Apparently the Kitsap Pumas were unhappy with the officiating after the 2-1 loss to the Ventura County Fusion Friday evening in Laredo, Tex.

"(Defender Jesse Wheelock) barely touched him, (Lopez) does this flop and the referee calls a foul. It was not a foul," said Kitsap defender Kyle Johnson.

Several Fusion players had a different perspective earlier in the day.

"I hit a corner kick, which a defender cleared out by the sideline," said Fusion midfielder Rodrigo Lopez. "I got it back, took on a player and he fouled me.

"The guy (Wheelock) dove in and fouled him," said Fusion midfielder Danny Barrera. "It was clearly a foul."

The Bradenton Academics scored twice in the final five minutes of extra time to knock out the host Laredo Heat, 3-1, and win the Southern Conference title.

Bradenton will meet the Ventura County Fusion in the PDL Final Four Saturday at 6:15 p.m. PT in Laredo.

The winner will play in the PDL final Aug. 8 at a site to be determined.

At Laredo, Tex.
Ventura County Fusion 2, Kitsap Pumas 1
Bradenton Academics 3, Laredo Heat 1 (ET)

At Des Moines, Iowa
Chicago Fire Premier 3, Ocean City Barons 0
Cary Clarets 1, Des Moines Menace 0

Fusion general manager Ranbir Shergill on the Fusion's 2-1 win in the Western Conference title game Friday in Laredo, Tex.

"Two trophies on the mantelpiece. All that's left is the big one now."

Fusion coach Graham Smith of the Fusion's postseason run:

"It's infectious. All the lads have contributed in brutal conditions.

"You should be very proud of the Western Conference champions."

Rodrigo Lopez's free kick in second half stoppage time pushed the Ventura County Fusion men's soccer team to the Premier Development League Final Four with a 2-1 win over the Kitsap Pumas Friday night in Laredo, Tex.

The Fusion is the Western Conference champion. It will face either the host Laredo Heat or the Bradenton Academics in the PDL semifinals Saturday.

Midfielder Rodrigo Lopez begins his first Premier Development League game of the season on the bench as the Fusion open the Western Conference final. Updates from Greg Asatourian in Laredo, Tex.

4th minute -- Early on, the Fusion look strong with a lot of better touches. Kitsap seems more physical. They have struggled early to maintain possession.
8th minute -- Kitsap puts a strong shot just over the Fusion goal. Becerra sends a shot wide from long range.
11th minute -- Kitsap sends another chance over the net.
14th minute -- Smarte sends a strong shot over the net.
17th minute -- Kitsap sends a free kick high.
23rd minute -- Kitsap midfield Kyle Johnson rattles the Fusion crossbar from 30 yards.
26th minute -- Fusion 1, Kitsap 0: Anthony Hamilton dribbled into the Kitsap half and sends a 30-yard drive crashing into the Pumas net! It's the second goal in three postseason games for the former Chivas USA player. Hamilton leads the team with nine goals on the season.
38th minute -- Fusion substition: Hakop Avesyan on for Bryan Byrne.
45th+1 minute -- Fusion 1, Kitsap 1: Kitsap equalize in first half stoppage time. Defender Matt Lipset got forward on a long throw in and headed home his second goal of the season.
45th+2 minute -- Fusion substitution: Fusion defensive midfielder Manny Guzman limps off and is replace by creative midfielder Rodrigo Lopez, who had three goals and four assists in 12 matches for the Fusion in 2008. It is the former Santa Barbara High star's season debut.

Halftime

46th minute -- Avesyan ends a nice run with a ball through the Kitsap penalty area.
51st minute -- Kitsap defender Stephen Mohn is cautioned for delay of game.
64th minute -- The Laredo Heat twitter feed says both teams look exhausted.
70th minute -- Fusion have had the better of the possession in the second half, behind the substitute combination of Avesyan and Lopez, but have yet to find the break through.
77th minute -- Fusion coach Graham Smith ready to make a few aggressive changes. Artur Aghasayan comes on for the goalscorer, Hamilton, and Hagop Chrisian is also warming up. Sam Myerson, the Agoura High striker who scored the game-winner against Hollywood, is also on.
80th minute -- Lopez and Avesyan set up a chance for Myerson, but the final ball is too strong.
81st minute -- Aghasayan has a 1 on 1 with the Kitsap keeper but the ball is deflected wide. Aghasayan also blasts high from the corner kick.
90th+1 minute -- Fusion 2, Kitsap 1: Lopez shows by the Fusion wanted him so bad, even this late in the season, by smashing in a free kick to score the potential game-winning goal in second half injury time.
90th+4 minute -- Fusion win 2-1 to go through to the PDL Final Four!

The Ventura County Fusion men's soccer team are set to kick off the Western Conference final against the Kitsap Pumas in Laredo, Tex.

The Fusion starting lineup is Bryan Hill, Dillon Barna, Ivan Becerra, Manny Guzman, Adam Smarte, Dylan Riley, Bedel Guei, Alfonso Motagalvan, Bryan Byrne, Danny Barrera, and Anthony Hamilton.

Pete Carroll, now the dean of Pac-10 football coaches, once again served as the grand finale to the morning session at Pac-10 media day today.

(on safety Taylor Mays returning for his senior year)

"He wanted to be the best player he could be for his school."

(on the team's issues entering fall camp)

"The quarterback spot is what everybody wants to talk about. The linebacker spot is what everyone wants to talk about and rightfully so. It's nothing new for us. We have to recapture the level of intensity in practice..."

(on the strength of the conference)

"I know we've only lost a few games out of conference over the years, but we've lost of bunch of games in the conference. I can't imagine anybody better than this conference. This is the best conference in America.

"It's great for us, it makes us so strong at the end of the year. It calls for us to be at the very best."

(on the quarterbacks)

"The quarterback situation to me is very clear right now. Aaron came out of spring practice as the No. 1 guy. Just did a great job for us and gave us the feeling like 'Here we go.' "

(on the linebackers)

"When you lose four guys to the NFL, you should feel it. But we've never focused on the losses, we've always focused on who's arriving for the opportunity.

