Lake Orion, MI (July 28, 2007) -- The 2006 North American Champion Michigan Bucks began the long journey of defending their title with a hard fought victory over the St. Louis Lions, 4-1.  The Bucks jumped out to a 1-0 lead when Nate Jafta cruised down the right sideline and sent a low cross into the penalty area for Khelli Dube to smash into the back of the net.  The Bucks would control the majority of the play for the first half, but the Lions would even the score just before halftime when Calum Angus converted a free kick from the top of the box that slid past Steve Clark’s left side.

St. Louis made a couple of strategic adjustments in the second half that had the Lions control play for the first part of the half, but neither team was able to penetrate the final third until Mike Holody (Clarkston/University of Michigan) left his back line position to make a run through the middle of the St. Louis defense.  Holody beat two defenders to the ball, chested it to his feet and coolly slotted home his second goal of the year and put the Bucks ahead 2-1 in the 79th minute.   The normally potent Bucks second half offense was not done for the evening and would put the game on ice seven minutes later when substitutes Doug DeMartin (Mason/Michigan State) and Nik Djokic (Livonia) combined for a counter attack goal that put the Bucks up 3-1.  Djokic beat goal keeper Charlie Sales as he finished DeMartin’s cross from the right side of the penalty area.  Bucks leading scorer Kenny Uzoigwe added to his team leading goal tally by finishing a nice pass from Dube in the 90th minute to close out the scoring.

The Bucks return to the Conference Championship where they will have a rematch of last year’s final in Des Moines, IA when they take on Great Lakes Division rival Chicago Fire Premier.  The two teams have met twice since last year’s 4-1 win for the Bucks, with the side from Michigan coming away with season sweep of their division rival (4-1 home, 2-1 away).  Chicago played the earlier match in the evening in another hard fought battle when they took down Thunder Bay Chill 3-1.  Second half sub Braden Fleak scored two goals in two minutes to break open a 1-1 tie and put the playoff experienced Premier into the showdown with the Bucks tonight.  Goalkeeper Pat Sperry (University of Michigan) faced fourteen shots and made six saves to secure the win.

Tonight’s Conference Championship will be played at Lake Orion High School at 7:30 PM.  Tickets are $10 Adults (16 and over) and $5 Youth (under 5 free) and are available at the gate.  The winner of tonight’s match will represent the Central Conference in the PDL Final Four and will play in the North American Semi Finals next weekend.  Details of the possible scenarios will be available later today, as the pairings will be announced by United Soccer Leagues (USL) officials at the end of Saturday nights match.

THREE BUCKS NAMED TO ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM; UZOIGWE LANDS COVETED SCICLUNA AWARD FOR 2007

The United Soccer League announced the 2007 All Conference team representing the Central Conference this year.  Heading up this year’s squad are three Michigan Bucks, including two repeat winners from last season.  The dynamic duo of Kenny Uzoigwe and Nate Jafta were joined by defensive specialist Mike Holody to represent the defending champion Bucks.  Uzoigwe and Jafta were all Conference last year, with Jafta landing a spot on the prestigious all PDL team, as one of the top 11 players in the entire league.  All three players were named to the PDL team of the week during the course of the season, with Jafta (week 3) and Uzoigwe (last week) being named Player of the Week.  Uzoigwe finished the regular season with 15 goals, good for fourth in the PDL.  Jafta, last season’s assist leader, finished the season with 7 goals and 10 assists (second in the league in assists).  Holody, who played every minute of all twenty PDL games last year, was solid all year long in leading the Bucks defensive line that was dominate during most of the regular season.

Kenny Uzoigwe was voted the winner of the 2007 Paul R. Scicluna Memorial Trophy by his team mates last night for his leadership of the Bucks team during the course of the season.  The prestigious award is the highest honor the Bucks have on an annual basis and is awarded to the player who best exemplifies the Bucks organization both on and off the field.  Uzoigwe, a highly touted candidate for PDL player of the year came off the bench at half time all year long to not only lead the Bucks in scoring (15 goals, 7 assists) but in the locker room as well.  His unselfish attitude and professionalism in training won the confidence of the majority of his team mates this season.  The award is named for the late Paul Scicluna, who founded the Michigan Wolves and Hawks programs and was a pioneer in the soccer scene in Detroit in the 1970’s until his tragic death in an auto accident in  April 1999.  Scicluna was an original partner in the Bucks first season in 1996 and was a mentor and!
  close friend of Bucks owners Dan and Jim Duggan.  Past winners of the award include Paul’s nephew Tino (1999, Bucks Hall of Fame), last year’s winner Nate Jafta, goal keeper Eric Pogue and Bucks Hall of Fame forward Paul Snape.

 For more information, visit the team web site at www.buckssoccer.com.