Nashville Metros Press Release - http://www.nashvillemetrossoccer.com/
Thursday, May 8th
NASHVILLE – The Nashville Metros will kick off their 2008 soccer season this weekend with a pair of matches in North Carolina as they take on the Carolina Dynamo on Saturday night and the Cary Railhawks on Sunday afternoon. 
Still smarting from the team’s 2-11-3 campaign in 2007, the worst season in Metros history, Head Coach Rico Laise has been looking at a lot of new talent and some longtime fan favorites in recent weeks in an effort to find the right combinations for this year’s team.
“I think we’ll be better this year and much more competitive. Our starters looked good in both our pre-season matches (a 2-2 tie and 0-0 tie against the St. Louis Lions). We’ve got some big holes to fill on defense and we’re trying to find the right combinations to get some scoring chances. We’ll know a lot more about our team after this weekend,” Laise said.
While players will not be officially signed until later this week, Laise said longtime Metros like 10-season veteran Danny Devall and sixth-year midfielder Mark Phitivihok are definitely part of his plans for the season. Others who have looked good in training sessions include Fynn Glover and Bryan Lowder, both of whom will be entering their third season with the team, along with tough defenders Xander Vooys and Jeff Boynton.
GAME: Nashville Metros vs. Carolina Dynamo
DATE: Saturday, May 10
TIME: 6:30 p.m. CDT
LOCATION: Macpherson Stadium, Greensboro, N.C.
The Dynamo are a perennial playoff contender and the Metros have yet to beat them in six tries over the past two seasons. Although the Dynamo went through an ownership change during the off-season, with 11-year Head Coach Joe Brown and General Manager Scott Zapko buying the team from its previous owners, the team does not look to be losing a stride as it welcomes the Metros for the first match of the year for both teams.
Brown’s Dynamo had a fine 11-3-2 season in 2007, winning the Southeast Division and making it to the Southern Conference finals, where they fell to the eventual PDL champion Laredo Heat. Drawing from the talent-rich soccer pool in the region, which boasts NCAA powerhouses like Duke, Wake Forest, North Carolina, Coastal Carolina and South Carolina, the Dynamo will provide a stern early-season test for Nashville as both teams try to get their season off on the right foot.
GAME: Nashville Metros vs. Cary Railhawks
DATE: Sunday, May 11
TIME: 2:00 p.m. CDT
LOCATION: WakeMed Soccer Park, Cary, N.C.
After just two seasons playing each other regularly in the Southeast Division, the Metros and the Railhawks have developed an intense rivalry that has led to some fascinating, competitive matches. The teams are 2-2-3 against each other over the span and will meet each other four times this year.
Cary worked its way to a respectable 7-6-3 record last year. They will host the Metros for their first home match of the season on Sunday after opening their season on Friday night against the Atlanta Silverbacks in Atlanta.
TEAM NOTES
Metros Unveil New Price: After years of holding the line on ticket prices, the Metros have decided to cut prices to $5 for all admissions to home matches at both Ezell Park Stadium and Richard Siegel Championship Soccer Park in Murfreesboro this year. Group ticket prices for 20 or more fans are just $4 per person. Season tickets are $40 for a 10-ticket package that can be used in any combination for any Metros matches. While other sports teams raise prices almost annually, the Metros are committed to remaining the best family entertainment value in town.
Hit the Metros Summer Camps for the Best Soccer Experience: The Metros will host seven weeks of soccer camps for amateur players, advanced players and even whole youth teams this summer. The camps are personally led by Metros Head Coach Rico Laise and staffed by Metros players. The fun begins with the first amateur camp on June 16, so get registered today. A camp brochure and registration form is available on the Metros web site at http://www.nashvillemetrossoccer.com/
