Following the convincing 5-2 defeat of Palace USA on Monday evening Palace now face the prospect of the Harrisburg City Islanders tonight.
The Islanders currently occupy second position in the USL-2 division and are only kept off the top spot by goal difference.
However tonight they go into this exhibition match on the back of two consecutive defeats.
The first was a 2-1 defeat at the hands of DC United in the US Open Cup before they suffered at the hands of our very own Crystal Palace USA when two goals from Dan Lader gave the Eagles a 2-0 victory.
But what about the players that have worn the Harrisburg shirt this season?
We bring you a comprehensive run down of all of the players that could be turning out against Palace tonight in the final game of our USA Tour 2009.
GOALKEEPERS
[0] Jay Herford
HT: 6-0 WT: 195
Born: 8/22/87
College: Frostburg State
Herford was a two-year starter at Frostburg State University, helping FSU to a 26-14-2 overall record during that time. He was an All-Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference Honorable Mention pick in 2007 and an All-Conference Second Team selection in 2008. He finished his senior season ranked second in the league in goals against average (0.77), third in save percentage (.797) and ninth in saves (59).
[14] Tomer Chencinski
HT: 6-2 WT: 190
Born: 12/1/84
College: American Univ.
The young but cultured Chencinski steps between the pipes for his first Second Division season in 2009. Chencinski began his pro career in 2007 when he signed with Toronto FC of Major League Soccer. He moved on to the Detroit Ignition of the now-defunct Major Indoor Soccer League during the 2007-08 season, going 3-0 with 40 saves in four starts. Last summer, he earned All-Conference honors with the Newark Ironbound Express of the PDL after posting a 6-2-3 record and 1.08 gaa. He spent time with FC Nistru Otaci of the Moldavan National Division following the season.
Chencinski played two years at Robert Morris University, where in 2004 he ranked 16th in the nation in saves per game and recorded six shutouts. He then transferred to Fairleigh-Dickinson University, where he played his final two collegiate seasons (2005-2006).
[32] Chase Harrison
HT: 6-3 WT: 185
Born: 4/2/84
College: Virginia Tech
An established First Division keeper, Chase Harrison signed with the City Islanders in late March.
Harrison was taken by Real Salt Lake in the third round of the 2006 Major League Soccer Supplemental Draft and spent the bulk of that season on loan with the Virginia Beach Mariners of the USL First Division. He joined the Rochester Rhinos in 2007 and started 18 games, going 7-5-6 with a 1.28 goals against average. Last July, he was traded to the Portland Timbers, where he posted a 1-5-0 record and 1.76 gaa over 6 games.
A 2005 graduate of Virginia Tech, Harrison holds several school records. He totaled 24 career shutouts, eight single-season shutouts in 2005, 7,181 career minutes and a 1.12 career goals-against average. Harrison has worked as a goalkeeper coach at his alma mater.
DEFENDERS
[3] Dustin Bixler
HT: 6-3 WT: 185
Born: 12/21/82
College: Lock Haven
Bixler's outstanding fourth year with Harrisburg firmly simply reinforced his status as one of the league's top defenders. He played 1,516 minutes over 17 games and was named to the league's Team of the Week four times. Following the season, he was named to the All-League Second Team. Bixler, who was named MVP of the 2007 USL-2 Championship Match, enters the season as Harrisburg's all-time leader in starts (71) and minutes played (6,323).
Bixler was a four-year starter at Lock Haven, playing 71 career games and earning All-Conference honors in 2002, 2003, and 2004. He was also named to the Division II All-Northeast Region First Team in 2003 and 2004, and was voted the team's Most Valuable Player and the Conference's Athlete of the Year after his senior season. He was a conference and district all-star during his time at Red Land.
[6] Tim Velten
HT: 6-0 WT: 170
Born: 9/1/83
College: Louisville
A major part of Harrisburg's 2007 Championship team, Velten returns to the City Islanders for 2009. The 6-0, 170-pounder spent the 2008 season with the Charleston Battery of the USL First Division, where he played 1,804 minutes over 26 games.
Velten started 34 games over the course of 2004 and 2005 at Louisville, and was named Co-Most Valuable Player and Defensive Most Valuable Player by his teammates in 2004. Velten transferred from SIU Edwardsville, where he started all 39 games of his freshman and sophomore seasons. He was named the Great Lakes Valley Conference Co-Freshman of the Year in 2001, and in 2002 was a First Team All-Conference, First Team All-Region, and Third Team All-American his sophomore year.
