Wake Forest Athletics
Deacs in the MLS - April 1
4/1/2015 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
By Josh Gresh, Wake Forest Athletic Communications (@WakeMSoccer)
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - With the 2015 Major League Soccer (MLS) season well underway and other pro leagues getting their seasons started, several Demon Deacons has been in action and have made an impact right from the get go. Here's a look at how Wake Forest players fared the past few weekends in the MLS and the others who have begun playing in other professional leagues this season.
Ike Opara - Sporting Kansas City
Opara is off to a flying start in the 2015 campaign and has received multiple MLS Team of the Week honors. Opara earned MLS Team of the Week honors and recognition from MLSsoccer.com, Bleacher Report, Goal.com and NBC Pro Soccer Talk and is now a nominee for MLS Player of the Month for March by MLSsoccer.com. Since opening the season with a goal against New York Red Bulls, he has made three starts and scored his second of the season on Saturday in a 1-0 win over New York City F.C. at Yankee Stadium. Overall, Opara has made four starts, playing all 90 minutes in all matches, and has tallied two goals. Sporting Kansas City is currently 1-1-2 overall and are seventh in the Western Conference. Opara and the squad faces the Philadelphia Union on Sunday, April 5, on Fox Sports 1 at 6 p.m.
VOTE - MLS Player of the Month
Sam Cronin, James Riley, Jared Watts, Ben Newnam - Colorado Rapids
Jared Watts made his first start and first appearance of the 2015 season for the Colorado Rapids at right center back in a 0-0 draw against the Houston Dynamo on Saturday. Playing in all 90 minutes, he was instrumental in the defense earning a point and keeping the clean sheet.
Sam Cronin made his second start of the 2015 season with the Rapids after being traded from the San Jose Earthquakes on January 19. Cronin has played all 180 minutes of the two matches he has started, including all 90 minutes in the 0-0 draw with the Dynamo on Saturday. In 31 matches for San Jose last season, Cronin started 30 and scored two goals.
James Riley and Ben Newnam did not play on Saturday, but were both available for action on the bench. Riley has started and played 90 minutes in one match this season, which was the season opener on March 7 against the Philadelphia Union. Newnam has yet to make an appearance with the Rapids since signing on March 21. Colorado plays again on Saturday, April 4, hosting the New England Revolution at 7 p.m. A total of five Deacons will be featured in the match between the two teams as Sean Okoli plays for the Revolution.
Michael Lahoud, Brian Carroll - Philadelphia Union
Lahoud made his first start of the 2015 season on Saturday in the midfield for the Philadelphia Union playing 90 minutes in a 1-0 defeat against the Chicago Fire. Lahoud has appeared in three matches so far this season and has totaled 110 minutes of time on the pitch. Brian Carroll was on the bench in Philadelphia's 1-0 loss against the Chicago Fire. Carroll has yet to make an appearance this season for the Union. Lahoud and Carroll will take on Ike Opara's Sporting Kansas City on Sunday, April 5, at 7 p.m. The match will be broadcast on Fox Sports 1 and FOX Deportes.
Chris Duvall - New York Red Bulls
Duvall has started at outside back in all three of the New York Red Bulls' matches this season, including in a 2-1 victory over the Columbus Crew on Saturday. Duvall has recorded two this season for the Red Bulls. Last year, he made 19 appearances and 18 starts in rookie season, playing 1,604 minutes and recorded one assist. The New York Red Bulls are in first place in the Eastern Conference with a 2-0-1 record and will be back in action on Saturday, April 11, when they hit the road to face D.C. United at 7 p.m.
Michael Parkhurst - Columbus Crew
Wearing the captain's arm band, Parkhurst made his 150th career MLS start on Saturday in a 2-1 loss to the New York Red Bulls. He has started and played all 90 minutes in all three of the Crew's matches this season. The Columbus Crew currently sits in sixth place in the Eastern Conference with a 1-2-0 record and will take on the Vancouver Whitecaps on Wednesday, April 8, at 10 p.m.
Sean Okoli - New England Revolution
Okoli made his second appearance of the season playing the final seven minutes for the New England Revolution during their 2-1 victory over the San Jose Earthquakes on Saturday. Okoli has now played 29 minutes in two games with the Revolution. He signed with the team this season after his rights were acquired in a trade with the Seattle Sounders at the MLS SuperDraft on Jan. 15, 2015. Okoli will look to make another appearance as the New England Revolution will be back on the pitch on Saturday, April 4, against the Colorado Rapids at 7 p.m. There will be five Demon Deacons featured in the match with Cronin, Riley, Watts, and Newnam playing for the Rapids.
