Seattle, Lafayette Jump Out to Early Leads in PDL Open Cup Qualifying

CHICAGO (Monday, May 7, 2001) - The Seattle Sounders Select and the Lafayette Lightning took one step closer to the U.S. Open Cup opening round with victories over the weekend. The Sounders Select won back-to-back games as they topped the Spokane Shadow 3-2 on Saturday and then scored a

CHICAGO (Monday, May 7, 2001) - The Seattle Sounders Select and the Lafayette Lightning took one step closer to the U.S. Open Cup opening round with victories over the weekend. The Sounders Select won back-to-back games as they topped the Spokane Shadow 3-2 on Saturday and then scored a 2-1 victory over the Cascade Surge on Sunday. In other Premier Development League (PDL) qualifying matches for the 2001 U.S. Open Cup, the Lafayette Lightning squeezed out a 3-2 win over the West Dallas Kings on Sunday, while the Chesapeake Dragons snapped a two-game losing streak with a 3-1 victory over the Jersey Falcons.

The PDL's qualification process remains unchanged from 2000, as the league will send four teams to the U.S. Open Cup again in 2001. The league's conferences will serve as the three groups for the qualification round. The three group winners and the best second place finisher will advance to the Open Cup's first round, where they will face four representatives from the United States Amateur Soccer Association.