Tuesday, July 29, 2003

 

TAMPA, FL - United Soccer Leagues announced today the Teams and Players of the Week for the A-League, USL Pro Select League and W-League today for Week 15, honoring Milwaukee's Greg Howes, Long Island's Shaun Higgins and Northern Virginia's Kim Francis.

The Milwaukee Wave United moved into second place in the Central Division and within three points of division leader Minnesota Thunder with a pair of wins over the former second place El Paso Patriots. Leading the way in Milwaukee was forward and A-League Player of the Week Greg Howes, who contributed three goals and an assist in the 2-0 and 5-1 victories.

Howes opened the scoring Friday with his fourth goal of the season from the middle of the penalty area off a left wing cross from Troy Dusosky in the ninth minute. Matt Schmidt would add a goal in the second half to secure the win.

Two nights later, Howes beat the Patriots for two more goals and an assist. He set up rookie forward Nick Walls for the opening strike 11 minutes in and tallied his first of the night in the 40th minute for a 2-0 lead. Leading 2-1 in the second half, Howes boosted the lead back to two in the 63rd when he blasted a shot into the back of the net.

Vying for the regular season championship, the defending league champion Long Island Rough Riders posted two 2-1 victories last week over the New Hampshire Phantoms and New Jersey Stallions. Forward Shaun Higgins scored all four goals on the week.

The USL Pro Select League Player of the Week notched his first of the week Wednesday in the 21st minute in New Hampshire on an assist from Leo Ascensio and gave the Rough Riders what would prove to be the game-winner in the 37th on an assist from Bret Davis.

Three nights later at home, he would help the Rough Riders rally from a 1-0 halftime deficit to the visiting Stallions. He scored the equalizer on an assist from Pedro Fragoso in the 55th and notched the game-winner on an assist from Daniel Leon in the 74th to improve Long Island to 12-3-3 and a league-leading 39 points.

The Carolina Dynamo are the only team that can surpass the Rough Riders for the regular season, however, Utah or California can tie them.

Looking to secure a playoff berth, the Northern Virginia Majestics faced the other two clubs vying for the berth in three games in as many days due to a number of weather-related postponed matches. Midfielder and final W-League Player of the Week for 2003 Kim Francis provided two game-winning goals and excellent play in the first two matches, landing the squad two wins and a ticket to the postseason.

Tied 1-1 against Greensboro in overtime, halftime substitute Kim Francis scored her first goal of the season three minutes into the extra frame to give Northern Virginia the needed victory, 2-1.

The following night, Francis scored the opening goal in a 3-0 victory over the Asheville Splash on an assist from defender Danielle Desfosses, who was also named to the Team of the Week. The goal was her second of the year. She also recorded three assists this season. The victory clinched the Atlantic Division's second playoff berth for Northern Virginia.