USL Announces Week Three Honors
Published on May 10, 2005 under USL First Division (USL-1) News Release
TAMPA, FL â United Soccer Leagues announced the Teams of the Week for Week 3 of the season, honoring Charleston's Greg Simmonds, Charlotte's Sam Casey and Orange County's Kei Kamara as the Players of the Week in the USL First Division, USL Second Division and Premier Development League. GVSC's Shane Lyons and FC Fremont's Megan Jurado were the Super Y-League Players of the Week.
Charleston Battery forward Greg Simmonds led his squad to a 3-1 victory over the Toronto Lynx with two goals, including the game winner in the 66th minute. Simmonds, the Battery's leading scorer in 2004 with five goals and four assists for 14 points, is now tied for third in the league in goals scored.
In the 39th minute of Friday night's matchup, with the Battery trailing 1-0, midfielder Ted Chronopoulos made a deep run up the left side. His cross to the near post was blocked away by the Lynx defense but the ball fell to Simmonds, who's shot from just outside the box found the back of the net to tie the game at 1-1.
Battery midfielder Laza Alavanja then found Simmonds in the six-yard box in the 66th minute. Simmonds cut to his left before placing a shot past Lynx goalkeeper Theo Zagar inside the near post that would serve as the game-winner.
The 1999 USL First Division Rookie of the Year, Simmonds spent two seasons with the Hershey Wildcats before joining MLS' Miami Fusion in 2001. He played for the Rochester Raging Rhinos (2002) and Richmond Kickers (2003) before joining the Battery last season.
Charlotte Eagles midfielder Sam Casey had a busy weekend, recording three goals and an assist in wins over the Northern Virginia Royals (5-1) and Harrisburg City Islanders (3-1).
On Friday night, Casey scored the Eagles' fourth goal, then assisted on another to put Charlotte up 5-0. Then, against the City Islanders, Casey scored the go-ahead goal in the 59th minute when teammate Ryan Dinunzio served a ball into the box that Casey headed home. The two would team up again as another Dinunzio cross found the head of Casey in the 72nd minute and the Eagles went on to win 3-1.
Casey, a Fairfax, VA native, saw limited action for the Eagles in 2004 but is now tied for third in the USL Second Division in points (9) behind teammates Jacob Coggins (14) and Dustin Swinehart (12).
In a meeting of the two top teams in the Southwest Division last year, Kei Kamara led the Orange County Blue Star to a convincing 5-1 win over the Fresno Fuego with a four-goal performance.
The second-year Blue Star forward started the match after coming off the bench in the season opener and pretty much secured a permanent spot as starter with three goals in the first 16 minutes of the match and tallied the team's final strike in the 72nd.
The sophomore out of Cal-State Dominguez Hills registered five goals and an assist in six games in his first season with Orange County last year.
The first W-League honors will be unveiled next week.
Grand Valley Soccer Club U14 Boys player Shane Lyons helped lead his team to a 3-1 win on the road over the Indiana Invaders with a hat-trick. Megan Jurado of FC Fremont tallied twice to lead her U14 Girls team to a 3-1 win at home against Cavitt Academy.
USL First Division Team of the Week
Pos Name Team Highlights
G Ronnie Pascale Richmond Four saves in scoreless draw against Montreal
D Scott Palguta Rochester Assist in 3-1 win over Puerto Rico
D Brett Branan Minnesota Solid play in 1-1 tie against Portland
D Geordie Lyall Vancouver Solid play in 0-0 tie at Seattle
M Rey Martinez Rochester Goal in 3-1 win over Puerto Rico
M CJ Klaas Seattle Solid play in 0-0 tie against Vancouver
M Pat Leduc Montreal Solid play 0-0 tie at Richmond
M Hugo Alcaraz-Cuellar Portland Assist in 1-1 tie at Minnesota
* F Greg Simmonds Charleston Two goals in 3-1 win over Toronto
F Rodrigo Rios Atlanta Two assists in 3-2 win over Atlanta
F Daniel Antoniuk Portland Goal in 1-1 tie at Minnesota
USL Second Division Team of the Week
Pos Name Team Highlights
G TJ Tomasso New Hampshire Six saves 1-0 win over Wilmington
D Sam Fiore Cincinnati Goal, assist in 2-1 win over Pittsburgh
D Nathan Salsi Pittsburgh Goal in 2-1 loss at Cincinnati
D Tiest Sondaal Cincinnati Assist in 2-1 win over Pittsburgh
M Ben Bingham Western Mass Assist in 2-2 tie against Wilmington
M Manny Brito New Hampshire Game-winner in 1-0 win over Wilmington
* M Sam Casey Charlotte Three goals, assist in pair of road wins
M Fabio Andrade Northern Virginia Goal in 5-1 loss to Charlotte
F Jacob Coggins Charlotte Hat-trick in 5-1 win at Northern Virginia
F Rigels Qosa Western Mass Goal in 2-2 tie against Wilmington
F Chad Severs Harrisburg Goal in 3-1 loss to Charlotte
USL First Division Stories from May 10, 2005
- Timbers duo named to USL First Division Team of the Week - Portland Timbers
- Kickers Host First-Ever School Day - Richmond Kickers
- Battery heads to West coast - Charleston Battery
- USL Announces Week Three Honors - USL-1
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
