United Soccer Leagues announced Friday that 128 players have been provisionally chosen to participate in the upcoming inaugural USL W-League Combine that will give the players an opportunity to showcase their abilities for Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS) and other coaches and scouts.  Northern Virginia Majestic Kelly Hammond was highlighted on the initial twenty names released this week by the USL.

 

The WPS Trials will take place at the Ed Radice Sports Complex in Tampa, FL September 4th through the 7th.

“The level of play in the W-League is among the best in the world and we are thrilled that the interest in the combine among our players and beyond met and actually exceeded our expectations for the event,” said W-League Director of Operations Melanie Fitzgerald. “The interest in the event has been global among players and coaches, including Football Association of Ireland national team coach Noel King, who will be in attendance along with the representatives from WPS.”

With many current and former internationals, as well as collegiate standouts, it is expected that numerous players drafted and signed by WPS will hail from the W-League. Historically, the same occurred with the launch of the Women’s United Soccer Association in 2001. A total of 92 current and former W-League players were allocated or drafted by the WUSA leading up to the first of its three seasons.

Match Report by Ray Guerra

 

The Northern Virginia Royals U14 Super Y-League team downed the Richmond Kickers 3-1 on Wednesday, claiming the South Atlantic Group B Division title and the automatic berth into the United Soccer Leagues Youth North American Finals.  Joining Northern Virginia in the Y-League Finals is Group A winner Alpharetta United, whom the Royals fittingly tied 1-1 during the regular season.

 

It was a sweltering day as the boys took to the field against the upstart Kickers, who had won five of their last six games to be in contention for the division title.  Both teams knowing that this game was a make or break for either side, the winner advancing into the post-season while the other settling for an impressive second place in the group standings. 

 

The Royals wasted little time exerting their desire to be in the finals, rattling off three unanswered goals in the first half. Newcomer Isael Diaz struck twice for the early advantage, and Tyler Guerra provided fireworks in the closing minute on a net screeching score from the an unchallenged header assist by Tyler Kent to seal the end of a dominating Northern Virginia first half.

The Northern Virginia Majestics and Northern Virginia Royals U17 Super Y-League teams both claimed South Atlantic Division crowns with wins today, granting them each an automatic berth into the United Soccer Leagues Youth North American Finals.  The U17 Majestics and U17 Royals each defeated their CASL Railhawks counterparts to secure division titles with games still remain for both.

 

The U17 Majestics guaranteed themselves first place in their division with a solid 3-1 victory over South Atlantic cellar dweller CASL Railhawks in Raleigh, NC, on Saturday afternoon. Northern Virginia moved out of reach from the other division opponents, earning a 6-0-0 record with two games remaining against Hampton Roads Piranhas and NOVA FC Majestics, the other Northern Virginia U17 girls squad currently in second place.   

 

 The U17 Royals have rocketed to a season record of 7-0-2 so far to lock in their division title, scoring 30 goals and allowing only 13.   The upstart Northern Virginia Royals romped over CASL 5-1 Saturday and return home tomorrow to close out their 2008 regular season campaign against the Atlanta Silverbacks.

 

Last year, both the Royals and Majestics teams advanced to the 2007 Super Y-League North American Finals at the U16 age groups.

The Northern Virginia Royals U16 Super Y-League team secured the South Atlantic Division championship this week, granting them an automatic berth into the United Soccer Leagues Youth North American Finals.  The upstart U16 Royals cruised by a depleted Carolina Dynamo team 5-0 on Wednesday to win the division outright. 

 

The U16 Royals have garnered a season record of 9-0-1 so far to lock in first place, but still face rematches with the Atlanta Fire United and Atlanta Silverbacks this weekend.   The Fire and Silverbacks (third and fourth place, respectively) both remain eligible for advancement into the championship tournament as the South Atlantic retains two slots in the North American Finals. Triangle FC (6-4-1) currently has a tenuous hold on second place by points, but could be over-taken by either Atlanta club. 

 

So far, the U16 Royals have scored 34 goals this season and only allowed 8 against them in ten games played. Their only blemish so far this season came at the hands of Alpharetta United, who battled Northern Virginia for a 2-2 draw.

 

United Soccer Leagues announced today the final Super Y-League First and Second 11 Club rankings for the 2007 season, recognizing the league’s top competitive and administrative clubs. Northern Virginia FC jumped a spot on the First 11 Club ranking, earning the Royals and Majestics program as the tenth best Super Y-League club in North America.

 

Northern Virginia FC previously earned the number eleven spot on the preliminary First 11 Club rankings released in October. The U14 Royals, U17 Royals, U16 Royals, and U16 Majestics had all previously qualified for the chance at a North American title to garner the preliminary honors.

 

The release of the final rankings follows the SYL North American Finals, where 21 of the clubs in the rankings competed for ten championships held late last month in Tampa, Florida. With four teams showing well and the U14 Royals earning the title of North American finalist, Northern Virginia FC moved up a spot to tenth in the rankings.