USL announces Week 9 honors
TAMPA, FL – United Soccer Leagues announced today the Teams of the Week for Week 9 of the season, honoring Portland’s Byron Alvarez, San Diego’s Herculez Gomez, Williamsburg’s Alex Brown and Ottawa’s Kelly Parker as the A-League, Pro Soccer League, Premier Development League and W-League Players of the Week. Brooklyn’s Tyler Arnone and Boston’s Brittany Bakanowski were named Super Y-League Players of the Week.
The Portland Timbers recorded their largest margin of victory since entering the A-League in 2001 when they defeated the Edmonton Aviators 6-0 last Thursday evening.
Alvarez had a hand in five of the goals as he recorded three goals and two assists, moving into the top ten of the A-League in both points (12 total) and goals (5).
In the 27th minute Alvarez notched his first goal of the evening when his header deflected off a defender into the goal. Alvarez then turned provider, setting up Hugo Alcaraz-Cuellar and Alan Gordon for two strikes in the final moments of the half for a commanding 3-0 halftime lead.
His second and third goals sealed the record-setting evening for the Timbers, with the last coming on a superb individual effort.
Portland is currently tied for first in the Western Conference with the Minnesota Thunder at 21 points.
The San Diego Gauchos broke a two-game losing streak when they tied the Orange County Blue Star 2-2 on the strength of forward Herculez Gomez’ two goals.
Gomez, a Las Vegas native, recorded his first goal in the 15th minute and put away a penalty kick in the 64th to stake the Gauchos to a 2-0 lead.
A 2002 All-League selection, Gomez finished third in scoring that year with 17 goals and two assists for 36 points. The Gauchos currently sit in second place in the Western Division, two points behind the Utah Blitzz with a game in hand.
The Williamsburg Legacy opened the week with a shutout performance against the visiting West Virginia Chaos with captain Alex Brown leading the defensive unit in the 4-0 win. The following night Brown not only led the team defensively, but contributed offensively in the 2-1 upset victory over the Pro Soccer League’s Harrisburg City Islanders.
Six minutes after Branan Thomas tied the score at 1-1, Brown ran in from the right side with perfect timing and scorched a shot to the upper 90 from long range, sealing the win for the Legacy.
The goal was the second of the year for Brown, who has stepped up offensively after recording just one assist in the two previous seasons (30 games). He also has three assists this season.
The Ottawa Fury made a statement Saturday night when they dominated the two-time champion Boston Renegades 6-0 for just their second win in five years against the powerhouse. Midfielder Kelly Parker was among the leading scorers on the night with two goals and is the team leader in points (18) and goals (8).
Two minutes after forward Rhian Wilkinson made it 1-0, she found Kelly Parker for her seventh of the season in the 21st minute. Parker went on to cap the game with her eighth of the year in the 86th minute on an assist from Jenine Stangier.
Ottawa, at 5-0-0, is one of seven unbeatens left in the W-League this season and is second in goals scored (30), five behind the New Jersey Wildcats.
Parker finished tied for the league lead in points last season with teammate Jeanette Akerlund with 32 points on the league’s third-best goal total (13). She is currently fourth in points, trailing Detroit’s Therese Heaton by five.
In a battle of unbeatens, Boston Renegades forward Brittany Bakanowski’s goal in the first half was enough to hand Seacoast their first loss of the season. With the win, the U-16 Renegades are now tied for first place with the previously unbeaten Seacoast United.
Brooklyn’s Tyler Arnone scored a goal in the 10th minute of overtime to lead his U-13 Brooklyn Knights over the previously undefeated Storm Academy 1-0 in overtime. The Brooklyn Knights are now 2-0 in the early stages of their 2004 Super Y-League season while the Storm Academy dropped to 4-1.
USL Teams of the Week
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