Stephen Keel - FC Dallas
Although F.C. Dallas held a point in a 0-0 draw against the Seattle Sounders on Saturday, Stephen Keel did not see any action despite being on the bench. He is still recovering from a knee injury from the 2014 season. Last season, Keel played in 16 games and made 14 starts, recording one assist on the season. F.C. Dallas faces the Portland Timbers on Saturday, April 4, at 10:30 p.m. at Providence Park.
Akira Fitzgerald - New York City F.C.
Fitzgerald was not in the lineup for the first time this season as he had been the second-string keeper for New York City F.C. for the first three matches of the season. After signing on free transfer from the Carolina Railhawks of the NASL on December 11, 2014, Fitzgerald is one of three goalkeepers on the active roster for New York City F.C. This is Fitzgerald's first MLS club team of his career after spending time with the Carolina Railhawks. New York is third in the Eastern Conference and will face the Philadelphia Union on Saturday, April 11, at 4 p.m.
Jay Vidovich - Portland Timbers T2 (USL PRO)
Former Demon Deacon head coach Jay Vidovich, won his inaugural USL match as T2 earned a 3-1 win over fellow expansion side Real Monarchs SLC in front of 3,667 fans Sunday night at Merlo Field on the campus of the University of Portland. T2 return to USL action this week against defending USL Champion Sacramento Republic FC on Thursday, April 2, at Merlo Field; kickoff is set for 7 p.m. (PT).
Justin Moose, Ross Tomaselli, Cody Arnoux , Corben Bone - Wilmington Hammerheads (USL PRO)
Wilmington's Moose was named to this week's USL Team of the Week after scoring in the season opener on Saturday. Moose scored in the season opener for the Hammerheads with a goal in the 18th minute to give his side a 2-0 lead. The Hammerheads however, earned a point with a 2-2 draw against the Richmond Kickers. Moose joined the club for the 2015 season after playing at Seinäjoen Jalkapallokerho of the Veikkausliiga in Finland. Ross Tomaselli also made an impact in the game as he recorded an assist on the team's opening goal in the 10th minute to take a 1-0 lead.
Cody Arnoux and Corben Bone did not see any action in the season opener. Arnoux returns to the Hammerheads after scoring two goals and tallying an assist in 27 games last season. Bone was on loan to the Hammerheads last season from the Philadelphia Union before officially joining the club. The Hammerheads are set to host the Charlotte Independence for the first time at Legion Stadium on Friday, April 3 at 7 p.m.
RELEASE: Moose Named to USL Team of the Week
Jalen Robinson and Collin Martin - Richmond Kickers (USL PRO)
Robinson found the back of the net for the kickers in the 41st minute on Saturday to begin the Richmond Kickers' two-goal comeback to earn a 2-2 draw with the Wilmington Hammerheads to open the USL season. Martin did not see action in the season opener of the Kickers.
Robinson and Martin are both on loan from D.C. United and are on the Richmond Kickers. Richmond returns home to host Louisville City FC in the regular season home opener on Saturday, April 4 at 5:00 p.m.
Sam Fink - St. Louis F.C. (USL PRO)
Fink made his first professional start for Saint Louis F.C. on Saturday in their 2-0 loss to Louisville City F.C. in front of 6,067 fans at Slugger Field for their season opener. Fink inked a deal with St. Louis F.C. on Saturday, March 7 to join the club for his first professional contract. During his time at Wake Forest, he appeared in 74 matches and made 54 starts. He scored six goals and had two assists for 14 points as a Deacon. Saint Louis F.C. faces off against the Tulsa Roughnecks on Thursday at 7 p.m.
Anthony Arena - Pittsburgh Riverhounds (USL PRO)
Arena made his first start of the 2015 season in the Riverhound's 5-2 win over the Harrisburg City Islanders on Saturday. Last season, Arena played in 16 matches and had 15 starts. The Riverhounds open their season on Saturday, March 28, against the Harrisburg City Islanders.
Austin da Luz and Wells Thompson - Carolina Railhawks (NASL)
Two Deacons are on the Carolina Railhawks roster for the 2015 season. Da Luz was signed on March 5 to join the club from Orlando City S.C. Thompson joined the Railhawks after playing with the Charlotte Eagles of the USL last season, where he scored six goals and had four assists in 25 appearances and 23 starts. The Carolina Railhawks open the season on Saturday, April 4, against Ottawa Fury F.C. at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, N.C. at 1 p.m.
