May 14, 2012
PDL ROUNDUP
Week in review: Hydra win first game

QUINCY, Mass. – The Worcester Hydra took their first victory in the PDL as Junior Alencar scored twice to lead his side past the Boston Victory 2-0 in the first meeting between the two new PDL Northeast Division clubs on Saturday night at Veteran’s Memorial Stadium.

Both sides had chances in a physical first half, Boston’s Lucas Pessenha shooting just wide of the right post before having another effort blocked. The Hydra came into the game later in the half, with Rutgers’ Michael Soboff finding the side-netting with a shot before Russell Guidici’s diving header went wide.

The Hydra finally opened the scoring in the 70th minute, a cross from Soboff finding Alencar in space in the penalty area that allowed the Brazilian to head home. Seven minutes later he doubled the Hydra’s advantage as Quinnipiac’s Brett Uttley slid a pass through the defense that Alencar was able to finish, giving his side an insurance goal it wouldn’t need as Northeastern goalkeeper Oliver Blum recorded the shutout.

FRIDAY
SEATTLE SOUNDERS U-23 2, VANCOUVER WHITECAPS FC U-23 1: The Sounders FC U23 got goals on either side of halftime from Darwin Jones and Fernando Monge as they took victory against the Vancouver Whitecaps FC U-23 at Swangard Stadium.

Jones, who is set to join the University of Washington this fall, opened the scoring in the 25th minute, latching onto a ball lifted over the Whitecaps U-23’s defense before going round goalkeeper Callum Irving and finishing. UCLA and former Orange County Blue Star standout Fernando Monge added a second six minutes after the break, his deflected shot from inside the penalty area finding the back of the net.

Recent Whitecaps homegrown signing Caleb Clarke was able to pull a goal back for the U-23’s two minutes later, his curling shot going in off the left post, but the Blue and White were unable to find an equalizer as the Sounders U-23 held on for victory.

PORTLAND TIMBERS U23s 3, FRASER VALLEY MARINERS 0: Memphis standout Mark Sherrod had a pair of goals to lead the Portland Timbers U-23s to victory against the Fraser Valley Mariners at JELD-WEN Field.

Sherrod opened the scoring for the Timbers U-23s in the 10th minute as he headed home from Reed Matte’s cross from the right. They doubled their advantage six minutes later as Oregon State’s Roberto Farfan found his college teammate Emery Welshman, whose curling shot found the back of the net.

Sherrod added his second five minutes before halftime, capitalizing on Cam Vickers’ cross to drive home his finish from 10 yards out. The Timbers had chances to add to their lead in the second half, but settled for a comfortable win to open the season.

SATURDAY
CAROLINA DYNAMO 5, REAL MARYLAND 1: The defending South Atlantic Division champions opened the season in fine style as Karo Okiomah had a pair of goals in their victory against Real Maryland. University of North Carolina standout Robbie Lovejoy also scored for the Dynamo, who got a pair of assists from the UNC-Charlotte’s Donnie Smith

Maryland took an eighth-minute lead through Aboucarim Ndaw, but the Dynamo got back on even terms two minutes later as High Point’s Shawn Sloan found the back of the net. Lovejoy then gave the Dynamo the lead in the 19th minute before Okiomah added his first 15 minutes later to make it 3-1 at the break, both goals being assisted by Smith.

Okiomah added his second in the 68th minute before UNC-Greensboro’s David Reittinger added a fifth with eight minutes to go.

DES MOINES MENACE 4, ST. LOUIS LIONS 1: The Menace claimed their first victory of the season as Western Illinois’ Husref Jupic had a hat trick and Lebogan Moloto added three assists in a victory against the St. Louis Lions.

After a scoreless first half, the Menace took the lead through Logan McDaniel in the first minute of the second half. Jupic then doubled their lead in the 51st minute off Moloto’s assist, adding a third on the hour mark. He completed his hat trick three minutes later, all three goals coming in 12 minutes.

St. Louis, which was making its season debut, pulled a goal back in the 82nd minute through Chris Matthews, but was unable to close the gap any further.

NASHVILLE METROS 3, WEST VIRGINIA CHAOS 0: The Nashville Metros completed a successful trip through West Virginia with their second win in as many nights as they defeated the West Virginia Chaos. Iyassu Bekele scored twice late in the game for the Metros, who has previously defeated the Southern West Virginia King’s Warriors 2-1 on Friday night.

The Metros had taken the lead in the 19th minute through Jomo Cromwell, but didn’t put the game away until late on as former D.C. United Academy player Bekele doubed their lead with six minutes to go. Bekele then added his second in second-half stoppage time to put the Metros one win away from their final total from last season.

FC TUCSON 1, PALI BLUES 0: FC Tucson took the first victory in the club’s PDL history as Travis Sanchez’s goal with seven minutes to go lifted his side past the Pali Blues.

Tucson had been reduced to 10 men just two minutes into the second half, but was able to withstand the Blues’ attacks. Sanchez produced a moment of brilliance as he fired home a bicycle kick to provide the only goal of the game, and a piece of history for his club.

SUNDAY
FREDERICKSBURG HOTSPUR 3, NO. VIRGINA ROYALS 2: The Fredericksburg Hotspur got goals from Don Smart, Dale Robins-Bailey and Tishan Hanley as they opened the season with a victory against the Northern Virginia Royals, holding off a late rally to preserve the win.

James Madison’s Robins-Bailey opened the scoring in just the fourth minute, and Fredericksburg doubled its lead five minutes before the break as Smart found the back of the net. The Hotspur seemed to have put the game out of reach six minutes into the second half as Hanley added a third, but the Royals then rallied.

A.J. Sheta pulled a goal back in the 66th minute, and Maurice Hughes then made the score 3-2 with nine minutes to go. The comeback came up short, though, allowing Grover Gibson’s side to earn victory.

IMG BRADENTON 2, FC JAX DESTROYERS 0: IMG Bradenton took its second win in as many games as the University of Memphis’ Patrick Toh assisted on both goals in the Academics’ victory against the FC Jax Destroyers.

IMG Bradenton, which had earned a 1-0 win against VSI Tampa on Thursday night, took the lead in the 13th minute as junior college standout Marco Lobo finished from Toh’s feed. Lynn University’s Heiko Eberhart then doubled his side’s advantage in the 62nd minute as Central Florida’s Shawn Doyle recorded his second shutout in as many games.