The Utah Blitzz were going to be hard enough task for the Nevada Wonders. Now Nevada has to play an angry Utah team tonight at 8 at the Carson High soccer field.
The Blitzz, a Pro Select League team, lost to the Fresno Fuego 4-0 on Wednesday in the second round of the U.S. Open Cup in Fresno, Calif. Fresno's win knocked Utah out of the tournament but sent themselves into a third-round game against the A-League's El Paso Patriots on July 16. The Blitzz, who are in third place in the 13-team PSL with a 7-4-2 record, are the two-time defending Western Conference champions. They were also the D-3 national champs in 2001.
"I think they're probably still the best team we've played," Wonders' General Manager Randy Roser said of Utah, which beat Nevada 6-0 back on May 3 in Wendover, Utah. "There are a couple of other teams with one or two really good players. But they got 11 solid players on the field. They don't have any weaknesses."
The Wonders (1-10-1) are coming off a 2-1 loss to the PSL's California Gold last Saturday in Carson. It was Nevada's second straight one-goal loss to a third level pro team. The Wonders lost the previous weekend to the San Diego Gauchos, 1-0.
"The guys are young, they understand the types of teams they're playing," Roser said. "But they know they've been close to beating some of the professional teams like the Gauchos and the Gold. I think they're just excited to try and knock one of these teams off."
They'll get another chance tonight.
Notes...Bernard Morley, who missed the game against California because he didn't have a picture ID, should be in the lineup tonight. That is if he remembers to bring an ID...Kai Edwards and Luke Scott, two of the Wonders' Northern California players, most likely won't be here for the game. Edwards is still finishing up getting his USSF 'C' License, which involves a week-long course. Scott is still out with an injured knee...Southern California Seahorses' defender Jake Ward was named PDL's Player of the Week following his team's 2-1 upset of first place Fresno last weekend. Ward helped keep the league's highest scoring team to one goal, only the second time this season the Fuego haven't scored more than one goal in a game...Fresno has yet to be shut out as it leads the PDL in goals scored with 38 (2.7 goals per game)...Southern California's win keeps it close to second place Orange County in the standings. It also kept Fresno from clinching a playoff berth. It would've been the first PDL team to clinch a playoff berth had the Fuego won.
PDL Western Conference
Southwest Division Standings
TeamWLTGFGAPTS
Fresno1130381533
O. Cty.830272024
So. Cal.652232120
Nevada11016334
BYU110013353
Today's Games
Boulder Rapids Reserve vs. BYU, 6:30 p.m.
Orange County vs. San Diego, 7:30 p.m.
Nevada vs. Utah, 8 p.m.
Saturday's Games
Boulder Rapids Reserve vs. BYU, 6:30 p.m.
Southern California vs. San Diego, 7:30 p.m.
Sunday's Game
Orange County vs. Fresno, 3 p.m.