"We hope they can fill the linebacker spot that was left vacant by those guys going to the NFL."

(on how he would change the NCAA if he were in charge for one day)

"We'd have an awesome playoff system. That's it. I really don't care about anything else.

First-year Oregon coach Chip Kelly made his first Pac-10 media day appearance this morning.

"People think I'm crazy when I saw this, but one reason why run the ball so well is we have good receivers.We like to ultimately be a balanced football team, but we like to have every tool in the toolbox."

(on Nike owner and Oregon fan Phil Knight)

"We love Phil Knight. Phil is an awesome person. He's a great supporter of our whole
He's truly the No. 1 Oregon fan. The fact that he's on our side makes me sleep better at night, I'll tell you that."

Oregon State coach Mike Riley

(on the team as a whole)

"We lost a lot of great players from last year. We had seven players drafted, so we're filling a lot of holes."

(On the health of the Rogers brothers)

"Both of those guys are 100 percent going into camp."

(on the health quarterbacks Lyle Moevao and Sean Canfield)

"I'm hoping that by the time we get to the first game we will have two senior quarterbacks ready to win in this league."

(on beating USC two of the past three years)

"I don't think there's a lot of magic to it. You have to play a great football game and you have to finish it, which is always the crux of it.

"It takes a really, really efficient game. It has to be efficient... lasting against that team is the hard part."

Cal running back Jahvid Best, a former prep track speedster, was asked if he's the fastest player in the Pac-10:

"I'd like to think so, but there's a lot of speed in the Pac-10. There's a lot of speed on the field."

With Heisman Trophy candidate Jahvid Best at tailback, Jeff Tedford is looking forward to tackling a difficult schedule this year at Cal.

"We play a very tough schedule. It's a challenging season for us."

(on busing to Pasadena to play UCLA this season because of the state budget woes)
"I don't think that's going to hinder us in any way. If we took a commercial flight down there, we're maybe going to be one more hour. I think we'll be able to utilize that as a strength for us."

(on the rushing at Cal)

"We've been very fortunate to have very good tailbacks. We've had a lot of talent there.

"Our goal has always been to stay balanced and appreciate the value of a good running game. But it has to do with the players. We've been fortunate.

(on RB Jahvid Best)

"He is definitely worth the price of admission.

(on QB Kevin Riley and the passing game)

"If we're going to achieve our goals, we're going to have to be more consistent in the passing game. Consistency at the quarterback position... is really what we're looking for.

(on the fans desire for a Rose Bowl)

"Our fans would prefer to go to the Rose Bowl, then the national championship. That's the mindset... Obviously there's a lot of work to be done before we can even talk about that."

Arizona coach Mike Stoops believes this will be a good season for the Pac-10 and Arizona.

"I don't think the Pac-10 has ever been stronger than it's been right now. I feel this is our best overall team from 1 to 85 that we've had in our program."

(on replacing Willie Tuitama)
I believe we'll be able to replace Willie with Matt Scott and Nick Folee... That competition with go throughout camp.

(on the team as a whole)

"When you look at our team, I think what jumps out at you is the quality of players that we have... I think our team is very skilled, it is very fast and I believe it is capable of great things."

(on perhaps playing his brother, Bob, and Oklahoma in the future)

"We'd love to play Oklahoma in the Rose Bowl this year. That's about with us to play Oklahoma. I think the only chance of that happening would be in a bowl game of some sort."

(on the evolution of the game in the conference)

"I wouldn't say we're getting away from the passing game. It's just the way the coaches are recruiting, knowing you need a balanced offense to win."

Dennis Erickson was disappointed with last season for the Sun Devils.

"We've coming off a season that was very unacceptable for us."

(on replacing Newbury Park and Westlake High product Rudy Carpenter at quarterback)

"Rudy has been the quarterback at Arizona State for a long time. During the spring, Danny Sullivan won the job. Beginning next week, he's going to have to compete with two others... Samson Szakacsy and Brock Osweiler.

"I really like our quarterback situation. Even though we're inexperienced, I like our depth."

(On the team as a whole)

"The strength of our team is our defense. We're very young there last year."

Stanford coach Jim Harbaugh drew questions on USC and its role as the Pac-10 champion.

"We're ready to kick the door in on this new season."

(can anyone challenge USC for the Pac-10 title)

"Yes, there will be nine teams challenging USC for the conference title."

(what will it take?)

"It's going to be mighty men who win this conference this year.

"It's a more physical conference that's evolved."

(on RB Toby Gerhart's future being in football or baseball)

"Personally, I think his future is as an NFL running back. I have a brother who is a head coach in the league who has told me so."

Stanford coach Jim Harbaugh drew questions on USC and its role as the Pac-10 champion.

"We're ready to kick the door in on this new season."

(can anyone challenge USC for the Pac-10 title)

"Yes, there will be nine teams challenging USC for the conference title."

(what will it take?)

"It's going to be mighty men who win this conference this year.

"It's a more physical conference that's evolved."

(on RB Toby Gerhart's future being in football or baseball)

"Personally, I think his future is as an NFL running back. I have a brother who is a head coach in the league who has told me so."

UCLA head coach Rick Neuheisel is back for his second year in Westwood.

"I think we're a much more athletic team, stronger, more physical, but still relatively inexperienced."

"Getting our youngsters to play above their years. That'll be the key."

"I think we're on the right path. There are great things are in store for our program."

(On freshman Kevin Prince taking over the quarterback position)

"I just believe he's going to give us a chance to exploit all portions on the field. For that to be the case, we're going to endure some freshman-itis.

"Kevin Craft took a lot of the brunt and the blame last year, but the fact of the matter is we didn't protect him.

"We're going to have to do a much better about that."

First-year Washington head coach Steve Sarkisian seemed full of confidence in his conference debut.

"It's good to be here. There's obviously a lot of familiar faces in the room."

