Marquette University Athletics
Pyzdrowski To Square Off Against MLS' Seattle Sounders
3/11/2010 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
March 11, 2010
MILWAUKEE -- Former Marquette men's soccer standout Matt Pyzdrowski will get his first opportunity to test his hands against a Major League Soccer opponent when the United Soccer League's Portland Timbers take on MLS's Seattle Sounders FC at Qwest Field Thursday at 6 p.m. Thursday, March 11.
The match will mark the first time that the Timber's have played at Qwest Field since 2008, when The Sounders were still a member of USL, and only the second time the two teams will meet since the Sounders joined the MLS in 2009.
The Timbers and the Sounders first faced off in 1975, when both clubs were members of the former North American Soccer League and have since solidified their status as rivals, competing as division foes from 2001-2008 when both were members of the USL First Division.
The two teams will once again be members of the same league in 2011, as Portland will be the one of two expansion teams to join the rapidly expanding MLS. The league will have 18 teams in contention for the MLS Cup by 2011 and is expected to add two more by 2012.
The Timbers will kick off their last season in the USL First Division on Saturday, April 17, at PGE Park.
Pyzdrowski had the following to say about getting the opportunity to play soccer professionally:
"Signing with the Timbers is a dream come true. Honestly, getting paid to do this is crazy because it's not work at all for me, it's the love and joy of the game that drives me every single day. All the years of hard work has paid off, but at the same time it has only begun. Now that I have accomplished my dream it's my goal to exceed that dream and literally reach for the stars...the sky is the limit."
"This is a great situation to be in with two well-respected and experienced keepers in Steve Cronin and Adin Brown. I will learn so much from them and they are only going to make me a better goalkeeper."
"I want to thank the Timbers for this amazing opportunity. I want to thank my friends and family for always supporting me and believing in me. And finally I want to thank all my coaches that have built and helped form me into the soccer player and man that I am today. Specifically I want to thank Louis (Bennett) and Stan (Anderson) for believing in me four years ago and giving me such a great opportunity to help build Marquette into the soccer program it is today. There are special times ahead for soccer at Marquette."
