Week 16 USL Pro Honors announced

Published on August 7, 2006 under USL First Division (USL-1) News Release


TAMPA, FL - United Soccer Leagues announced Monday its USL First and Second Division Teams of the Week for the 16th week of the season, honoring Joey Gjertsen of Vancouver and Almir Barbosa of New Hampshire as the USL First and Second Division Players of the Week, respectively.

Joey Gjertsen started the season off on a hot run with five goals in the first eight games to lead the Whitecaps to a 4-1-3 start. He then went dry for a 12-game stretch. The Whitecaps, meanwhile, held steady at the top half of the table with a 3-4-5 mark until a two-game road swing this week may kick the Caps into high gear.

Gjertsen immediately broke out of the slump less than a minute into Friday's match at Puerto Rico as he helped lead the team to a 3-1 win over the Islanders.

Two nights later in Miami Gjertsen added two more in a close-fought 3-2 victory over the expansion side. Trailing 1-0 after 18 minutes, Gjertsen scored the equalizer in the 22nd minute. A David Testo goal gave Vancouver a 2-1 heading toward the break with Gjertsen adding a second in stoppage time to make it 3-1.

Gjertsen's three strikes moved him to eight on the season, putting him in a tie for fourth in the league and the Whitecaps into second in the USL First Division table.

The New Hampshire Phantoms have been quietly enjoying a season of improvement over last year's 6-11-3 campaign and used a 3-1 win over playoff-hopeful Cincinnati Wednesday to move to 9-7-1 on the year.

Forward Almir Barbosa provided all three goals in the game, scoring twice in the opening four minutes of the match to give the Phantoms a commanding advantage. He finished his natural hat-trick in the 17th minute with his eighth of the season as the home side cruised to the victory.

Barbosa, who now ranks second in the league in goals behind Richmond's Robert Ssejjemba at 15, is the first Phantoms player honored as Player of the Week this season.

USL First Division Team of the Week
Pos Name Team Highlights
G Scott Vallow Rochester Nine saves in 1-0 win over Atlanta
D Chad Dombrowski Minnesota Assist in 1-0 win at Portland
D Lars Lyssand Montreal Assist in 1-1 draw at Virginia Beach
D Kupono Low Virginia Beach Assist in 1-1 draw against Montreal
M Osni Neto Toronto Two goals in win and loss on the road
M Ben Hollingsworth Charlotte Goal, assist in 2-1 win over Toronto
M David Testo Vancouver Two goals in pair of road wins
M Jay Alberts Vancouver Two assists in 3-2 win at Miami
F Greg Howes Rochester Game-winner in 1-0 win over Atlanta
* F Joey Gjertsen Vancouver Three goals in two road wins
F Kevin Jeffrey Toronto Two goals, assist in 4-2 win at Atlanta

USL Second Division Team of the Week
Pos Name Team Highlights
G Terry McNellis Pittsburgh Four saves in 3-1 win at Wilmington
D Sam Fiore Cincinnati Game-winner in 1-0 win at Harrisburg
D Ruben Diaz Long Island Goal, led Rough Riders to 2-0 shutout win
D Kelvin Jones Richmond Led Kickers to 2-1 win over Charlotte
D Craig Stewart New Hampshire Assist in 3-1 win over Cincinnati
M Matt Watson Richmond Goal in 2-1 win over Charlotte
M Jason Kutney Pittsburgh Goal, assist in 3-1 win at Wilmington
M Rich Bradley Long Island Goal in 2-0 win over Western Mass
M Jacob Coggins Charlotte Goal in 2-1 loss at Richmond
* F Almir Barbosa New Hampshire Three goals in 3-1 win at Cincinnati
F Robert Ssejjemba Richmond Game-winner in 2-1 win over Charlotte

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