(on last season)

"It was an 0-12 football team. Fortunately for us, I wasn't 0-12 last year."

(on this season)

"We're not the same football team. We look like a different football team.

"We're excited. Hopefully, we can raised the bottom half of this conference.
I don't think anyone in this room picked us higher than ninth."

(Will Washington look like the Trojans in Purple, since Sarkisian and defensive coordinator Nick Holt coached at USC)

"There's going to be a natural similarities in the style that we play. But we have to play to our makeup."

(On quarterback Jake Locker possibly signing with the Angels)

"I think that deal might get done. I think it will."

Washington State head coach Paul Wulff opens Pac-10 media day:

"We've come a long way in the past months. We will be a much more competitive football team."

(On the Cougars win over Washington last year)

"It meant a lot, how much I'm not sure. But it was definitely a boost for us."

Football season arrives today with Pacific-10 Conference media day at the Sheraton Gateway Hotel at LAX.

I'll be sending along highlights all day, as well as some nuggets from the Ventura County Fusion's Western Conference final soccer game tomorrow in Laredo, Tex.

Highlights from the Ventura County Fusion men's soccer team's 5-0 international friendly loss to Burnley F.C. of the English Premier League on July 21.

Here's one letter of the editor we received over the weekend after quite a week in Ventura County Fusion history.

Way to go Fusion!

What a week to be a soccer fan in Ventura County! In the last week our very own Ventura County Fusion hosted a game with a team from the British Premier League, and won two playoff games against teams from Los Angeles to win our division. They now have a chance to play in the regional finals in Texas on August 1st. My family and I appreciate the sponsors, coaches and players for bringing quality soccer to our town. I would also like to thank the Ventura County Star for covering these exciting professional-quality games. I encourage more families to join us in supporting our team and sponsors next season! Thank you Fusion and good luck in Texas!!

Mark Urwick
Ventura, CA

Here's the press release on this weekend's Premier Development League quarterfinals.

Here's the matchups:

Laredo, Tex. regional
Western Conference final: Ventura County Fusion vs. Kitsap Pumas, 3:30 p.m. PT.
Southern Conference final: Bradenton Academics at Laredo Heat, 6:30 p.m. PT.

Des Moines, Iowa regional
Eastern Conference final: Ocean City Barons vs. Chicago Fire, 3 p.m. PT.
Central Conference final: Cary Clarets at Des Moines Menace, 6 p.m. PT.

Here's my story from the Ventura County Fusion's dramatic 3-1 extra time win over the Hollywood United Hitmen in the Southwestern Division final Saturday afternoon in Pacific Palisades.

Hollywood United's quality press man, Jonathan Broxton, wrote this account for the HUFC website.

After beating the Hollywood United Hitmen 3-1 after extra time at Palisades High Saturday afternoon, the Ventura County Fusion men's soccer team is bound for Lareda, Tex., Kitsap, Wash., or Bradenton, Fla., depending on the results of tonight division championship games around the country.

The Western Conference final against either Kitsap or Seattle will take place this weekend, at the regional site to be determined.

Team news: Fusion manager Graham Smith names an unchanged team from the divisional semifinal win over Los Angeles, besides an injury to Hagop Chirisian. Brennan Tennelle takes his place.Westlake High product Danny Barrera starts his second straight playoff game for the Fusion. Hollywood is without his older brother, former Fusion midfielder Diego Barrera, who has moved on to play in Croatia. The Hitmen are also without Los Angeles Galaxy loanees Tristan Bowen and Kyle Patterson.

Fusion lineup: Bryan Hill, Dylan Riley, Dillon Barna, Brenna Tennelle, Adam Smarte, Manny Guzman, Bedel Guei, Alfonso Motaglavan, Danny Barrera, Bryan Byrne, Anthony Hamilton.
Hitmen lilneup: Jose Miranda,Earl Alexander, Carlos Morales, Willie Sims, Rene Corona, Peter Hazdovac, Jaime Chaves, Jose Munoz, Amir Shafi, Nick Kohlschreiber, Nick Blanco.

4th minute -- An early Hollywood corner is cleared out by Bedel Guei.
6th minute -- Ball forward for Byrne along the right wing becomes a goalkick after the Irishman drills it far and wide.
10th minute -- Tenelle jockeys Hollywood striker Jaime Chaves off the ball in the Fusion penalty area.
12nd minute -- Rene Corona drives a low 35-yard to the left of Bryan Hill's goal.
17th minute -- The Fusion scramble away a Hollywood chance.
20th minute -- Byrne heads away a Hollywood cross.
21st minute -- Hill makes a strong save from a low Hollywood shot from close range.
25th minute -- Fusion goal disallowed: Danny Barrera's attacking free kick is is headed home by Dillon Barna. By the goal is shockingly disallowed by the referee's assistant. The Hollywood United PA announcer, perhaps even more shockingly, announced that "it looked like a fair goal from up here."
26th minute -- Hollywood United 1, Fusion 0: The Hitmen hit right back. Earl Alexander's corner kick is headed home from close range by Peter Hazdovac.
29th minute -- The Hitmen defense charge down a couple of Fusion changes and Jose Miranda makes a big save on Guei.
32nd minute -- Alexander's corner kick flies dangerously through the 6-yard box without a Hitmen head to direct it home.
34th minute -- Hill beats Chaves to a loose ball forward and then Willie Sims rattles the crossbar from 30 yards. Close shave.
36th minute -- Fusion 1, Hollywood United 1: Danny Barrera's corner kick is headed around the Hitmen area by five Fusion players until Byrne nods it home from 6 yards.
39th minute -- Byrne runs down the right side and cuts inside, but the Hitmen charge down his 12-yard shot.
44th minute -- From a free kick 40 yards out, Corona test Hill by going for goal with a winding free kick. Hill taps the chance over and the resulting corner amounts to nothing.
There will be two minutes of stoppage time
45+1-th minute -- Byrne's low cross from the corner finds an onrushing Motagalvan in the Hollywood area but the finish goes over. What a chance for the Fusion to take a lead into halftime.

