City Islanders End Regular Season With Win
August 14, 2004 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Penn FC News Release
Harrisburg, PA â The Harrisburg City Islanders ended their 2004 regular season in memorable fashion on Saturday night, as a sellout crowd of 2,371 fans at Skyline Sports Complex witnessed the Islanders edge past the Charlotte Eagles by the final score of 2-1. With their fourth win in their last five games, Harrisburg ends their first campaign with a 10-7-3 record (33 points).
Mike Feniger and Jesse Elmore scored Harrisburg's goals and Michael Behonick made four saves in net for the Islanders, who become only the third team to defeat the Eagles (14-3-2, 44 points) this season. Harrisburg now looks ahead to their first-round playoff series with Pittsburgh, which kicks off next Friday, August 20, at Skyline. Kickoff is 7:35 p.m.
In a game that held absolutely no playoff implications for either team, both sides set an aggressive tone early on. Eagles goalkeeper Chris McClellan was challenged early and often, and Harrisburg broke through in the 15th minute when David Schofield lofted the ball over leaping Charlotte defender Josh Rife and onto the foot of Feniger, who settled before driving a wicked shot inside the far post for his second goal of the year.
The Eagles responded just five minutes later, when midfielder Dustin Swinehart dribbled his way down the right wing and sent the ball back into the slot for striker Jacob Coggins. The PSL's leading scorer rolled his 20th goal of the season past a diving Michael Behonick (4-3-0).
The first half ended with plenty of attacking play and several more near misses, but the second half took on a more defensive tone, especially on Harrisburg's part. Eager to follow up their outstanding defensive effort in Wednesday's 1-0 over Westchester, the Islanders turned away everything Charlotte through at them and looked for counterattacks.
The decisive move came in the 74th minute, when the Islanders won the ball on the left wing and played it to Aleksey Korol, who turned and sent a cross-field pass towards the top of the penalty area. Schofield dummied the ball through to an onrushing Elmore, and the rookie managed to squeeze off a right-footed shot that somehow skipped between a handful of Eagles defenders and into the net.
From there, all thoughts seemed to turn to the postseason, and both teams eased off as time wound down.
Notes: The sellout was Harrisburg's second of the season; the team averaged 1,510 fans per home game...Korol's point-scoring streak has now reached five games, a team record. He has two goals and nine points in his first seven games with the club, and has assisted on the game-winning goal in the team's last four wins...Harrisburg finished the regular season a 7-2-1 home record...Team captain Derek Potteiger (ankle) and defender/midfielder John Lapore (Achilles) both sat out with injuries, and leading scorer Matt Tanzini (personal) was also unavailable...The City Islanders now prepare for their first-round playoff series with Pittsburgh, which kicks off next Friday, August 20 at Skyline Sports Complex at 7:35 p.m. The second game of the two-leg, aggregate score series will take place on Saturday, August 21, in Pittsburgh, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets for the August 20 game are available to all fans at youth prices ($10 Reserved, $5 General Admission).
United Soccer League Championship Stories from August 14, 2004
- City Islanders End Regular Season With Win - Penn FC
- Rough Riders win last season game against Pioneers 2-0 - Long Island Rough Riders
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