
Rough Riders Week Ahead
July 21, 2004 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Long Island Rough Riders News Release
(Plainview, N.Y., July 21, 2004) â The Long Island Rough Riders will face the New Hampshire Phantoms(9-4-1) on Saturday July 24th,2004 at 7:30pm. The game will take place at Mitchel Athletic Complex in Uniondale , NY . The Rough Riders (6-8-1) currently stand two points out of the final playoff spot in the Atlantic division after a 3-2 victory against their division rival Harrisburg City Islanders last weekend.
The Phantoms currently hold 1st place in the Northern division and are guided by team leading scorer Bjorn Hansen and PSL assist leader Richard Fleming. Hansen has tallied eleven goals over twelve games, and currently ranks fourth amongst the entire PSL for goals scored. Fleming comes into the game having amassed seven assists in ten games and has become a dangerous weapon in the middle of the field for the Phantoms.
The Rough Riders duo of Stephen Franzke and Evan Bruno currently lead the team in minutes played with 1349 and 1208, respectively. Both players have played a crucial part in the Rough Riders second half turn around. Franzke has shown both his teammates and opponents alike to beware when they come to the middle of the Rough Riders defense. The Phantoms will remember Bruno well as he scored and had an assist for the Rough Riders in their 2-1 victory in their previous meeting
For team and ticket information, please contact the Long Island Rough Riders front office at (516)671-1585 or visit our website at www.liroughriders.com
News and Notes: After hosting New Hampshire, the Rough Riders will go into their toughest stretch of the season. After facing PSL league leader Pittsburgh(13-2-1) at home, the team will travel south to Charlotte(12-2-1) and Wilmington(9-5-2) to due battle with the Southern division leaders. The Rough Riders have been unlucky in their previous matches against these both Pittsburgh and Wilmington. Earlier this year the team dropped a 2-1 heartbreaker to Wilmington and then followed it up with a 2-0 defeat at Pittsburgh. Since their loss at Pittsburgh, however, the Rough Riders have transformed into a much different team having won six out of their last seven games. This will be their first meeting of the season with Charlotte.
The Rough Riders welcome back midfielder Jim Rooney who missed last Saturday's game because of the birth of his third daughter Emma, weighing in at 8lbs, 8oz.
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United Soccer League Championship Stories from July 21, 2004
- Ishmael Mintah and Jacob Coggins Earn Team of the Week Honors - Charlotte Eagles
- Rough Riders Week Ahead - Long Island Rough Riders
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