ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Monday, July 1, 1996 TAG: 9607010100
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-2 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: FROM STAFF REPORTS
The Roanoke RiverDawgs scored three goals in the second half to pull away for a 4-0 victory over the Philadelphia Freedom on Sunday in a United Systems of Independent Soccer Leagues game at Cave Spring Junior High School.
Ian Spooner's goal in the 28th minute sent the RiverDawgs (6-3) into halftime with the lead. Michael Dunne, Patrick McSorley and Gary Ricketts scored after intermission to finish Philadelphia (6-4).
Aaron Ewert and Drew Burwash split the shutout for Roanoke, with Ewert making four saves in the first half and Burwash five in the second half. The RiverDawgs outshot the Freedom 13-10 as Philadelphia goalie Dave Urbach made eight saves.
``It was an important win in the sense that we'd lost two in a row, and also because it was our third game in five days,'' said Ed McMichael, Roanoke's coach. ``It was a good win, but a hard one with the heat. I give credit to these guys for sucking it up and playing as hard as they did.''
The RiverDawgs return to action at 7:30 p.m. July 10 when they play host to the Carolina Dynamo.
In other sports news in the region:
* The Roanoke Star U-13 boys' soccer team split two games in the United States Youth Soccer Association Region I Championship in Niagara Falls, N.Y., and was eliminated.
The Star defeated Western New York 3-1 on two goals by Raymie Equi and a tally by Matt Dishner. In the second game, the Star lost 2-0 to Delaware, last year's Region I runner-up.
Four of the 16 teams advanced to today's semifinals, with the winner to be determined Tuesday.
* Michael Stearns, who cycles for Team Smiley, won the Virginia State Time Trial Championships in Smithfield with a time of 51 minutes, 44 seconds over the 23-mile course.
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