GAME NOTES

MORGANTOWN, W.Va.--The West Virginia Illusion will open their first season in the USL W-League this Saturday, May 10, when they host the Charlotte Lady Eagles at 5 p.m. at Duvall-Rosier Field in Fairmont. It will be the first game to kick off around the league in the 2008 season.

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (May 7, 2008)--The West Virginia Illusion, a first-year member of the USL W-League, the highest level of women's soccer in North America, have announced nine player signings for the 2008 season, pending league approval.

Former West Virginia University standout Natalie Cocchi, who tied a school record with 87 appearances, highlights the class.

“Natalie is a great late addition to the team, a very surprising addition. I am very happy that she decided to stick around the area to be part of the team. She has a lot of obligations this summer and will be with us as much as possible. She's definitely going to be a starter when she's here...great size, great mental ability to bring to the game,” said head coach Joe Dorini.

By MICHAEL MINNICH
WestVirginiaIllusion.com

MORGANTOWN, W.Va.--Marisa Kanela has been a fixture in the soccer community of north central West Virginia, first as an all-conference player at West Virginia University from 2001-2004 and then as a successful youth coach. Now she gets to combine the two as a player-coach for the first-year West Virginia Illusion.

“I’m extremely excited about it. I’ve been wanting to play for many summers now, and with my schedule and the amount of coaching that I do in my spare time, it made it very difficult,” said Kanela.

“With the W-League able to be here in Morgantown, it’s given me an opportunity to still coach my teams, do camps, and still get to play,” she said.

The first ever Illusion day camp has been announced in cooperation with ProPerformanceRX in Morgantown WV. The camp will be help at Properformance RX facility during July 7th to the 11th ( M-F). Camp hours will be 10am to 12noon / Break / 1pm to 3pm. The campers will receive a free ticket to the Friday night game versus The Richmond Kickers at 7:30 pm. Please click on our camps and clinics tab to download the registration form.

GM/Head Coach Joe Dorini has announced a partnership with MassSport as the official uniform sponsor of the the Illusion teams. We are extremely pleased and excited that such a great, new company has allowed us to jump on board with them. Massport is also the official supplier of the Phildelphia Kixx ( Major Indoor Soccer League )  We are hoping to help promote their brand throughout the region and nationally. Massport has also started the process to become the offical uniform supplier of the West Virginia United Soccer Club.

www.massportusa.com

 

 

2008 W-League Schedule set

14^th official season opens May 10

   TAMPA, FL – United Soccer Leagues announced today the regular season schedule for the 2008 W-League season, which will kick off with the Opening Night on Saturday, May 10 with eight games and conclude on Sunday, July 20.

 

    North America’s top women’s league will open its 14^th official season of competition Saturday with eight games marking the start of the 280-game May 10. Opening Night will feature the debut of six expansion sides as the West Virginia Illusion host the Charlotte Lady Eagles, the Carolina RailHawks visit the Carolina Dynamo, the Tampa Bay Hellenic host the Bradenton Athletics and Connecticut visits the New York Magic. The Ventura County Fusion will play host to fellow newcomer Pali Blues in the debut of W-League soccer in Los Angeles. Opening Night is rounded out with the Hampton Roads Piranhas, one of the inaugural W-League teams in 1995, visiting the 2007 finalist Atlanta Silverbacks, the Long Island Rough Riders playing host to the defending champion Washington Freedom and the Boston Renegades hosting Jersey Sky Blue.

 

The West Virginia Illusion announced Monday morning the formation of a USL W-League women’s soccer team for the 2008 season.  The W-League franchise will be based in Morgantown and will be the first elite women's soccer franchise in the history of the state of West Virginia.

The West Virginia Illusion will be members of the Eastern Conference’s Atlantic Division in 2008. The team will be coached by Joe Dorini, Director of Coaching for West Virginia United Soccer Club and Director of Soccer Operations at PROPerformanceRx, and will consist of past WVU stars as well as the best talent in the surrounding areas.