Tryouts for the 2010 team have also been announced, and are being held on Sunday December 20 and Saturday January 9, both 1:30-3:30pm at Millburn High School. The team attracts the highest quality of local and regional collegiate talent through the summer months, representing northern New Jersey in the Women's Premier Soccer League. The WPSL is a 61 team National League providing the highest level of amateur women's soccer in the United States.
Less than a month separates the Millburn Magic from a challenging season opener against the New York Athletic Club (NYAC). The first match, which will be played at home on June 1st at 8:30pm, will test to see if the Magic can bounce back from a tough 2011 campaign and take on one of the most prestigious organisations in the north-east. NYAC were resurgent in the summer of 2011 after a slow start in 2010. Despite only a handful of victories in Millburn's playoff year, NYAC went on to become the surprise package in 2011 and claimed second spot in the East Mid-Atlantic Division with a 6-2-2 record, eclipsed only by the New York Fury. To improve their game to an even greater degree, NYAC recently agreed terms with Kim Wyant to come in as head coach. Wyant is well-known among soccer fans as the first-ever goalkeeper for the US Women's National Team, playing in the inaugural August 1985 match in Italy. She also starred in the first ever shutout and win for the squad (1986, vs Canada) and has since gone on to coach at New York University. However, Magic head coach Sean Kiernan is keen to build on last season's home tie against NYAC, when Millburn held the division runners up to a 2-2 draw at Robert T Shields Field. "It's an extremely competitive league," said Kiernan. "We respect NYAC both on and off the pitch, but they shouldn't underestimate the talent we have on our roster. I believe we'll give them a close game and we hope to come away with at least a point."
The Millburn Magic have taken four points from their first six after a draw against the New York Athletic Club (NYAC) on June 1st and, on June 6th, following up with a convincing win away at FC Westchester Elite, newcomers to the WPSL. It meant that, after two games, the Magic were top of the Northeast Atlantic (Mid) Division. Against NYAC, the Magic had a very bright start and early pressure paid off after Katy Fissel of Wilkes (pictured) took a pass from Jenn DiGioia, volleying it into the net from the inside the area and returning to the team with style. However, NYAC really came back into the game towards the end of the first half and were rewarded just before half time when a free kick, which was punched out by keeper Meredith Maguire, fell to the feet of Lauren Bustos and the Fordham senior midfielder stroked the ball home. In the follow-up game away at FCW Elite, Rutgers forward Sara Corson, in her debut season with Millburn, scored the first goal on 23 minutes with a great solo effort. While FCW Elite looked to regroup, they were once again caught off guard on 26 minutes when Wesleyan's Laura Kurash and Wilkes midfielder Katy Fissel linked up to send in a great cross to Laura Zito, who coolly converted to make it 2-0. Despite pulling back to 2-1 on 80 minutes, the Magic held out for the victory. Looking back on the first two games, head coach Sean Kiernan said: "We're working better as a team with each game. We look forward to the next challenge ahead!" Sadly, the Magic were unable to continue their run of form over the weekend, when they suffered a 3-0 defeat to league newcomers Syracuse Lady Knights. Kiernan was disappointed with the result, but was hopeful for the upcoming tie on June 12th. "We were a little flat in the first 20 minutes, but we still had a few good opportunities to get ourselves back into it," he said. "We look forward to putting this game behind us and improving against Binghamton on Tuesday - I know the girls have it in them to bounce back and get three points."
Travers Island, NY (June 25, 2012) The Millburn Magic will be looking to avenge their defeat at home to the Syracuse Lady Knights earlier in the season by triumphing in the return leg in upstate New York. The upcoming tie follows defeat to a strong New York Athletic Club (NYAC) team on Sunday, June 24th. Traveling to Liverpool High School, the Magic (2-1-3) will work hard to overcome a 3-0 loss to the same divisional rivals at Robert T Shields Field on June 9th. The Lady Knights (4-1-0), however, have been undefeated this season and currently sit top of the Northeast Atlantic (Mid) Division, two points ahead of interstate rivals NYAC (3-2-1) and with a game in hand. It will be the third-from-last game on the current schedule for the Magic, though a game canceled earlier in the season against United FC - due to bad weather - will be soon re-registered on the calendar. Both games may be played in consecutive days surrounding the upcoming clash away in Binghamton on July 1st - keep checking the Magic schedule for more details. Meanwhile Sunday, NYAC handed the Magic a 5-1 loss at home on Travers Island, following a 0-0 draw for NYAC away at United FC Binghamton (1-3-3) Saturday. A sole score from Laura Zito - who netted her third goal of the campaign from a perfect cross by Wesleyan's Laura Kurash - was all Millburn could convert against an excellent attacking game from the hosts. If you want to make the trip to follow the Magic, head to Liverpool High School for a 7:00pm kick-off against the Lady Knights!
After five years competing in the Women's Premier Soccer League (WPSL), the Millburn Magic today announced a change of league - and name - as they approach 2013. Accepted to the WPSL Elite League, the Magic will now be known as Jersey Blues FC, and will field teams in both the WPSL Elite and regular WPSL leagues in the upcoming campaign. The WPSL Elite League was formed in 2012 after Women's Professional Soccer (WPS) suspended operations. Former WPS teams the Western New York Flash, Boston Breakers, and Chicago Red Stars went on to join with WPSL teams - the New England Mutiny, New York Fury, FC Indiana, Chesapeake Charge and Philadelphia Fever - to form the new top tier of women's soccer to provide the best players with an opportunity to continue competing at the highest level. The Blues will continue to play in northern New Jersey, and are announcing tryouts for players interested in competing at the highest level of amateur soccer in the United States - details of which you can find below! Jerry Zanelli, Commissioner of the WPSL Elite League, said of the Blues' addition to the league: "We are excited to welcome such an established member of the WPSL to the WPSL Elite league. The Magic - now Jersey Blues - are an outstanding organization that has always represented New Jersey well both on and off the field, and I am confident that they will continue to do so at this new higher level." The Blues are proud to confirm Erwin van Bennekom (above) as Head Coach of the 2013 WPSL Elite team. Van Bennekom has spent two years coaching in the WPSL, working as Head Coach for both the Jersey Select and the New Jersey Blaze. Since moving to the US from the Netherlands seven years ago, he has built an impressive track record, and is now an assistant women's soccer coach at the D-I New Jersey Institute of Technology, while also coaching a number of teams at the Morris United / STA club. "I am excited to be leading the team into this new level," said van Bennekom, who had previously been approached to coach the Magic in the WPSL. "The WPSL Elite is an incredible level and a tremendous challenge, but this area is a hotbed of talent, and I'm sure that we can compete." Van Bennekom will be assisted by Jon Nash, who will also co-Head Coach the WPSL team with him. Nash is another UEFA B license holder, heavily involved and established in the Westfield / FC Premier youth program. Tryouts Announced for theBlues - Don't Miss this Opportunity! With this huge announcement about the new team's direction, Jersey Blues FC are very pleased to announce tryouts for their 2013 teams. The Blues will be running three teams in 2013, with some combined training and the opportunity for player movement between them. The senior Blues team will compete in the WPSL Elite league, the highest level of soccer in the country in 2012. The Jersey Blues Magic team will compete in the WPSL - the largest women's soccer league in the world - and a U20s team will be playing in the US Club Soccer National Adult Leagues. Tryouts will be held Saturday, December 22nd at Millburn High School, 462 Millburn Ave, Millburn 07041, between 2:00pm and 4:00pm. Players interested in any of the teams can register here, or contact Head Coach Erwin van Bennekom for more details at Erwin@JerseyBluesFC.com or (973) 289-9002.