LD Update: Bixler retires; USL Pro award winners; MISL sched released

USL Pro News: Veteran Harrisburg City Islanders defender Dustin Bixler, a three-time All-League selection and 2007 USL Second Division championship MVP, announced his retirement... The expansion club in Arizona announced it will play as Phoenix FC, unveiling Wolves as the mascot and prominent feature of the new logo... The league announced the season award winners at the championship banquet, honoring Kevin Molino (Orlando) as MVP, Adrian Heath (Orlando) as Coach of the Year, Troy Roberts (Rochester) as Defender of the Year and Jose Cuevas of the championship finalist Charleston Battery as the Rookie of the Year.  

LD Update: NASL & USL Pro Game Nights; WPSL Elite expansion; MLS player moves

In midweek action there were a couple surprising results as the defending NASL champion Minnesota Stars fell at home to the Fort Lauderdale Strikers, who moved squarely into the mix to make a run for the regular season title down the stretch.

Meanwhile in USL, the Dayton Dutch Lions continue to improve and impress, upending the Harrisburg City Islanders after a scoreless draw between the two last week to move third from bottom in the table. League leader Orlando City nabbed a late win against second-place Charleston to increase the gap in the race to repeat as the regular season champions.

LD Update: League honors; Mexican friendlies

NASL News: Pablo Campos of the San Antonio Scorpions was honored as the league's Offensive Player of the Week while FC Edmonton goalkeeper Lance Parker claimed the Defensive Player of the Week honor... The Scorpions announced a two-day event they are dubbing the "Futbol & Fireworks." The first night, June 30, will feature a doubleheader of their league contest against Atlanta and an international friendly between Mexican sides San Luis and Monterrey, the current CONCACAF Champions League winners. The league match versus Edmonton four days later on the Fourth of July will feature fireworks.

USL Pro News: The LA Blues are borrowing the Home Depot Center for a night as they play host to a friendly between Mexican sides Leon and Santos Laguna, the reigning Mexican league champions and CCL finalists... Weeks before facing MLS affiliate Philadelphia Union in the US Open Cup Quarterfinals, the Harrisburg City Islanders registered a 3-2 exhibition victory Tuesday evening against the top-flight side at Hersheypark Stadium. The result was the last for Peter Nowak, who was released as the Union coach Wednesday.

LD Update: NASL & USL Pro Game Night; MLS friendly

Puerto Rico Islanders 3:0 Atlanta Silverbacks - The league leaders were locked in a stalemate with the Silverbacks until Martyn Lancaster was sent off five minutes into the second half for taking down Jonathan Fana in the box. Joe Nasco stopped the ensuing David Foley penalty, but the midfielder followed up the attempt and headed the ball far enough over the line for the opening tally. Hector Ramos would double the lead in the 77th and Tyler Wilson left no doubt with the third in the 84th. - MORE

Harrisburg City Islanders 0:0 Pittsburgh Riverhounds - The first segment of the Pennsylvania derby finished in a scoreless deadlock. - MORE

US Open Cup: The fourth tier of American soccer squared off in the First Round of the US Open Cup Tuesday evening, leaving 16 amateur sides to face the professional clubs from the second division NASL and third division USL Pro. The pairings were announced Wednesday afternoon for the Third Round. All the details here at TheCup.us. 

USL Pro News: The Harrisburg City Islanders announced that their exhibition against MLS affiliate Philadelphia Union will be held at Hersheypark on June 12.

W-League News: Victoria Highlanders striker Lindsay Hoetzel was unveiled as the Player of the Week, highlighting the league's Team of the Week.

Look for the Soccer Barn Five Stars tomorrow.

LD Update: NASL honors; City Islanders signing

NASL News: The league honored defender Paul Hamilton of the FC Edmonton as the Defensive Player of the Week and San Antonio Scorpions striker Pablo Campos as the Offensive Player of the Week.

USL Pro News: The Harrisburg City Islanders strengthened the depth of the goalkeeper position, signing recent Creighton product Brian Holt.

