Tuesday, April 22, 2003

 

TAMPA, FL - United Soccer Leagues announced today the first set of weekly honors, releasing the Teams and Players of the Week for the A-League and USL Pro Select League. Roland Aguilera and Anthony Bussard were the initial Players of the Week honored in the A-League and USL Pro Select League, respectively.

Virginia Beach Mariners midfielder 'Pato' Aguilera was the first A-League Player of the Week for the 2003 season coming off his goal and two-assist performance in a 3-2 win over the visiting Cincinnati Riverhawks last Friday.

The 24-year-old product of the acclaimed Tahuichi Academy returns to North American soccer after a year absence. In two seasons (2000-01) in Major League Soccer, the youngster saw limited action for Columbus and New England, starting just three of his 19 appearances, playing only 521 minutes and recording one assist. Aguilera, however, did score in the Crew's 2-0 win over the Cape Cod Crusaders in the 2000 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup tournament.

The Santa Cruz, Bolivia native is quickly becoming a set piece specialist in the A-League. Both assists to former Crew teammate Dante Washington in the match came on dead ball restarts, including the game-winner, an in-swinging free kick on the left side of the field that curled around the Cincinnati wall and into the six-yard box to the awaiting Washington, who finished his run on goal by redirecting the ball into the back of the net.

USL Pro Select League rookie Anthony Bussard is off to a hot start for the California Gold. The 21-year-old forward tallied three goals and an assist in the first three games of the year, helping to lead the Gold to a 1-1-2 start.

Bussard opened the campaign with a two-goal performance in the club's season opener, a 3-2 loss to the visiting San Diego Gauchos. Both of the goals leveled the score following tallies from San Diego's Ralph Dartt, who was also named to the Team of the Week. San Diego would win the match with two minutes remaining on an own goal by California defender Jerrus Roxas.

The following week, Bussard accounted for the team's lone goal in a 1-1 draw against the visiting Utah Blitzz in the first of two matches and set up the 1-0 overtime game-winner in the second game the following night.