Laredo Heat News Release - www.laredoheatsc.com
Friday, July 31, 2009
LAREDO, TX -- The Bradenton Academics completed the underdog sweep in the Premier Development League Elite Eight opening round with a 3-1 victory over the Laredo Heat in extra time at the Texas A&M International University Soccer Complex on Friday.
The Ventura Fusion defeated the favored Kitsap Pumas 2-1 in the early game and faces the Academics Saturday night in the league semifinals.
Either the Academics or Fusion will advance to the PDL title game for the first time in their program's history. In Des Moines, Iowa, the Chicago Fire defeated the Ocean City Barons 3-0 and the Cary Clarets blanked the Des Moines Menace 1-0.
Neither winner was favored entering Friday night.
The season came to an end for the Heat when Steven Morris broke through the middle of the area and knocked in the game-winner in the 116th minute.
Ederson Lopes padded the lead with a last-minute goal.
"(It's a) tough loss, of course; tough way to end the season," Laredo General Manager J.J. Vela said.
"It took long enough for the injury bug to catch up with us. We knew it wasn't going to be easy, and overall, we gave it a run. Once again, we had another successful season over five years and we are very proud of the players and coaches. At the end, more than anything, the injuries caught up to us."
The Heat did an admirable job of taking control of the game for the most part, despite losing its two key defenders in Carlos Ordaz (first half) and Pedro Ramos at the start of the second.
The club rallied from an early 1-0 deficit in the first half and scored in the only shot taken in the second half, a beauty from Raul Quinones.
The Heat came close to knocking in the game-winner in both extra times, but Academics goalkeeper Ryan Thompson didn't budge.
In the end, Laredo had outshot Bradenton 12-5.
The Academics' Cameron Hepple provided the game's first score in the 20th minute of the contest thanks to a well placed direct kick from about 27 yards to the far post that got past a diving Ryan Cooper.
Quinones began an improbable run from the left side, near midfield, and worked his way to the middle before capping it with a flick of his right foot that sent the ball past the goalie and knotted the contest 1-1 in the 57th minute.
The game became a back-and-forth struggle for the game-winner that never came in the second half.
The Heat applied some offensive pressure and was awarded seven corner kicks in the second half, but none found its mark.
The biggest thing to come out of the second half was that the only shot on goal was a goal by the Heat's Quinones.
In the first extra time, Nicho Infante found himself with a perfect angle to shoot just inside the box, but his blast was set aside by the Academics' keeper.
In the second extra time, Theo Browne came close, but once again Thompson came out the victor.
The difference in the first half was plays off free kicks, as both clubs managed to do some damage off set plays.
Bradenton's goal came off a direct free kick, and Hepple came close to scoring yet another goal in the 16th minute when he took a teammate's pass in stride and was denied by the Cooper.
The pass came from the other side of the pitch of an indirect kick that surprised the Heat's defense.
Laredo began applying the early pressure before the close call by Hepple turned the tide of the game in the next minutes.
After two failed attempts by the Academics to figure out the Heat defense, it all came together in their third try when Hepple took his free kick.
The Heat's best chance on goal became the Academics' best and luckiest moment on defense.
In the 39th minute, Soamy Bautista sent a header to the far post that bounced off the crossbar, and the rebound landed in the feet of Joel Perez, whose shot was saved by a Academics defender who found himself at the perfect spot for the kick save.
A key loss for Laredo came in the 40th minute when Ordaz went down with an injury.
The Heat countered with two soft shots from defender Quinones that once again tilted the game towards the Heat's favor.
The Heat got some more help when Matt McFarland got a yellow card in the 30 minute for a hard foul on Dionisio Infante.
The Heat's Greg Mulamba, who began the day as a forward, redirected a shot from outside the box with his heels that was saved by Thompson.
The Academics once again threatened in the 36th minute when Morris had a point blank shot denied by Cooper.
Notes: Laredo had eight starters with previous playoff experience start the game against the Academics.
The Heat has yet to win a PDL championship in its new home at TAMIU, their first title came at the Student Activity Complex.
The Academics have used two keepers all season and kept with the rotation as Thompson started his first playoff game.
