PDL release

TAMPA, Fla. – Having directed in three goals for FC Boston during the eighth week of the Premier Development League (PDL) season, Northeastern men's soccer captain and forward Harry Swartz has garnered placement on the national PDL Team of the Week, as announced by the league on Wednesday.

Swartz was one of 11 PDL players that shared in the weekly honor, while 15 additional players received Honorable Mention distinction.
 
Entering last week with three goals and the team scoring lead, Swartz proceeded to double his season tally during a pair of starts at Ashland High School, one of two home sites for FC Boston. On June 21 against AC Connecticut, the NU redshirt-junior buried two goals in quick succession for the Bolts just beyond the half-hour mark, three days before booting a second-half clincher on June 24 against Westchester Flames.
 
Together with his goals against Western Mass Pioneers (June 14), and GPS Portland Phoenix (June 17), Swartz has assembled a string of four straight scoring matches, which have come at a pivotal time for FC Boston. The Bolts have remained unbeaten (3-0-1) during Swartz's streak and moved into fourth place within the Northeast Division table with four matches left to play, trailing the second-place Long Island Rough Riders by four points.
 
Three PDL divisions - the Northeast (seven teams), Mid Atlantic (seven), and South Atlantic (11) – comprise the Eastern Conference, which is guaranteed to produce one semifinalist in the 2017 PDL Playoffs, as will the Central, Western, and Southern conferences.
 
Swartz, who continues to lead FC Boston with six goals, will put his four-match scoring streak on the line on Wednesday, June 28, against first-place Seacoast United, the summer home of his former Northeastern teammate, Khesanio Hall. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. at the New England Sports Park in Amesbury, Massachusetts.

As a sophomore at Northeastern during the 2015 season, Swartz started all 17 matches for the Huskies and registered three points, scoring against James Madison (Sept. 30) and assisting against William & Mary (Oct. 10). The NU striker missed the majority of the 2016 campaign due to injury.


PDL Team of the Week (Week 8)
As publicized by uslpdl.com

GK – Agustin Rey, Fresno Fuego: Rey recorded two shutouts during Week 8, making four saves in Friday's win against the Orange County SC U23 and three saves in Sunday's victory against the Southern California Surf.

D – Gabriel Torres, The Villages SC: Torres provided an assist and helped The Villages SC record a shutout against Palm Beach Suns FC on June 21. He then recorded one goal and one assist in Saturday's 5-1 win against the South Florida Surf.

D – Marcello Borges, New York Red Bulls U23: The University of Michigan talent helped the Red Bulls U23 earn a 3-1 home win on June 21 and then recorded one goal and two assists in a 10-1 road win against Evergreen FC on Saturday.

D – Dylan Hundelt, St. Louis Lions: Hundelt scored the game-winning goal for the Lions in their shutout against the Saint Louis FC U23 on June 21.

M – Aaron Molloy, Reading United AC: Molloy, set to play for Penn State University this fall, scored two goals to lead Reading United to a 3-0 victory at Don Thomas Stadium.

M – Harry Pearse, Jersey Express: The LIU Post standout scored two goals and recorded four assists in Week 8, helping the Express earn two wins in the Mid Atlantic Division.

M – Nils Bruening, Tobacco Road FC: The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill talent scored a hat trick to lead Tobacco Road to a 4-2 win against Wilmington Hammerheads FC on Saturday.

M – Ryan Sierakowski, Chicago FC United: The Michigan State University standout scored Chicago FC United's only goal in a 1-1 tie against the Des Moines Menace on June 20. Sierakowski then netted the game-winner in a 1-0 result against the Menace on Saturday.

F – Elochukwu Ozumba, Brazos Valley Cavalry F.C.: The Northwestern University talent scored a hat trick to lead Cavalry F.C. to a 4-0 victory against Houston FC on Thursday. He then scored the team's first goal in a 3-3 tie against Texas United on Saturday.

F – Dominic Russo, Calgary Foothills FC: Russo, who was named to the PDL All-League Team in 2016, scored the first goal in Foothills FC's 2-1 win against the Sounders FC U23 on Friday. The University of Calgary talent then netted the game-winner in a 1-0 win against the Sounders U23 on Sunday.

F – Harry Swartz, FC Boston: The Northeastern University forward scored a brace to lead FC Boston to a 3-1 victory against AC Connecticut on June 21. Swartz then netted the game-winning goal in a 2-1 contest against the Westchester Flames on June 24.

Honorable Mentions: D – Manny Padilla, San Francisco City; D – Christopher Clark, Jersey Express; F – Matthieu Le Roux, The Villages SC; M – Alan Rivera, Texas United; M – Todd Fidler – Peachtree City MOBA; M – Angelo Kelly, Mississippi Brilla FC; F – Tobenna Uzo, Myrtle Beach Mutiny; F – Benji Michel, Portland Timbers U23; GK – Daniel Christiansen, Southern California Seahorses; F – Brandon Swartzendruber, Thunder Bay Chill; M – Jose Cuevas, Fresno Fuego; F– Leonardo Paiva, Seacoast United Phantoms; F – Danny Musovski, FC Tucson; F – Vadim Cojocov, St. Louis Lions; M – Matteo Pollsi, TSS FC Rovers.