CPCC Finished the Spring Leg of the CPSL 2007-08 Season 4-6-1 (W-L-T)

Summary
The club's first complete season in the Charlotte Premier Soccer League's Open Division fulfilled all expectations:  Well-tended fields, competent referees, and top level competition, all within an organization by and for people who love soccer.  The open roster policy coupled with a match schedule in sync with the College's academic calendar clearly met the club's objectives. 

The club's season preparations began with a memorable trip to historic Edenton to participate in the first annual NC Community College Futsal Tournament, hosted by the College of Albemarle.  The icy road trip back to Charlotte, including a stop in Chapel Hill for dinner on Franklin Street, cemented new friendships and made new memories on a wintry weekend. 

Entering the spring leg of the CPSL regular season with a team now familiar with the ways of the CPSL and a record that placed them squarely in the middle of the league table, the Tigers had reasonable expectations of a strong showing.  But the arc of the spring season would turn out vastly different from the fall.  The College spring break signaled the beginning of a mid-season swoon that dashed any hopes at a top finish, placing the club in desperation mode in the season's final week, when a 6-2 win over "Meck FC" helped avoid a last place finish.  The club converted their seventh-seed in the tournament into a first round win.  The season ended with a gritty showing in the semifinal, an 0-3 loss to the second place "Wings SC".  

Now that the club has completed its first season in the CPSL, all associated with the CPCC Soccer have a much better idea of what is required to realize the dream of championships.

A match-by-match recap of the season is posted below. 

CPSL Tournament Final
Sporting Charlotte SC Retains CPSL Crown

Sunday, May 18th, Regular Season Champion Sporting Charlotte finished off a solid season in the CPSL by winning the tournament finals against the formidable Charlotte Wings. Sporting Charlotte defended a 1-0 lead for most of the match in a tight battle over the Wings before scoring two late goals to secure the match and the championship with a 3-0 decision. The tournament final was a fitting ending to a great year for the league, and gives the Charlotte soccer community a lot to look forward to for the 2008-09 season, set to start in September.  In the Over 30 Division final, RBC Centura scored a late goal to edge out Sunkiki FC 2-1 in a match which saw all scoring take place after the break.

See the tournament and season recap for both CPSL divisions on the CPSL website. 

Match Reports
Semifinal Round - Wings Halt CPCC's run, 3-0
CPCC's first season in the vaunted CPSL ended at the feet of the Wings in the semifinals of the postseason tournament.  The Wings made it to the break with two well-deserved goals, but like the Tigers, short on style points.  The second half unspooled much like the first, with the vaunted Wings, second on the table for the 2007-08 season, adding another goal to the final tally.  We'll add to this report in the coming days. 

Opening Round - Tigers Maul Eire FC 5-1
CPCC's Soccer Club made the most of its first ever appearance in the Charlotte Premier Soccer League tournament by turning in one of its best performances of the year.  The Tigers set a torrid pace at the outset, scoring three goals in the first sixteen minutes and playing shutout defense to stun the third seeded Eire FC by a final score of 5-1.  CPCC advances to the semifinal round where they will face the Charlotte Wings Soccer Club.  The teams have split their two most recent meetings with each claiming a 1-0 win.

CPCC opened play with the same determination to control the ball and the pace that has characterized their two most recent outings.  Making Eire chase early, CPCC midfielders Ryan Kloepping, John Bailey, and Aleks Georgiev combined for several well-timed probing passes into the back of the Eire defense.  In the fifth minute, Cesar Pilco-Romero took one such pass, beat a defender, then connected with Blaine Decker, who deftly converted for the game's first score.  In the twelfth minute, Keji Aderibigbe, returning from a one-match suspension and determined to make his presence felt, received a well placed ball from the midfield, beat two defenders, then slotted home the ball for a 2-0 lead.  The third goal would come just four minutes later when Aleks Georgiev found Aderibigbe in the box.  Keji would return the favor at 32', when he rolled a ball across the box to a waiting Georgiev.  As CPCC continued to press forward after the break, Eire FC found more opportunities to counter attack.  Many of these were run down by Zane Kennedy and Dominic Davies, but John Bailey's and Gus Hernandez' back-tracking, Giancarlo Aristondo's skillful and courageous goal-tending, and an unusually helpful (or cruel) crossbar would preserve the shutout until the last two minutes of the match.  By then, Keji Aderibigbe had notched a second assist, this time a shoulder-high pass across the goal mouth to a deserving Ryan Kloepping, who coolly headed it past the keeper. 

