WINDSOR, Colo. – Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC goalkeeper Johan Peñaranda has won the USL League One Fans’ Choice Save of the Month for July. The save came in the Charlotte Independence match back on July 17 at Canvas Stadium.
After being called off the bench to enter the match, Peñaranda needed to make a critical save for his side. In the 71st minute, with Northern Colorado up 3-1, Independence midfielder Christopher Hegardt whipped a bouncing cross in. The bounce took the ball to the six yard box where Khori Bennett was waiting to score his second goal of the game. Peñaranda was up to the task of stopping the shot though, cutting across the face of goal to deflect Bennett’s shot into the air for Hailstorm defender Brecc Evans to clear it away.
“Feels great,” Peñaranda said. “Any way I can help the team … Selfishly, I do appreciate self-recognition, but as long as it helps the team, that’s all I care about. In those games where I’ve saved, we have taken points out of them.”
Peñaranda also had another save in July’s Save of the Month nominations, from the Forward Madison FC game on July 30.
The winning save came away with 62 percent of the vote from the fans.
The team is back in action August 13, when they visit Union Omaha at 6:00 p.m. MDT, at Werner Park in Papillion, Neb.
The future home of Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC, 118-acre Future Legends Complex will feature 6,500-seat TicketSmarter Stadium, 2,500-seat Future Legends Field, multiple baseball diamonds, and multi-purpose fields, an indoor sports arena, lodging, and retail; and will host guests for major sports tournaments, events, leagues, and more.