Halftime
46th minute: Armando Ochoa on for Kohlschreiber up front for the Hitmen.
53rd minute -- Barrera puts a free kick into a dangerous spot, but Hamilton is whistled for a hand ball.
57th minute -- Chaves muscles Barna off the ball and flashes a chance across the face of goal.
58th minute -- Hollywood's Federico Bianci on for Alexander.
59th minute -- Sims, the former New England Revolution player, lets the ball run and dummies his player. His cross from the byline bounces twice on the Fusion crossbar.
65th minute -- The Fusion waste an attacking free kick.
66th minute -- Fusion sub: Ivan Becerra comes on for Manny Guzman, who looks to have sustained a lower body injury.
68th minute -- Hamilton breaks but without any support.
69th minute -- Hollywood's Estuardo Sanchez comes on for Sanchez
69th minute -- Motagalvan's backheel nearly opens up the Hollywood defense.
70th minute -- Dylan Riley makes a huge tackle on a Hollywood break, to get back to tackle Willie Sims.
75th minute -- Rene Corona twice saves Hollywood from conceding, heading away a goal-bound shot by Barrera.
78th minute -- Becerra's amazing crunching tackle sets the Fusion forward. Sims keeps Becerra from scoring
79th minute -- Ferguson Agwu on for an injured Ochoa.
80th minute -- Bedel Guei breaks up a good Hollywood chance.
81st minute -- Agwu rattles Hill's crossbar from an angle.
82nd minute -- Fusion sub: Hakop Avessian on for Tennelle.
84th minute -- Fusion sub: The Fusion goalscorer, Byrne, comes off for Agoura High product Sam Myerson.
85th minute -- Blanco's work down the right hand side carves out a huge chance for Jose Munoz, who sprays just wide incredibly!
86th minute -- Smarte and Avessian open up a chance for Motagalvan, who skys a chance from the angle.
89th minute -- Fusion sub: Artur Aghasayan on for Hamilton. Not many teams have the ability to break their regular season co-leading goalscorer on fresh for extra time.
91st minute -- Eric Robert on for Hollywood defender Carlos Morales.
92nd minute -- Myerson nearly sends Aghasyan through on goal.

Tied 1-1... on to extra time.... two 15 minute extra periods to come
92nd minute -- What a double save by Hollywood's Jose Miranda, who stops a nice low shot from Aghasayan and then denies Myerson's point blank rebound effort.
95th minute -- A touchline dustup results in a Barrera yellow card after the PA announcer says "Danny Barrera gets away again."
96th minute -- Sanchez's header sets Sims free but the former Revolution attacker slashes the half volley wide.
97th minute -- Ryan Hernandez coming on for Blanco.
99th minute -- Hitmen turn it over after a spell of sustained possession.
100th minute -- Munoz struggling with an injury and the Hitmen have already used all six substitutions.
101st minute -- Hollywood earns a free kick and wasted it, touching meekly to Hill's right.
104th minute -- Aghasayan earns a free kick on the edge of the penalty area. Motagalvan wastes it over the crossbar. Huge chance missed for the Fusion.
105th minute -- Fusion 2, Hollywood United 1: Is Sam Myerson is the hero? The 18-year-old from Agoura High cuts inside left and drives the ball through Jose Mirada.

End of the first period of extra time.

106th minute -- Fusion subs: Sam Nicholson on for the Fusion, and another defender, Armondo Guerrero, appears set to come on as the final Fusion sub. Barrera is one Fusion player who has been taken off.
110th minute -- Sims hacked down from behind by Becerra. Hollywood free kick in a dangerous area 22 yards out.
113th minutes -- Hills comes to collect a Hollywood cross.
115th minute -- Fusion corner kick is punched away.
117th minute -- Fusion 3, Hollywood United 1: Myerson is the hero! Another goal for the Agoura High product, who cuts inside to drill another shot through Miranda.

Final: Fusion 3, Hitmen 1

The Fusion move on to the Western Conference finals against either Kitsap or Seattle.

The Ventura County Fusion starting lineup for the Southwest Division division final against the Hollywood United Hitmen.

Hill, Riley, Barna, Tennelle, Smarte, Guzman, Guei, Motaglavan, Barrera, Byrne, Hamilton.

Team news -- Westlake High product Danny Barrera starts the first playoff game in Ventura County Fusion history. The winner plays the first-place Hollywood United Hitmen Saturday at Palisades High to advance to the PDL quarterfinals. The Fusion have sacrifices co-leading scorer Artur Aghasayan to the bench in favor of a new defensive look.

Fusion starting lineup: 13 Bryan Hill, 26 Dillon Barna, 6 Manny Guzman, 25 Dylan Riley, 18 Adam Smarte, 3 Danny Barrera, 20 Bryan Byrne, 10 Hagop Chirisian, 15 Bedel Guei, 16 Adam Hamilton, 11 Alfonso Motagalvan.
Legends starting lineup: 1 Joe Barton, 19 Joey Franco, 8 Peter Rodriguez, 9 Mike Frandolph, 3 Sean Alvarado, 10 Gabe Farfan, 14 Mike Farfan, 24 Josh Barton, 21 Kyle Nakazawa, 12 Brent Whitfield, 23 Maxwell Griffin.
Kickoff
4th minute -- Fusion winger Bryan Byrne is treated for a slight injury on the field.
5th minute -- An early Fusion corner kick comes to nothing.
7th minute -- Fusion 1, Legends 0: Motagalvan's 25-yard half volley screams past Legends goalkeeper Barton for the first playoff goal in Fusion history.
18th minute -- Fusion 2, Legends 0: Byrne gets to the byline and pulls the ball back for the onrushing Anthony Hamilton to redirect past Barton for an early two-goal lead.
22nd minute -- The Fusion pour on the pressure with its third, fourth and fifth corner kicks of the early going. Motagalvan's bid for a second is deflected just over. Guzman's rebound shot is charged down.
30th minute -- Hamilton comes within inches of making it 3-0. His leaping header from a Byrne cross is just palmed down by Barton in mid air.
31st minute -- The Fusion defense scrambles away the best Legends chance of the game thus far. Bryan Hill made the initial save and Dillion Barna scrambled the rebound away.
45th minute -- Barrera shoots over from 20 yards when he might have had a teammate forward in a better position.