This was one of the most complete games CPCC has played all year, with the club getting significant contributions from everyone.  The second place Wings, fresh off their first-round bye, await.

Starters:  Giancarlo Aristondo (K), Anderson Mogollon, Zane Kennedy, Gus Hernandez, Dominic Davies, Cesar Pilco-Romero, Ryan Kloepping (80'), John Bailey, Aleks Georgiev (32'), Keji Aderibigbe (12', 16'), Blaine Decker (5')

Substitutions:  Abu Sesay, Matt Hunter

Week #10
Second Half Outburst Takes Down Meck FC 6-2
CPCC ended the regular season with a convincing victory, continuing the form they reestablished in the second half of their match in week eight.  The win also secured a sixth-place regular season finish and a date with the third place Eire FC in the first round of the CPSL tournament.

With starters Keji Aderibigbe and Aleks Georgiev both unavailable due to red cards, the club began the match short handed.  Their cautious, focused approach was rewarded with a corner kick in the 20th minute. Ryan Kloepping received a well placed corner kick from John Bailey for the header into the net. Ten minutes later, a failure to drop back and reorganize allowed a Meck FC forward to break away for the leveler. 

The Tigers opened the second half with an intensity not seen in the first.  Long gone was the caution with which they started the match.  Their attack began at the whistle, and was stopped only by the triple-whistle.  Two minutes into the second half, Brandon Brelewski placed a ball perfectly over the top to Ryan Kleopping for a well struck side-netting goal.  A few minutes later, Cesar Pilco-Romero broke away on his own and blasted from well beyond the 18 a hard shot that netted the Tigers a 3-1 lead.  Mistakes in defensive positioning once again yielded a scoring  opportunity to Meck FC - this time in the form of a PK - which was converted for a goal.  But the Tigers would not surrender the momentum or the lead as the conditioning of CPCC's players came into play.  The possessions and shots were now all to the Tigers. Blaine Decker found an opportunity to score off a near post breakaway at 74`. This was followed by a one-two give-and-go pass sequence through the middle of the Meck FC defense, resulting in a Ryan Kloepping score off a Blaine Decker assist.  Moments later, Blaine Decker again sped past a tired Meck FC defense to beat the keeper and walk the ball into the goal for the 6-2 final tally. 

Starters:  Giancarlo Aristondo, John Bailey, Brandon Brelewski, Blaine Decker (74', 90'), Gustovo Hernandez, Matthew Hunter, Ryan Kloepping (20', 48', 83'), Anderson Mogollon,
Cesar Pilco-Romero (54')

Substitutions:  Dominic Davies, Abu Sesay

Week #9
Two-Goal Rally Falls Short as Tigers Fall to Charlotte United 3-2
This match was a tale of two halves, with the Tigers playing their opponent's game in the first half, then playing their own game in the second.  The first half was marked by Charlotte United's repeated attempts to send the ball over the back of the Tiger back four.  They were rewarded with one "legitimate" goal at the 27' mark.  Some ten minutes later, an attempted clear from the CPCC box caromed off the back of another defender's foot and into the goal for a 2-0 United lead.  CPCC entered the second half determined to play their own style of soccer.  Their possessions became much more sustained, and balls played forward were done so with a purpose.  Suddenly, the Tigers were dominating the run of play, and it was United that was chasing. 

