2011–12 Louisville Lightning season
2011–12 PASL season | |||
General Manager | Nick Stover | ||
---|---|---|---|
Head Coach | Scott Budnick | ||
Arena |
Mockingbird Valley Soccer Club 3000 Mellwood Ave. Louisville, Kentucky 40207 | ||
Professional Arena Soccer League | 2nd, Eastern Division | ||
Highest home attendance |
1,458 (February 24, 2012) vs Detroit Waza | ||
Lowest home attendance |
755 (November 18, 2011) vs Cincinnati Kings | ||
Average home league attendance | 1,021 | ||
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The 2011–12 Louisville Lightning season was the third season of the Louisville Lightning professional indoor soccer club. The Lightning, an Eastern Division team in the Professional Arena Soccer League, played their home games in the Mockingbird Valley Soccer Club in Louisville, Kentucky. The team was led by general manager Nick Stover[1] and head coach Scott Budnick[2] with associate coach Ted Nichols.
On October 28, 2011, the Lightning played a pre-season split-squad exhibition match dubbed the "Kick Cancer Game".[3] The team won 11 games and lost 5 during the 2011–12 regular season. They played all 16 of these games against Eastern Division rivals Cincinnati Kings, Detroit Waza, Illinois Piasa, Kansas Magic, and Ohio Vortex.[4] The team qualified for the postseason but lost to the Kansas Magic in the first round of the playoffs.
The Louisville Lightning also participated in the 2011–12 United States Open Cup for Arena Soccer.[5] The team defeated Indy Elite FC in the wild card round but lost to the Cincinnati Kings in the Round of 16, ending their run in the tournament.
After this season, the team announced it would skip the 2012–13 PASL season and go dormant. In a March 2013 interview, team owner Ted Nichols said that low attendance at games placed "somewhat of a financial drain" on the organization and that the team remains "in a bit of a hiatus".[6]
Off-field moves
In October 2011, the Lightning announced a partnership with the PUMA sportswear company. The team wore PUMA soccer jerseys, warm-up gear, and training gear for the 2011–12 season. In the team's first two years of existence, they had worn Adidas gear and jerseys.[7]
Pre-game activities at the team's home opener included an awareness event for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, distribution of can coozies to fans, and a "first kick" ceremony with country singer Darren Warren.[8]
Schedule
Win Tie Loss
Regular season
Game | Day | Date | Kickoff | Opponent | Results | Location[9] | Attendance | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Final Score | Record | |||||||
1 | Sunday | November 6 | 2:35pm | at Detroit Waza | L 3–9[10] | 0–1 | Taylor Sportsplex | 450[11] |
2 | Saturday | November 12 | 7:35pm | at Cincinnati Kings | W 11–9 | 1–1 | Cincinnati Gardens | 1,103[12] |
3 | Friday | November 18 | 7:30pm | Cincinnati Kings[8] | W 13–4 | 2–1 | Mockingbird Valley Soccer Club | 755[13] |
4 | Friday | December 2 | 8:35pm | at Illinois Piasa | L 9–13[14] | 2–2 | The Sports Academy | 307[15] |
5 | Saturday | December 3 | 8:35pm | at Kansas Magic | W 8–6[16][17] | 3–2 | EPIC Indoor Sports | 548[18] |
6 | Friday | December 16 | 7:30pm | Cincinnati Kings | W 8–7[19] | 4–2 | Mockingbird Valley Soccer Club | 1,087[20] |
7 | Friday | December 30 | 8:05pm | at Cincinnati Kings† | L 3–9 | 4–3 | Cincinnati Gardens | 1,413[21] |
8 | Saturday | January 7 | 7:30pm | Illinois Piasa | W 15–5 | 5–3 | Mockingbird Valley Soccer Club | 1,106[22] |
9 | Friday | January 13 | 7:30pm | Ohio Vortex | W 15–4 | 6–3 | Mockingbird Valley Soccer Club | 976[23] |
10 | Sunday | January 15 | 2:35pm | at Detroit Waza | L 7–10 | 6–4 | Taylor Sportsplex | 413[24] |
11 | Friday | January 20 | 7:30pm | Illinois Piasa | W 7–4 | 7–4 | Mockingbird Valley Soccer Club | 792[25] |
12 | Saturday | January 21 | 7:00pm | at Ohio Vortex | W 9–7 | 8–4 | Canton Memorial Civic Center | 347[26] |
13 | Sunday | January 29 | 5:35pm | at Kansas Magic | W 7–6 | 9–4 | EPIC Indoor Sports | 252[27] |
14 | Friday | February 3 | 7:30pm | Kansas Magic | W 10–6 | 10–4 | Mockingbird Valley Soccer Club | 882[28] |
15 | Friday | February 10 | 7:30pm | Ohio Vortex | W 8–5 | 11–4 | Mockingbird Valley Soccer Club | 1,109[29] |
16 | Friday | February 24 | 7:30pm | Detroit Waza | L 8–9 | 11–5 | Mockingbird Valley Soccer Club | 1,468[30] |
† Game also counts for US Open Cup, as listed in chart below.
