Bucks come from behind to defeat Outrage

Story courtesy USL Public Relations

Pontiac, MI (July 16, 2008) - With the top seed in the Central Conference and a first round playoff bye at stake, the Bucks spotted the Kalamazoo Outrage a 1-0 lead for the second time this season. And for the second time, they stormed back in the second half to sweep the season series with the playoff bound Outrage. Kalamazoo was playing for the opportunity to finish in first place in the Midwest Division and the hopes of hosting the Chicago Fire next week in the play-in games for next weekend's Conference Championship. Those hopes were dashed earlier in the night with Chicago's 6-0 drubbing of the West Michigan Edge. To add insult to injury, the Bucks scored two second half goals to move their record to 12-1-2 on the season (with one game left to play in Toronto this coming Sunday) to ruin the Outrage bid for first place. The Bucks had already secured their eighth Great Lakes Division championship earlier in the week thanks to a Cleveland tie with Indiana.

After giving up a goal to Kalamazoo following miscommunication between Bucks goalkeeper Steve Clark and Captain Mike Holody in the 23rd minute, the Bucks put their best defensive foot forward and did not allow another shot the rest of the match. Meanwhile, Outrage goalkeeper and former Bucks player Mitch Hildebrandt (Oakland University) was tested often by the high powered Bucks offense and was forced to make seven saves of the Bucks 18 total shots. He was not able to handle defensive midfielder Piotr Nowak's free kick from 22 yards that hit the cross bar and dropped behind him in the 49th minute to tie the score at 1-1. The Bucks continued to press and pound the ball at the Kalamazoo goal and nearly took the lead for good when Kenny Uzoigwe slipped in alone and slammed one off the post of the open net in the 58th minute. While the Bucks largest crowd of the season at Ultimate Soccer (989) anticipated the go ahead goal, they had to wait until newly signed Jake Stacy (pictured right) entered the game for Uzoigwe in the 76th to find the winning touch. Stacy, coming off recent surgery was signed earlier to play with the Bucks but was not cleared by his University of Michigan medical staff to play until Tuesday. Bucks assistant coach Mark Ellis decided to give the talented winger fifteen minutes of playing time to get ready for the playoffs. It only took seven minutes for Stacy to find the back of the net for an unassisted goal in the 83rd minute to put the Bucks ahead to stay, 2-1.

The Bucks now head to Toronto on Sunday to finish the regular season and will secure the number one seed in the 67 team PDL this season with a win. Seeing the number one seed never fares well in the PDL playoffs, the Bucks would have no problem passing on the high honor, except that they need a win on Sunday to also secure the first round playoff bye this week from the Thunder Bay Chill. While the Bucks sit at 12-1-2 (38 points) with one game remaining, Thunder Bay is 11-2-1 (34 points) with two games against Springfield this weekend. All of the Central Conference playoff details will come together in the next few days, but with the win, the Bucks have secured the right to host the Conference Championships the weekend of July 25-27. To find out about the USL's playoff announcements and pairings this weekend and to receive details on discounted tickets to the Central Conference Final Four in Pontiac, please visit our web site at buckssoccer.com. Ticket information will be posted by Friday, July 18.

MASON, MICHIGAN PRODUCES WINNERS; CLARK LANDS COVETED SCICLUNA AWARD; DEMARTIN JOINS PDL TEAM OF THE WEEK

Standout goalkeeper Steve Clark (Mason, MI) was voted the Paul R. Scicluna Award winner for 2008, which is the highest honor bestowed upon a Michigan Bucks player. The Scicluna Award is named after former Michigan soccer legend Paul Scicluna, who was a partner in the Bucks opening season in 1996 and founded the Michigan Hawks and Livonia Wolves youth soccer clubs nearly three decades ago. Scicluna was killed in a tragic car accident in April 1999 returning to Detroit from a recruiting trip at Bowling Green, OH. Past winners of the prestigious award include former Bucks greats Eric Pogue, Paul Snape, Tino Scicluna, Nate Jafta and Kenny Uzoigwe. Clark has been the Bucks starting goal keeper for the past three seasons and led the Bucks to their first North American Championship as the tournament MVP in 2006. In addition to being a standout goalkeeper, Clark is also student body president of his senior class at Oakland University and has trained with several MLS clubs over the past two summers in pursuit of moving to the next level of soccer in America following his upcoming senior season at Oakland.

Striker Doug DeMartin (Mason, MI) joined his high school buddy Steve Clark this week in receiving well deserved accolades as he was named to the United Soccer Leagues (USL) PDL team of the week for his second half two goal performance against the Chicago Fire last Saturday night at Ultimate Soccer. The All Big Ten forward who led Michigan State last season is looking forward to helping the Bucks get to their unprecedented third consecutive PDL Championship game on August 9; a game in which he has been a part of the past two seasons. Doug's five goals this season have him tied for second on the Bucks in scoring with Ty Shipalane, behind leading goal scorer Kenny Uzoigwe.

Match Report:

Kalamazoo Outrage vs. Michigan Bucks
Ultimate Soccer Arenas
Pontiac, MI

July 16, 2008

Scoring Summary:
KAL -- Alan McGreal (unassisted) - 23rd minute
MICH -- Piotr Nowak 4 (free kick) - 49th minute
MICH -- Jake Stacy 1 (unassisted) - 83rd minute

Lineups:

Misconduct Summary:
KAL -- Tom Warmer (caution) - 74th minute

Statistics:
Shots: Kalamazoo 4, Michigan 18
Saves: Kalamazoo 7, Michigan 1
Fouls: Kalamazoo 18, Michigan 8
Offsides: Kalamazoo 3, Michigan 0
Corners: Kalamazoo 1, Michigan 9

Attendance: 989