USL News Release
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
TAMPA, FL -- United Soccer Leagues announced the Team of the Week honors for the eighthweek of the USL season, honoring Austin’s Yordany Alvarez as the USL First Division Player of the Week and Harrisburg’s Ty Shipalane as the USL Second Division Player of the Week.
With the English attacking duo of Eddie Johnson and Gifton Noel-Williams missing from the lineup, the expansion Aztex were sparked offensively to their second win of the campaign by Cuban midfielder Yordany Alvarez, who finished the night with two goals and an assist.
Jeff Harwell, brought up from Austin’s U-23 Premier Development League team to compensate for injuries, sent in a curving cross inside the area to Alvarez, who beat his marker to make just enough contact to send the ball low past Islanders goalkeeper Bill Gaudette.
Alvarez doubled the lead in the 52nd minute when he sent a corner to the center of the area, connecting with an open Lyle Adams, who headed it past Gaudette.
An Islanders tally 10 minutes later on a corner cut the deficit, but Alvarez would restore the two-goal cushion late on a counter attack in the 86th minute. With plenty of room going up the right flank, Alvarez chipped the ball over an on-rushing Gaudette.
Alvarez, who was one of several Cuban U-23 internationals that defected in Tampa, Fla. in March of 2008 during the Olympic Qualifiers, came into the contest with a goal and assist on the season in five previous appearances. He now leads the team in points and is tied for third in minutes played, having only missed the club’s match in Montreal due to his asylum status.
With second-year Real Maryland’s 1-0 road victory Friday over state rival Crystal Palace Baltimore, the Monarchs moved to second in the table and threatened to overcome Harrisburg in a Sunday showdown for first place against the visiting City Islanders.
A fourth minute Harrisburg penalty by Chad Severs and a Marc Gracien equalizer in the 54th had the match in a 1-1 stalemate when midfielder Ty Shipalane left his mark on the match.
Shipalane Related: Passion Profile [+]
In the 65th minute Steve Fisher delivered an excellent ball behind the Monarchs defense that Shipalane was able to run onto at the edge of the 18 on the left side before sending his shot to the far side of the goal past Chase Harrison.
Seven minutes later, a fantastic individual effort from Shipalane on the other side of the pitch saw him jump on Harrison’s thrown distribution out of the box and drive toward the end line and back toward goal. He finished with a shot from a narrow angle that found its way past Harrison for a needed two-goal advantage in what finished as a 3-2 victory.
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USL First Division Team of the Week
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Pos
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Name
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Team
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Highlights
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G
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Steve Cronin
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Portland
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Six saves in 2-0 win over Vancouver
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D
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Simon Gatti
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Montreal
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Led team in 1-0 win at Rochester
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D
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Lyle Adams
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Austin
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Goal in 3-1 win over Puerto Rico
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D
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Scot Thompson
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Portland
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Led team in 1-0 win over Vancouver
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D
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Kupono Low
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Carolina
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Led team in 1-0 win over Cleveland
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M
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Yordany Alvarez
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Austin
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Two goals, assist in 3-1 win over Puerto Rico
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M
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Daniel Paladini
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Carolina
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Goal in 1-0 win over Cleveland
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M
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Domenic Mediate
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Puerto Rico
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Goal in 2-1 win at Minnesota
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M
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Kenji Treschuk
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Charleston
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Goal in 2-0 win over Cleveland
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F
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Roberto Brown
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Montreal
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Goal in 1-0 win at Rochester
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F
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George Josten
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Portland
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Goal in 2-0 win over Vancouver
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USL Second Division Team of the Week
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Pos
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Name
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Team
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Highlights
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G
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Brian Rowland
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Baltimore
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Four saves in 0-0 draw at Western Mass
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D
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Sascha Gorres
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Richmond
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Led team in 2-0 win over Western Mass
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D
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Federico Molinari
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Western Mass
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Led team in 0-0 draw against Baltimore
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D
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Steve Shak
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Charlotte
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Led team in 5-1 win over Pittsburgh
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D
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Stephen Basso
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Baltimore
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Led team in 0-0 draw at Western Mass
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M
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Ty Shipalane
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Harrisburg
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Two goals in 3-2 win at Real Maryland
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M
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Amaury Nunes
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Charlotte
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Two goals in 5-1 win over Pittsburgh
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M
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Jorge Herrera
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Charlotte
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Goal, assist in 5-1 win over Pittsburgh
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F
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Tony Labudovski
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Pittsburgh
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Goal, assist in 3-1 win at Wilmington
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F
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Jacob Coggins
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Charlotte
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Goal, assist in 5-1 win over Pittsburgh
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F
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Gary Brooks
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Maryland
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Goal in 1-0 win at Baltimore
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