May 21, 2012
PDL ROUNDUP
Week in review: Blue Star Ends Fuego’s Undefeated Streak

FRESNO, Calif. – The Orange County Blue Star took a 3-1 victory against the Fresno Fuego on Friday night at Chukchansi Park, ending the Fuego’s 28-game regular season undefeated streak in the Southwest Division behind a pair of goals by Andrew Reimer.

The two teams had played to a 1-1 draw in their previous meeting this season in Irvine, Calif. but the Blue Star imposed themselves on the game from the off on Friday, with Reimer opening the scoring in the 25th minute. Adrian Avila doubled Orange County’s lead six minutes into the second half with a rasping shot from outside the penalty area before Reimer added his second in the 61st minute.

Fresno, which had gone undefeated in last season’s PDL regular season, got a late consolation goal by Jesus Santiago, but it wasn’t enough to prevent the Fuego’s first regular season defeat since a 2-1 loss against the Ventura County Fusion on June 10, 2010.

THURSDAY
RIVER CITY ROVERS 2, CINCINNATI KINGS 1: The River City Rovers got their second season off to a winning start as Peter May’s late goal earned his side victory against the Cincinnati Kings at the Christian Academy of Louisville’s Centurion Field.

The Rovers had taken the lead in the opening minute of the second half as Tyler White finished off Ryan Smith’s cross, but were then reduced to 10 men as White was shown a straight red card eight minutes later. The Kings made the man-advantage pay off, with Branden Stelmak scoring in the 77th minute to give his side hope of taking away a point, but May’s goal with three minutes remaining, again off an assist by Smith, gave River City victory and possession of the Ohio River Cup.

FRIDAY
LAREDO HEAT 2, EL PASO PATRIOTS 1: Ernesto Serrato had a goal and an assist as the Laredo Heat took victory against the El Paso Patriots at the Texas A&M International Soccer Complex.

Irving Villanueva had gone close to giving his side the lead in the fourth minute, but two minutes later he latched onto a pass from Serrato and fired into the right corner of the net to give the Heat the lead. Laredo then doubled its advantage 12 minutes into the second half as Serrato fired home from the top of the penalty area.

El Paso pulled a goal back through Michael Griego with 15 minutes remaining, and came close to an equalizer in the 90th minute as David Salas’ free kick was saved by Laredo goalkeeper Emmanuel Frias. The Heat were able to hold on, however, to take all three points.

OCALA STAMPEDE 4, FC JAX DESTROYERS 3: The Ocala Stampede took their third victory of the season after a wild contest against the FC Jax Destroyers that saw four goals in the opening 10 minutes at Jacksonville University Stadium.

The Destroyers took the lead in the third minute, Mitchell McPike scoring their first goal of the season, but Ocala hit back a minute later through Anthony Asanta. FC Jax regained the lead in the sixth minute as Sam Fairhurst found the back of the net, only for Carlos De Araujo to bring the Stampede even again three minutes later.

After the game finally settled down, Ocala took its first lead in the 28th minute as Douglas Dos Santos scored his first goal of the season, allowing the Stampede to take a halftime lead. The Destroyers got back on even terms just before the hour-mark as Mike Donald struck, but the Stampede went ahead for good with 19 minutes to go, Robert Neill scoring the game-winner that kept the Stampede on top of the Southeast Division standings.

SATURDAY
OCEAN CITY NOR’EASTERS 2, BALTIMORE BOHEMIANS 0: The Ocean City Nor’easters spoiled the Baltimore Bohemians’ inaugural home opener as goals in either half by Max Hamilton and Zoncher Dennis gave their side victory at Cedar Lane Park.

Neither side was able to create many chances early, with Ocean City getting the first chance in the 24th minute through Terri Gibbs. The Nor’easters opened the scoring in the 37th minute through Hamilton, who headed home from a free kick, but a minute later Ocean City was reduced to 10 men as Jason Plumhoff was shown a red card.

Baltimore was unable to take advantage of playing a man up for the entire second half, however, and the Nor’easters were able to add to their lead with eight minutes to go as Dennis found the back of the net to put the game away, giving Ocean City victory in their opener.

