmond Kickers and #3 seeded Vancouver Whitecaps played two games and an overtime period without a goal from either team in the opening round of the USL First Division playoffs. Unable to advance a team to the semifinals after 210 minutes in a home-and-away series, the game was decided on kicks from the penalty stripe. The Kickers made all five of theirs, while the Whitecaps made only four. Richmond’s Robert Ssejjemba, Matthew Delicâte, Sascha Görres, Joey Worthen and Kevin Jeffrey all converted,while Vancouver’s Chris Franks’ missed shot resulted to be the difference. The Kickers, seeded #6 in the six-team playoff, will hosts the #2 seeded Rochester Raging Rhinos in the first leg of the home-and-away aggregate score series this Friday, September 23rd at 7:00 p.m. at the University of Richmond Stadium. The two draws is a continuation of the Kickers struggles to win a game, but is also a reflection on the team’s strong defensive play. Richmond has not won a USL First Division game since a July 2-1 win over the Atlanta Silverbacks. That winless streak now stands at 0-4-9. The last time the Kickers played the Rhinos, the two tied
0-0 in back-to-back games, first in Richmond and then in Rochester in
late July. All playoff rounds will be two-legged aggregate score series with the exception of the USL First Division Championship with the Host determined on a bid basis to be played on Saturday, October 1st. The Kickers and Rhinos meet in the second leg at Frontier Field in Rochester, NY at 7:00 p.m. on Sunday, September 25th to finish the series. The match will be televised LIVE on Fox Soccer Channel. USL First Division Semi-Finals 1-Montreal Impact vs. 4-Seattle Sounders Leg 1: 9/23 @ Seattle 10:00 p.m. Leg 2: 9/25 @ Montreal 4:00 p.m.
2-Rochester Raging Rhinos vs. 6-Richmond Kickers Leg 1: 9/23 @ Richmond 7:00 p.m. Leg 2: 9/25 @ Rochester 7:00 p.m. – LIVE on Fox Soccer
Channel Top of PageKickers Open With Win Over Silverbacks The Richmond Kickers opened the 2005 season with a 3-1 victory
over Southern rival Atlanta Silverbacks. The first goal of the night by
Richmond’s Kevin Jeffrey was quickly followed by
an Atlanta penalty kick to even the score, late in the first half. Two
consecutive goals within a four minute period by Richmond forward Matthew
Delicâte clinched the win for the Kickers. Two minutes later, a foul against a Richmond defender resulted
in a penalty kick for the Silverbacks, allowing Atlanta’s Rodrigo
Rios to level the score in the 40th minute. In the final minutes
of the first half, several Kickers shots sailed just over the crossbar.
The tie was broken in the 71st minute when Richmond’s Mike Burke sent a corner kick into scoring position. A lot of action in the box resulted in a Richmond goal by Delicâte. A missed Atlanta shot in the 73rd minute was followed by a foul on a Silverbacks defender. With a free kick, Kickers defender Kevin Knight sent a blast from near midfield which found Delicâte, who was able to tap the ball in for his second and the Kickers third and final goal of the night. With a few minutes remaining in the game, Kickers rookie
Robert Ssejjemba made his professional debut and created
a dangerous play with a well-positioned attack but Fegler was able to
smother the ball for the save. Top of PageCavaliers Edge UNC Women On PKs The #4 ranked Virginia women’s soccer team won its first ever ACC Championship in penalty kicks over # 1 ranked North Carolina. The Cavaliers won the shootout 5-4, after the teams had played to a 1-1 tie. The Cavaliers (16-2-2) took an early in the 24th minute when Sarah Huffman (Flower Mound, Texas) crossed a ball to Lindsay Gusick (Livonia, Mich.), who one-timed the ball inside the far post for a 1-0 Virginia advantage. Virginia maintained that advantage at halftime. In the second half, the Tar Heels (18-0-2) created several chances to equalize early in the second half and finally did in the 56th minute. Elizabeth Guess was fouled in the penalty area and Kacey White converted the penalty kick to tie the game at 1-1. Late in regulation, Virginia had several opportunities to score the game-winner, but the contest remained tied