July 27, 2012
NPSL CHAMPIONSHIPS
FC Sonic, Chattanooga advance

FC SONIC LEHIGH VALLEY 2, MADISON 56ERS 0
SAN DIEGO---FC Sonic Lehigh Valley put on a dominating performance and defeated the Madison 56ers 2-0 Friday afternoon at Del Norte High School in the first semifinal game of the National Premier Soccer League Championship Series.

Sonic went up in the 57th minute after a foul in the penalty area. James Gross fired a hard spot kick past 56ers goalkeeper Ryan Onwukwe.

Sonic took a 2-0 lead in the 75th minute. Leslie Fraser ran onto a ball through the Madison defense, cut into the penalty area and fired a hard driven shot past Onwukwe.

CHATTANOOGA FC 3, BAY AREA AMBASSADORS 2
SAN DIEGO---A 78th minute goal by Luis Trude was the difference maker for Chattanooga FC, who defeated Bay Area Ambassadors 3-2 in Friday’s second National Premier Soccer League semifinal at Del Norte High School. The win sends Chattanooga through to Sunday’s final against FC Sonic Lehigh Valley.

Chattanooga dominated the game for the first 45 minutes, taking the lead in the 10th. John Carrier made a beautiful run down the right side. As Bay Area goalkeeper Derrick Leslie came out to cut the angle on the right, Andy Stewart made a back post run. Carrier slipped the ball across the mouth of the net and Stewart slammed it home.

Chattanooga took a 2-0 lead at the half hour mark. Stewart served a cross into the area from the right side, and Grant Rardon went up and connected with a header.

Bay Area’s Bryan Walle had a goal called back in the 49th minute because of a handball in the penalty area.

The Ambassadors displayed constant pressure and finally pulled one back in the 69th minute, when Nick Cashmere turned on a ball in the penalty area and sent a shot into the left side netting.

Bay Area continued to press for the equalizer, but were instead stung by a counterattack in the 78th minute. Bay Area’s Juan Cardenas chased the play all the way from midfield, catching up with the ball in the penalty area and making a sliding tackle, but the ball went right to Chattanooga’s Trude. He slipped it inside the near post, but was injured on the play and had to leave the game.

Bay Area cut the lead in the second minute of stoppage time. A corner kick by Jacob Tarlarman was poked in at the right post by Stefan Clemens.

THIRD PLACE GAME:
Saturday, 7pm PT: Madison 56ers vs Bay Area Ambassadors
CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
Sunday, 12 noon PT: FC Sonic Lehigh Valley vs Chattanooga FC