Halftime

46th minute -- The Fusion replace Chirisian with Sam Nicholson. Seemingly a defensive sub. The Legends take out former Fusion star Gabriel Farfan, replacing him with forward Ernesto Mariscal, who scored the only goal in the Legends 1-0 win here in Ventura Sunday.
57th minute -- Chasing the game, The Legends haven't been able to create many chances against the Fusion. The Fusion have opened the second half carrying the play.
58th minute -- Right on time, Fusion goalkeeper Bryan Hill is called upon to make a big save, using his feet to deflect Kyle Nakazawa's low shot from 10 yards away.
63th minute -- Legends defender Mike Randolph earns a booking for a foul on Danny Barrera.
75th minute -- The Legends nearly pull a goal back, as Brent Whitfield, the third-leading goalscorer in the PDL, rings the post and Nakazawa puts home the rebound. But the offsides' flag nullifies the goal. An angry Manny Bautista races to remonstrate with the referee's assistant.
78th minute -- Fusion 2, Legends 1: Three minutes later, Bautista's low cross bounces around the Fusion area and Whitfield pounces, beating Hill to the loose ball and pulling the Legends within 2-1 with 12 minutes to play.
80th minute -- The Fusion come out of its defensive shell for a chance. Hamilton breaks free for a low 20-yard shot that is pushed aside by Barton.
81st minute -- Hagob Avesian and Matt McManus come on for Byrne and Barrera.
84th minute -- Hamilton and McManus break free for a 2 on 1, but McManus drifts wide into a difficult angle and drags the bid wide.
85th minute -- Former Galaxy defender Mike Randolph breaks up a potential game-clinching Fusion 3 on 2.
88th minute -- Bedel Guei is down injured and Brennan Tennelle comes on for the Fusion midfielder.
89th minute -- Agoura High graduate Sam Myerson is ready to come on for Anthony Hamilton.
90th minute -- McManus is holding the ball up along a Legends corner flag.
There will be five minutes of added time.
91st minute -- The ball glances off Motagalvan right into the path of the PDL's third-leading scorer in the Fusion penalty area, but the Fusion defense is able to handle the situation and close down Brent Whitfield.
93rd minute -- Mariscal lets one fly over from 25 yards. There is a mad scramble to find another ball after two straight errant shots behind Hill's net.
95th minute -- Motagalvan lets a boot fly the entire length of the field.

Full time.

The Fusion will play Hollywood United Saturday at 3 p.m. at Palisades High in the divisonal finals of the PDL playoffs.

Here's the lineups for the division semifinal tonight at Buena High:

Ventura County Fusion
13 Bryan Hill, 26 Dillon Barna, 6 Manny Guzman, 25 Dylan Riley, 18 Adam Smarte, 3 Danny Barrera, 20 Bryan Byrne, 10 Hagop Chirisian, 15 Bedel Guei, 16 Adam Hamilton, 11 Alfonso Motagalvan
SUBS: 22 Artur Aghasian, 5 Hagop Avesyan, 24 Ivan Becerra, 19 Matt McManus, 29 Sam Myerson, 14 Sam Nicholson, 2 Brennan Tennelle.

Los Angeles Legends
1 Joe Barton, 19 Joey Franco, 8 Peter Rodriguez, 9 Mike Frandolph, 3 Sean Alvarado, 10 Gabe Farfan, 14 Mike Farfan, 24 Josh Barton, 21 Kyle Nakazawa, 12 Brent Whitfield, 23 Maxwell Griffin
SUBS: 42 Trevor Hunter, 25 Danny Suits, 20 Will Lopez, 6 Jessey Robles, 17 Ernesto Mariscal, 4 Cito Soriano, 18 Manny Bautista

Here's the game story I wrote last night from Buena High after the Fusion's 5-0 loss to Burnley of the English Premier League, headlined "A Crowd-Pleasing Night."

Despite a 5-0 loss on the scoreboard, Fusion general manager Ranbir Shergill called the Burnley friendly at Buena High Tuesday night "the greatest night in Fusion history."

"I thought I was watching a match in England," said Shergill.

I have to admit I was pleasantly surprised at the turnout. The match drew an announced paid attendance of 3,358, which is about three times the typical Fusion gate. Despite Chelsea playing Inter Milan 70 miles away at the Rose Bowl in Jose Mourinho's reunion match (which drew 81,000 fans). Despite the match falling on a Tuesday night in summer during a stretch when the Fusion can play four matches in seven days. Despite the Fusion spending just $300 to promote the game (which paid for a couple local radio spots).

"What a response from the people of Ventura County," said Shergill. "Fantastic. The whole exercise has been fantastic. I can't believe it happened. It's a dream come true for the Fusion."

The club now has less than 48 hours to build the emotions back up for the first playoff game in franchise history.

Fusion manager Graham Smith on Burnley's 5-0 win Tuesday night at Buena High:

(on the match)
"We got a lesson on the art of clinical finishing. We also got a lesson in the art of closing down.
"We'll take the lessons and hopefully use them Thursday."

(on the Fusion's strong start)
"We created enough chances to go ahead. Their goalkeeper saved them a few times. We should have put three goals in the back of the net in the first half."

(on all the changes in the second half)
"That shows you the depth that we've created in the squad. It certainly augers well for the future of the Fusion."

For Fusion fullback Brennan Tennelle, the difference between the English Premier League and the Premier Development League was obvious Tuesday night:

"It was a chance to see where we're at against on the best teams in the world. The big difference was we didn't capitalize on their mistakes and they capitalized on ours."

