USL FC Tulsa

Roughnecks Take on Sounders 2 Tonight in Seattle

Published on June 5, 2015 under United Soccer League Championship (USL)
FC Tulsa News Release


The Roughnecks make their first trip to the Pacific Northwest when they travel to Seattle on Friday to face the Seattle Sounders 2 at Starfire Stadium.

It will be the second meeting between the two USL Western Conference sides. On April 16, the Roughnecks outscored the Sounders 4-3 at ONEOK Field in one of the league's more entertaining contests this season. The match represented Tulsa's first-ever USL regular season victory.

The Sounders will enter the match atop the Western Conference standings with 20 points (6-3-2) in 11 matches, while the Roughnecks are in 11t h place with 11 points (3-5-2) in 10 matches. Seattle is undefeated at Starfire this season with a perfect 5-0-0 mark.

The game will be broadcast live on Tulsa's Sports Radio AM 1300 with Jeremie Poplin calling the action. The broadcast can also be heard online at 1300TheBuzz.com.

In addition, the match can be viewed live through the Sounders YouTube channel.

TULSA WATCH PARTY

The Rusty Crane will host an official Watch Party for the match with the YouTube broadcast being shown live. The Rusty Crane is located on Elgin Avenue, just across the street from ONEOK Field.

TULSA'S NORTHWEST CONNECTION

The Roughnecks have several players with ties to the Sounders and the Pacific Northwest. Forward Sammy Ochoa spent three seasons with the Sounders in Major League Soccer, scoring a total of 10 goals in all competitions.

Goalkeepers Zac Lubin and Jake Feener and midfielder Oscar Jimenez have spent time with the Sounders-U23 squad. Forward Gibson Bardsley and Jimenez played collegiately at Western Washington University.

Lubin, Feener and defender Brady Ballew played collegiately at Seattle University.

THE COACHES

Tulsa head coach David Irving was a player for the original Roughnecks in the old North America Soccer League. Irving scored three goals in seven appearances for Tulsa during the 1980 NASL season. His professional playing career also included stints with Everton FC and Sheffield United in England.

Sounders 2 coach Ezra Hendrickson played 12 seasons in Major League Soccer, winning three league titles with three different squads (Los Angeles Galaxy in 2002, D.C. United in 2004 and Columbus Crew in 2008). He was also a member of the Galaxy squad that won the 2000 CONCACAF Champions Cup. Hendrickson had served as an assistant to Sounders Head Coach Sigi Schmidt since 2009 before being named S2 Head Coach.

OFFENSIVE NIGHT?

The match has the potential to resemble the first meeting that featured seven combined goals. The Roughnecks are tied for first in the USL with 13.60 shots per game, while the Sounders are second in the league with 23 total goals.

DYNAMIC DUO

The Sounders 2 attack is led by Andy Craven and Darwin Jones. Both Craven and Jones have netted five goals this campaign.

ROAD WARRIORS

Tulsa has enjoyed success on the road this season. The Roughnecks are 2-2-1 in five matches away from ONEOK Field this season. Conversely, they are only 1-3-1 in five home matches.

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United Soccer League Championship Stories from June 5, 2015


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