MLS suspends Kelyn Rowe for one game after FWHS grad runs into goalie

Former Sounders player and TJ grad Lamar Neagle gets back on field for Impact

Kelyn Rowe’s rookie season in Major League Soccer (MLS) has been put on hold for one game. The Federal Way High School graduate and New England Revolution midfielder was suspended one match by the MLS Disciplinary Committee Tuesday night.

The suspension, which included an undisclosed fine, came after Rowe ran into New York Red Bull goalkeeper Ryan Meara on Sunday. The punishments came for Rowe “endangering the safety” of Meara.

The incident occurred three minutes from stoppage time and just a few minutes after New England had scored their second goal of the match. Rowe received a pass in the New York penalty area, and Meara sprung off of his line in an attempt to beat him to the ball.

Meara slid in and obtained possession of the ball and Rowe, in a full sprint, ran into the top of Meara’s head with his shin. Match referee Drew Fischer did not issue a caution or even a foul following the collision.

The MLS Disciplinary Committee most likely watched replays of the incident and came to the conclusion that Meara was always going to win the race to the ball and despite Rowe being on a full sprint, he had enough time to jump over Meara after he grabbed the ball.

“Thx for all the support!,” Rowe tweeted Wednesday. “Unfortunate suspension but that’s how things go sometimes. Gives me a week to work harder.”

So far this season, Rowe has played in 14 of the Revolution’s 17 matches and has two goals and one assist. He is second on New England with 15 shots on goal.

The Revolution is currently in sixth place in the MLS’s Eastern Conference with a 6-7-4 record. New England is 5-1-3 at home and just 1-6-1 on the road.

The Revolution took Rowe with the third overall pick in the 2012 MLS SuperDraft following his sophomore season at UCLA. Rowe was the Pac-12 Player of the Year after leading the conference in assists with 10 last fall. Rowe also tallied six goals and led UCLA to the semifinals of the NCAA College Cup.

This offseason, Rowe made his camp debut with the United States under-23 National Team after earning six caps on the U-20 squad. He finished his UCLA career with 13 goals, 20 assists and 46 points in 46 games.

Former Sounders player Neagle gets back on field for Impact

Thomas Jefferson graduate Lamar Neagle saw his first action on the field for the Montreal Impact in nearly two weeks Sunday. Neagle played 71 minutes during a 2-1 win over the Columbus Crew. The winger wasn’t used in Montreal’s previous two matches, both losses to Kansas City and DC United.

Neagle was traded in February from the Seattle Sounders FC to Montreal for Eddie Johnson.

Neagle was signed by the Sounders on March 2, 2011. The winger/forward finished with seven total goals for Seattle, including the club’s second-ever hat trick. The three-goal performance against the Columbus Crew earned him MLS Player of the Week.

By the end of last season, Neagle was playing in every game for Sounders FC head coach Sigi Schmid, mostly off the bench. The Sounders showed even more confidence in Neagle when they protected him in the recent MLS Expansion Draft. The team was only able to protect 11 total players.

Neagle did get a little revenge on the team that traded him during the offseason when he scored his only goal of the season in the 88th minute during a 4-1 win over the Sounders on June 16. Neagle recovered a ball in the box and beat the goalkeeper to his right with a hard, low shot.

On the season, Neagle has played in 15 of the Impact’s 19 matches and has started seven times.

He also has two assists and 15 shots.