Pontiac, MI (July 16, 2008)- The Michigan Bucks have done everything possible to keep all the playoff teams in the Central Conference focused on them. With a win tonight against Kalamazoo and a road victory Sunday at Toronto, the Bucks will clinch the top seed in the Central Conference, the top seed in the Premier Development League (PDL) and most importantly, a first round bye in the playoffs. Any form of slip up and the Bucks will be hosting the Cleveland Internationals next Wednesday for a play-in game to the Central Conference championships to be held July 26-27 at a site yet to be determined. The Bucks could have ended all the drama with wins against Chicago or Ft. Wayne last week, but came away with ties in both matches. Now there is no room for error. Wednesday night’s match against the Kalamazoo Outrage will be the last regular season home match played at Ultimate Soccer Arenas in Pontiac, but hopefully not the last match at the beautiful venue this season. "We have put in our bid to host the Central Conference championships and we expect to hear good news from the (United Soccer) League office later today," said Bucks Chairman and CEO Dan Duggan. "The boys know we need two wins to stay home for the playoffs and this year, staying home will be a HUGE advantage." Duggan was referring to the other possibility to host as Thunder Bay, Ontario; some 16 hour drive from Pontiac. If Thunder Bay wins their back to back games this weekend and the Bucks do not win both, they will be the Central Conference champions and will earn the first round bye. There is a possibility that the Chill could also host the four team tournament next weekend in northern Canada.

Many of the Bucks starters were missing the past two games and Coach Dan Fitzgerald hopes to return some of them, but not all. "Nate Jafta is out and we will have to see how the trainer grades the others. Everyone understands the importance of this match and if they can go, they will. It was tough playing without all the starters the past week, but that is no excuse for our lack of winning. We created ample opportunities in both tie games that could have and should have gotten us three points from at least one of the matches. Like the end of every Bucks season, it is going to come down to heart and desire -- we will find out just how bad the 2008 Bucks want to get back to their record setting third straight appearance in the championship match. This time, if we get there, we want it to be at our house," added Fitzgerald, referring to the last two season trips to Laredo, Texas where they split championship matches with the Heat.

Tickets for tonight’s match (7:30 kick off) are $14 VIP reserved, $10 Adult reserved (16 and over) and $5 Youth. Kids 5 and under are always free to Bucks games. Tickets can be purchased at the door tonight at Ultimate Soccer Arenas or online thru Ticketmaster. For further information, please visit the Bucks web site at buckssoccer.com.