Burnley winger Chris Eagles on Burnley's 5-0 win over the Fusion Tuesday night at Buena High:

(on the Fusion's quality)
"I think we were a quite surprised, because they were very good. Obviously with the heat and coming over here, we found it very difficult. But I think after the first quarter of an hour, we started to showed what we could do.
"This was only the second game of our preseason. To be honest, we weren't 100 percent concentrating on the result, we were just concentrating on getting the fitness and our sharpness to start the season."

(on the artificial turf)
"It was very sticky, but for both teams."

(on the fans)
"It's amazing. We'd like to thank everyone for coming. But it's just to show that Burnley are up and coming. We've got a young team and we're going to show everyone in the Premier League this year that we mean business."

(on the new blood coming in the squad)
"It's hard. I haven't played before with seven of those players. But
that's why these games are good. We've got another one on Saturday.

(on welcoming Eckersley, his former Manchester United teammate
"I played with his older brother as well. There are great lads here, so
that won't be a problem."

Burnley manager Owen Coyle on Burnley's 5-0 win over the Ventura County Fusion Tuesday night at Buena High:

(on the match)
"It was a joy to watch. The Fusion were very strong. Some of the football they displayed was great. Having said that, Brian Jensen made a couple of great saves. All credit to Fusion. I thought they acquitted themselves very well and showed their quality.
"I think everybody's really enjoyed the night out. I know we got a lot from it, hopefully the Fusion did as well.

(on the Fusion's bright start)
"I thought the first 10 minutes, they started better. Brian (Jensen, the goalkeeper) had to make a big save and he did. That's what he's there for. He did it all last season and will continue to do that."
"Then I thought we started to show some real quality on the ball, scoring some very good goals and could have had a few others."

(on the artificial surface)
"The one thing you have to do on this surface, you have to make sure
that you pass the ball because there's no margin for error. It has to
be right to the feet of someone running on to it, or the ball's going
to run out of play. Maybe it did take us 10 minutes to adjust to it. I
don't know. But when we did get it moving, I think we showed our
quality."

(on the Ecuadorian trialist, Fernando Guerrero)
"He's a young kid with a lot to learn in the game. Certainly not the finished article. But he's the type of player that I like. He's exciting. We've got a few of them, but I like four or five of them."

Click on the link for more from the gaffer.

Team news -- Premier League meets Premier Development League tonight at Buena High. Westlake High product Danny Barrera gets the start for the Fusion, who aren't expected to play many players more than 45 minutes with the franchise's first playoff game looming 48 hours away.

First half
Kickoff -- Fusion in blue. Barnsley in its road white shirts.
4th minute -- Fusion earn a free kick along the right side. The result is a fantastic volley by Fusion winger Brian Byrne that's palmed away by Burnley goalkeeper Brian Jensen.
6th minute -- Richard Eckersley's makes his first chance-saving tackle on Fusion forward Artur Aghasayan, who was nearly clear on goal. The Fusion corner comes to nothing.
8th minute -- Burnley's first chance of the match falls to Ecuadorian trialist Fernando Guerrero, who's chip at speed goes over the Fusion bar.
9th minute -- Barrera sets up Aghasayan with a chance but Jensen makes a nice save for a Fusion corner. Byrne heads the corner into the Burnley side netting for a goal kick.
11th minute -- Fusion striker Anthony Hamilton is played clear through on goal, but Jensen, knicknamed "Beast," comes up big by foiling the breakway with a one-on-one save.
13th minute -- The Fusion's Irish winger, Brian Byrne, has had a lot of early success down the right against new Burnley fullback Easton.
14th minute -- Burnley 1, Fusion 0: Burnley strike first as midfielder Chris McCann beats Fusion goalkeeper Bryan Hill from 18 yards.
20th minute -- Burnley nearly score its second after a nice run from Guerrero, but Fusion defender Dillion Barna is there to pull the ball off the goal line, drawing 'oohs' from the crowd.
21st minute -- Barna falls down allowing Chris Eagles some space, but fullback Adam Smarte is there to clear the danger for the Fusion.
22nd minute -- Very impressed with the crowd on hand. The main stand is as full as I've seen it in the stadium's 4-year history. There's got to be at least 3,000-4,000 people on hand.
27th minute -- Burnley 2, Fusion 0: Burnley take a two-goal lead on the break as Steven Fletcher pulls the ball back for Chris Eagles to finish from the penalty spot. Steven Thompson let the ball run to Eagles with a fantastic dummy.
29th minute -- Guerrero's nice sets up Fletcher for a chance from 18 yards. The ball flies over Hill's goal.
30th minute -- The Fusion's fourth corner of the first half is headed to safety by Brian Easton.
32nd minute -- Move down Burnley's right sees Aghasayan nearly set up Hamilton for a close chance. Down the other end, Hill rises to grab a cross from Eagles.
38th minute -- Eagles sends a Burnley corner in, which Guerrero lashes over from 20 yards.
39th minute -- Guerrero flies around the left side and goes to ground against Smarte to earn a penalty kick. Burnley 3, Fusion 0. Fletcher easily puts the penalty past Hill.
45th minute -- Aghasayan springs another breakaway and Jensen, once again, makes an incredible one-on-one save. With some better finishing, Fusion
could be even.