CPCC's efforts were soon rewarded with a goal. Hector Mera scored off a perfectly placed corner kick from Ryan Kloepping (picture).  Trailing 2-1 and now dominating the match, Keji Aderibigbe drew an untimely red card.  But even playing a man down, CPCC continued to possess, repeatedly rolling balls into spaces beyond the initial reach of United defenders.  Ryan Kloepping (78') slotted home John Bailey's assist for the tying goal to further boost the Tigers' confidence.  The team continued to create many good chances, and numerous potential go-ahead goals whizzed inches beyond the far post, or were redirected by a defender at the last second.  Because the Tiger ten perhaps pressed too far forward in search of the match-winner, they surrendered a goal at 86'. Even so, they continued to press hard in the final minutes for the leveler which did not come.  A palpable sense of dejection hovered over the yellow jerseys as they drifted away from the pitch.

In the immediate aftermath of a hard fought loss by a squad hungry for a win, there was plenty of discomfit to go around.  But the match was a true microcosm of all that is right and all that is wrong with this season.  The team that played the first half is not capable of winning a game in this league, while the team that played the second half is a force that can only be beaten by their own mental errors and uncontrolled emotions. 

Starters:  Keji Aderibigbe (Red),  Blaine Decker, Hector Mera (71'), Aleksandar Georgiev (Red), Ryan Kloepping (78'), Abu Sesay, John Bailey, Aristides Chicas, Gus Hernandez, Nick Cherico, Thomas Mathews

Substitutions: Jaafar Dahbi, Anderson Mogollon, Solomon Togbah

Week #8
Copperheads Gain Spring Sweep of CPCC with 8-1 Result
The CPCC Soccer Club continued its race to the bottom of the CPSL with another low turnout and lackluster effort.  With the eleventh player arriving at eleventh hour, the Tigers barely managed to start the match with a full side.  At the 25 minute mark, the match remained scoreless.  But the next 12 minutes would see CPCC go one man down, the insertion of at least six sets of fresh legs for the Copperheads, and three successive (28', 29' 40') Copperhead goals.  The 'Heads opened the second half with a possession that took the ball virtually unchallenged into the Tiger box and net.  Aleks Georgiev's PK at 50' denied the shutout, but was followed by a Copperhead four goal barrage (66', 84', 86', 88'). 

Starters: Solomon Togbah, Matt Hunter, Dominic Davies, Aleks Georgiev (50' PK), John Bailey,
Anderson Mogollon, Abu Sesay, Gustavo Hernandez, Hector Mera, Cesar Pilco-Romero,
Zane Kennedy

Substitutions: none 

Week #7
Sporting Charlotte Wears Down Short-handed CPCC, 6-0
Match details coming shortly...

Week #6
Tigers Blank Jacks FC 3-0

Week #5
Tigers Battle Eire FC to a 2-2 Draw

Week #4
Copperheads Humble CPCC 7-2
How to explain the appallingly low turnout by club members for this match against the Copperheads?  The switch to Daylight Savings Time?  The first Sunday of spring break?  Whatever the reason, CPCC fielded a mere full side with no substitutes against a much improved Copperheads soccer club.  The result was one of the most disappointing losses in recent club history.  With Abu Sesay filling in ably in the goal, the Tiger defensive effort began leaving him more and more exposed as the game wore on.  The Copperheads would net three goals before Solomon Togbah's individual effort gained the Tiger's their only goal of the first half.  Trailing 3-1 at the break, CPCC would surrender four second half goals for the 7-2 final.  

Week #3
Tigers Falter in Final Minutes to Wings, Lose 0-2
With the Tiger defense feeding off the superior effort of Thomas Mathews in the goal, CPCC held off the Wings Soccer Club for almost 80 minutes before surrendering the first goal.  Three of Mathews' saves would have been game-savers had not the Wings' keeper responded with some great saves of his own.  Mathews' final save was on a PK at 87', when he guided a rebound off the top of the crossbar away from the line.  The reshuffled defense played well in this match, but the Wings back four consistently ran down potential breakaways.  Superior depth enabled the Wings to keep pace with CPCC's speed advantage as the game wore on.