[7] Cody Reinberg
HT: 6-0 WT: 170
Born: 7/4/85
College: Drury University
Reinberg comes to the Islanders after spending the 2008 PDL season with the Des Moines Menace (15 games, 1,335 minutes). He was a four-year starter at Drury University (Springfield, MO). Reinberg was a All-Great Lakes Valley Conference Honorable mention selection and All-Great Lakes Region Third Team pick in 2006, and earned All-Conference First Team honors in 2007.
[8] Jason Massie
HT: 5-7 WT: 147
Born: 9/13/84
College: University of Rio Grande (Ohio)
A product of one of the world's elite youth systems, Jason Massie joins Harrisburg's midfield for 2009. Prior to coming to the States, Massie worked his way up through the ranks with Liverpool F.C. (currently vying for the English Premiership title), rising from the U12 to Reserve Team level. He also played for the England U17s.
After his time with Liverpool, Massie had a stint with Prescot Cables F.C. (2005-06) before moving to Ohio to attend the University of Rio Grande, where veteran Islander playmaker David Schofield also played. He earned NAIA All-Region honors in 2007 and All-Conference accolades in 2007 and 2008. He was also an Honorable Mention All-American in '07 and '08.
The technically adept attacker has played the last two seasons with the PDL's Cape Cod Crusaders, appearing in 30 games over that stretch.
[15] Yona Banda
HT: 6-1 WT: 175
Born: 8/7/84
Banda earned a roster spot with a fine preseason. He previously played with Zanaco F.C., one of the most prominent clubs in his native Zambia. At 6-1, 175 pounds, he figures to lend a physical, rangy presence in the City Islanders' backline.
[23] Anthony Calvano
HT: 5-7 WT: 165
Born: 1/8/82 in Manassass, VA
College: Penn State
After playing every single minute of Harrisburg's 2007 Championship season, Calvano was slowed by injury for the first half of 2008. He returned to the lineup on June 8 against Crystal Palace Baltimore and didn't leave it for the rest of the season, playing 1,080 consecutive minutes. Calvano scored the game-winning goal on June 14 against Real Maryland, earning a spot on the league's Team of the Week.
Calvano joined the City Islanders after two seasons with the Pittsburgh Riverhounds. As a rookie in 2005, the gritty backliner played 1,387 minutes (18 games) for the Riverhounds, posting five points (goal, three assists). He played eight games (551 minutes) in 2006. Calvano appeared in all 40 games for Penn State during his junior and senior seasons - all the more remarkable considering that he failed to make the team his freshman and sophomore years.
MIDFIELDERS
[2] Steve Fisher
HT: 5-11 WT: 175
Born: 10/2/81
College: Lehigh
Fisher produced 3 goals and 9 points over 18 games in 2008, his fifth with the City Islanders.
The speedy attacker enters the season as the club's all-time leader in games played with 83 and ranks among the leaders in minutes played (4,202, 5th), goals (13, tied for 4th), assists (12, tied for 2nd), and points (38, 3rd). The Hershey native has accounted for three of the most momentous goals in team history: he scored the club's first-ever goal on May 8, 2004; put Harrisburg into the USL-2 Championship with a 106th-minute game-winner in the Semifinal on August 18, 2007, against Cleveland; and recorded the lone goal in Harrisburg's 1-0 U.S. Open Cup win over D.C. United of Major League Soccer on June 11.
Fisher capped off his Lehigh career in 2003 by leading the Mountain Hawks in scoring with eight goals and 16 points, earning All-Patriot League First Team accolades. He was also named the school's Athlete of the Year.
[4] Geoff Bloes
HT: 6-1 WT: 180
Born: 6/3/85
College: Shippensburg University
Local product Bloes joined the City Islanders midway through 2008 and made five appearances for the club, his first coming on June 28 against Wilmington.
In a remarkable 77-game career at Shippensburg University, Bloes set new school records for goals (51) and points (130), and finished second in school history with 28 assists. As a senior in 2007, he scored 13 goals and 35 points en route to his second straight Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Athlete of the Year Award; he was also named the Division II Northeast Region Player of the Year. Bloes was a three-time All-PSAC First Team selection. In 2007, he became the second player in school history to earn Division II First Team All-American honors. Bloes played with fellow City Islander Jason Pelletier at Middletown High School, where they won a Class AAA state championship in 2001.