through 90 minutes. In the overtimes, the Cavaliers outshot the Tar Heels 4-1, but could not take advantage. Kristen Weiss (Brecksville, Ohio) had a chance in the final minute of the second overtime that beat Tar Heel keeper Aly Winget, but was saved off the line by a UNC defender. With the game officially a 1-1 draw, the teams went to penalty kicks to decide the ACC Champion. Each team scored four times in the first five attempts, forcing extra kicks. In round six, Weiss converted her penalty kick and Christina de Vries (Westlake Village, Calif.) saved Mary McDowell’s kick to win the championship. The Cavaliers win their first ACC Championship, snapping North Carolina’s 15-year run as conference champion. The draw ended North Carolina’s 28-game winning streak vs. Virginia. Huffman and de Vries were named ACC Tournament Co-MVPs, while Gusick, Weiss, and Kelly Hammond (Bowie, Md.) were also named to the All-Tournament team. Overall, North Carolina outshot Virginia 10-9. During the game, de Vries made one save, while Winget made three. “As a purist, I hate to see a great game like this be determined by penalty kicks,” said Virginia head coach Steve Swanson. “Both teams deserve credit for playing a tremendous championship game. Winning this championship feels great, and part of that is because of how high a bar UNC has set. Its special anytime you can make history.” The Cavaliers receive the ACC’s automatic berth in the NCAA Tournament. The 64-team field will be unveiled Monday between 4:00 pm and 5:00 pm on ESPNews. No. 4 Virginia 1, No. 1 North Carolina 1 Scoring 1 2 OT1 OT2 F PK Shots: UVa 9, UNC 10 Round 1: UVa: Shannon Foley (goal) Steve Kirkland Top of PageLongwood On Track For Division I FARMVILLE, Va. -- Longwood University enters the second
year of its four-year NCAA Division I reclassification period during 2004-05
toward official certification in September 2007, operating under all Division
I rules and regulations, including the scheduling requirements. This fact
has 11th-year women’s soccer head coach Todd Dyer
‘93 excited about the future of his program, one that has averaged
12 wins per season (123-58-8) since he founded it in 1994. The 2004 Lancers
return eight starters among 14 letterwinners, and have added 10 newcomers
as the program embarks upon its initial campaign of nearly all Division
I opponents. Top of PageVirginia Women Conclude Preseason Trip To Brazil Some college coaches schedule a couple of preseason games and like to play those at home. In recent years, collegiate teams have begun to take their preseason training to Europe. This year the University of Virginia women headed South…..as in South America. The Virginia women's soccer team returned home Monday after spending 10 days of the preseason in Brazil. The Cavaliers visited Sao Paulo and Santos on their tour and posted a 2-0-1 record in three exhibition games. "You never know going into one of these trips if it will go according to plan, but these 10 days were everything we asked for and more," said head coach Steve Swanson. "We were very fortunate to have the experiences we did, both on and off the field, specifically experiencing another culture. It was a great adventure and we couldn't ask for a better trip." In the Cavaliers' first game of the trip, Virginia defeated FC Osasco 2-1 on goals by third-year midfielders Noelle Keselica (Gaithersburg, Md.) and Sarah Huffman (Flower Mound, Texas). Two days later, Virginia won its second game of the trip, shutting out Araraquara FC 2-0. Fourth-year forward Lindsay Gusick (Livonia, Mich.) and second-year forward Ariel Thompson (Salem, Va.) scored the Cavalier goals. In their final contest of the trip, the Cavaliers tied Santos FC 2-2. Gusick and Huffman each scored their second goal of the trip in the draw. The Cavaliers, ranked No. 7 in the preseason Soccer America poll, open
the 2004 regular season this Friday night as they host East Carolina at
Klöckner Stadium at 7:00 p.m. Top of PageVirginia