Halftime

Fusion team to start the second half: Jordan King, Kyle Kaveny, Peter Savidis, Motagalvan, Sam Nicholson, Hakop Avesyan, Brennan Tennelle, Rodrigo Lopez, Matt McManus, Gurgen Adzemian, Sam Myerson.
Burnley team to start the second half: Diego Penny, Easton, Steven Caldwell, Steven Jordan, Eckersley, Gudjonsson, Guerrero, Jay Rodriguez, Eagles, Fletcher.
50th minute -- Great tackle by Tennelle to thwart one Burnley attack.
59th minute -- Lopez sends a free kick just wide in his Fusion return.
60th minute -- Robbie Blake, Remco Van der Schaff and Wade Elliott come on for Fletcher, Gudjonsson and Eagles for Burnley.
63rd minute -- Elliott is booked for elbowing Adzemian.
69th minute -- Guerrero drags a low shot off the right post.
70th minute -- Burnley 4, Fusion 0: Wade Elliott sends the ball comes back in and Guerrero finishes in the 6-yard box with a flying header.
73rd minute -- Kaveny gets back to keep Robbie Blake from walking in alone on Fusion goalkeeper Jordan Hill.
75th minute -- McManus' long throw is nearly headed in by Avesyan, but Penny fists over. The Fusion can't convert from a pair of corner kicks.
77th minute -- King saves a Blake header from point blank range.
79th minute -- 
81st minute -- Burnley 5, Fusion 0: Elliott's cross finds Kevin McDonald in the 6-yard box. McDonald fires it through King from point-blank range,
85th minute -- Going down to the field. More to come.

Final score -- Burnley 5, Fusion 0.

Interviews with Burnley manager Owen Coyle, Burnley winger Chris Eagles and Fusion manager Graham Smith to come.

Burnley -- Brian Jenson, Richard Eckersley, Michael Duff, David Edgar, Brian Easton, Fernando Guerrero, Chris McCann, Joey Gudjonsson, Chris Eagles, Steven Thompson, Steven Fletcher.

Fusion -- Bryan Hill, Dillon Barna, Manny Guzman, Alfonso Motagalvan, Dylan Riley, Adam Smarte, Danny Barrera, Brian Byrne, Hagop Chirishian, Bedel Guei, Anthony Hamilton, Artur Agasayan.

I just asked Burnley managing director Brendan Flood about the Clarets decision to prepare for its most important season in decades in Ventura County.

Flood was in Ventura earlier this year when the Fusion hosted Real Salt Lake and the Seattle Sounders of Major League Soccer and four-time Swedish champion GAIS of Gothenburg.

"It was the predictability of the weather and the relationship with the people who will be looking after you.

"It was also an incentive for the players after this past year. It's a great opportunity for the players to come and experience California."

We're live at Buena High for the Ventura County Fusion men's soccer team's second match against English Premier League opposition.

Burnley Football Club has been training at Oxnard College for the past week in preparation for the new English season, which begins Aug. 15.

We'll have the teams as soon as they're introduced in the upcoming moments.

The Ventura County Fusion men's soccer team is playing for a home playoff game Sunday night.

The Fusion hosts its probable opening-round playoff foe, the Los Angeles Legends, at Buena High.

The match is the second half of a Fusion-Legends doubleheader. The Fusion women's W-League finale kicks off at 4 p.m.

The Fusion men enter play even on points with the second-place Legends. Both teams, which drew scorelessly June 7, have already clinched playoff births. The second-place finisher hosts the third-place finisher Thursday night.

"It's basically a playoff game," said Fusion coach Graham Smith. "Fortunately, this year, we've managed to reach the playoffs, but we want to make it to the Big One."

Only one team in the entire 68-team Premier Development League has lost fewer games than the Fusion this season. The Ottawa Fury (11-0-4) has clinched the Northeast Division title.

The Fusion's title chances were all but lost on draws in four of the past five matches. Although, entering Saturday, tonight's winner had an outside chance at the Southwest Division title, but the first-place Hollywood United Hitman have to lose both Saturday at Southern California or Sunday at Fresno.

"I feel that we should have won the league," said Smith. "We haven't lost a game since (May 8). We've remained undefeated. I think the players themselves would admit that half the ties were there for the winning."

The postseason has been expanded this season to include the third-place finisher in each division. The two division runner ups meet in midweek for the right to visit the division champions on the weekend. Division champions will via next week for conference titles and berths in the PDL Final Four.

Former Oxnard College men's basketball coach Ron McClurkin was hired last month as the new men's basketball coach at West Los Angeles College.

"I decided that I wanted to get back into coaching and there's a lot of potential there," said McClurkin of the school. "It's a really good situation, right in the middle of L.A. I just have to get some recruiting done."

McClurkin, who will still teach full time at Oxnard, was reassigned in 2007 after 14 years as the coach at the Condor Center.

"It's a real good opportunity," said McClurkin. "If you want to get back in, sometimes you don't get back into a good spot. But I think this is a real good spot."

The location is good for several reasons, McClurkin said. His local recruits will be able to sleep in their own beds at night. Plus, the school's location in Culver City will allow McClurkin to virtually coach the team on his ride from Oxnard College to his home in Gardena.

"I timed it the other day," said McClurkin. "It's 17 minutes from my driveway to the parking lot (at West L.A.). Not bad during morning traffic."

Assistant coach Jon Wyers has left the Ventura College men's basketball program after a pair of WSC North title campaigns.

Wyers accepted the Villanova Prep boys' basketball head coaching job in April, but expected to return alongside new VC head coach Will Cowen until the Ojai school also offered him their assistant athletic director position this month.

"I enjoyed my time at Ventura College," said Wyers. "We had two successful years."

Wyers added that the budget cuts at the community college level and the lack of a Master's degree, which kept him from applying for the vacant head coaching position earlier this year, made "moving to the high school level a smarter move for me."

Burnley Football Club, 1-0 Promotion Final winners over Sheffield United last May, becomes the first English Premier League team to train in Ventura County in recent memory Friday morning.

Burnley will train for four days at Oxnard College before playing a friendly against the Ventura County Fusion Tuesday night at Buena High and a closed-doors training match Wednesday against the Los Angeles Galaxy at the Home Depot Center.

Here are the Clarets training times for Oxnard College --

Friday: 10:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.; 1:15 p.m. to 2:45 p.m.
Saturday: 10:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.; 1:15 p.m. to 2:45 p.m.
Sunday: 10:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.
Monday: 10:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.

The Ventura County Fusion women's soccer team saved its best performance for the final week of the season.

Buena High product Emily Cressy scored twice as the Fusion handed the previously unbeaten Seattle Sounders its first loss of the season, 3-1, Wednesday night at Buena High.