[5] Nicki Paterson
HT: 5-11 WT: 165
Born: 1/19/85
College: UNLV
Paterson puts on an Islanders jersey after two productive seasons with the PDL's Des Moines Menace (15 goals, 7 assists in 28 games). He earned Second Team All-Mountain Pacific Sports Federation honors at UNLV in 2006. Paterson has also played with Motherwell F.C. and Hamilton Academical F.C. in his native Scotland.
[10] David Schofield
HT: 5-9 WT: 160
Born: 10/15/81 in Preston, England
College: Long Island
Schofield posted yet another solid season for the City Islanders in 2008, finishing with a goal and 6 points in 1,192 minutes. He was named to the Team of the Week after a two-assist performance against Bermuda on August 2.
The industrious midfielder stands as the most prolific playmaker in club history, ranking first all-time with 22 assists. He ranks second all-time in games played (80), starts (68), and minutes played (5,801), and is tied for fifth with 34 points.
Schofield was selected by his peers to the USL-2 All-League Second Team following the 2005 season. A native of Preston, England, he also represented his country in the Summer of 2005, playing for Great Britain in the World University Games in Turkey. Schofield was a three-time all conference pick at Long Island University and also played for the English Schoolboy Under-18 National Team.
He also serves as the Director of the City Islanders Academy.
[12] Tiyiselani Shipalane
HT: 5-11 WT: 165
Born: 10/5/85
College: Lindsey Wilson
Shipalane has played the last three years for the Michigan Bucks of the PDL, scoring 11 goals and assisting on 9 others in 49 matches. Michigan won the North American PDL Championship in 2006, went back to the PDL Championship game in 2007 but lost, and won the PDL regular season title in 2008 (Shipalane scored the winning goal in the 2006 PDL championship game). The crafty midfielder was selected by the indoor Detroit Ignition in 2008 and spent time as a trialist with the Columbus Crew of MLS. At Lindsey Wilson College (Kentucky), he was the 2006 NAIA Region XI Player of the Year and a three-time All-American.
[13] Nate Baker
HT: 5-11 WT: 165
Born: 8/6/85 in Bowie, MD
College: American Univ.
In his second season with Harrisburg, Baker assumed a starting role, playing in 18 games (17 starts, 1,449 minutes played). Along the way, he scored the first three goals of his City Islanders career, all on successful penalty kicks (on April 26 vs. Cleveland, June 28 vs. Wilmington, and August 2 vs. Bermuda).
Baker was a four-year fixture at American University, starting 62 of 77 career games and helping lead the team to the Patriot League Championship and second of the NCAA Tournament in 2004. He served as captain for two years, and also served as captain of his Olympic Development Program team in St. John's, MD.
[17] Kai Kasiguran
HT: 5-11 WT: 160
Born: 9/8/85
College: Messiah
Kasiguran comes to the Islanders after a brilliant collegiate career at Division III powerhouse Messiah College and a stint with the Chicago Fire of Major League Soccer.
At Messiah, where he was a four-year starter, Kasiguran helped lead the team to three straight Division III National Championships (2004-06) and four straight Final Four appearances. He was the Division III Player of the Year in 2007, a four-time All-American, and three-time Conference Player of the Year. Esteemed former Messiah coach Dave Brandt called him "perhaps the most accomplished player in the history of Division III soccer." The Fire selected him in the first round (12th overall) of the 2008 MLS Supplemental Draft but injuries limited his opportunities with the club last season.
[19] Mo Oduor
HT: 6-1 WT: 185
Born: 1/25/78 in Eldoret, Kenya
College: Furman
After serving as a defensive-minded midfielder for his first three years with the team, Oduor morphed into a dangerous attacking presence in 2007. The powerful Oduor set career highs in goals (six), assists (two), and points (14) en route to a spot on the All-League Second Team. Four of his goals stood as game-winners. Oduor was a two-time Team of the Week selection and earned one Player of the Week Award.
Coming into 2008, Oduor ranks fourth all-time in games played (59), third in starts (52), and fifth in minutes played (4,116) for the City Islanders.
