USL News Release
Thursday, May 31, 2007
TAMPA, FL – United Soccer Leagues announced the USL Premier Development League and W-League Teams of the Week for the sixth week of the USL season, honoring Kansas City’s Josh White and Seattle’s Chalise Baysa as the Players of the Week, respectively.
Since qualifying for the US Open Cup in their inaugural 1998 season, the Kansas City Brass have watched teams like the Michigan, Chicago, Des Moines and Colorado continually take the berths from the Central Conference year after year. Two victories on the final weekend of qualification sent the Brass through to the tournament with a 4-0-0 record thanks to a defense led by fourth-year defender Josh White, who provided an unexpected offensive spark for the wins.
Heading into the weekend, the Heartland Division’s spot was wide open and the Brass picked up their third win Saturday 1-0 on a goal from White in the 39th minute to down the Springfield Demize, who had ended the St Louis Lions’ 15-game unbeaten run two nights earlier. The results of the night set up a head-to-head showdown between the Lions and Brass for the berth to the tournament Sunday night.
The Brass got on the board in the 27th minute and two minutes later challenged Lions goalkeeper Brian Forrest in the air on a free kick and sent it into the back of the net for what proved to be the game-winner as his defense went on to register the 3-1 victory. It was White’s team-leading second goal of the year, doubling his career total in four seasons of PDL play. Kansas City handed the Lions their first loss at home since May 21 of last year when they were the last team to do so, 2-1, in a game that, ironically, was the only match of the season that White did not play.
Forward Chalise Baysa scored twice for the Sounders, ending Seattle’s nine-game losing streak against the Whitecaps. The Whitecaps women suffered their first loss since 2005, falling 2-0 in Seattle to the Seattle Sounders, in a tightly played match. The loss snapped Vancouver’s 16-game undefeated streak and 24 match regular season unbeaten run.
In the 22nd minute midfielder Michelle French sent a high ball over the Whitecaps back four to find Baysa, who neatly slipped it past ’Caps keeper Sian Bagshawe.
Against the run of play eight minutes into the second half, Seattle earned a free kick, which Kelli Smith took quickly to find Lyndsay Patterson. Patterson did well to create space and send a looping ball to Baysa, who headed it down and in for her second of the game.
In her fourth year with Seattle, Baysa has scored 15 goals along with six assists for the Sounders in 38 matches.
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PDL 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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Aaron Weant
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Cary
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12 saves, 1 GA in wins over Atlanta, Carolina
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*
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D
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Josh White
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Kansas City
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Two game-winners led Brass to Open Cup berth
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D
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Robert Sgueglia
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Albany
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Goal, defense 1 GA in pair of wins
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D
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Sean Boyle
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Ocean City
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Goal, assist in pair of wins for Open Cup berth
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D
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Hugh Van Wagenen
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BYU
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Led team to three wins, Open Cup berth with 1 GA
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M
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Norberto Papandrea
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Austin
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Two assists in win and draw
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M
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Jake Stacy
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West Michigan
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Goal, two assists in 4-1 win at Cleveland
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M
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Fabricio Codeceira
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Fresno
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Two assists in 5-2 win over San Fernando Valley
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F
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Kenny Uzoigwe
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Michigan
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Two goals, assist as sub in 3-3 draw at Indiana
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F
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Saidi Isaac
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Indiana
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Four goals, three in 3-3 draw against Michigan
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F
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Zack Shilawski
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Cary
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Three goals, assist in pair of wins
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W-League 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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Jo Haig
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Minnesota
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Eight saves in 2-0 win over Chicago
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D
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Monica Buff
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Atlanta
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Goal in 1-0 win at Fredericksburg
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D
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Ana Gutierrez
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San Diego
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Assist in 4-0 win at Mile High
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D
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Katie Radchuck
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Western Mass
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Assist in 1-0 win over New York
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M
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Tina Romagnuolo
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Toronto
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Two assists in 4-0 win at Rochester
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M
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Rebekah Patrick
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San Diego
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Two goals in three wins in Colorado
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M
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Nat Martineau
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Cocoa
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Goal, two assists in 6-0 win over Bradenton
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M
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Leah Robinson
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Ottawa
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Two goals in 3-0 win over Hamilton
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F
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Caroline Smith
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Minnesota
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Two goals in 2-0 win over Chicago
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*
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F
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Chalise Baysa
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Seattle
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Two goals in 2-0 win over Vancouver
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F
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Josee Belanger
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Laval
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Three goals, assist in win at Vermont
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* Players of the Week
