The day after the First Round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup is one of the more exciting days for a die-hard American soccer fan. It is the day that the United States Soccer Federation announces the potential pairings for Round 3, when Major League Soccer clubs enter the competition.



For fans of lower division teams, like the Michigan Bucks, they get to find out which team they are one win away from facing, and for MLS fans, they get to find out where their journey begins.



The Michigan Bucks opened the 2012 U.S. Open Cup with a 6-0 home victory over amateur side Jersey Shore Boca in Round 1, and will travel east in Round 2 to face the Pittsburgh Riverhounds on Tuesday, May 22. If they are able to upset the Riverhounds, a USL Pro team (3rd Division professional), the USSF announced this week that the Pontiac, Mich.-based club will host the Chicago Fire of Major League Soccer in the Third Round on Tuesday, May 29 at the Ultimate Soccer Arenas.





Facing an MLS team in the 99-year old, single-elimination tournament open to all U.S.-based soccer teams, is not unusual for an amateur team like the Michigan Bucks. Since the club began play in 1996, the Bucks, who are made up of college stars and local players, have advanced to face MLS clubs on six different occasions.

The reason why soccer fans across the nation know who the Michigan Bucks are (especially in the New England area), is because in 2000, the Bucks traveled to Foxboro Stadium and upset the New England Revolution of MLS, 1-0, on a dramatic 89th minute goal by Chad Schomaker.

BUCKS' OPEN CUP RESUME • All-time record:

10-7-1 (0-1 in PKs) • All-time record vs. professional teams:

7-7-1 (0-1 in PKs)



• Biggest Moment: Traveled to Foxboro Stadium and upset the New England Revolution of Major League Soccer, 1-0, in the Second Round of the 2000 U.S. Open Cup. • Best Finish: Third Round (four times) - 1999 (lost 2-1 to the Tampa Bay Mutiny at White Pine Stadium in Saginaw, Mich.), 2000 (lost to Miami Fusion in PKs at White Pine Stadium in Saginaw, Mich.), 2003 (lost to Metrostars 4-0 at Hurley Field in Berkley, Mich.), 2006 (lost to the Columbus Crew 4-1 at Stoney Creek High School in Rochester Hills, Mich.)



• Last entry: 2008 (lost to Cleveland City Stars of USL-2 -- third division pro -- in the First Round)



MORE: • 2012 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup bracket

But first things first, the Bucks must knock off the Pittsburgh Riverhounds on the road in order to earn that date with the Fire.



This will be the second meeting between the two clubs in Open Cup play. Back in 2006, the Riverhounds came to Metro Detroit, and were upset 2-0 by the Bucks in a game played at Rochester Adams High School in Rochester, Mich. Kenny Uzoigwe and former Wolverine star Mychal Turpin both scored that day.



Entering the weekend, the Riverhounds are sitting in the middle of the USL Pro table with a 2-5-1 record and riding a five-game winless streak. They will host the Richmond Kickers the Friday before their Tuesday Open Cup match.



The Bucks, on the other hand, will make their regular season debut this coming Saturday when they take on the Chicago Inferno. The Open Cup game against Jersey Shore Boca was their first competitive action of the year, but they showed no signs of rust in the six-goal win, which tied a club record for most goals scored in an Open Cup game. They benefited from Boca receving a 17th minute red card, which made things run a little smoother in front of the home fans.



BUCKS IN THE OPEN CUP



The Michigan Bucks have made their name in the U.S. Open Cup, a tournament open to any team from Sunday beer league teams to the top clubs in Major League Soccer. For baseball fans, it's similar to the Lansing Lugnuts getting to play against the New York Yankees in a single-elimination, March Madness-style tournament to decide the sport's national championship. (Note: Since the Bucks players aren't paid, maybe the Michigan State University baseball team is probably a more accurate analogy.)



The Bucks not only have more wins (10) in the tournament than any other Premier Development League team, but more than any amateur team in the country. In fact, only four active lower division teams (professional included) have more wins than they do (Rochester Rhinos, Richmond Kickers, Wilmington Hammerheads, Charleston Battery).



Their number of professional team upsets (7) is also tops among amateur teams.