Prior to joining the City Islanders, the native of Eldoret, Kenya, had played for the Carolina Dynamo and Long Island Rough Riders. He played the first two years of his collegiate career at the University of Charleston (West Virginia), where he earned All-American honors as a sophomore, before transferring to Furman University for his junior and senior years. Prior to coming to the States, Oduor earned time with the Under-20 Kenyan National Team.
[22] Jason Pelletier
HT: 5-10 WT: 180
Born: 4/24/85
College: Robert Morris
Pelletier proved a consistent presence in Harrisburg's midfield in 2008, playing 811 minutes over 17 appearances (9 starts). He scored his first pro goal in a 1-1 tie on May 5 in Pittsburgh.
Pelletier is a product of local Middletown High School and Robert Morris University. He was a staple in the central midfield for the Colonials, earning All-NEC selections in 2005 and 2006. He was also a Regional and National Olympic Development Program participant.
FORWARDS
[9] Phillip Buffington
HT: 6-1 WT: 170
Born: 12/27/86
College: Mississippi College
Phillip Buffington, will begin his USL professional career as an Islander. Scouted by the coaches at he USL combine, Buffington brings an impressive resume into his rookie season. In his first season with USL's PDL Mississippi Brilla, he finished second on the team in scoring. During the 2008 season, he doubled his goal production, leading the team with 8 goals on the year. Prior to his PDL success, Buffington excelled at Mississippi College. A three-time All-Conference First Team and All-Region Second team pick, Buffington set a school record and tied the conference's all-time mark by scoring 54 goals over three seasons. He will look to transfer his past scoring success into goals on the Island.
[11] Brandon Swartzendruber
HT: 6-2 WT: 185
Born: 4/2/85
College: Midwestern State University
Swartzendruber joins the City Islanders after two standout seasons with the Thunder Bay Chill of the Premier Development League. He posted 16 goals and 4 assists for Thunder Bay in 2007, and bagged 13 goals and 8 assists for the 2008 Chill side which won the PDL Championship. He was named to the PDL All-Central Conference Team last season.
After spending two years (2003 and '04) at Chandler-Gilbert Community College, Swartzendruber moved to Midwestern State University (Wichita Falls, TX). He earned All-Conference honors in 2005, and in 2006 was an All-Conference and All-Region pick, a Division II All-American, and the Conference Offensive Player of the Year.
[20] Chad Severs
HT: 5-10 WT: 175
Born: 8/13/82 in Ocean City, NJ
College: Penn State
Severs returns to Harrisburg full-time in 2009, four years after producing the best offensive season in team history. As a City Islanders rookie in 2005, Severs set single-season club records with 13 goals and 31 points (second in the league in both categories). Following the season, he was named the USL-2 Rookie of the Year and earned a spot on the All-League Second Team.
Severs moved on to the Rochester Rhinos for 2006, but the Islanders brought him back for a five-game loan stint over which he scored four goals. He was more of a presence for Rochester in 2007, scoring 3 goals and 7 points over 14 appearances, but still found time for another productive loan spell in Harrisburg (3 goals, 8 points in five games) as he helped the Islanders on their championship run. In 2007, he also appeared in 11 games with Otago United of the New Zealand Football Championship.
Despite playing only 29 games in a Harrisburg uniform, Severs ranks as the club's all-time leader in goals (20), points (47), and game-winning goals (6).
The 5-10, 175-pound striker scored 38 goals and 90 points in 85 games (2001-2004) at Penn State, leading the team in scoring for three straight years from 2002-2004. His best season came as a sophomore in 2002, when he scored 17 goals and 37 points and earned an Honorable Mention nod on the College Soccer News Division One All-American Team. His litany of honors includes three Mid-Atlantic All-Region selections (2002-Third Team, 2003-Second Team, 2004-Second Team) and three Big Ten All-Conference picks (2001-Second Team, 2002-First Team, 2004-Second Team). Severs was also the Big Ten Rookie of the Year in 2001. At Ocean City High School in his hometown of Ocean City, N.J., he was a two-time Philadelphia Inquirer Player of the Year. Severs was a member of the Region 1 Olympic Development Program, the Adidas Elite Soccer Program, and the U.S. U-20 National Pool teams. With 159 career goals, he came within two scores of tying the New Jersey scoring record set by former U.S. National Team star Tab Ramos.
