USL1 Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC

Hailstorm Open With Scoreless Draw Against Lexington

March 9, 2024 - United Soccer League One (USL1)
Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC News Release


GEORGETOWN, Ky. - Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC started their 2024 season with a 0-0 draw at Lexington SC.

"Really delighted with the clean sheet and the effort that everybody put in to get a clean sheet," Hailstorm head coach Éamon Zayed said. "We were missing a few attacking pieces so there's more to come."

The teams combined for just four shots on target, but the best chance of the match came in second half stoppage time when defender Bruno Rendon's shot in a goalmouth scramble was well saved by Lexington goalkeeper Amal Knight.

"Got a clean sheet and a point away against one of the teams in the league that are strong, so a decent start," Zayed said.

It was a hard-fought first half with Lexington having more of the ball, but Hailstorm had the best chance when forward Noah Powder hit the post in the 13th minute.

Lexington had just one shot on target as Hailstorm's league-best defense from 2023 picked up where it left off, with a clean sheet anchored by goalkeeper Lalo Delgado.

"Obviously the guys came out to win, that's the standard now," Delgado said. "But overall we're happy as a defensive unit with the clean sheet."

The match also marked the professional debut for Hailstorm forward Ethan Hoard, who came on in the 81st minute and provided a spark for the Northern Colorado attack.

"I'm very, very grateful and happy to get started," Hoard said. "It was something different, a new environment, and I'm excited to keep going."

Hailstorm will now turn their attention to U.S. Open Cup action against Tulsa Athletic, who they face at 6 p.m. on March 19 in Tulsa.

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The home of Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC, 118-acre Future Legends Complex will feature 6,500-seat TicketSocket Park, 2,500-seat 4Rivers Equipment Stadium, multiple baseball diamonds, multi-purpose fields, an indoor sports arena, lodging, and retail; and will host guests for major sports leagues, tournaments, events and more.

More information is available at HailstormFC.com and FutureLegendsComplex.com.

Check out the Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC Statistics



United Soccer League One Stories from March 9, 2024


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