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Jerrod Laventure Selected as Big Apple Soccer.com Player of the Week

Newark, N.J. (Monday, June 16, 2008) - The Newark Ironbound Express (4-2-3) learned today that forward Jerrod Laventure has been named Player of the Week by Big Apple Soccer.com. The former Red Bull recorded a hat trick in a 4-0 victory over the Ocean City Barons (4-1-4) last night.

Laventure hit his first tally in the 29th minute of the contest, knocking in a ball from midfielder Joseph Ruesgen. Former All-Ivy selection John Stamatis (Harvard) set up the second Laventure goal in the 74th minute. Eight minutes later, the Haitian striker completed the hat trick when he scored an assist from 2006 NJAC Offensive Player of the Year Anthony Tuesta (Kean).

The 4-0 score was the worst home loss in Barons history, and it was only the sixth regular season loss that Ocean City has ever suffered on their home field.

Laventure now has a team-leading six goals and currently sits seventh overall for the PDL lead. The award for Laventure is the first BigAppleSoccer.com honor ever earned by a player on the Express.

Big Apple Soccer provides extensive coverage of all levels of soccer including professional, college and amateur teams, as well as youth soccer. Veteran soccer writer Michael Lewis and New York sports writer Dylan Butler provide the day-to-day content updates, while Sports Vue Interactive provides special features and many of the images of the website.

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Jerrod Laventure Named USL-PDL Player of the Week

Photo courtesy of MLSnetNewark, N.J. (Wednesday, June 18, 2008) - The Newark Ironbound Express (4-2-3) is pleased to announce that forward Jerrod Laventure has been named the USL Premier Development League Player of the Week. The award comes after the former New York Red Bull and Seton Hall alumnus notched a hat trick in a 4-0 road victory over the Ocean City Barons (4-1-4) this past Sunday.

Laventure hit his first tally in the 29th minute of the contest, knocking in a ball from midfielder Joseph Ruesgen. Former All-Ivy selection John Stamatis (Harvard) set up the second Laventure goal in the 74th minute. Eight minutes later, the Haitian striker completed the hat trick when he scored an assist from 2006 NJAC Offensive Player of the Year Anthony Tuesta (Kean).

Click here to see Jerrod's 2006 MLS Goal of the Week!

Laventure now has a team-leading six goals and currently sits seventh overall for the PDL lead. The 4-0 score was the worst home loss in Barons history, and it was only the sixth regular season loss that Ocean City has ever suffered on their home field.

While playing college soccer at Seton Hall, Laventure tallied 40 points in four seasons with the Pirates. He knocked in 14 goals and assisted on an additional 12 scores. Following his senior year, he was named to the All-Big East First Team after registering eight goals and six assists.

After that last season in South Orange, Laventure signed a developmental contract with Red Bull New York of Major League Soccer (MLS) in 2006, making his debut that year against FC Dallas on July 8. He made an immediate impression in the MLS by notching an assist in his first appearance. He won the MLS Goal of the Week when he scored his first career professional goal on a 30-yard chip over Columbus Crew goalkpeeper Noah Palmer. Laventure has also earned two caps with the Haitian National Team.

Newark (15 points) currently sits in third place in the Northeast Division, trailing the Barons (16 points) and the Brooklyn Knights (17 points). The Express travel to Long Island to play the Rough Riders this Saturday before returning to Lubetkin Field to host Ocean City on Wednesday, June 25, with kickoff scheduled for 8:00 p.m.