USL Charleston Battery

Battery Fight to Hold Playoff Position Friday

September 3, 2014 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Charleston Battery News Release


CHARLESTON, SC - The Charleston Battery host playoff hopefuls Harrisburg City Islanders at Blackbaud Stadium on Friday at 7:30 p.m. with their playoff ticket in hand, but their destiny up for grabs.

As the USL PRO season enters its final week of the regular season with Wednesday night's match between Wilmington and visiting Orlando, five teams have secured playoff spots. Playoff seeding, however, remains in flux.

For the Battery, a win Friday against Harrisburg would go a long way toward securing a fifth or sixth seed. But with Charleston playing just once more and several rivals playing multiple matches, the outcomes of other games will figure into the Battery's playoff seeding even a win in its final regular-season fixture.

"We want to win and get into that fifth or sixth spot, but obviously we don't control that. So we're just focused on playing well and getting the points," said Coach Mike Anhaeuser. "That's all we can do."

Harrisburg (34 points, 9-10-7) looked to be one of the most dangerous teams in the field in early August, winning four straight between July 30 and Aug. 9 - with the Aug. 9th match a signature 3-2 win over first-place Orlando. But the City Islanders finished out the month 0-2-1, most recently falling 4-1 to Rochester at Harrisburg's home stadium. The losses dropped them from fifth into a tie with Wilmington for the seventh and eighth playoff positions.

Charleston (38 points, 10-9-8) compiled more points in August than any other team except Sacramento, which ended the Battery's eight-match undefeated streak with a 3-1 midweek result. The Battery bounced back emphatically last weekend, blanking Pittsburgh 4-0 to punch their post-season ticket.

Harrisburg finds itself in contention thanks to the fourth-best goal-scoring offense in the league, much of it powered by steady midfielder Yann Ekra (one goal, six assists), forwards Robbie Derschang (six goals, one assist) and Morgan Langley (six goals, six assists). It's also been boosted at various times by Philadelphia Union attackers James McLaughlin, Pedro Ribeiro and current loaned forward Antoine Hoppenot.

Harrisburg finds itself on the playoff bubble due to the fifth-worst scoring defense in the league. Only defender Matthew Bahner has been a regular, steady contributor, and even goalkeeper Nick Noble - a Battery drainer over the years - has suffered through a 1.55 goals-against average in 24 appearances.

Charleston's late-summer resurgence has hinged on its improved attack. The team averaged just a goal a match in late July, but in the 10 matches since July 22 has averaged 1.8 goals per game while compiling a 6-1-3 record.

"Our offense started clicking," Anhaeuser said. "Dane (Kelly) started scoring goals, and obviously Jose (Cuevas), who wasn't here at the start, helped create them. But the outside guys have helped, too. What did Zach (Prince) have last week? One goal and two assists? So it's been a lot of guys."

Home field advantage has figured prominently in the surge. Six of the Battery's previous 10 matches have been played Blackbaud Stadium, where fan support has improved dramatically from week to week. "At the beginning of the season I told the guys that if we could win our home games and get 30 points here, we'd make the playoffs," Anhaeuser said. "A win on Friday would get us to 27 points at home. So that's pretty close."

The match will be Charleston's only home date in the three-game series between the two this season, with the first two matches in Harrisburg swinging wildly. Charleston beat the Islanders 4-0 on May 2, only to be pummeled by Harrisburg 4-1 in their return on July 5.

Friday's match is the first of back-to-back games for Harrisburg, who travel to Charlotte on Saturday.

The match is also the final regular season game for Battery legend John Wilson, who is retiring at the end of the season. Wilson first joined the Battery in 1999, and has been with the team ever since returning in 2008.

The match begins at 7:30 p.m. with gates opening at 6. Tickets are $10 to $18 and can be purchased online (www.charlestonbattery.com) or over the phone at (843) 971-GOAL (4625). A fireworks display will follow the full-time whistle.

Check out the Charleston Battery Statistics



United Soccer League Championship Stories from September 3, 2014


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.

OurSports Central