RICHMOND, VA - (Thursday, June 12, 2008) – The Richmond Kickers are slated to play their second game in five days, returning to regular season action on Saturday, June 14th when they host the Bermuda Hogges. Kickoff is set for 7:00 pm at the University of Richmond Stadium. The first 100 activated Pro Pass holders through the gate will receive a free t-shirt courtesy of Eurosport. All Score With Reading participants who achieved their reading hat trick will receive free admission (ages 3-17) and a free sack pack courtesy of SCORE (while supplies last).
The Kickers meet the second-year franchise, Bermuda, for the first time this season and hold a one-year record of 2-0-0 against the Hogges. Richmond outscored Bermuda 6-0 during the 2007 campaign, opening the series 4-0 in Richmond on June 17th before blanking the opposition 2-0 in Bermuda on June 23rd. Currently, the Hogges reside six points behind the Kickers in the standings with two games in hand and a record of 2-4-0 and six points while the Kickers hold onto sixth place with a 4-4-0 record and 12 points.
Last Time Out
The Richmond Kickers dropped a devastating 4-1 road loss to the defending USL-2 Champions Harrisburg City Islanders last Friday. Despite controlling the run of play early in the match, the Kickers went into the break down 2-0. Harrisburg added two more on the other side of the half, with Richmond newcomer Ian Bennett netting the Kickers’ lone goal on the last shot of the night. The Kickers last suffered a loss by a three goal margin on July 1, 2006 in Wilmington. They last allowed four goals in a loss on August 23, 2002 against the Charlotte Eagles.
Meanwhile, the Bermuda Hogges travel to Richmond after a one-week hiatus. They last suffered a 3-0 loss to the Cleveland City Stars on May 30th. The Hogges will stay state-side for the next four matches, facing the Western Mass Pioneers back-to-back on June 20th and 22nd followed by a trip south to meet the Charlotte Eagles on June 28th and Wilmington Hammerheads on July 3rd. They return home in time to finish the two-game series with the Kickers on Sunday, July 6th.
Players to Watch
Kickers: Furman University product, midfielder Eliot Paschalis (#14) returned to the midfield in late May after suffering an MCL strain that sidelined him for over a month. A native of London, England, Paschalis notched his first professional goal in the Kickers 3-0 US Open Cup win over the Fredericksburg Gunners last Tuesday. Forward David Bulow (#10) is in Richmond full-time now, after completing his coaching duties in his home state of Colorado. He was responsible for a goal and an assist in this week’s Open Cup match and fired three shots on goal. Bulow notched six goals and two assists last season, overall, and converted a penalty kick during this year’s home opener. Rookie midfielder Stanley Nyazamba (#27) has made an immediate offensive impact with the Kickers and netted his fourth goal in eight games overall in the Open Cup win. Prior to this week’s match, he recorded three goals in as many games with the lone goal over Western Mass and Charlotte while adding a third over Wilmington. Newcomer Ian Bennett (#20) joined the Kickers from the Chicago Storm of the now-defunct Major Indoor Soccer League and registered his first goal in a Kickers uniform during the Kickers 4-1 loss in Harrisburg last weekend. Meanwhile, his speedy play on the right wing set up the Kickers first goal over Fredericksburg on Tuesday. Two-time USL-2 Goalkeeper of the Year, Ronnie Pascale (#22) posted his fourth shutout of the season over the Gunners. He currently holds a goals against average of 1.35 overall in nine games played.
Hogges: Former English Premier League players Shaun Goater (#20) and Kyle Lightbourne (#23) lead the Hogges both on the field and off, as players, coaches and co-owners. Goater has experience with several English clubs but is most well know for his time at Manchester City where he tallied over 100 goals (1998-2003), leading the club in scoring for four consecutive seasons. He finished as the Hogges second leading scorer in 2007 with three goals in just eight appearances. Lightbourne spent the majority of his career with English clubs such as Coventry City, Stoke City and Macclesfield Town. Both Goater and Lightbourne have extensive playing experience with the Bermudian National Team, earning 36 caps (32 goals) and 40 caps (15 goals) respectively. Forward Stephen Astwood (#9) led the Hogges to their first win of the season, netting a goal in their 2-0 win over Wilmington to start the season. Astwood was named USL-2 Rookie of the Year in 2007 after leading the expansion franchise with four goals and one assist for nine points. Bermudian national team foward Damon Ming (#7) boasted a goal and an assist for Bermuda on May 10th during the Hogges’ 2-1 win over Pittsburgh.
Kickers Out-Gun Fredericksburg In Open Cup First Round
The Richmond Kickers advanced to the Second Round of the 2008 US Open Cup after blanking the Fredericksburg Gunners of the Premier Development League, 3-0, in front of a steamy, Tuesday night crowd of 592. The Kickers put all three goals in the net before the 25th minute mark with Kickers midfielder Eliot Paschalis registering first in the 11th minute. Stanley Nyazamba followed closely with a 20th minute tallied, followed by a penalty kick converted by David Bulow four minutes later. The Kickers travel to face the Western Mass Pioneers on Tuesday, June 24th in the Second Round on the road. The Pioneers downed the Boston Olympiakos (USASA) Tuesday, 2-0.
The 2008 season marks the 10th time the Richmond Kickers have qualified for the U.S. Open Cup over the past 14 seasons and hold an overall record of 15-8 during tournament play. The Kickers claimed the U.S. Open Cup title the first year of the “Professional Era” in 1995 and have since made it to the quarterfinal round four times (1995, 2001, 2004, 2007), ousting three Major League Soccer teams along the way (Colorado Rapids 2000, DC United 2004, LA Galaxy 2007). With 54 total goals scored during the Open Cup, the Kickers set several franchise records as well as a Professional Era U.S. Open Cup record for most goals (12) during the 8-4 rout over the Ocean City Barons in 2005. For all of the up-to-the-minute action, visit www.USOpenCup.com.
Next Home Game
The Kickers are home again on June 21st when they look to avenge last week’s loss to the Harrisburg City Islanders at 7:00 pm at the University of Richmond Stadium. The Kickers are pleased to host their sixth annual Anthem Night to benefit the Jamie Hess Bone Marrow Transplant Research Fund at VCU’s Massey Cancer Center. A portion of the proceeds from the gate will be donated to the Fund, established in honor of Jamie Hess, a ten-year old soccer fan who lost is battle with leukemia in 2002. The Fund helps seed new research projects in the area of Pediatric Bone Marrow Transplantation.
In addition, Richmonders can join Connor’s Heroes and Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in the ‘Quest’ to cure childhood cancer by participating in a combined day of unique and fun events. For the second year, families, friends, and corporate teams have the opportunity to don their fedora and use treasure maps, clues, and cool gadgets to race through Carytown and be the first to solve the secrets of the Anthem “Quest for the Cure” beginning at 2 p.m., Saturday, June 21. The Quest will come to an exciting close at the Kickers game that evening at the University of Richmond Stadium with an enhanced Fun Zone, face painting, a halftime Juggle-A-Thon, a memory/honor wall and music by the band Silly Bus. Visit ConorsHeroes.org to register for the Quest.
