Hudson Valley Quickstrike Press Release - www.quickstrikefc.com

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

NEWBURGH, N.Y. – Four players from the Hudson Valley Quickstrike Lady Blues, the 2009 W-League Regular Season Champions, took part in Women’s Professional Soccer tryouts last week, with three of them receiving invites to take part in preseason training with professional teams.

Goalkeeper Ashley Thompson began training with defending WPS Champion Sky Blue FC on Monday and will travel with the team to Florida for a two-week preseason training trip alongside Kristen Edmonds. Meanwhile, defender Katie Kelly will also be in the Sunshine State for preseason with the Chicago Red Stars.

In 2009, Thompson appeared in 10 games for the Lady Blues, accumulating six wins and a goals against average of 0.923. She is one of four goalkeepers on the preseason roster and was impressive in last week’s tryouts as well as open tryouts in December, Sky Blue FC General Manager Gerry Marrone said.

"Well we need a third goalkeeper and (Thompson) performed really well,” he said. “I think she was probably the most athletic of any of the goalkeepers at the open tryouts. She has good feet and she knows that she has some areas that she needs to improve on but she is a hard-worker and had a blistering 40-yard dash speed. She’d probably be the fastest goalkeeper in the league if she makes the team."

Edmonds played in 12 games for the Quickstrike Lady Blues in 2009, registering two goals and one assist. Kelly, meanwhile, played in 11 games for the Lady Blues in 2009, registering two assists and helping a Hudson Valley defense that gave up just nine goals in 14 regular season games.

WPS preseason rosters will be cut from 28 players to 24 players on March 16 and final rosters of 18 players and four developmental players will be announced on April 1.