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Lightning Hope Home Fans Come out for Championship Match

April 7, 2010 - Professional Arena Soccer League (PASL)
Louisville Lightning News Release


New sports franchises don't usually have a lot of success in their first year, but the Louisville Lightning's owners Wayne Estopinal and Ted Nichols have made something out of nothing.

The Louisville Lightning, who are part of the Professional Arena Soccer League (PASL-Pro), aren't full of misfits, hacks or Bad News Bears, but rather they are comprised from a talent pool of collegiate athletes, former Major League Soccer (MLS) players and professional European players. Their head coach Scott Budnick is no slouch either- he played for William and Mary's men's soccer team and various United States Indoor Soccer League teams (USISL); Budnick even had a short stint with MLS squads the Tampa Bay Munity and Miami Fusion. Now, after his decade long career as a college and professional soccer player, Budnick has settled down as the Lightning's leader.

In their first year in the PASL, the Lightning posted a record of 11-5, were one game shy of making the Eastern Division playoffs (the 1790 Cincinnati Express won the 2009-10 Eastern Division), lifted coach Budnick to the PASL-Pro Coach of the Year and had their star midfielder, Safet Kovacevic, announced as a member of the PASL-Pro All-League First Team-Kovacevic was also one point off from receiving the PASL-Pro Most Valuable Player award.

Though the Louisville Lightning's season was cut short-missing the playoffs by one game, they still have a chance to win a championship for their city and exuberant fans. On Saturday, April 10 at 7:30 at Mockingbird Valley Arena, the Louisville Lightning will be hosting the PASL-Pro Champions, the San Diego Shockers, in the US Arena Open Cup Championship. Since December, the Lightning have been competing against eight PASL-Pro squads and 14 PASL-Premier teams in this single elimination tournament for the right to play in the championship.

Now, five months later and still mending from a hard fought season, the Lightning will face their toughest opponent yet. The Shockers, who are the number one team in the Western Division and the PASL-Pro National Champions, posted a record 13-3, winning the franchise's 11th title, and were honored with two players being selected into this season's PASL-Pro All League First Team (defender Dan Antoniuk and goalkeeper Riley Swift).

San Diego is looking to clinch their second championship of the season, while Louisville wants to prove that they, too, deserved to be in contention for the PASL title. Both teams have a lot on the line and a drive to win.

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