CARY, N.C. – Elon senior defender Orry Powers and the Cary Clarets defeated the top-seeded Reading Rage, 2-1, in the divisional championship game of the Premier Development League (PDL) playoffs, advancing to the league’s Elite Eight weekend to begin this Friday in Des Moines, Iowa.

“Playing over the summer really helps for the upcoming season,” commented Powers. “Getting in shape can be very challenging if you take the entire summer off so it is an advantage to have another group of guys to train with who challenge you. We have faced extraordinary competition this summer. There are other Elon players and numerous ACC players who compete in the league.”

The Des Moines Menace of the Eastern Conference and the Laredo Heat of the Western Conference will host the quarterfinal and semifinal games. Cary will face off against the host Menace on Friday, July 31 at 7:30 p.m. The Ocean City Barons will battle the Chicago Fire at 6 p.m. in the first game of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals. The Heat will challenge the Bradenton Academics and the Kitsap Pumas will encounter the Ventura County Fusion in Western Conference quarterfinal action. The league semifinal matches will be held Saturday at 9:15 p.m.

“This year was the first year that three teams from each of the eight divisions made the playoffs,” Powers explained. “Being third in our division, we were lucky to make the playoffs at all and now we have defeated both the first and second-place teams to advance to the quarterfinals.”

The PDL consists of 68 teams playing in eight divisions. Each team plays a 16-game regular season with playoffs to follow the regular season. Three teams from each division qualify for the playoffs with the PDL championship game, scheduled for August 8, to be shown on the Fox Soccer Channel.