City Islanders Weekly
Published on June 21, 2004 under United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Penn FC News Release
The Harrisburg City Islanders split a pair of games on consecutive nights this past weekend, moving their record to 4-4-2 (14 points) entering this week. Harrisburg sits in second place in the Pro Soccer League's Atlantic Division, 11 points behind first-place Pittsburgh (8-2-1, 25 points).
On Friday, June 18, Harrisburg rode one of their more complete performances of the season to a 3-0 win over the Long Island Roughriders at Skyline Sports Complex. Matt Tanzini, Seamus Donnelly, and newcomer Andy Guastaferro scored the Islander goals, and loan acquisition Chris Doyle turned away six shots in the second shutout in team history. With the win, Harrisburg's home record improved to 3-1-0.
The story was different on Saturday night in Reading, however, as the Rage earned a 1-0 win thanks to a score from Art Bartholomew in the fourth minute of the second overtime at Shirk Stadium. With the victory, Reading achieved some degree of reprisal for a 5-1 loss in Harrisburg on May 30. The Islanders did not suffer for solid scoring chances in the game, but the bulk of those were just high or wide or snared by winning keeper John Graham (seven saves). Doyle was solid once again in goal, making six stops. The physical game featured a total of six seven yellow cards and 40 fouls.
COMING UP FOR THE ISLANDERS...
The Islanders get right back at it with a rare Wednesday night home engagement, as the Northern Virginia Royals visit Skyline Sports Complex on June 23 for a 7:05 p.m. kickoff. Harrisburg then heads to New Rochelle, NY, to take on the Westchester Flames on Saturday, June 26. Game time at City Park Stadium is 5:30 p.m.
Harrisburg played their first-ever game against the Royals on the road back on Saturday, April 17, earning a convincing 5-2 victory at the Maryland Sportsplex. Steve Fisher accounted for the first goal in Islanders history, and four other Harrisburg players also found the net. Dave Kern had to make only one save for the win in net.
Northern Virginia's struggles have continued since that match: the Royals enter the week mired in the Southern Division cellar with a 1-8-0 record, and have been cumulatively outscored 30-8.
The Islanders and Flames will be meeting for the first time. Westchester, a perennially competitive side who won the third division title in 2001, have gone 5-2-2 in their first nine games. The Flames will visit Skyline Sports Complex on Friday, July 23, to complete the season series between the clubs.
Following Saturday's game, the Islanders have off until the South Jersey Barons come to town on Saturday, July 10.
ODDS AND ENDS...
- Craig Tyrrell and Derek Potteiger join Seamus Donnelly, David Schofield, and Dave Kern on the Islanders injury list for this week. The statuses of Tyrrell (who suffered an elbow injury in the 27th minute in Reading on Saturday), Schofield (ribs), and Kern (tendonitis) will be evaluated over the next two days. Donnelly and Potteiger will both miss this week's action with knee injuries; their long-term statuses will also be evaluated this week.
- Potteiger's injury, which he sustained Friday against Long Island, kept him out of Saturday's match in Reading and ended his consecutive minutes streak at 850. That, combined with Pete Shellenberger's 67th-minute departure against the Rage, leaves Keith Costigan as the only remaining "Iron Islander" â Costigan has played all 954 minutes of the 2004 season.
- Matt Tanzini's score against Long Island on Friday was his second of the season; both goals have been game-winners.
- The Islanders are now 4-1-2 when scoring the first goal of a game, and 0-3-0 when allowing the first score.
- Harrisburg's 19 goals this season have come from 12 different players.
United Soccer League Championship Stories from June 21, 2004
- City Islanders Out in the Community This Week - Penn FC
- City Islanders Weekly - Penn FC
- Flames cruise to easy win over Stallions - Westchester Flames
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
