May 10, 2007 PSL Toronto Lynx/Toronto Lady Lynx pre-game comments (from Lynx media release)
TORONTO LYNX MEDIA RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
LYNX AND LADY LYNX SET TO KICK OFF 2007 SEASON
THURSDAY MAY 10, 2007 (TORONTO, ON) The Toronto Lynx and Lady Lynx begin the long road towards the PDL and W-League championships respectively this weekend at Centennial Park Stadium with a double header. The Lady Lynx open their season with on Saturday, May 12 at 1:00 PM with a pre-season tilt with the Rochester Rhinos, hosts of this year’s W-League Championships in August and the Lynx kick-off their season immediately following that match with a 4:00 PM encounter against the West Michigan Edge. The theme of the afternoon is Youth Soccerfest, saluting young soccer players from across the GTA as they welcome their soccer heroes back after a long winter of training!
The Lynx and the Edge renew hostilities again this Mother’s Day Weekend on Sunday afternoon at 4:00 PM again at Centennial Park Stadium, capping off the home-stand for Toronto as they commence their inaugural season in the Premier Development League of the USL. The club will welcome Soccer Moms and their youngsters to the game on Soccer Moms Day at the stadium. As part of the Mother’s Day celebrations, all moms will have FREE entry to the event.
Head coach, Duncan Wilde, has been hard at work all winter long assembling a strong roster of local talent in preparation for the Lynx' inaugural season in the PDL, one that will be able to rise to the high level of play in the Great Lakes Division. Wilde will field a roster of exclusively GTA area players, including a host of Toronto Lynx Jr players who make the move from the Super-Y League program to the PDL in 2007, including brothers Frank and John Jonke, Erik Di Lorenzo, Taylor McNamara, Chris DeAbreu, Dominic Chapman, Alex Ruhe Lischke and Scott Rietze. Goalkeeper Chris Baker, midfielder Cam Medwin and defender Aaron Steele return from the 2006 USL First Division roster and will provide veteran leadership for the very young squad. Midfielder Kevin Omokhua joins the club from Ottawa of the PDL and brings an explosive scoring touch, having netted 22 goals in 2 seasons for the Fury. He will not be in the line-up this weekend, however, due to scholastic commitments in the US, as will a number of projected Lynx regulars.
Lady Lynx Head Coach, Danny Stewart, will count on a core, talented young players to provide the backbone for his squad in 2007 as they against strive to qualify for the W-League playoffs and move closer to claiming the W-League championship. He will use Saturday afternoon’s match to evaluate the young talent on the roster and build towards continuing the Lady Lynx tradition of excellence.
‘Keeper Justine Bernier returns to the Lady Lynx after a career year in 2006 leading the W-League with a microscopic 0.25 goals allowed per game and being named W-League Goalkeeper of the Year. She earned a place on both the All-W-League and All-Eastern Conference Teams being named Lady Lynx Rookie of the Year and led her Lady Lynx club to their second consecutive North Division playoff berth. All of this at the tender young age of 17 while preparing for her final year in high school!
Vonya Beckles leads a talented defense which provides a steel curtain in front of Bernier. The Scarborough native was named Co-Defender of the Year for the Lady Lynx last season and expects to take her game to an even higher level in 2007. She will be joined in the backfield by defender Lexi Marton, who, at 16, was the youngest Lady Lynx in 2006. Midfielder Allysha Chapman stepped into the starting line-up last season and provided a tireless spark that inspired the whole team and saw her finish third in team scoring. Her relentless and tenacious play will set the tone for all of the other Lady Lynx players to follow. Defender Lisa Melander returns after a one-year absence from the club and add even more experience to the back four. Internationals Claire Ramsdale, from England and Daniela Swartz of Switzerland will also add valuable experience to the club, pending international clearance.
The roster is rounded off by a crop of talented local youngsters eager to prove themselves in the W-league replacing some former talented Lady Lynx players who will not be returning this season due to academic commitments to their universities. Although every game will be a fierce test for the players and the coaching staff, Stewart is confident that the club will continue their spectacular success that the team has experienced over their first two seasons at Centennial Park Stadium and again march into the W-League playoffs and make their hometown fans proud!
Fans wishing to attend the matches can purchase tickets by calling the Lynx hotline at 416-251-4625 x 31 or at the Centennial Park Stadium box office two hours prior to kick-off on both days.
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FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:
ROB IRWIN, DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS, TORONTO LYNX SOCCER CLUB
416-251-4625 ext. 23
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