Wesleyan Picked to Repeat in SALEM , VA. – Virginia Wesleyan College has been picked to repeat as Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) men’s soccer champions in a poll voted on by the league’s head coaches. The Marlins earned seven of a possible 10 first-place votes and totaled 96 points overall. VWC went 17-4-0 overall and 8-1 in the league, capturing both the ODAC regular season and tournament championships in 2003. Head coach Sonny Travis returns 2003 ODAC Player-of-the-Year Kelvin Murray in 2004. A rising junior, Murray led the Marlins with 44 points on 15 goals and 14 assists last season. He finished first in the conference in points per game (2.44), assists per game (0.78) and second in goals per game with 0.83 per contest. The Maroons of Roanoke College are ranked second with two first-place votes and a total of 90 points. RC finished 2003 with an overall record of 10-4-3 overall and 6-2-1 in the ODAC. Washington and Lee University garnered 72 points to earn third-place in the poll. The Generals finished last season with a 7-6-4 overall record and a 3-4-2 mark in the ODAC. W&L entered the conference tournament as the No. 7 seed and advanced all the way to the championship game before falling to VWC 3-1. Randolph-Macon earned a total of 58 points to earn its fourth-place slot. Bridgewater College (53 points), Eastern Mennonite (53 points), Guilford College (47 points), Hampden Sydney (44 points, one first-place vote), Lynchburg College (31 points) and Emory and Henry (12 points) rounded out the poll. The top eight teams advance to the 2004 ODAC Men’s Soccer Tournament which begins quarterfinal play on Saturday, October 30th, with the semifinals and finals to follow November 5-6. Top of PageWilliam & Mary and Virginia Commonwealth, who met in the title game of last year’s CAA women’s soccer championship, are expected to battle for the crown again in 2004 according to a vote of the league’s 10 women’s soccer coaches. Defending CAA champion W&M received four first-place votes and 75 total points to claim the top spot in the poll, while VCU earned five first-place votes and was picked second with 74 points. James Madison got one first-place vote and was third with 66 points, while Hofstra, which finished first in the regular season a year ago, was fourth with 57 points. Delaware and George Mason were tied for fifth in the poll, UNC Wilmington was seventh, Old Dominion and Towson were tied for eighth and Drexel was 10th. The Tribe returns seven starters off last year’s 14-6-3 squad that rallied from a fourth-place regular-season finish to capture their seventh CAA championship in the past eight years. W&M advanced to the NCAA Women’s College Cup for the 12th consecutive season. Leading the Tribe will be first-team All-CAA forward Taline Tahmassian, who scored a league-high 15 goals in just 16 games last season, and sophomore forward Katie Hogwood (9 goals, 1 assist), who was the CAA Co-Rookie of the Year in 2003. VCU (10-6-4 overall) reached the CAA championship game for the first time in 2003 and the team’s second-place regular-season finish was the best in school history. Returning for the Rams is senior forward Jen Parsons, who earned CAA Player of the Year honors after tallying a team-high 14 goals and 31 points last season, and is already VCU’s career leader in goals (43) and points (94). First-team All-CAA midfielder Sandra Anger (4 goals, 5 assists) is also among five starters back. JMU welcomes back eight starters from last season’s 7-10-3 squad. Among the top returnees for the Dukes are senior defender Katy Swindells, a three-time all-conference member, junior forward Kim Argy, who has scored 21 goals over the past two seasons and is a two-time first-team All-CAA selection, and second-team All-CAA picks Christy Metzker and Karly Skladany. Hofstra compiled the second-best winning percentage in school history a year ago, going 13-3-3. The Pride was third in the nation in scoring defense last season, allowing just nine goals in 19 games and posting 11 shutouts. Senior goalkeeper Rebecca Wachsberger (0.45 GAA, 76 saves) returns along with second-team All-CAA pick Elyse Bizzozzaro (8 goals, 5 assists) and CAA Co-Rookie of the Year Jacki Pollaro. 2004 CAA WOMEN’S SOCCER PRE-SEASON COACHES POLL 1. William & Mary (4 first-place votes) 75 (Teams received 9 points for a first-place vote, 8 for second, etc. Coaches
