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USL United Soccer League Championship

2015 USL Playoffs Kick off with Conference Quarterfinals

September 25, 2015 - United Soccer League Championship (USL) News Release


TAMPA, Fla. - The highly anticipated 2015 USL Playoffs get underway this weekend with conference quarterfinal action on Friday and Saturday among the No. 3 through 6 seeds in the Eastern and Western Conference. Every game of the 2015 USL Playoffs will be live, free and in HD on YouTube (www.Youtube.com/USL).

2015 USL Playoffs Hub on USLsoccer.com

The first round begins in the Western Conference when No. 3 seed Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC hosts No. 6 Seattle Sounders FC 2 on Friday at Sand Creek Stadium. Then an action-packed Saturday is on the docket with three matches. In the Eastern Conference, the No. 4 New York Red Bulls II host the No. 5 Pittsburgh Riverhounds and the No. 3 Charleston Battery host longtime rivals the No. 6 Richmond Kickers. The nightcap features defending USL champion and the Western Conference's No. 4-seeded Sacramento Republic FC, which hosts the No. 5 LA Galaxy II.

The #USLPlayoffs Start Now

2015 USL PLAYOFFS: CONFERENCE QUARTERFINALS

West - No. 3 Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC vs. No. 6 Seattle Sounders FC 2

Friday, 9 p.m. ET, Sand Creek Stadium

Colorado Springs and Seattle meet for the right to face No. 2 OKC Energy FC in the conference semifinals. This marks both teams' first appearance in the USL Playoffs as they continue their inaugural seasons. S2 and the Switchbacks faced each other twice during the regular season, with Seattle winning the season series with a 1-0-1 record. They drew 1-1 on July 18 at Sand Creek Stadium and then Seattle topped Colorado Springs 3-2 on Aug. 19 at Starfire Stadium. Colorado Springs (14-10-4, 46 points) clinched a spot in the USL Playoffs on Sept. 5 when its 1-0 win against the Portland Timbers 2, combined with Arizona United SC's 3-2 loss to Real Monarchs SLC later that night, booked a place in the postseason. Seattle (13-2-3, 42 points) clinched its postseason berth in the regular-season finale against the Austin Aztex with a 3-2 victory on Sept. 17 at Starfire Stadium.

East - No. 4 New York Red Bulls II vs. No. 5 Pittsburgh Riverhounds

Saturday, 5 p.m. ET, Red Bull Arena

The Red Bulls II and Riverhounds meet for the right to face the No. 1-seeded and 2015 USL Regular Season Champion Rochester Rhinos in the conference semifinals. This is NYRB II's first postseason, while Pittsburgh is appearing in its third USL Playoffs. New York and Pittsburgh split the season series this year. The Red Bulls II earned a 3-2 victory on May 3 at Red Bull Arena on a stoppage-time winner from Anthony Wallace. The Riverhounds then earned a 3-0 win on July 4 at Highmark Stadium, led by Rob Vincent's brace. NYRB II (12-10-6, 42 points) clinched on an off night on Sept. 12 when it was mathematically impossible for multiple teams lower in the standings to reach the USL newcomers. Pittsburgh (11-9-8, 41 points) clinched its berth with a 2-1 road win against the Harrisburg City Islanders on Sept. 19.

East - No. 3 Charleston Battery vs. No. 6 Richmond Kickers

Saturday, 7:30 p.m. ET, MUSC Health Stadium

The Battery and Kickers meet for the right to face No. 2 seed Louisville City FC in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. Charleston had the upper hand in the regular-season series with a 1-0-2 record. After back-to-back draws, the Battery took the season series with a 2-0 road win on Aug. 29 at City Stadium as Justin Portillo's penalty kick and Zach Prince's 37th-minute score led the way. The Battery and Kickers have met once during the USL Playoffs, with Richmond earning a 2-1 overtime victory in last season's quarterfinals. Matthew Delicâte scored the winner in the 117th minute. Charleston (12-6-10, 46 points) was the third East team to book a spot in the postseason with a 2-0 win against Louisville City FC on Sept. 12. Richmond (10-7-11, 41 points) clinched a postseason spot several days after its final game as the Charlotte Independence's 3-1 loss on Sept. 19 propelled the Kickers into the playoffs.

