READING, PA (July 18, 2016) – Reading United A.C. will look to continue their winning ways when they host the Western Mass Pioneers at Exeter’s Don Thomas Stadium in the opening round of the Premier Development League Playoffs on Tuesday evening. The winner of Tuesday’s contest will advance to the Eastern Conference Finals to take place July 23rd & 24th at a site to be determined.

Reading United A.C. (10-3-1) are peaking at just the right moment as they return to the postseason after just missing out last season. Reading are coming off a workmanlike 1-0 victory against their local rivals Lehigh Valley United. Jelani Pieters scored just before halftime while United’s defense suffocated Lehigh Valley’s attack.

The win over Lehigh Valley capped off an impressive four match winning streak that saw United outscore their opposition 16-1, en route to claiming the club’s first Mid-Atlantic Division title since 2010. United were one of just nine PDL teams to reach double-digit wins over the course of the fourteen game schedule.

Head Coach Stephen Hogan’s side banged in 35 goals against their Mid-Atlantic Division foes, good for the fifth best goal scoring record in the country. Reading have the second best defensive record in the Eastern Conference, allowing just 12 goals this season. Steffen Kraus and Ben Beaury combined to post six clean sheets.   

Frantzdy Pierrot will be the focal point of United’s potent attack, while Ismael Noumansana and Rayane Boukemia provide support from their midfield positions. Pierre Reed, Austin Maloney, Mac Curran and Rob Sagel, who all feature for Penn State’s Mens Soccer team, recently joined Reading’s squad and have added a new dynamic during the club’s run to the post season.

The Pioneers have struggled down the stretch, having won once in their last four matches.  Western Mass (7-3-4) finished second in the Northeast Division with 25 points, four points behind division champions, GPS Maine.

Veteran PDL midfielders Maxi Viera and Daniel Fabian lead the attack for the Pioneers, having scored three goals each this season. Eight players on Western Mass have at least two goals, so the United defense will need to be prepared for anyone the Pioneers put in the attack. 

Reading will look to capitalize on a Pioneers’ defense that allowed the most goals by an Eastern Conference playoff team. Southern New Hampshire University goalkeeper has played 11 games in goal for the Pioneers and has posted a 1.45 goals against average.

Tickets for the playoff game against Western Mass are available at www.readingunitedac.com or on game day at the Don Thomas Stadium ticket office. Contact our ticket sales team at sales@readingunitedac.com for all your group needs.