FC TUCSON 1, SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA SEAHORSES 0: A late first-half goal by Donny Toia gave FC Tucson victory in its home opener against the Southern California Seahorses at the Kino Sports Complex, giving the new PDL club its second consecutive victory.

The Seahorses opened the better of the teams, and went close to taking the lead through Felix Horn midway through the first half. After that early flurry, though, Tucson was able to settle and began creating chances of its own. Travis Sanchez had a header go just over the crossbar, while Dom Papa twice went close to opening the scoring.

Then a minute before halftime, the breakthrough came as Toia collected the ball at the top right corner of the penalty area and hit a curling shot into the back of the net. The goal proved to be the only one Tucson needed as it closed out the victory.

KITSAP PUMAS 3, SEATTLE SOUNDERS U-23 1: Matt Friesen scored a pair of goals as the Kitsap Pumas took their second consecutive league victory as they beat the Sounders FC U23 at Bremerton Memorial Stadium.

Friesen gave the Pumas the lead early, striking in just the fifth minute as a 25-yard volley flew into the back of the net. The Sounders tied the game in the 24th minute through Sean Morris as he beat the Kitsap defense to a loose ball in the Pumas’ penalty area, but Kitsap’s lead was restored by Ben Truex three minutes later, giving the Pumas the halftime lead.

Both sides had chances to score in the second half, but the game wasn’t settled until the 88th minute when Friesen bagged his second of the night. After Truax was fouled in the penalty area, the midfielder converted from the spot to put the game away.

SUNDAY
IMG BRADENTON 2, MISSISSIPPI BRILLA 0: The IMG Bradenton Academics continued their undefeated start to the season as Milovan Kapor and Marco Lobo each had a goal and an assist in a victory against the Mississippi Brilla at the IMG Soccer Academy.

Mississippi was sharper before the break, forcing IMG goalkeeper Shawn Doyle into five saves, but IMG took the lead eight minutes into the second half as Kapor finished off the chance created by Lobo. The roles were reversed in the 66th minute as the Academics doubled their advantage, and while the Brilla battled to get back in the game, they were unable to force a save from Doyle after the break as they dropped their third consecutive league game to start the season.

WSA WINNIPEG 2, ST. LOUIS LIONS 1: WSA Winnipeg won its first game of the season after three consecutive scoreless draws to open as it rallied back from an early deficit to beat the St. Louis Lions at the Winnipeg Indoor Soccer Complex.

The Lions had taken the lead in the seventh minute as Kenny Kranz was on hand to finish off a chance created by John Brown, but Winnipeg was able to get back on even terms in the 21st minute through Moses Danto.

Danto also scored what proved to be the game-winner in the 41st minute, converting from the penalty spot after a handball by Jamie Lovegrove in the penalty area. The Lions pressed strongly for an equalizer after halftime, but were held off by goalkeeper Tyson Farago, who had five second-half saves to preserve his side’s victory.

CENTRAL JERSEY SPARTANS 2, WESTCHESTER FLAMES 1: Jonathan Louisignau had both goals as the Central Jersey Spartans took victory in their opening game of the season, defeating the Westchester Flames at River University Field.

The Flames took a first-minute lead as David Panchano tucked away a rebound off a save by Spartans’ goalkeeper Alex Blackburn. The Spartans were able to hit back just past the half-hour mark as Louisignau scored his first, running onto a through-ball by Joe Butcher before shooting low into the back of the net.

Louisignau then scored what proved to be the game-winner moments before halftime, firing a free kick from 25 yards that found the back of the net. Westchester pushed for an equalizer in the second half, Blackburn having to make one big save to keep his side ahead, but the Spartans were able to hold on for victory.

VENTURA COUNTY FUSION 3, PALI BLUES 0: Frankie Lopez had a goal and two assists as the Ventura County Fusion earned their second win of the season against the Pali Blues at Ventura College.

The Fusion struck early, opening the scoring in the fourth minute as Lopez found Rodrigo Lopez who finished well. Frankie Lopez then found the back of the net himself in the 29th minute after a chance was created by Kennedy Chongo before Victor Chavez rounded out the victory in the 55th minute with his second goal of the season.