Wisconsin Soccer Central

Calum Mallace (Marquette) is continuing his pro soccer career back home – at least temporarily.

Major League Soccer's Montreal Impact loaned Mallace to Minnesota United FC of the second-division North American Soccer League for the rest of the season on Wednesday.

The 23-year-old midfielder has logged only 36 minutes in two appearances for the Impact in MLS play this season, though he has started one Canadian Championship match and all six of the team's MLS Reserve League games. He started four matches for Montreal as a rookie last year after being the 20th selection in the 2012 MLS SuperDraft.

"(The Impact) said they highly respect me and see a lot of value in me as a player," Mallace told the Minneapolis Star Tribune. "But with some of the experienced players we have on the team in Montreal, it's no surprise I wasn't getting many minutes, especially in the middle of the park – we have about eight midfielders, I think. It's a positive for me, because they want me to get games and come back as a better player."

Mallace, who was born in Scotland but grew up in Woodbury, Minn., got right on the field for Minnesota United, playing the final 30 minutes of the team's 2-0 exhibition victory over FC Edmonton on Wednesday night.

"Calum is young in his pro career, and has shown some serious promise at Montreal," Minnesota United coach Manny Lagos (UW-Milwaukee) told the Star Tribune. "I think it's exciting for us to get a player like that, who is from here, on the roster."

Minnesota United opens the NASL Fall season on Aug. 3 at home against the Atlanta Silverbacks (6-3-3), who won the Spring title – United (4-6-2) finished sixth out of the seven teams in the 12-game Spring season.

Good luck to my teammates and staff back in Montreal for the rest of the season. Gonna miss you guys.

— Calum Mallace (@CMallace10) July 18, 2013

But very excited to be here in Minnesota and play for such a great team. Glad to be home.

— Calum Mallace (@CMallace10) July 18, 2013

• Midfielder-forward Lisa Philbin (Marquette), who completed her college career last fall, signed with Swedish second-division club Kvarnsveden IK in Borlänge. A native of Lansdale, Pa., Philbin had three goals and three assists as a senior and seven goals and 10 assists in 85 matches (29 starts) in her Marquette career. She joins a Kvarnsveden side that is 6-4-4 and fifth in the 14-team Elitettan with 12 matches left in the season – the team is in the midst of a month-long summer break, with their next game Aug. 3.