ORLANDO, Fla. – The Orlando City U23s begin postseason action this Friday, July 20, against Mid South Division champion Laredo Heat at Trinity Catholic High School in Ocala, Fla., with kickoff set for 5:30 p.m. The Lions clinched a playoff spot in their last regular season match on Sunday, qualifying for the Southern Conference Championships.

“I’m happy to be representing our division along with Ocala in the playoffs,” said Orlando City U23s Head Coach Joe Avallone. “But we’re nowhere near satisfied yet. We’re going in with the mindset of winning a championship.”

On Sunday, the U23s clinched the second spot in the Southeast Division with a 3-1 win over FC Jax Destroyers, qualifying the Lions for the PDL postseason. The Ocala Stampede, who finished the regular season with a conference-best 35 points, will serve as hosts for the four-team Southern Conference Championships.

The 2012 PDL Playoffs have a total of four Conference Championships, including the Central, Southern, Western and Eastern Divisions. Each Conference Championship consists of the top two teams from each division within the conference, making up for an initial count of 16 clubs in the first round.

The Lions square off against the Heat on Friday night at 5:30 p.m., with the Stampede facing Mid South Division runner-up Austin Aztex at 8 p.m. The winner of each will then play on Sunday evening at 5 p.m.

Orlando’s opponent on Friday, Laredo Heat, finished the regular season with a record of 10-3-3 and 22 points, good for first in the Mid South Division. The Heat have accomplished a lot since their inception in 2004, winning the PDL Championship in 2007 while tallying five division titles along the way.

Laredo’s top goal scorer during the regular season was Midfielder Juan de Dios Ibarra-Trevino, who totaled 11 scores in 16 games played for the Heat. The 11 goals scored by Ibarra-Trevino was good enough for the midfielder to finish tied for third in the PDL in the goal leaders category.

For more information on Friday’s match and more, visit Orlandocitysoccer.com. Be sure to also follow the U23s on Twitter @OrlandoCityU23s for all news regarding Orlando City’s PDL team.

Player to Watch- Jonathan Mendoza:

Team captain and Orlando City U23s Midfielder Jonathan Mendoza was the driving force behind Orlando’s 3-1 win over FC Jax on Sunday, earning the Lions a spot in the 2012 PDL postseason. Mendoza assisted Orlando’s first two goals in the 41st and 71st minutes, providing on-point passing and leadership for the U23s in their victory.