Aegean Hawks wrap up undefeated preseason v local college and pro teams

Local men’s adult amateur side, Dulles Sportsplex Aegean Hawks FC, have wrapped up their preseason preparations for a grueling league and cup schedule which kicks off on April 3rd at RFK’s Auxiliary field.  The Hawks preseason took the form of the four fixtures across three weeks against a WPL league rival (Convergent Pandemonium), two NCAA D1 teams (George Mason, Naval Academy), and local USL-2 professional outfit, Real Maryland FC.  The Hawks finished the preseason undefeated with a 2-0-2 record against solid competition which bodes well for the upcoming season.

In the first 11 vs. 11 match of the preseason on March 13th, the Hawks battled WPL rivals Convergent Pandemonium at Georgetown University and came out victorious by a 6-0 margin.  The Hawks next travelled to Fairfax, VA on March 20th to take on 2008 CAA champs George Mason University, where the two sides played to a scoreless draw. 

On Tuesday, March 23rd, the Hawks took on Real Maryland FC of the USL-2. Real MD went up 1-0 in the 20th on a defensive miscue, but Anders Kelto answered for the Hawks just before halftime with a well placed free kick to the upper 90. In the second half, Hawks center back Andrew Loia nabbed the game winner off a corner kick in the 55th minute. The final match of the preseason saw the Hawks invited to Annapolis, MD on Saturday, March 27th to play the US Naval Academy.  In a match that saw Navy miss two PKs - one at the hands of Hawks netminder Alex Fatovic, the other sent over the crossbar – the teams ultimately exchanged goals late in the second half for a 1-1 draw.   
 

The Hawks embark on their Spring 2010 campaign with a first round match on Saturday, April 3rd in the prestigious single elimination “Champions League” tournament for area amateur teams sponsored by DC United - La Super Copa.  The Hawks will be looking to lay claim to the $5 K in prize money granted to the winning team.  Saturday’s first round opponent is Brickman FC, winner of La Super Copa two years ago and also a recent champion of the prestigious DC-area latin tournament, La Copa Taca.  The match will kickoff at 10 am at the RFK Auxiliary field. 

In addition to La Super Copa, the Hawks will be competing for their 9th consecutive Washington Premier League title and will also be looking for success on the regional and national amateur stage in the regional rounds of two national competitions – the USASA National Amateur Cup and the US Open Cup.  The Hawks will be looking to defend their 2009 national title in the Amateur Cup and advance to the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup (as one of two USASA Region I finalists) for the third time in the last four years.