Rochester Thunder Lose in USL-PDL Playoffs

Thunder Bay, ON — The Michigan Bucks set yet another Premier Development League (PDL) record when they advanced to their eighth Elite Eight playoff game after shutting out the Rochester Thunder 2-0 on Friday afternoon in Thunder Bay, Ontario. The Bucks advance to the Central Conference Championship match on Saturday at 5:30 against the host Thunder Bay Chill, who defeated FC London 1-0 in the second half of the Conference Final Four.

The Thunder finished the PDL season with a record of 10-4-3 (33 points). Rochester ends up tied with Hollywood United for 11th best record of 67 teams participating in USL-PDL regular season play in 2010.

Thunder Splits Weekend Series with Thunder Bay

Rochester, MN — The Rochester Thunder finished its regular season with a weekend series split in Thunder Bay. Friday night, the Chill clinched the Heartland Division title — its third in the last four seasons — with a 2-1 win over the Thunder. All three goals Friday night came in the game's first 28 minutes. The Chill's Brandon Swartzendruber opened the scoring in the sixth minute. Rochester equalized just six minutes later, as Ben Sippola split the defense with a pass to Juan Chang, who coolly finished. But another Swartzendruber goal in the 28th minute proved to be the difference.

The Thunder got some measure of revenge on Saturday night, handing Thunder Bay its first home loss of the season. Midfielder Chris Andre got Rochester on the scoreboard first, with a solo goal in the 41st minute. Swartzendruber equalized in the 54th minute, only for the Thunder to grab the victory with a Finn Jor goal in the 78th minute. The Thunder ended the regular season 10-3-3, giving up just ten goals all season — tied for the second-best goals against average in the entire 67 team Premier Development League.

Thunder Qualifies for Playoffs, Aims at Division Title

Rochester, MN — What a difference a year makes. Last season, the Rochester Thunder entered the last few weeks of its inaugural season still in contention for the post season. But the team failed to get the necessary results on the road and missed out, finishing with a 5-9-2 record.

This season, the second year Premier Development League soccer franchise found itself in nearly the same position. Again, they were in the playoff hunt with only a few weeks remaining in the season. But unlike last season, the team has responded with a string of positive results. Three straight road victories, including a 2-0 victory at Kansas City Sunday night, have clinched the Thunder one of the Heartland Division's two playoff spots.

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Rochester Thunder Defeat Springfield Demize

Steve Ole Olson (Southwest Missouri's Soccer Resource) — The MN Thunder defeated the Springfield Demize this evening 1-0 on an 83rd minute penalty kick scored by Mark Heath Preston. The spot kick was the result of a foul on Ben Sippola as he nutmegged his defender on the right side before running into the box and being tripped.

The Thunder were denied on a corner kick in the 45th minute when Demize keeper Stephen Conner made a diving save on a ball headed for the lower right corner, with the half time whistle blowing immediately afterward. The visitors came out and controlled the midfield for the majority of the second half, leading up to the game-winner. While the Demize pressed forward in the final minutes, including 4 minutes of stoppage time, the Thunder were able to keep the clean sheet.

The win brings the Thunder to 7-2-3 on the season with 24 pts. which keep them in 3rd place behind Real Colorado Foxes with 26 pts. (7-2-5) and the Thunder Bay Chill with 31 pts. (10-1-1).

The Thunder will now make a 200 mile trip to St. Louis to play the Lions on Sunday, July 11. St.Louis beat the Thunder 2-1 in late-May in Rochester, in a game that all but ended the Thunder's chances of qualifying for the US Open Cup. The Lions are currently in 5th place with 18 pts (5-6-3). With only 4-games remaining in the season for the Thunder and two of those against the 1st place Thunder Bay Chill, Sundays contest will be an important one in the race for a post-season berth.