Starters: Cesar Pilco-Romero, Brandon Brelewski, Blaine Decker, Ryan Kloepping, Alexandar Georgiev, Anderson Mogollon, Aristides Chicas, Nick Chirico, Gustavo Hernandez, Jaafar Dahbi, Thomas Matthews

Substitutions: Keji Aderibigbe, Solomon Togbah

Week #2
Tigers Remain Unbeaten vs. Attic FC with 3-2 Win
Eighty minutes into this, the second match of the spring leg, the CPCC Soccer club had much about which they could feel good.  First and foremost was the coalescence of a rock solid defense.  With Giancarlo Aristondo in the goal, the back four of Thomas Matthews, Hector Mera, Nick Chirico, and Aristides Chicas had proven virtually impenetrable.  Then there was the balanced scoring.  Keji Aderibigbe, freed to roam the attacking third with the presence of "Junka" in the goal, got CPCC off to a good start with a breakaway at 4'.  Newcomer Brandon Brelewski followed at 11' with a rebound from a perfectly placed direct kick by Aleksandar Georgiev.  Then there was Blaine Decker's one touch past the keeper, made possible by a perfectly placed assist by Brandon Brelewski. 

But in the 81st minute, with most of the starters enjoying the final minutes from the sideline, CPCC lost the shutout as the Attic FC made good on a one-on-one in the box.  Only a minute later, the sequence was repeated for a suddenly shaky 3-2 lead.  Reinserted starters reset the defense and allowed the clock to run out for the favorable decision.  Despite the needless drama of the final minutes, the club left the pitch with a spring season record of 1-1-0, a claim to third place on the league table, and a new sense of its own identity.  

Starters: Solomon Togbah, Keji Aderibigbe, Brandon Brelewski, Ryan Kloepping, Aleksandar Georgiev, Cesar Pilco-Romero, Aristides Chicas, Nick Chirico, Tomas Mathews, Hector Mera, Giancarlo Aristondo

Substitutions: Marcello Warner, Blaine Decker, Anderson Mogollon, Dominic Davies, Abu Sesay, Stuart Collins, Julio Trigoso, Matt Hunter

Notes:  This was the 50th match for Alex Lyle as coach of CPCC Soccer. 
Brandon Brelewski's goal was his first in a CPCC uniform.  He is the all-time goal scorer in Butler High School (Matthews, NC) history.

Week #1
CPCC Taken Down by Charlotte United 1-3
Charlotte United, one of the oldest soccer clubs in the Charlotte area, made its debut in the Charlotte Premier Soccer League against a CPCC team which once again exhibited a tendency to slow-start its seasons.  With nearly all players reporting for duty, one significant absence was at the keeper spot, where Coach Lyle was forced to go to with second and third options during the course of the match.  Charlotte Uniteds' first score (11') was quickly answered by CPCC (22').  With the score tied 1-1 at the break, CPCC entered the second half confident in their ability to force the issue with superior depth and fitness.  The Tigers would indeed control the midfield for several long stretches and create numerous opportunities for shots on goal.  But as the misfires piled up, the run of play shifted to favor the United, and CPCC ultimately had no answer for either of their second half goals.  

Starters: Solomon Togbah, Keji Aderibigbe, Ryan Kloepping, Aleksandar Georgiev, John Bailey, Gustavo Hernandez, nick Chirico, Thomas Mathews, Aristides Chicas, Nicholas Dow, Zane Kennedy

Substitutions: Blaine Decker, Cesar Pilco-Romero, Brandon Brelewski, Marcello Warner, Jaafar Dahbi, Stuart Collins, Dominic Davies

Tigers Place third in the NC Community College Futsal Tournament
CPCC's Soccer Club traveled 300 miles to participate in the 1st annual NC Community College Futsal tournament, held Saturday, January 19, in the North Chowan Recreation Center near the Edenton campus of Albemarle Community College.  The Tigers came from behind to defeat Tidewater Community College (Norfolk, VA) 3-2 in the consolation match.  Congratulations to the College of Albemarle-Dare Campus team, who won the championship by downing the UNC-G Dual enrollment team 4-2. It was only the night before that CPCC's players became acquainted with the rules and playing environment of Futsal by participating in a 90 minute practice session after arriving in Edenton. 

