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USL Charleston Battery

Battery Will Open and Close 2016 USL Season at MUSC Health Stadium

January 26, 2016 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Charleston Battery News Release


CHARLESTON - The Charleston Battery will open at home against expansion Cincinnati FC on Saturday, March 26, close at home against New York Red Bulls II on Saturday, Sept. 24, and play three-game series with four regional rivals, according the 2016 USL Regular Season Schedule, announced this afternoon.

Outside of the unbalanced schedules with Richmond Kickers (two away), Wilmington Hammerheads (two away), Charlotte Independence (two at home) and expansion Orlando City B (two at home), the Battery will contest home-and-away matches with the remaining clubs in the 14-team USL Eastern Conference.

The 30-match schedule, spread out over 27 weeks, is the longest in league history, with the top eight clubs from each conference qualifying for the post-season.

"I think it's actually a really good schedule in many ways, but the most obvious good thing is the home schedule, which I think we have 13 games that will be on a Saturday night, and then two Wednesday nights," said Battery Club President Andrew Bell. "If you look back over the last few years, that sort of consistency is unprecedented."

The Battery played 12 of its 14 USL regular season matches on Saturday nights in 2015 en route to a club record average attendance of 4,080 fans per home match. All Battery home matches this season will be played at MUSC Health Stadium and kick off at 7:30 p.m.

Mike Anhaeuser, the club's general manager and head coach, likes what he sees from a competitive standpoint.

"We have a home game to open the season, and it's a great matchup with a new team that's pouring in resources, like Charlotte and Louisville did last year, so (Cincinnati) should be a great test for us early," Anhaeuser said. "The balance of our away and home games is good, and then of course we finish at home with some games, which is good, because if we come down to the wire competing for a playoff spot, we have three of our last four at home, which is a great competitive advantage."

The Battery will play no more than two consecutive games either home or away this season, and face only one likely multi-game away road trip: An early May trip to Rochester on a Friday, followed by a Monday match at Harrisburg. It's a far-cry from the old days of playing two matches within 24 hours multiple times a year.

"Financially it might be more of a burden for us, but competitively its going to be a new experience," Anhaeuser said. "So we should be able to put our best foot forward and go in there to win the game, (rather than) trying to adjust players and watch minutes. With two games in three days you have to be cautious with that. With one game, you go in there, get the job done, and come home."

Bell praised this year's league schedule process.

"USL has done a really good job of spacing out the games, and also keeping an eye on some things that we know might come into this schedule, but aren't included at this point," he said. "Of course the (U.S.) Open Cup, but they've also left us a little opportunity in July to maybe have another exhibition game. We've had success with that in the past, most notably last year when we played West Bromwich Albion. We would relish the chance to play another team, from England or from Europe or from Mexico. Who knows? And we have a date that would potentially work for that.

"We put some significant effort into it from a staff standpoint. Our staff were strategic in the game dates that we requested, and when you compare that request list to what we actually got it was pretty close. So it shows that the process does work."

Charleston Battery 2016 USL Regular Season Schedule

Charleston Battery 2016 USL Regular Season Schedule

Saturday, March 26, 7:30 p.m., FC Cincinnati at Charleston Battery

Friday, April 1, 7:30 p.m., Titan Soccer Complex, Charleston Battery at Orlando City B

Saturday, April 9, 7:30 p.m., Wilmington Hammerheads at Charleston Battery

Saturday, April 16, 7 p.m., Ramblewood Soccer Complex, Charleston Battery at Charlotte Independence

Sunday, April 24, time TBD, Charleston Battery at Bethlehem Steel FC

Saturday, April 30, 7:30 p.m., Pittsburgh Riverhounds at Charleston Battery

Friday, May 6, time TBD, Charleston Battery at Rochester Rhinos

Monday, May 9, time TBD, Charleston Battery at Harrisburg City Islanders

Saturday, May 14, Toronto FC II at Charleston Battery

Saturday, May 21, time TBD, Charleston Battery at Wilmington Hammerheads

Saturday, May 28, 7:30 p.m., Louisville City FC at Charleston Battery

Saturday, June 4, time TBD, Charleston Battery at Pittsburgh Riverhounds

Saturday, June 11, 7:30 p.m., Orlando City B at Charleston Battery

Saturday, June 18, 7:30 p.m., Harrisburg City Islanders at Charleston Battery

Sunday, June 26, time TBD, Charleston Battery at Toronto FC II

Saturday, July 2, 7:30 p.m., Richmond Kickers at Charleston Battery

Saturday, July 9, time TBD, Charleston Battery at Louisville City FC

Wednesday, July 13, 7:30 p.m., Orlando City B at Charleston Battery

Saturday, July 23, time TBD, Charleston Battery at New York Red Bulls II

Saturday, July 30, time TBD, Nippert Stadium, Charleston Battery at FC Cincinnati

Wednesday, Aug. 3, 7:30 p.m., Charlotte Independence at Charleston Battery

Saturday, Aug. 13, 7:30 p.m., FC Montreal at Charleston Battery

Wednesday, Aug. 17, 7 p.m. City Stadium, Charleston Battery at Richmond Kickers

Saturday, Aug. 20, time TBD, Charleston Battery at Wilmington Hammerheads

Saturday, Aug. 27, 7:30 p.m., Charlotte Independence at Charleston Battery

Saturday, Sept. 3, 7:30 p.m., Rochester Rhinos at Charleston Battery

Wednesday, Sept. 7, 4 p.m., Complexe Sportif Claude-Robillard, Charleston Battery at FC Montreal

Saturday, Sept. 10, 7:30 p.m., Bethlehem Steel FC at Charleston Battery

Saturday, Sept. 17, 5 p.m., City Stadium, Charleston Battery at Richmond Kickers

Saturday, Sept. 24, 7:30 p.m., New York Red Bulls II at Charleston Battery

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United Soccer League Championship Stories from January 26, 2016


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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