FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- The first thing to notice about Indiana University and Generation adidas defender Kevin Alston is his engine.
The former U.S. U-17 international spends most of his game time surging up and down the right wing. At one moment, he'll be tracking an opposing winger deep inside his own half. Once his team gains possession, he'll surge up the sideline and provide another outlet in the offensive half.
"I like to play that style," Alston said. "I like to defend, but I like to go forward."
Alston's devotion to the attack might just help him on the next level. With most MLS teams preferring a four-back alignment and many of those teams pushing the outside backs into the attack, Alston's marauding runs -- combined with his attentiveness to defense -- will earn him a long look.
"Any team in the world, if they have outside backs, they overlap," Alston said. "It's going to help the team out and it will help me on the next level."
The next level will arrive soon for Alston, who will spend his SuperDraft day in St. Louis awaiting his professional destination. He plans to spend his time preparing for MLS camp rather than pondering over where he might fall on Thursday.
"It's just going to happen," Alston said. "It is what it is. The only thing I can do here is perform. When it comes to camp, everyone is going to get there and start fighting for the same time and the same spots."
English youth experience prepares Angus: Saint Louis University defender Calum Angus spent his formative footballing years with English Premier League club Portsmouth. Angus is one of a few players with English youth academy experience at the adidas MLS Player Combine -- others include SLU teammate Kyle Patterson with Birmingham and Boston College defender Paul Gerstenberger with Middlesbrough -- and the right back thinks it will help him as he seeks to make his mark on the next level.
"It put me in good stead," Angus said. "I was around a professional environment, so I was able to see what kind of ability you have to have to make it to the next level. Hopefully, the MLS coaches will take notice of that and it will put me a little bit higher."
Getting drafted would suit Angus. The 2008 All-American defender wants to stay in the U.S. and play in MLS even though he has an English passport and could trial across Europe.
"My first choice is to stay here," Angus said. "I've had three and a half great years here at Saint Louis University and I want to continue playing in the U.S. because I like the style of soccer here. If things don't work, I have a European passport so I can try out in England and in Europe."
Adidas Tiro takes five-goal thriller: Illinois-Chicago and Generation adidas midfielder Baggio Husidic's 80th-minute strike gave adidas Tiro a 3-2 victory against PowerSwerve in the first game of the final day of the 2009 Combine.
PowerSwerve opened the scoring in the 23rd minute through Michigan State midfielder Doug DeMartin. Saint Louis defender Calum Angus halted DeMartin's slicing run into the penalty area, giving the referee little choice but to point to the spot. DeMartin dusted himself off and tucked the resulting penalty past Dartmouth goalkeeper Sean Milligan.
UNC-Greensboro forward Chris Salvaggione replied for Tiro in first-half stoppage time after his long-distance drive deflected off SMU defender Ryan Mirsky and eluded Albany goalkeeper Steward Ceus.
Salvaggione nearly doubled his goal haul in the 60th minute after turning well and firing an effort off the right post. His cross two minutes later should have set up Redlands University's Ross Schunk for an easy finish but he smashed his close-range effort well over the bar.
Tiro finally broke through with three minutes to play. Maryland's Graham Zusi flighted his cross towards Schunk at the far post. Schunk collected and presented Husidic with the opportunity to fire home from 12 yards.
The lead lasted for two minutes as PowerSwerve pressed forward through Wake Forest's Lyle Adams down the wing. Adams' overlap presented him with the opportunity to cross and Portland striker Bryan Irwin tucked away the service to level the scoreline.
That wasn't enough to earn PowerSwerve a point as Husidic gave Tiro victory in the waning moments -- both games were shortened to 80 minutes Tuesday -- by finishing a cross from Penn midfielder Alex Grendi.
Marosevic earns Combine scoring title as adiTunit tops table: Peri Marosevic scored his third goal in three days to ensure adiTunit finished top of the Combine table with a 2-0 victory over adiPure.
AdiTunit looked the better of the two sides for most of the contest, but the pressure didn't pay off until the 55th minute. A ball over the top found Winthrop striker Daniel Revivo and he collected and fired home past St. John's goalkeeper Neal Kitson to open the scoring.
The match looked like it would peter out until a miscommunication in the back allowed Marosevic to nip in and slide home to ensure he would stand alone atop the goalscoring charts as the Combine closed.
Combine notes: First-day jitters
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