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USL-1 Charleston Battery

Battery welcomes RailHawks for regular season finale

September 17, 2008 - USL First Division (USL-1)
Charleston Battery News Release


Charleston, SC. The playoff-bound Charleston Battery takes on the Carolina RailHawks Friday night (September 19) at Blackbaud Stadium in its final game of the 2008 regular season. Charleston is playing for league position as it looks ahead to the USL1 playoffs beginning Friday, September 26. The Battery qualified for post-season play with last Thursday's 2-1 win in Portland; the RailHawks need to beat Charleston on Friday to keep their hopes of securing the seventh and final playoff berth alive.

The Battery (11-11-7, 40 points, 5th) holds the best home record in the USL First Division with nine wins to date and has a chance to win its tenth home game of the year Friday night. The Battery's dominance at Blackbaud Stadium includes 22 goals scored with only 10 conceded; Charleston's last home loss was suffered on July 12 versus the Puerto Rico Islanders.

Friday's match has added significance for the Battery as Charleston has never managed to defeat Carolina in the team's five previous meetings. The Battery has recorded only one goal against the RailHawks and has conceded ten. In 2008 the Battery has lost twice to Carolina, with a 1-0 defeat on April 26 and a 3-1 defeat on September 6; both games were played in Cary, NC.

Charleston played twice on the road last weekend winning 2-1 versus the Portland Timbers in a game played on Thursday night then losing 4-0 on Saturday night versus the Minnesota Thunder. The win in Portland guaranteed Charleston's post-season berth; conversely the loss in Minnesota eliminated Portland from playoff contention while simultaneously keeping the Thunder in the post-season hunt.

The RailHawks (7-11-10, 31 points, 9th), conclude their regular season on Saturday night with a match versus the Portland Timbers. Trailing the 7th placed Minnesota Thunder by five points a draw or a loss on Friday would eliminate Carolina.

The RailHawks are led by second-year head coach Scott Schweitzer who engineered an improbable playoff berth for Carolina in the franchise's first season in 2007. The RailHawks lost in the first round to eventual champions the Seattle Sounders. Schweitzer is a 13-year veteran of the USL as a player including eight with the Rochester Rhinos where he won three USL1 titles and a U.S. Open Cup.

Friday night's game will be televised nationally on FOX Soccer Channel and features a season finale Fireworks Spectacular immediately following the match; gates open at 6:00 PM with kick off set for 8:00 PM. Tickets are available for $5 - $15, to purchase tickets please call (843) 971-GOAL (4625) or visit www.charlestonbattery.com.

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