⚽️ Predators on a Roll

West Chester United exploded for 11 goals to book a spot in the Region 1 Amateur Cup semifinal with an 11-0 win over Alexandria Reds at Bryn Athyn College last Sunday.

The dominant win sets up a semifinal meeting with Christos FC back at Bryn Athyn on May 18.

Ken Roby led the way with a second half hat trick but by then the game was already little in doubt. Dylan Lacy was cooking early, creating with the ball in the final third and capped a dominant early display with a goal in the 17th minute off a well played counter press from Ayoub Mouhou to win the ball back and set up the goal.

“Our press is what we live on,” head coach Blaise Santangelo said. “So if we’re doing that, we’re playing on short fields, usually.”

From there the floodgates opened and by halftime it was 5-0 on a Michael teDuits goal assisted by Lacy, a Lacy penalty kick drawn by Bobby Dwayne Hickerson and Hickerson and Ridge Robinson goals assisted by Lacy.

“I was just sitting in the pockets behind the six, just trusting my teammates to find me the ball in those areas,” Lacy said. “I was on the half turn looking for my front three to connect, and that’s all.”

The second half was more of the same as Lacy drew a penalty that Marcus Brenes converted in the 52nd minute and Roby took over with three goals in 22 minutes. Even as head coach Blaise Santangelo rotated players in, the offense continued to click with Ryan Noel and Thomas King each contributing a goal and an assist off the bench.

“Our front four or five guys have played so much soccer together now that they know when to press and if they win the ball they know who to look for,” Santangelo said. “And Josh Luchini wasn’t even here today and we scored 11 goals.”

The depth will be key for the Predators as they continue to compete in multiple competitions both in local leagues like the USLPA and the Delaware River Conference of the APSL, regional cups (they play Sunday in the Werner Fricker Cup semi) and summer leagues for the NPSL and USL League Two. The influx of college students – teDuits was an early addition from Villanova – will provide a boost for the depth but the games are piling up, especially now with the addition of the Hank Steinbrecher Cup the first weekend of June.

“We’ll have a lot of players coming in at different times and it’ll be better for, you know, just the competitions, but also training and just good to see the college kids again,” Santangelo said.

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🏆 Werner Fricker Open Cup Semifinal Today

West Chester United are one win away from a return to the Werner Fricker Open Cup final. Though it’s no longer a national competition like it was when they won it all in 2023, Maryland team Bowleys Athletic stands in the way of them playing for another regional championship at Ukrainian American Sports Center on Father’s Day.

Lansdowne Yonkers FC are the defending champions. Providence City FC and Leros SC play in the other semifinal this afternoon in Walpole, Massachusetts.

The match kicks off at 5 p.m. today at Bryn Athyn College.

🗓️ Calendar

Sunday, May 4 - Werner Fricker Cup Semifinal - West Chester United vs Bowleys Athletic, 5 p.m., Bryn Athyn College
Tuesday, May 6 - APSL - WC Predators vs Oaklyn United, 8:30 p.m., Kildare’s FieldReserves 
Saturday, May 10 - NPSL - WC Predators vs FC Motown, 7 p.m., Kildare’s Field
Thursday, May 15 - APSL - WC Predators at Vidas United, 8:45 p.m., Germantown Supersite
Friday, May 16 - USL2 - West Chester United at LVU Rush, 7 p.m., Muhlenberg College
Saturday, May 17 - NPSL - West Chester United at Philadelphia Ukrainian Nationals, 7 p.m.
Saturday, May 17 - NPSL - WC Predators at PDA, 7 p.m., Notre Dame HS
Sunday, May 18 - Region 1 Amateur Cup Semifinal - West Chester United vs Christos FC, 5 p.m., Bryn Athyn College
Friday, June 6 - Hank Steinbrecher Cup Semifinal - TBA - Manchester, NH