Representing CPCC Soccer at the NCCC Futsal Tournament were:
(L to R) Bottom Row:  Tom Mathews, Keji Aderibigbe, Zane Kennedy
Middle Row: Solomon Togbah, Anderson Mogollon, John Bailey
Top Row: Coach Alex Lyle, Giancarlo Aristondo, Gus Hernandez, Hector Mera

SPRING 2008 CLUB ROSTER

	Name	#	Pos.	Goals	Assists
	Keji Aderibigbe Birth country: Nigeria Pgm. of Study: Civil Eng. Tech. High School: A.O.H.S., Lagos, Nigeria Favorite Team: Arsenal FC Also...I love to cook.	1	MF K		1
	Giancarlo Aristondo Birth country:   Pgm. of Study:   High School:   Favorite Team:   Also...	0	K
	John Bailey (captain) Birth country:  USA Pgm. of Study:  College Transfer High School:  East Meck Favorite Team:  UNC Tar Heels Also...I was a paratrooper in the US Army	11	MF		4
	Brandon Brelewski Birth country:   Pgm. of Study:   High School:   Favorite Team:   Also...	24	MF
	Aristides Chicas Birth country:  USA Pgm. of Study:  College Transfer High School:  Butler Favorite Team:  Barcelona Also...I went to Uniondale (NY) HS	2	D	1
	Nicholas Chirico Birth country:   Pgm. of Study:   High School:   Favorite Team:   Also...
	Stuart Collins Birth country:   Pgm. of Study:   High School:   Favorite Team:   Also...	23	D
	Jaafar Dahbi Birth country:   Pgm. of Study:   High School:   Favorite Team:   Also...
	Dominic Davies Birth country:   Pgm. of Study:   High School:   Favorite Team:   Also...
	Blaine Decker Birth country:   Pgm. of Study:   High School:   Favorite Team:   Also...
	Nick Dow Birth country:  Canada Pgm. of Study:  Assoc. in Science High School:  Harding Favorite Team:  Manchester United Also...I'm a Scottish Canadian in America.	14	D
	Aleksandar Georgiev Birth country:  Bulgaria Pgm. of Study:  College Transfer High School:  Kiril & Metodii Favorite Team:  FC Barcelona Also...I played soccer in Italy for 3 months.	30	D	1
	Gustavo Hernandez Birth country:  Costa Rica Pgm. of Study:  ESL High School:  Instituto Julio Acosta (CR) Favorite Team:  Deportiva Ramonense Also...I look on the bright side of everything.	6	D		1
	Matthew Hunter Birth country:  USA Pgm. of Study:  College Transfer High School:  Home Schooled Favorite Team:  AC Milan Also...I drive a fast car and run 5Ks w/ my dad.	17	MF
	Zane Kennedy Birth country:  USA Pgm. of Study:  General Studies High School:  Olympic Favorite Team:  Chelsea FC Also...my favorite band is the Chevelles.	28	D
	Ryan Kloepping Birth country:   Pgm. of Study:   High School:   Favorite Team:   Also...	4	F	3	2
	Thomas Mathews Birth country:   Pgm. of Study:   High School:   Favorite Team:   Also...	21	D
	Hector Mera Birth country:   Pgm. of Study:   High School:   Favorite Team:   Also...	20	D
	Anderson Mogollon Birth country:   Pgm. of Study:   High School:   Favorite Team:   Also...	29	D	1
	Cesar Pilco-Romero Birth country:  Bolivia Pgm. of Study:  Business Administration High School:  Defensores del Chaco Favorite Team:  Bolivar; Boca Juniors Also...I like to workout.	15	F	3
	Abu Sesay Birth country:   Pgm. of Study:   High School:   Favorite Team:   Also...		MF
	Solomon Togbah Birth country:   Pgm. of Study:   High School:   Favorite Team:   Also...	18	MF	1