July 24, 2011
PONTIAC -- In the final game of the Michigan Bucks’ regular season the team showed the same offensive and defensive prowess that earned it both a division championship and the honor of hosting the PDL Central Confrence playoffs.
The Bucks trounced the visiting Toronto Lynx 4-0 on Saturday, finishing the season with a 12-2-2 record (38 points), best in the Premier Development League’s (PDL) Great Lakes Division and Central Conference. With the win Michigan was awarded hosting duties for the Conference semifinals and championship on July 29th and 30th, respectively.
“The incentive tonight was to get the win so that we could host the conference tournament… so I think there was plenty of motivation to play,” Bucks head coach Gary Parsons said. “I don’t think we were coming into this game lackluster; I think we were coming into this game to get a job done. Everyone in that locker room knows we haven’t been scored on in this building this year and our only hiccups have come on the road.”
After some back-and-forth play early against Toronto, including a few quality chances by the Lynx, the Bucks struck for their first goal of the game.
“Toronto is always going to come in hard, no matter what, and they proved that by pressing. I thought they did a good job of putting us back on our heels until we really figured them out and opened up the game,” Bucks goalkeeper Mitch Hildebrandt said.
In the 21st minute midfielder Luke Holmes sent an inch-perfect chip over the Lynx defense to forward Stefan St. Louis, who was making a run up the right side of Toronto’s box. St. Louis drilled the ball to the far post, giving Michigan a 1-0 lead.
“Latif (Alashe) slipped me the ball and I just looked up and saw Stefan making that run off the shoulder of the defender,” Holmes said. “He took a good touch and finished it well. It was a great finish.”
Fourteen minutes later the Bucks struck again. Joey Dillon sent a long cross to midfielder Tommy Catalano, who ripped a wicked shot into the side netting from eight yards out for a 2-0 lead. The goal was Catalano’s team leading ninth of the season and he later added No. 10 in the 70th minute.
“Tommy has really come along this season... He’s got a nose for the goal now and he’s turning into a very good finisher as well as a good player all over the field,” Parsons said.
Michigan pounded goalkeeper Mike Watkins with 11 shots in the first half alone and outshot the Lynx 21-to-6 in total. Meanwhile, Bucks goal keeper Mitch Hildebrandt had a memorble night while not breaking much of a sweat. While recording his 12th win of the season and his PDL leading 12thshutout the fifth year PDL goal keeper received the 2011 Paul R. Scicluna Award, given each year to the player that best represents the organization both on and off the field.
“It’s a tremendous honor and I just hope that it’s not the only honor that we get this year; hopefully we can raise a bigger trophy on August 6th," Hildebrandt quipped, referring to the PDL championship.
As the #1 seed in the Central Conference the Bucks earned the right to host the Central Conference playoffs next weekend and will be joined by the Thunder Bay Chill (top seed in the Heartland Division) and either the Chicago Fire Premier or FC London from the Great Lakes division and the Real Colorado Foxes or Des Moines Menace as the second seed from the Heartland. The Bucks will take on either the Foxes or Menace on Friday night (8:00 kick off) immediately following the opening game between the #2 seed from the Great Lakes and Thunder Bay (5:30 PM kick off).
Tickets for the Central Conference Final Four at Ultimate Soccer Arenas are half price this week during presale and are available either online or at Ultimate Soccer Arenas. All playoff tickets are $10 at the door on Friday and Saturday, but can be purchased for only $5 at buckssoccer.com. In addition to the 50% presale savings the Bucks are offering four person family passes ($80 value) for only $25, which allow four fans of any age to attend all three Central Conference matches (both semi final games on Friday and the championship match on Saturday). The special four passes are available for a limited time only. For more information please contact the Bucks office at 248-334-7460.
