M Soccer
7-2-09
Former Grand Canyon University goalkeeper Dusty Hudock and the Charleston Battery are moving on to the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup quarterfinals.
Hudock, an NAIA All-District VII selection who tied a GCU school record for shutouts in a season with nine in 1990, and the United Soccer League First Division's Battery will meet Major League Soccer's Houston Dynamo Tuesday, July 7 at 7:30 p.m. EST in Charleston, S.C.
The Battery beat MLS' CD Chivas USA, 3-1, in the third round, Tuesday, June 30 in front of 3,268 fans. Hudock was issued a yellow card in the match after bringing down Chivas substitute Maykel Galindo in the penalty area.
"I was just trying to get to the ball as quickly as I could," Hudock said in a post-game interview. "I realized at the last minute I was not going to get there so all I could do was stretch for where I thought he was going to put it."
The caution resulted in a free kick, which Hudock gloved.
The Dynamo shut out the Austin Aztex, 2-0, on Wednesday in the Open Cup's third round. Houston, which enjoyed a franchise-record 11-game unbeaten streak before the Los Angeles Galaxy's 1-0 win over the Dynamo last Sunday, has been knocked out of the U.S. Open Cup by the Battery in Charleston in each of the past two years.
Last year, the Battery beat the Dynamo, 2-1, after Charleston outscored Houston, 4-3, in penalty kicks. In 2007, Charleston shut out the Dynamo, 1-0. Hudock was with the Battery in both of those wins.
Charleston lost to MLS' DC United, 2-1, in last year's Open Cup championship.
Hudock, who owns the Battery's career records for wins, shutouts, goals against average and games started, began his career with Charleston in 1999. He has also played for the MLS Colorado Rapids, Chicago Fire and Miami Fusion.
The U.S. Open Cup is the nation's oldest annual team tournament in U.S. sports history. The tournament winner receives an automatic berth into the CONCAF Champions League. A $180,000 purse is at stake. The Open Cup champion receives $100,000, with $50,000 awarded to the runner-up and $10,000 to the team from the Division II, Division III and amateur levels that advances the farthest.
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