3 Storm players advance in U.S. Open Cup action

Three members of the Chicago Storm indoor soccer club are involved with teams advancing to second-round action in the 2008 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup tournament.

The Richmond Kickers play the Western Massachusetts Pioneers with the winner facing the New England Revolution on July 1. The Storm's Ian Bennett joined the Kickers several games into their season.

The Storm's Stephen Armstrong plays for the Charleston Battery, which must beat the Charleston Eagles to win a spot against the Houston Dynamo July 1.

Midfielder John Ball of the Storm is a member of the Rochester Rhinos, which must beat the Pittsburgh Riverhounds to advance against D.C. United on July 1.

The U.S. Open Cup, the U.S. Soccer Federation's National Championship, is an annual event that is open to all professional and amateur soccer teams affiliated with U.S. Soccer. It is the oldest annual team tournament in U.S. sports history. In 1999, the competition was renamed to honor long-time soccer pioneer Lamar Hunt.