PDL News: Hamilton FC announced that the club has partnered with local youth organization Guelph Royals Soccer Club... Washington Crossfire added five players from nearby University of Washington to the roster.

LD Update: NASL Game Night; USL Pro signing

Tampa Bay Rowdies 1:1 Carolina RailHawks – The RailHawks just can’t find a victory. Earning a third consecutive draw Wednesday evening, at least they aren’t going empty handed. In the 66th minute Carolina took the lead on the road when Mike Palacio sent a cross to the back of the box to Brian Shriver, who volleyed it past Jeff Attinella. Four minutes later, though, the Rowdies answered when Dan Antoniuk redirected a cross back across the goal mouth with a header to Tsuyoshi Yoshitake for the equalizer. – More 

Puerto Rico Islanders 0:0 FC Edmonton – The bad news is that Edmonton is still scoreless after three games. The good news they finally picked up a point, playing to a scoreless draw in Puerto Rico after suffering 1-0 losses in Fort Lauderdale and Tampa Bay. Puerto Rico has been nearly perfect thus far, shutting out all three opponents. – More 

LD Update: Sunday Blowouts

The NASL and USL Pro wrapped up Week 2 action with a pair of big victories on the day.

NASL: San Antonio Scorpions 0:4 Puerto Rico Islanders – The Islanders wasted no time in spoiling expansion San Antonio’s home debut in front of a sold out 13,000-plus, scoring just seven minutes into the contest when David Foley found Jonathan Fana. Thirteen minutes later Foley doubled the lead himself. Nicholas Addlery, last week’s hero in the 1-0 win, made it 3-0 in the 56 and Fana added a second in the 73rd to round things out. – More 

USL Pro: Orlando City 4:1 Wilmington Hammerheads – The defending champions are off to a flying start. John Rooney gave the Lions the lead nine minutes in from the spot and pushed the lead to two with his second four minutes before the break. Rob Valentino made a three-goal margin in the 54th on a Rooney corner kick with Wilmington answering on a corner of their own two minutes later via Bryce Taylor. Kevin Molino, who set up Rooney’s second connected with Dennis Chin to close out the scoring in the 65th. – More

USL Pro Signing: The Harrisburg City Islanders, who have yet to open their season, announced the addition of rookie defender Tom Brandt out of the University of Pennsylvania.

LD Update: MLS friendly & Player Movement

NASL: The Atlanta Silverbacks signed local product Borfor Carr, who played briefly with the club’s reserve team a year ago after returning from a stint with Romanian club CS Concordia Chiajna.

USL Pro: The Harrisburg City Islanders have had a split of a news day. First, the club announced its annual friendly with MLS affiliate Philadelphia Union. The game is set for June 12.  The club then announced the retirement of two-year City Islander Jason Hotchkin. The North Carolina native made a name for himself closer to home, leading the Charlotte Eagles to the league final in 2004 before spending some time in Germany (TuS Koblenz) and Sweden (IK Brage). He came back and played for the Wilmington Hammerheads and Philadelphia Kixx, who he guided to an MISL title. He also played for the New Jersey Ironmen (MISL) and Cleveland City Stars (USL-1) before moving to Harrisburg… In South Carolina, the Charleston Battery got goalkeeper Andrew Dykstra back. The netminder, caught behind a duel for the DC job, was loaned back to the Battery, whom he played for last year after two seasons and 17 appearances with the Chicago Fire.

USL PDL: The North Sound SeaWolves continue to develop the 2012 roster, bringing back three local players from last year’s team… In Florida, the Ocala Stampede added FIU and former New Zealand youth international center back Joe Dawkins to the roster.

USL W-League: The DC United Women brought back four of its top players from a year ago, including W-League All-Conference selection Marisa Abegg… On the other coast, the Vancouver Whitecaps Women signed two players: W-League/WPSL veteran defender Jenny Jeffers and England youth international midfielder/striker Demi Stokes.