USL-PDL Playoffs Set; Rochester Thunder Set to Play Michigan Bucks in Thunder Bay

TAMPA, Fla. – July 26, 2010

The 2010 Premier Development League playoff matchups have been set as 16 of the PDL’s 67 teams keep their title hopes alive. Eight division champions and eight runners-up will battle in a single-elimination format this weekend, with four remaining conference champions headed to the PDL Championship weekend August 6-7.

Leading the way into the conference playoffs are the Portland Timbers U23s, who turned in one of the greatest regular seasons in league history with a 16-0-0 mark in the highly-competitive Northwest Division. Portland enjoyed a 53-6 scoring edge while becoming the first undefeated and untied PDL team since 1998. First up for the Timbers and high-scoring forward Brent Richards at the Western Conference Championship in Kitsap is Hollywood United, which finished second in the Southwest Division with a 10-3-3 mark. The other Western Conference matchup features the host Kitsap Pumas, second to Portland in the Northwest, against the defending PDL champion Ventura County Fusion, who won the Southwest Division with an 11-4-1 mark. Kitsap posted a 12-2-2 mark, tied for the third best overall record in the PDL.

The only other undefeated team in the 2010 PDL regular season was the 11-0-3 Mississippi Brilla, who cruised to the Southeast Division title. Mississippi will host the Southern Conference Championship, opening against the 7-5-4 Houston Leones, second in the Mid South Division after winning a tiebreaker against the DFW Tornados. On the other side of the Southern Conference bracket, The Laredo Heat (9-5-2) captured the Mid South Division title and will take on the Baton Rouge Capitals, who finished second in the Southeast Division at 9-2-3.

The Central Conference Championship will take place in scenic Thunder Bay, Ontario, hosted by the Heartland Division champion Thunder Bay Chill. The Chill, led by PDL scoring leader Brandon Swartzendruber, finished with one of the top records in the league at 12-2-2 and will face fellow Ontarians Forest City London (10-1-5), led by scoring runner-up Luke Holmes. The Michigan Bucks claimed the Great Lakes Division title with a record of 11-3-2, earning a date against the 10-3-3 Rochester Thunder.

The Eastern Conference Championship will also take place north of the border, with the Northeast Division champion Ottawa Fury serving as host. The Fury (11-2-3) are undefeated at home this season and feature the second best defense in the PDL, but they’ll need to be on form to hold off the 10-3-3 Ironbound Express. Also looking to punch their ticket to the PDL final four is Reading United AC (10-2-4), which edged Ironbound for the Mid Atlantic Division title. Reading will take on PDL rookies MPS Portland Phoenix, who have impressed in their first season with a 10-2-4 mark.

The 2010 PDL Championship will take place August 6-7. The host site will be determined through a bid process once the four conference champions have been determined. The 2010 PDL Championship Game will be televised live on FOX Soccer Channel at 7 p.m. ET on Saturday, August 7.

2010 PDL PLAYOFF SCHEDULES

Eastern Conference Championship (At Ottawa)
Saturday, July 31
#1 Reading United AC vs. #2 MPS Portland Phoenix, 4 p.m. ET
#1 Ottawa Fury vs. #2 Ironbound Express, 7 p.m. ET
Sunday, August 1
Semifinal 1 Winner vs. Semifinal 2 Winner, 4 p.m. ET

Central Conference Championship (At Thunder Bay)
Friday, July 30
#1 Michigan Bucks vs. #2 Rochester Thunder, 3 p.m. ET
#1 Thunder Bay Chill vs. #2 Forest City London, 5:30 p.m. ET
Saturday, July 31
Semifinal 1 Winner vs. Semifinal 2 Winner, 5:30 p.m. ET

Southern Conference Championship (At Mississippi)
Friday, July 30
#1 Laredo Heat vs. #2 Baton Rouge Capitals, 5 p.m. CT
#1 Mississippi Brilla vs. #2 Houston Leones, 7:30 p.m. CT
Sunday, August 1
Semifinal 1 Winner vs. Semifinal 2 Winner, 7 p.m. CT

Western Conference Championship (At Kitsap)
Saturday, July 31
#1 Portland Timbers U23s vs. #2 Hollywood United Hitmen, 1:30 p.m. PT
#1 Ventura County Fusion vs. #2 Kitsap Pumas, 5 p.m. PT
Sunday, August 1
Semifinal 1 Winner vs. Semifinal 2 Winner, 5 p.m. PT

2010 PDL Championship (Site TBD)
Friday, August 6
#1 Seed Conference Winner vs. #4 Seed Conference Winner, Time TBD
#2 Seed Conference Winner vs. #3 Seed Conference Winner, Time TBD
Saturday, August 7
Consolation Match, 3:30 p.m. ET
PDL Championship, 7 p.m. ET LIVE ON FOX SOCCER CHANNEL