Postseason
Game | Day | Date | Kickoff | Opponent | Results | Location[9] | Attendance | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Final Score | Record | |||||||
1 | Friday | March 2 | 7:35pm | Kansas Magic | L 5–9 | 0–1 | Mockingbird Valley Soccer Club | 757[31] |
2011–12 United States Open Cup for Arena Soccer
Game | Day | Date | Opponent | Results | Location | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Final Score | Record | |||||
Wild-Card | Friday | December 9 | Indy Elite FC[5] | W 15–5[3][32] | 1–0 | Mockingbird Valley Soccer Club |
Round of 16 | Friday | December 30 | Cincinnati Kings | L 3–9[21] | 1–1 | Cincinnati Gardens |
Player roster
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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References
- ↑ Smith, Denise (June 25, 2012). "Snapshots of People at Work – Nick Stover, having fun managing soccer". The Indianapolis Star. Indianapolis, IN: Gannett Company. Retrieved February 1, 2013.
- ↑ Stemle, Cary (July 6, 2012). "Business of Law: Scott Budnick brings his 'Lightning' game to indoor soccer field". Business First of Louisville. Louisville, KY: American City Business Journals. Retrieved February 1, 2013.
- 1 2 "2011-2012 Schedule". Louisville Lightning. February 24, 2012. Retrieved January 30, 2013.
- ↑ "Louisville Lightning Announce New 2011-2012 Game Schedule". Our Sports Central. October 17, 2011. Retrieved January 31, 2013.
- 1 2 Starks, Kelsey (December 8, 2011). "Louisville Lightning in playoffs". Louisville, KY: WHAS-TV. Retrieved January 31, 2013.
- ↑ Warner, Adam (March 14, 2013). "Q&A with Ted Nichols: A fire in his belly for soccer at all levels". The Courier-Journal. Louisville, KY: Gannett Company. Retrieved March 15, 2013.
- ↑ "Louisville Lightning Announce Partnership with PUMA for 2011-2012 Season". Our Sports Central. October 15, 2011. Retrieved January 30, 2013.
- 1 2 "Louisville Lightning Hosts First Home Game Friday, November 18th". Our Sports Central. November 16, 2011. Retrieved January 30, 2013.
- 1 2 "Louisville Lightning Schedule". Professional Arena Soccer League. Retrieved January 30, 2013.
- ↑ "Lightning Fall 9-3 to Detroit in Season Opener". Our Sports Central. November 7, 2011. Retrieved January 30, 2013.
- ↑ "Box Score: Nov 06, 2011". Professional Arena Soccer League. November 6, 2011. Retrieved January 30, 2013.
- ↑ "Box Score: Nov 12, 2011". Professional Arena Soccer League. November 12, 2011. Retrieved January 30, 2013.
- ↑ "Box Score: Nov 18, 2011". Professional Arena Soccer League. November 18, 2011. Retrieved January 30, 2013.
- ↑ "Kafedzic, Vance Sink Lightning 13-9". Our Sports Central. December 3, 2011. Retrieved January 31, 2013.
- ↑ "Box Score: Dec 02, 2011". Professional Arena Soccer League. December 2, 2011. Retrieved January 30, 2013.
- ↑ "Lightning Down Kansas Magic, 8-6, to Wrap Up Weekend Road Trip". Our Sports Central. December 4, 2011. Retrieved January 31, 2013.
- ↑ "Lightning Defeat Top Team in Eastern Division Prior to Start of US Open Play this Friday". Our Sports Central. December 7, 2011. Retrieved January 31, 2013.
- ↑ "Box Score: Dec 03, 2011". Professional Arena Soccer League. December 3, 2011. Retrieved January 30, 2013.
- ↑ "Louisville Lightning Enjoy Sweet 8-7 Victory in Close I-71 Derby". Our Sports Central. December 16, 2011. Retrieved January 31, 2013.
- ↑ "Box Score: Dec 16, 2011". Professional Arena Soccer League. December 16, 2011. Retrieved January 30, 2013.
- 1 2 "Box Score: Dec 30, 2011". Professional Arena Soccer League. December 30, 2011. Retrieved January 30, 2013.
- ↑ "Box Score: Jan 07, 2012". Professional Arena Soccer League. January 7, 2012. Retrieved January 30, 2013.
- ↑ "Box Score: Jan 13, 2012". Professional Arena Soccer League. January 13, 2012. Retrieved January 30, 2013.
- ↑ "Box Score: Jan 15, 2012". Professional Arena Soccer League. January 15, 2012. Retrieved January 30, 2013.
- ↑ "Box Score: Jan 20, 2012". Professional Arena Soccer League. January 20, 2012. Retrieved January 30, 2013.
- ↑ "Box Score: Jan 21, 2012". Professional Arena Soccer League. January 21, 2012. Retrieved January 30, 2013.
- ↑ "Box Score: Jan 29, 2012". Professional Arena Soccer League. January 28, 2012. Retrieved January 30, 2013.
- ↑ "Box Score: Feb 03, 2012". Professional Arena Soccer League. February 3, 2012. Retrieved January 30, 2013.
- ↑ "Box Score: Feb 10, 2012". Professional Arena Soccer League. February 10, 2012. Retrieved January 30, 2013.
- ↑ "Box Score: Feb 24, 2012". Professional Arena Soccer League. February 24, 2012. Retrieved January 30, 2013.
- ↑ "Box Score: Mar 02, 2012". Professional Arena Soccer League. March 2, 2012. Retrieved January 30, 2013.
- ↑ "Louisville Lightning Win Big Over Indy-Elite in US Open First Round". Our Sports Central. December 9, 2011. Retrieved January 31, 2013.