SOCCER
+ VSI Tampa Bay FC advances in Open Cup
VSI Tampa Bay FC defeated Orlando City U23s (PDL) 4-3 in penalty kicks in the first round of the Lamar Hunt United States Open Cup May 14, at the Seminole Soccer Complex, in Sanford.
VSI now will host the Tampa Bay Rowdies May 21, at Plant City Stadium, in the second round of the 100th Open Cup, the oldest ongoing national soccer competition in the United States open to United States Soccer Federation affiliated teams.
Mauricio Salles put in the winning goal on penalty kicks in a back-and-forth match with Orlando City U23s.
VSI got on the board in the first half off a cross by Alex Freitas and was put in by Andriy Budnyy. Orlando City U23s tied things up late in the second half, leaving the teams deadlocked throughout the rest of regulation and overtime, leading to a penalty shootout.
VSI Tampa Bay FC is taking a break from its first USL PRO season to participate in the Open Cup. VSI will play its next USL PRO match against Wilmington May 26, at Plant City Stadium.
+ VSI W-League adds two standouts
VSI Tampa Bay FC was announced the additions of two players to its W-League (women) team for the 2013 W-League season, pending USSF approval.
American college and professional midfielder Stacy Bishop and former Portuguese National player Andrea “A-Rod” Rodrigues both signed with the team in the past week.
Bishop, a native of the Tampa area, who last played for the Atlanta Beat of Women’s Professional Soccer, will make her debut for VSI Tampa Bay FC this season.
Bishop has experienced success throughout her career. Bishop played for Land O’ Lakes High School and led the school to the state title her senior year.
Bishop still holds the all-time scoring record for Pasco County.
After high school Bishop accepted an athletic scholarship to attend Louisiana State University, where she played for the LSU Tigers women’s soccer team in 2003 and 2004.
At LSU, she led the SEC in shots and was third in points. After her sophomore year, she transferred to the University of Florida, in Gainesville, and played for coach Becky Burleigh’s Florida Gators women’s soccer team, in 2005 and 2006.
Bishop has played professionally with the Beat and the Boston Breakers.
While in college, Rodrigues discovered her Brazilian and Portuguese roots by participating in National team camps in 2009 and 2010, with the U-19 and U-20 Brazilian National team, while they prepared for the South America U-20 Tournament and in 2010, for the U-20 World Cup Tournament in Germany.
Then, in June 2010, at 20 years old, Rodrigues made her international debut in a 1-0 win over Slovenia. For the past three years, senior midfielder Rodrigues was a starter for both the Knights and the Portuguese National Team.
+ Lancers U-17 headed to final four
The Plant City Lancers U-17 boys soccer team has qualified for the FYSA State Cup Final Four for the first time since 1997.
“I could not be happier for this group of players,” U-17 head coach and Executive Director Stephen Rossiter said. “Making it to the Final 4 crosses a big psychological barrier for us, and it is very appropriate for a group of players who have worked very hard over the years and have made many sacrifices to get here. ”
The Lancers will face the West Pines United FC in the semifinal 1 p.m. May 18, at the FYSA’s Lake Myrtle Complex, in Auburndale.