Cressy scored the 11th -minute opener off a Fabiane Nascimento pass and converted a penalty kick earned by Nancy Avesyan as the Fusion strolled to a 3-0 lead after 29 minutes.

Her four goals leads the team.

In between Cressy strikes, Randi Johns set up Natalie Martineau for the midfielder's first goal of the season.

"It's very memorable," said Fusion coach Ranbir Shergill. "What was most pleasing, aside form the result, was the performance. We had a young team out there and we really passed and moved.

"It's really good to see us finish strong and play well."

Seattle's Tafara Pulse scored the lone goal for second-place Seattle (3-1-6) in the 31st minute. The Fusion (2-6-3) host Los Angeles Sunday in the season finale.

Aviva Kamin, who served the Western State Conference as commissioner for more than 20 years, has asked the conference to be replaced.

Kamin informed WSC President Jody Wise and former WSC President Ellen O'Connor of her decision earlier this month.

"It has been some 25 years that I have been doing this and I think it is time for me to retire and do other things," wrote Kamin in an e-mail to conference administrators. "I will miss working with all of you and of course seeing you at the meetings and socializing the few minutes that we have before and after our meetings."

Kamin will continue to do the job until her replacement is found.

The second wonder goal from U.S. international Tobin Heath in eight days helped push the reigning W-League champion Pali Blues over the Ventura County Fusion women's soccer team, 4-0, Sunday afternoon at Palisades High School.

Heath, a gold medalist in the Beijing Olympics last fall, hit the top corner from 35 yards to break the scoreless deadlock after 35 minutes and the first-place Blues (7-0-3-) followed with three second half goals.

"We matched them in the first half," said Fusion coach Ranbir Shergill, "but got tired pretty quickly because it was our fourth match in eight days."

The Fusion (1-5-3), which lost for the second straight time on its travels after a four-match road unbeaten streak, saw its best chance come in the 40th minute, when defender Fabiane Nascimento hit the bar from long range.

"That was the closest we got to scoring," said Shergill.

Artur Aghasyan and Hagop Chirishian scored as the Ventura County Fusion men's soccer team extended its unbeaten streak to 11 games with a 2-2 draw with the Lancaster Rattlers Friday night at Antelope Valley High.

The Fusion (7-1-6) entered the game three points behind first-place Hollywood, but Moises Alvarez's equalizing goal with nine minutes handed the Fusion its sixth tie in 14 games.

Aghasyan opened the scoring in the 23rd minute with his team-high-tying seventh goal of the season and Chirishian gave the Fusion a 2-1 lead with his fifth strike in the 54th minute.

Kirsteen Buchan scored less than two minutes into play and Canadian international Jodi-Anne Robinson scored twice as the host Vancouver Whitecaps ended the Ventura County Fusion women's soccer team's four-game road unbeaten streak, 3-1, Wednesday night at Swangard Stadium in Burnaby, British Columbia.

Emily Cressy's 52nd minute penalty kick kept the visiting Fusion (1-4-3) from behind shut out.

The goal by the former Buena High star pulled Ventura County within 2-1 early in the second half before Robinson, a veteran of the 2007 Women's World Cup in China and the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, salted away the three points with her second goal set up by strike partner Amy Vermuelen in the 72nd minute.

With just six points from eight matches, the Fusion sit just one point ahead of seventh place Los Angeles (1-6-2) ahead of Sunday's trip to the first-place Pali Blues (6-0-3).

It took Kelley O'Hara and Christen Press to keep the Ventura County Fusion women's soccer team from making history Saturday night at Buena High.

The USA Under-23 women's national team tandem, who combined for 29 goals at Stanford University last fall, scored a goal apiece as the defending W-League champion Pali Blues held off the Fusion, 2-1, to extend its unbeaten streak to 23 games.

"I thought we gave a great performance and were unlucky not to get something from the game," said Fusion coach Ranbir Shergill. "We just needed a little more in the attacking third (of the field)."

Hopeful of inflicting the first loss in franchise history upon the Blues (5-0-3), the Fusion (1-3-2) gained confidence from the Blues having drawn three of their previous four matches on the road.

That aspiration seemed dead when Press' 25-yard screamer gave the visiting Blues a 2-0 lead in the 65th minute, but Fusion substitutes Heather Vandevanter and Colleen Gibson combined to restore the game with 15 minutes to play.

Vandevanter's pass sent Gibson sprinting clear on goal and the University of Dayton midfielder beat Blues' goalkeeper Kristin Olsen to make it 2-1.

The Fusion's previous best chance was a 70th-minute free kick earned by forward Jessica Velasquez and driven off the crossbar by Brazilian defender Fabiane Nascimento.
But the Fusion also carved out several quality chances in the final 10 minutes.

"We had four or five really good chances at the end, not just to draw the game, but to win it," said Shergill. "They were scared. Anytime you force your opponent back like that shows you've achieved something."

Especially an opponent that features a pair of Beijing Olympic gold medal winners in striker Lauren Cheney and Tobin Heath.

"They're a good team, they're clinical in front of goal," said Fusion goalkeeper Kay Hawke. "But those medals don't mean as much when you're on the pitch."

The Fusion held firm in the face of wave after wave of Pali's fleet-footed attacks, especially English goalkeeper Hawke and Canada midfielder Natalie Martineau, who was one of the best players on the field.

"We showed a lot of character," said Shergill. "I felt we were the better team in the first half."

The Fusion held out for 32 minutes. Until Heath completed a winding 30-yard run through midfield by setting up O'Hara, who slotted home the opener from 18 yards.

Down 1-0 at the half, the Fusion had a penalty claim three minutes into the second half, when winger Emily Cressy was toppled in the Blues penalty area. But build-up play was ruled offsides.

The Fusion now face perhaps the biggest week of the season, with its annual trip to the Pacific Northwest in midweek -- including matches at Seattle Monday and Vancouver Wednesday -- before the return trip to the Blues on Sunday.

"We need to get some wins on this trip," said Hawke. "It's vital."