Wake Forest Well Represented in MLS Cup Playoffs
10/27/2010 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Oct. 27, 2010
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - The Major League Soccer playoffs begin this week and Wake Forest will be represented as seven former Demon Deacons will look to help their team to the MLS Cup.
The conference semifinals will take place October 28-November 7, with the conference finals slated for November 11-14. The 2010 MLS Cup will be held on Sunday, November 21, at BMO Field in Toronto. The full schedule of games involving former Wake Forest players is at the end of this release.
One Eastern Conference semifinal will feature the New York Red Bulls and the San Jose Earthquakes. Austin da Luz (2006-09) is a member of the Red Bulls, who earned the top seed in the Eastern Conference. Da Luz was sidelined for much of the season while battling an injury.
San Jose features three former Demon Deacons in Sam Cronin (2005-08), Brian Edwards (2004-07) and Scott Sealy (2001-04). Cronin has played in 17 games, including 16 starts, since joining San Jose in the middle of the season after being traded from Toronto FC. Sealy has seen time in 15 games, including five starts, with an assist. Edwards signed with the Earthquakes in September and serves as the backup to starting goalkeeper Jon Busch. Ike Opara (2007-09) is also on the Earthquakes roster, but he will miss the semifinal due to a left foot fracture. Opara scored three goals in 11 games played, including 10 starts, in his rookie season.
The other Eastern Conference semifinal pits the Columbus Crew and the Colorado Rapids with the Demon Deacons again being represented on both sides. For the Crew, midfielder Brian Carroll (2000-02) has scored a goal in 28 games played, including 27 starts. Will Hesmer (2000-02) is also on the Columbus roster, but he will miss the playoffs after suffering a fractured right shoulder in the regular season finale. Hesmer started all 30 regular season games for Columbus, posting a 14-8-8 record with a 1.10 goals against average.
Former Deac Wells Thompson (2003-06) is on the Colorado roster. Thompson has played in 27 games, including 13 starts, and has scored two goals on the season.
James Riley (2001-04) and the Seattle Sounders will face the top seeded LA Galaxy in one of the Western Conference semifinals. Riley has started 27 games this season for the Sounders, scoring a goal and three assists.
For all of the latest information on Wake Forest men's soccer, please log on to www.WakeForestSports.com or, for up-to-the-minute updates, follow the team's Twitter account @wakemenssoccer or www.twitter.com/wakemenssoccer.
MLS Cup Playoff Schedule:
Eastern Conference Semifinals
Oct. 28 - Columbus (Carroll) at Colorado (Thompson) - 1st leg, 9 p.m. (ESPN2)
Oct. 30 - New York (da Luz) at San Jose (Cronin, Edwards, Sealy) - 1st leg, 10 p.m. (Telefutura)
Nov. 4 - San Jose (Cronin, Edwards, Sealy) at New York (da Luz) - 2nd leg, 8 p.m. (ESPN2)
Nov. 6 - Colorado (Thompson) at Columbus (Carroll) - 2nd leg, 4 p.m. (Telefutura)
Western Conference Semifinals
Oct. 31 - Los Angeles at Seattle (Riley) - 1st leg, 8 p.m. (ESPN2)
Nov. 7 - Seattle (Riley) at Los Angeles - 2nd leg, 9 p.m. (ESPN)
Conference Finals
Nov. 11-14 - Sites and Time TBD
2010 MLS Cup
Nov. 21 - Teams TBD - BMO Field, Toronto - Time TBD
