Harrisburg City Islanders notebook
July 11, 2005 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Penn FC News Release
THE WEEK THAT WAS...
Chad Severs and Adam Clay scored as the Harrisburg City Islanders extended their club record unbeaten streak to eight games, defeating the Wilmington Hammerheads 2-0 at Skyline Sports Complex on Saturday night.
Severs blistered a volley past losing keeper Bart Creasman from 20 yards in first half stoppage time, and Clay scored his first professional goal in the 59th minute. Goalkeeper Bryan Hill recorded his third shutout of the year with three big saves.
With their first-ever triumph over Wilmington, the City Islanders have set a new club mark with four straight home wins (and have outscored opponents 10-3 in those matches). Harrisburg's eight-game unbeaten streak is the longest in the league this year.
Entering the week, the club is within two points of third-place Charlotte and within striking distance of both second-place Wilmington (9-5-1, 28) and first-place Western Mass (9-2-4, 31).
THIS WEEK'S SCHEDULE...
Tuesday, July 12 - Training, "In The Net," 3:00 - 5:00 p.m.
Wednesday, July 13- Training, "In The Net," 3:00 - 5:00 p.m.
Thursday, July 14 - Travel day
Friday, July 15 - City Islanders at Western Mass Pioneers, Lusitano
Stadium, Ludlow, Mass., 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, July 16 - City Islanders at New Hampshire Phantoms, Southern
New Hampshire University, 7:30 p.m.
The City Islanders head North this weekend for arguably their most demanding road trip yet. On Friday, the City Islanders face the first-place Western Mass Pioneers, and the club squares off against the New Hampshire Phantoms (4-8-1, 13) on Saturday. Both games kick off at 7:30 p.m.
In the first 2005 meeting between these clubs on June 18, Harrisburg defeated Western Mass 3-2 at Skyline. Matt Tanzini created two second-half scores (assisting on Steve Fisher's goal in the 55th minute and bagging his own in the 76th) - he and Chad Severs both finished with three points on the night.
The Pioneers have since won five straight games and have earned points in 12 of their last 13 matches.
The City Islanders defeated the Phantoms twice in 2004, winning 3-2 on July 31 in New Hampshire and capturing a 2-1 overtime decision at home on August 6. Harrisburg's David Schofield scored five points in those matches, including both game-winning goals. The Phantoms will also be the City Islanders' opponent in their next home match, on Saturday, July 23, at Skyline (7:05 p.m.).
That game kicks off a favorable final stretch to Harrisburg's regular season. Including the 23rd, four of Harrisburg's final five games will be at home, with the lone road match in Northern Virginia on July 30. The City Islanders' final five opponents hold a combined 19-27-7 record entering the week. ODDS AND ENDS...
- Harrisburg's defense held Wilmington forwards James Gledhill and Derek Popovich - who had scored a combined eight goals and 20 points entering the night - without a shot on Saturday. Central defenders Dustin Bixler and J.T. Dorsey and right back Tommy Rutter have played every minute of the last seven games together. Shane Crawford's consecutive minutes streak ended at 667 when injury forced him out of the game in the 37th minute.
- Both Bixler and Dorsey also kept significant personal streaks alive. Bixler, the standout rookie from Red Land and Lock Haven, remains the last City Islander to have played every minute (1,170) of the season for Harrisburg. And Dorsey has now started 24 consecutive games, a running team record.
- With his sixth goal and 13th point of the year against the Hammerheads, rookie forward Chad Severs tied Matt Tanzini's single-season records in both categories. The hard-working striker has played 450 straight minutes.
- Saturday's shutout was Harrisburg's fifth of the season, tying the team mark. Bryan Hill set a new record with his third clean sheet of the year.
United Soccer League Championship Stories from July 11, 2005
- Harrisburg City Islanders notebook - Penn FC
- National powerhouse New Jersey Wildcats come to NH - New Hampshire Phantoms
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