Pioneers unveil slate for 2015 season

Date: 2/12/2015

LUDLOW – The soccer field at historic Lusitano Stadium may be covered under snow and ice, but the 2015 Pioneers soccer season is quickly warming up.

The Western Mass Pioneers 2015 PDL season kicks off at home May 22 versus long time rivals GPS Portland Phoenix. The regular season will wrap up July 12 when Western Mass travels to visit the Seacoast United Phantoms. The PDL season is fourteen games long with seven home games for the Pioneers.

This will be the 18th season of the Western Mass Pioneers playing in the in the United Soccer League (USL). First-year head coach Dennis Gomes will be assembling a team to try to gain a playoff berth.

Western Mass also qualified for the 2015 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. The Pioneers are slated to play in the first round on May 13. Their opponent and venue location will be announced later. If Western Mass advances to the second round, they will have a chance to face an USL Pro team on May 20. This is the ninth time the Pioneers have entered the Open Cup. Their best result was in 2005, when they lost at home to MLS team the Chicago Fire.

The Pioneers are kicking off the soccer season on Valentine’s Day, Feb. 14, with a party at the Gremio Lusitano Club starting at 6 p.m. Tickets are on sale now and will also be available at the door. Join us for food, music and dancing instead of waiting in long lines at an overcrowded restaurant.

Continue to visit www.wmpioneers.com and also follow our new Facebook and Twitter pages to keep up to date on all the Pioneers news.

The Western Mass Pioneers were founded in 1997 and started playing in 1998. In 1999, the second year of the franchise, they won the USL D3 Pro League championship. In 2005 they reigned as the regular season champions, were USL Second Division finalists, and hosted the National Championship match. In 2010 they joined the PDL, to focus on developing future professional soccer players. The Western Mass Pioneers Soccer Club also operates numerous youth camps throughout Western Massachusetts.

For more information about this release, please contact the Pioneers office at 583-4814 or via email at info@wmpioneers.com.