were not allowed to vote for their own team.) Top of PageOLD
DOMINION PICKED TO WIN CAA RICHMOND, Va. (August 11, 2004) – Old Dominion University, which returns four of its top five scorers and its entire starting backline from last year’s 15-4-1 squad that reached the second round of the NCAA Men’s College Cup, has been picked to capture the CAA men’s soccer title in 2004 according to a vote of the league’s 10 head coaches. The Monarchs received seven first-place votes and 78 total points to earn the top spot in the poll. Two-time defending CAA champion Virginia Commonwealth University, which welcomes back six starters from last season’s 17-5 team that advanced to the third round of the NCAA Men’s College Cup, received two first-place votes and was picked second with 70 points. George Mason University, which posted an 11-6-6 overall record and reached the finals of the CAA Men’s Soccer Championship in 2003, got one first-place vote and was third with 61 points. Perennial power William & Mary was close behind in fourth with 60 points, followed by James Madison, UNC Wilmington, Hofstra, Drexel, Towson and Delaware. ODU opened last season with a school-record 14 consecutive victories, including 11 by shutout, and achieved the highest national ranking in school history after rising to #2 in the national polls for four straight weeks in October. The Monarchs are ranked #9 by College Soccer News in its 2004 pre-season Top 30 poll. ODU’s top returnee is senior defender Trevor McEachron, who earned first-team All-America and CAA Defender of the Year honors in 2003, and is one of 25 players on the pre-season watch list for the Hermann Trophy, awarded to the top collegiate soccer player in the nation. However, McEachron is still recovering from a severe knee injury suffered last November and his status for this season is unknown. Also back for the Monarchs are first-team All-CAA midfielder Kevon Harris (4 goals, 5 assists) and second-team All-CAA forward Brian Cvilikas, who tied for the team lead with 10 goals in 2003. VCU set a school record for victories a year ago and advanced to the third round of the NCAA Men’s College Cup for the first time before falling to eventual national champion Indiana. The Rams were ranked #9 nationally in the final 2003 polls and are ranked #19 by College Soccer News in its 2004 pre-season poll. Back to lead VCU is senior defender Gonzalo Segares, who is a two-time first-team All-CAA selection and a pre-season third-team All-American after contributing five goals and eight assists a year ago. Also returning are junior Stephen Shirley, who led the CAA with 10 assists last season, and senior goalkeeper Saul Montero (1.08 GAA). Mason returns nine starters from a squad that reached the title game of the CAA Men’s Soccer Championship for the first time since 1995. The Patriots posted 11 shutouts last season and welcome back two-time first team All-CAA goalie John O’Hara (0.98 GAA) and first-team All-CAA defender Damian O’Rourke. Also back is leading scorer Steve Alabi (12 goals). William & Mary, which has earned NCAA Tournament berths in seven of the past nine seasons, has seven starters back in its first season under new head coach Chris Norris. Leading the Tribe will be top scorer Patrick Scherder (11 goals) and midfielder Bryan Hinkle (5 goals, 9 assists), who both were second-team All-CAA picks in 2003. James Madison has 10 of 11 starters back, including 2003 CAA Rookie of the Year Mark Totten (6 goals, 8 assists) and senior midfielder Denny Fulk (7 goals, 6 assists).
1. Old Dominion (7 first-place votes) 78 (Teams received 9 points for a first-place vote, 8 for second, etc. Coaches
were not allowed to vote for their own team.) Top of PageVirginia Upsets Maryland On PKs The third-seeded Virginia Cavaliers claimed the 2003 ACC
men's soccer championship over the top-seeded Maryland Terrapins on nine
rounds of penalty kicks Sunday afternoon at the SAS Soccer Complex in
Cary, N.C. The match will be recorded as a tie with Maryland's record
becoming 17-2-1 and Virginia 9-9-2.
