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WVSportsplex.com to Broadcast Clinching Match, Can Clinch Tournament Berth with Win

February 11, 2011 - Professional Arena Soccer League (PASL)
Wenatchee Fire News Release


WENATCHEE - February 11, 2011 - No one said it was going to be easy. After dropping four of their first five matches, Wenatchee Fire FC has regrouped and charged back to a 5-5 overall record, with the chance for significant postseason play. As a semiprofessional Frontier Division team, the Fire has the opportunity to return to the Premier Arena Soccer League championship tournament as a wild card representative of the Northwest Division. In a somewhat confusing scenario, the Fire's matches against Kitsap, WSA, Central Oregon, and Snohomish have counted toward this goal, leaving the team with a 4-2 record against these opponents and an opportunity to travel to Las Vegas for the PASL-Premier National Championship Tournament with one more win.

Their closest competitors are the WSA Rapids and Central Oregon Steelheaders, who both remain in contention for a tournament berth with records of 2-4. Snohomish has been eliminated from the chase with a record of 2-5, but still remains in a spoiler position. This Saturday, the road to the postseason for the Fire takes them to Snohomish to take on the Skyhawks, and WVSportsplex.com will be live at 6:50pm .

"It's plain and simple. We beat (Central Oregon) and we beat Snohomish...we should get a wild card shot into the National Championship Tournament in Vegas," said coach Mike Osborn, "That's our mission." Stage one was completed last week, as the Fire put down the Steelheaders last weekend in a 7-5 thriller, in which the Fire scored the game-winning goal with 45 seconds remaining.

The 2010-2011 season has been one characterized by a deep Fire FC squad, as four different strikers remain tied for the leading scoring honors with 10 goals each. Victor Navarro, Elias Lopez, Garret Brown, and Mauricio Lopez all have lit up the net with great frequency. The squad looks to ride their hot feet and the impressive keeping of Matt Stalnik all the way to Las Vegas.

Should the Fire FC fail to clinch the Northwest Division in Snohomish, they will have one last chance to control their own destiny Sunday, at 5:05, as the Fire welcomes the professional Kitsap Pumas to the Wenatchee Valley Sportsplex. Even if the Fire drop both matches this weekend, scenarios exist that could still result in a Wenatchee playoff berth. Fans can purchase tickets for Sunday's match at the Sportsplex, located at the bottom of Fifth Street, and can keep up to date with everything Fire at Facebook.com/WenatcheeFireFC.



Professional Arena Soccer League Stories from February 11, 2011


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.

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