Louisville Lightning Host Ohio Vortex Friday Night in PASL Play

January 27, 2011 - Professional Arena Soccer League (PASL)
Louisville Lightning News Release


LOUISVILLE, KY (January 28, 2011) -The Louisville Lightning return to Mockingbird Valley Sports Complex hoping to start a new winning streak this weekend. The team is coming off a disappointing loss to archrivals Cincinnati last Saturday, but there is still much to play for starting Friday night. A wildcard playoff berth is still within reach and the Lightning are very much alive in the US Open Cup.

For Louisville to make a serious run at a spot in the playoffs, they'll need to take care of business Friday night against the Ohio Vortex. The club, based in Canton, Ohio, currently trail the Lightning in the Eastern Division by half a game. Ohio will be making their first trip to Louisville this season, and the Lightning are again expecting a raucous home crowd. Mockingbird Valley Sports Complex hosted a season-record crowd last Saturday with nearly 1,200 fans packed in to see the rivalry game against the Cincinnati Kings.

Much like the Lightning, the Vortex have struggled to open the season, often posting inconsistent performances. They've lost each meeting with the powerhouse Cincinnati Kings, but each of their three contests against the second-place Detroit Waza have been decided by just one goal. The team doesn't lack offensive prowess, however. Ohio's Allen Eller currently leads the Professional Arena Soccer League with 20 goals, and the Cleveland native is second in the league in points with 28. Stopping Eller will be priority number one for the Lightning defense Friday night.

For Louisville, the talented duo of Chad Hagerty and Darren Yeagle return after missing last weekend's game against Cincinnati. Lightning coach Ted Nichols said earlier this week that the team missed the experience of Hagerty and Yeagle in the lineup. "They are consistent performers. So missing them did create a gap in the midfield, but we still have great players. I do feel like if we could have had them, we could have won that game, but we still have great players who can do the job."

After a brutal schedule to open the season, the Lightning face a more manageable group of games heading down the stretch. Kickoff between the Louisville Lightning and Ohio Vortex from Mockingbird Valley Sports Complex is set for 8 PM Friday night.



Professional Arena Soccer League Stories from January 27, 2011


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