USL-1 Charleston Battery

Battery heads to Pacific Northwest for two

August 5, 2009 - USL First Division (USL-1)
Charleston Battery News Release


Charleston, SC. The Charleston Battery heads to the Pacific Northwest this weekend for a pair of games with big implications in the USL First Division. On Friday night the Battery (10-3-8, 38 points) takes on the defending USL1 champion Vancouver Whitecaps (7-7-4, 25 points) in an 11 PM match that is being broadcast live on FOX Soccer Channel. On Saturday Charleston battles the Portland Timbers (9-1-9, 36 points) at PGE Field (10 PM, Sports Radio 1450 AM).

The Battery enters the weekend in first position in the USL1 standings however that could change prior to the game in Vancouver with the Carolina RailHawks (11-5-3, 36 points) playing the Rochester Rhinos Wednesday night and the Portland Timbers hosting the Vancouver Whitecaps on Thursday. Portland is currently second just two points behind Charleston and with two games in hand.

Charleston's last league outing was a 1-0 win versus the Austin Aztex in a rain-soaked game played at Blackbaud Stadium last Thursday night. Midfielder Scott Buete scored the lone goal in the 48th minute, his first for the Battery.

Veteran goalkeeper Dusty Hudock faced seven shots and recorded one save en route to his league-leading 12th shut-out of the season.

Charleston Battery head coach Mike Anhaeuser should have two additional players available for selection for the games with the return of Chris Williams from suspension and Darren Spicer from injury; both missed the match versus Austin.

Friday's match will be the second of the year between the Battery and the Whitecaps; the teams played to a 0-0 tie in the USL season opener on April 11 in Vancouver. The third game of the season between the teams is set for August 20 at Blackbaud Stadium.

Vancouver enters the weekend in 6th position but has played three fewer games than the Battery. Vancouver played two road games last weekend defeating Rochester 3-1 on Friday night and tying Cleveland 0-0 on Saturday.

The Vancouver Whitecaps are led by second year head coach Teitur Thordarson who got off to a fast start in the USL in 2008 posting a 18-9-8 record on the way to winning the USL title.

The Vancouver roster includes 2008 Battery defender Marco Reda who joined the Whitecaps after being released by Charleston. Vancouver also picked up former College of Charleston defender Wes Knight.

Saturday's game in Portland will match the two tightest defenses in the league with Charleston having conceded nine goals and Portland ten. The Timbers last match was a 1-1 tie with the Minnesota Thunder in a game played in Blaine, MN last Saturday night. Portland is the only remaining team in USL1 that is unbeaten at home in 2009.

Portland is led by third-year head coach Gavin Wilkinson, a former Timbers player. Wilkinson added former Minnesota Thunder head coach Amos Magee to his staff during the off-season after Magee's departure from the Thunder late in the 2008 season. Magee serves as Wilkinson's assistant coach.

Portland and Vancouver have both recently been awarded MLS franchises and will make the jump from USL1 to MLS for the 2011 season.

Buete and Bobo honored

Charleston Battery midfielder Scott Buete and defender Matt Bobo have both been named to the USL First Division team of the week following strong performances in last weeks game versus Austin. Bobo anchored the Battery back-four that earned its 12th shut-out of the season while Scott Buete scored the winning goal, his first in a Battery uniform.

Buete and Bobo both joined the Battery for the 2009 season after spending the last three years the Atlanta Silverbacks.

TV and Radio

Friday night's match in Vancouver is the USL FOX Soccer Channel game of the week and will be broadcast live starting at 11 PM. There will be no radio broadcast of the match versus Vancouver. Saturday's versus the Portland Timbers will be available locally via Sports Radio 1450 AM with the pre-game show starting at 9:45 PM.

Check out the Charleston Battery Statistics



USL First Division Stories from August 5, 2009


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