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Thunder starts three-game road trip tonight

June 30, 2006 - USL First Division (USL-1)
Minnesota Thunder News Release


ST. PAUL, Minn. (Friday, June 30, 2006) - After a seven-game home stand, the Minnesota Thunder will travel on a grueling three-game road trip this weekend. The Thunder will first play at the Virginia Beach Mariners on tonight, June 30 at 7:00 p.m. LIVE on Fox Soccer Channel, which will immediately be followed with a trip to take on the Charleston Battery on Saturday, July 1 at 6:30 p.m. After two days rest, the Thunder will then face the Atlanta Silverbacks on Tuesday, July 4 at 6:30 p.m. Fans can tune in to www.charlestonbattery.com to listen to Saturday's game live.

Watch Party Friday

Friday's game against Virginia Beach will be televised LIVE on Fox Soccer Channel at 7 p.m. The Thunder is hosting a watch party at The Local Irish pub located on 10th and Nicollet in downtown Minneapolis. Come and join Thunder fans as they cheer on the team to victory!

About the Thunder

The Thunder (2-6-3, 9 points) went 1-4-2 over their seven-game home stand, with the most recent game being a disappointing 1-0 loss to the Des Moines Menace (PDL) in the second round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup on Wednesday. The Thunder will look to pick up some important points on the road, as they are 0-3-1 so far this season in away games. Forward Melvin Tarley still leads the team with three goals and two assists for eight points. Kiki Lara and Terry Alvino each have five points.

About the Mariners

Virginia Beach (4-3-4, 16 points) currently sits in seventh place in the USL First Division. On Wednesday, the Mariners advanced to the third round of the U.S. Open Cup with a win over the Arizona Sahuaros. The Mariners narrowly beat the Thunder 2-1 on June 17 at the National Sports Center in Blaine. Virginia Beach leading scorer Gregory Simmonds (5 goals, 1 assist, 11 points) scored a goal and added an assist to lead his team to the win. Friday's game will mark the last time Virginia Beach and the Thunder will play each other in the 2006 season.

About the Battery

Charleston (4-4-3, 15 points) is in eighth place in the USL First Division. The Battery advanced to the third round of the U.S. Open Cup with a 1-0 win over the Sonoma County Sol on Wednesday. Charleston will be traveling to Atlanta to face the Silverbacks on Friday, June 30, the day before hosting the Thunder. The Thunder and Battery will also meet on July 27 in Minnesota. Gavin Glinton and Stephen Armstrong lead Charleston offensively with 10 and 9 points, respectively.

About the Silverbacks

Atlanta (3-4-3, 12 points) sits one win ahead of the Thunder in the league standings. The Silverbacks most recent game was a 1-0 victory over the Charleston Battery in Charleston. Tuesday's game will mark the first match-up of the season between Atlanta and Minnesota, with a rematch scheduled for July 30 at the Thunder. Jason McLaughlin is the Silverbacks' clear offensive leader, with four goals and two assists for 10 points.

Up Next

The Thunder will return home on Friday, July 14 in hosting the Vancouver Whitecaps at James Griffin Stadium. This game will be LIVE on Comcast channel 13 locally. Kickoff is set for 7:05 p.m. For ticket information, visit www.mnthunder.com or call 651.917.TEAM.




USL First Division Stories from June 30, 2006


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