Preview: Bridge City FC look to bring high-paced energy in home debut

Indoor professional soccer officially returns to the Pittsburgh area for the first time in nearly three decades on Saturday night, when Bridge City FC play its home opener vs Red Cedar FC (7 p.m.) at Sewickley Indoor Arena.

In the club’s first-ever match on November 22, Bridge City stormed back for a thrilling 9-8 win on the road.

Former North Allegheny and Lehigh University standout Jamie Luchini scored the game-winner with just nine seconds left.

“Indoor’s a funny game,” Travis MacKenzie, Bridge City FC Head Coach, said.

“You can go down by three or four goals, but you can always be in the game.”

The first-ever home match will be a culmination of the hard work and foundation set by the three team founders and current players, Jack Shearer, Josh DiMatteo and Grant Glorioso.

Bridge City FC ‘feel a real sense of momentum’ as they set to kick off inaugural season

Among the names on the roster in addition to the trio include former West Allegheny, Duquesne University standout and former Riverhound, Nathan Dragisich, former North Allegheny standouts, Josh Luchini and Jamie Luchini, who starred at Lehigh and the younger, at Pitt too, recent Robert Morris players Gabe Norris (Highlands) and Nolan Hutter (though Hutter, who played his high school ball at Montour, has also been playing with Steel City FC during their US Open Cup qualifying!).

This will also be the first match for a couple 30-something former Riverhounds/USL veterans, Shaffer (Beaver Area/Robert Morris) and Lundberg (Kiski Area /Duquesne) who are among the many notable local players that round out the roster.

** Check out the full Bridge City FC roster here **

In scouting this match-up between two teams in the Major League Indoor Soccer’s North Conference, Red Cedar FC, come from Lansing, MI.

Early in the season, the two teams have a common opponent, each having faced Summit City FC.  Red Cedar FC topped Summit City, 12-6. on November 15.  Red Cedar FC are coming off a 17-6 loss to Cleveland last week.

Leading the charge for Pittsburgh’s first pro indoor soccer team since the short-lived Pittsburgh Stingers is none other than Travis Mackenzie — who is carrying on a family tradition in his role with the club, as his father, Dave, was once a player with the Pittsburgh Spirit.

MacKenzie’s experiences in the game include playing and coaching at Chartiers Valley High School, Duquesne University, the Pittsburgh Riverhounds, and Milwaukee Wave (Indoor).

MacKenzie turned professional in 2008 when he signed for his hometown Riverhounds – making his professional outdoor debut on April 19, 2008, against the Cleveland City Stars, scoring three goals in 19 matches that season.  He subsequently played two seasons of pro indoor soccer with the Milwaukee Wave of the Major Indoor Soccer League from 2008-10, accumulating 26 points in 21 games including 7 goals, before returning to the Riverhounds in 2010.

“We put in some really good training sessions,” MacKenzie said of the team’s training and preparation as it’s been two weeks since the last match.

“In front of home crowd, we want to bring energy right from the start.”

MacKenzie added: “Coming off the first win, the energy’s been really high the past few weeks. We have a real nice mix of veterans with young guys as well.  I am very positive and happy with the mix we have this year.”

View this post on Instagram

The team also released some information about parking and a seating guide.

However, though the match is being played indoors, the weather may wreck some havoc with things on Saturday.