West - No. 4 Sacramento Republic FC vs. No. 5 LA Galaxy II

Saturday, 10:30 p.m. ET, Bonney Field

Sacramento and LA meet for the right to play top-seeded Orange County Blues FC in the Western Conference Semifinals. Republic FC has had the Galaxy II's number for the majority of the past two seasons and went 3-1-0 during this year's regular season. Sacramento and LA met in the semifinals of last year's playoffs, with host Republic FC rallying from a two-goal deficit to earn a 3-2 victory. Rodrigo Lopez recorded a second-half hat trick. This season, Republic FC went on a seven-game unbeaten streak (3-0-4) to close out the year to earn a spot in the postseason. Sacramento (13-8-7, 46 points) had an opportunity to take first in the conference in the final regular-season game, needing a win against Orange County, but played to a scoreless draw. Nine wins in an 11-game stretch helped the Galaxy II (14-11-3, 45 points) eventually reach the USL Playoffs.

OTHER NEWS, NOTES AND MILESTONES

- The USL announced the statistical award winners from the 2015 USL Regular Season. Louisville City FC's Matt Fondy was both the Golden Boot winner (22 goals) and Scoring Champion (51 points) as he passed Orlando City SC's Kevin Molino (20 goals in 2014) and beat out OKC Energy FC's Danni König to become the new regular-season goal-scoring leader. Louisville teammate Bryan Burke was the 2015 USL Assist Champion with 10. Rochester Rhinos goalkeeper Brandon Miller is the 2015 USL Goals-Against Average Champion (0.54 GAA), capping off the regular season with his 13th clean sheet during a 2-0 win against Toronto FC II on Thursday. Miller broke the previous single-season record of 11 shutouts this year. (USL Announces Statistical Award Winners | Fondy's Scoring Record Defined in Bunches)

- The LA Galaxy II's Ariel Lassiter is serving a one-game suspension when Los Dos face Sacramento Republic FC on Saturday. Lassiter was sent off during the Galaxy II's regular-season finale against Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC last Saturday. Red card violations at the end of the regular season carry over into the playoffs, while yellow card accumulation (which normally includes a suspension) only results in an undisclosed fine and not a playoff suspension.

- The Charleston Battery and Richmond Kickers are the only two teams that have qualified for every edition of the USL Playoffs since 2011. Five teams are playing in their first USL Playoffs: Louisville City FC and the New York Red Bulls II in the Eastern Conference, and second-year side OKC Energy FC, Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC and Seattle Sounders FC 2 in the Western Conference.

- Charleston forward Dane Kelly, the USL's all-time regular-season goal scoring leader (42), has scored a goal in each of the past two postseasons for the Battery, both coming in the opening round of the 2013 and 2014 USL Playoffs.

USL CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS

2011: Orlando City SC 2, Harrisburg City Islanders 2 (Orlando City wins 3-2 in PK shootout)

2012: Charleston Battery 1, Wilmington Hammerheads FC 0

2013: Orlando City SC 7, Charlotte Eagles 4

2014: Sacramento Republic FC 2, Harrisburg City Islanders 0

ALL-TIME RECORDS FOR TEAMS IN 2015 USL PLAYOFFS

(2011-2014)

Eastern Conference

Charleston Battery: 4-3

Louisville City FC: 0-0

New York Red Bulls II: 0-0

Pittsburgh Riverhounds: 0-2

Richmond Kickers: 3-4

Rochester Rhinos: 1-3

Western Conference

Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC: 0-0

LA Galaxy II: 1-1

OKC Energy FC: 0-0

Orange County Blues FC: 0-2

Sacramento Republic FC: 3-0

Seattle Sounders FC 2: 0-0

HOW TO FOLLOW

Every game of the 2015 USL season can be seen live, free and in HD on YouTube (www.Youtube.com/USL), with updates from throughout the league also available via Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

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United Soccer League Championship Stories from September 25, 2015


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.


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