USL Richmond Kickers

Open Cup Qualifying Begins Saturday/Kickers Take On Riverhounds In First Of Two Important Matches

Published on May 8, 2003 under United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Richmond Kickers News Release


RICHMOND, VA - (Thursday, May 8, 2003) - The Richmond Kickers (2-1-0, 6 points) host the visiting Pittsburgh Riverhounds (1-1-1, 4 points) this Saturday, May 10th at the University of Richmond Stadium at 7pm. The first 500 moms in attendance will receive a flower courtesy of Fuqua & Sheffield. There will also be a drawing for a $200 gift certificate to Nesbit Salon.

Pittsburgh is coming off a 2-0 loss to the Toronto Lynx. However, they retain first place in the Northeast Division with 4 points, while Toronto and first-year club Syracuse are tied for second with 3 points each. Midfielder/defender Jaman Tripoli (tendon strain) and midfielder Derek Potteiger (capsular strain) are not available for the game due to injuries.

The Kickers last match was a 2-0 win over the Atlanta Silverbacks at DeKalb Memorial Stadium. After losing the first match of the season 2-0 to the Charleston Battery, Richmond has held its opponents to a 210-minute scoreless streak. The Kickers lead the all-time series against the Riverhounds 5-1-1, including a 2-1 win in Pittsburgh on June 21st, 2002.

Richmond will battle against Pittsburgh twice with the games doubling as regular season A-League games as well as Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup qualifiers. The second leg will be Monday, May 26th at Bethel Park Stadium in Pittsburgh at 3pm. The aggregate winner will advance into the third round of the U.S. Open Cup, which is set to take place on July 16th.

Players to Watch

Riverhounds: Defender David Wright will be returning to the lineup for Pittsburgh after missing one game due to injury and one for a mandatory red-card suspension. Forward Thiago Martins has been stellar for the Riverhounds, earning Player of the Week honors (4/29) for collecting three goals and two assists in the teams' opening week. Midfielder Justin Evans also has played well, earning Team of the Week Honors (4/29) for his part in a 5-0 win over Charlotte and a 2-2 draw against Atlanta.

Kickers: Goalkeeper Ronnie Pascale currently sports a 0.67 GAA and has helped hold the opposition scoreless for the last 210 minutes of play. Midfielder Jason Russell currently leads the squad with three points on one goal and one assist, including the game-winning strike against the Indiana Blast on April 25th. Former A-League All-Star defender Chris Fox continues to lead the defensive charge for the Kickers, having played every minute of Richmond's three games thus far.

Team of the Week Honors

In the last two weeks, three Kickers have been recognized on the A-League Team of the Week. Jason Russell recorded his first goal in a Kickers uniform on April 25th against Indiana, earning him his first TOTW honors (week of 4/29) since mid-August of the 2001 season. Defender Chris Fox's solid play in a 2-0 win over Atlanta earned him a place on the 5/6 TOTW squad. Meanwhile, midfielder/defender Kevin Knight made both the 4/29 and 5/6 teams.

The A-League boasts 19 teams from coast-to-coast in the US and Canada, and is the highest level in the United Soccer Leagues (USL) system. For more information please check out our web site at www.RichmondKickers.com.

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United Soccer League Championship Stories from May 8, 2003


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