Scoring: Top of PageMidfielder Sarah Huffman (Flower Mound, TX) first
goal of the season came in the 82nd minute, allowing No. 3 Virginia to
stave off an upset and win its eighth straight outing 1-0 over James Madison
before 210 at the Reservoir Street Fields. Top of PageBy Matt Hughes, Evening Standard Top of PageSix Were Inducted Into Virginia Hall Of Fame Over 700 soccer enthusiasts from all over Virginia attended the annual Virginia Youth Soccer Association Workshop, Feb. 8-9, in Richmond. It was a gala weekend highlighted by the induction of six new members of the Virginia Soccer Hall of Fame. Inducted were Bruce Arena, John Koskinen and Wally Watson for Meritorious Service, and Lincoln Phillips, Helmut Werner and John Stollmeyer as players. Koskinen, Phillips and Werner were present at the induction. A number of outstanding clinicians presented coaching clinics on Saturday, including national staff coaches Tom Fleck and Ron Quinn. These two coaches developed the USSF coaching course F modules that are currently being used across the country. Also on hand were clinicians Dave Linenberger, Tim Schultz and Gordon Miller. The Virginia Boys Coach of the Year, Conrad Mann of the Fairfax Police Youth Club, was honored at the Awards Luncheon. Gary Smerdzinski was honored as the Girls Coach of the Year. The Virginia Volunteer of the Year honoree was Peggy Borgard, a league registrar and an administrator for the VCCL travel league and the FC Richmond recreational club. Mary Boubouheropolous from the Virginia Beach Soccer Club was named Virginia’s Chevy Parent of the Year. Also recognized were the state’s top referees for 2001. The Young Female Referee of the Year was Robin Kessinger, while Ben Hichak received the Young Male Referee of the Year award. VYSA’s highest award, the Adele Dolansky Service Award, went to Simon Cargill, a long-time volunteer for VYSA. The award was presented by Dolansky and VYSA president Denise Edwards. Simon, served for many years as chair of the Adjudication Committee. Cargill now lives in Florida. Top of PageWeiss To Coach At Virginia Tech Fresh off the glow of UNC Chapel Hill’s first NCAA men’s national championship, assistant coach Oliver Weiss has accepted the head coaching position at Virginia Tech for 2002. Weiss, who has been UNC head coach Elmar Bolowich’s top assistance, replaces Jerry Cheynet, who resigned after 28 years as the Hokies’ head coach. Cheynet has a contract that runs through December 31, 2003, and he will remain at Tech as Weisse’s assistant coach. This is the first time the head coaching position at Virginia Tech has been a full-time funded position. Tech is a member of the Big East Conference. This is Weiss’ first head coaching position. He spent three years in Chapel Hill, and also served as an assistant coach at William & Mary and at the University of New Hampshire. Six players graduate from the Virginia Tech team that reached the quarterfinals of the Big East tournament. Sophomore Bobby O’Brien (7 goals) and junior Drew Myers (5 goals) return to bolster the Hokies’ attack next fall. Weiss came to the U.S. as an exchange student and was a former first-team NSCAA High School All-America at High Point Central HS in High Point, NC. He was the captain of the University of Richmond Spiders for three years, earning All-Colonial Athletic Association honors twice, and being named NSCAA All-South in 1986. After graduating from Richmond with a degree in history, Weiss took coaching positions with the Richmond Capitals and Richmond Strikers soccer clubs and led teams to eight straight state championships and a 42-0 record from 1988-95. His U17 boys team won the Region I championship and was fourth in the national tournament. He has been a finalist for two national youth Coach-of-the-Year awards, and holds both a USSF “A” coaching license and a German “B” license. Top of Page |
