USL Feature

Friday, May 01, 2009

VENTURA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA – The last of three opening night games in United Soccer Leagues Premier Development League this evening, the Bakersfield Brigade vs. the Ventura County Fusion, may be the biggest ticket. The Ventura County Star’s Joe Curley reported yesterday that Fusion midfielder Anton Peterlin has been invited to join English Premier League side Everton FC when the club visits the US on their preseason tour in July.

“In actual terms, the contract has been offered,” said Ranbir Shergill, General Manager of the Ventura County Fusion. “He has not signed it yet, but he is going to once Everton begins their preseason here in the US. That is when he will join them.”

The Fusion finished the 2008 PDL season with a record of 8-5-3, good enough for third place in the league’s Southwest Division, but just outside the playoff picture. During that time Peterlin netted two goals and one assist from his defensive position. He also led the team in games played (16) and minutes played (1346), averaging over 84 minutes per match.

“Anton is a really nice kid,” added Shergill. “He has a great attitude and I firmly believe that he has what it takes to make with it Everton.”

Peterlin will not be alone in returning to Ventura County. A total of 10 members of last season’s Fusion team are back for the team’s third campaign, making the team one of the most experienced sides in the Southwest Division. That experience should push the Fusion over the postseason drought they suffered through their first two seasons. In Ventura County’s inaugural campaign, they finished the year with a record of 9-4-3, two points out of the playoff picture. Last season, the club ended the year with 27 points, again, two points away from a postseason position.

The only concern accompanying that experience is that all of the returning players are either midfielders or defenders – leaving the Fusion with some work to do in terms of finding some youthful goal scoring ability. And then, come July, finding someone to replace Peterlin in the heart of their run towards their first PDL postseason.

On the opposite side of the pitch this evening will be the Bakersfield Brigade, who ended the 2008 PDL season in seventh place of the Southwest Division. A record of 4-5-7 in 2008, down from their average of 6.3 wins in each of the previous three seasons in the league, the Brigade will also be looking to improve their offense, who netted only a goal per game in 2008.

These two clubs met on Friday, May 2, 2008 in a match that ended 0-0, a microcosm of both club’s defensive nature. Ventura held a distinct advantage in shots, finishing with a 22-10 advantage, but could not finish of any of their chances. In the rematch on Saturday, June 14, Bakersfield found the back of the net twice and won 2-0, a game that would have nudged Ventura into the playoff picture.

Bakersfield returns a total of eight players from last season’s squad including: Cameron Walters, who mirrors Ventura County’s Peterlin in that he scored multiple goals (3) and added an assist in 15 defensive-minded appearances last season. Also returning for the Brigade is Leo Munoz, who accounted for two goals and an assist in the 13 games he played in the midfield last season. Unlike the Fusion, Bakersfield returns Eric Franco, their starting goalkeeper from a year ago. In 15 appearances last season, Franco went 4-4-6 with six shutouts and 63 saves. His goals against average was an impressive, 1.125.