Locomotive FC Begins Road Slate at Monterey Bay FC
USL El Paso Locomotive FC

Locomotive FC Begins Road Slate at Monterey Bay FC

Published on March 13, 2026 under United Soccer League Championship (USL)
El Paso Locomotive FC News Release


EL PASO, Texas - El Paso Locomotive FC travels to Seaside, California, tomorrow, Saturday, March 14, to face Monterey Bay FC in the club's first road match of the 2026 USL Championship season. The match will be streamed on ESPN+.

Watch: ESPN+

Be sure to follow @eplocomotivefc on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook for live updates of the match. Additionally, fans are encouraged to download the team's official mobile app on the Apple App Store or Google Play for instant access to mobile tickets, team content, and match notifications.

KEY STORYLINES

FULL STEAM AHEAD

El Paso Locomotive FC returns to Western Conference action this week against Monterey Bay FC after earning a point in the season opener with a 2-2 draw against Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC. El Paso will look to capitalize on early scoring opportunities while maintaining its defensive organization as it seeks its first road win of the 2026 season. Kickoff is set for Saturday, March 14 at 8 p.m. MT in Seaside, Calif., with the match streaming live on ESPN+.

LOOKING BACK

Locomotive opened the 2026 season with a 2-2 draw against Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC, delivering a balanced performance that featured contributions across the pitch. Forward Rubio Rubín made an immediate impact in his Locomotive debut, leading the attack and scoring both of El Paso's goals. His two-goal performance marked the first brace ever recorded by a Locomotive player in a season opener.

Offensively, the club finished the match with 16 total shots, including seven on target and 13 attempts from inside the box. Defensively, the back line also stood strong, highlighted by Noah Dollenmayer, who recorded 12 of the team's 30 clearances in the match.

RUBÍN EARNS WEEKLY HONORS

Forward Rubio Rubín earned league-wide recognition following his standout performance on Saturday, being named the USL Championship Player of the Week while also earning a place on the Team of the Week.

Rubín delivered a decisive performance, scoring both of El Paso's goals while placing all three of his shots on target. The honor marks Rubín's second career USL Championship Player of the Week award, having previously earned the recognition in 2020 with the now-defunct San Diego Loyal. It also represents the first weekly league honor for a Locomotive player during the 2026 season. The last Locomotive player to earn Player of the Week honors was Andy Cabrera in Week 12 of the 2025 season (May 27), also following a two-goal performance.

HOBAN MAKES HISTORIC DEBUT

Academy product Kenneth Hoban made history for Los Locos on Saturday, earning his first professional start at just 16 years old. With the appearance, Hoban becomes the second player in club history to make his professional debut at age 16. A native of El Paso, Texas, Hoban also became the first player to progress through the club's youth academy system and make his professional debut with the first team.

Hoban joins Luis Moreno, who made his professional debut at age 16 against Miami FC on August 5, 2024.

BALANCED ATTACK

The attack for Locomotive featured multiple contributors in the club's most recent match, with four players accounting for 10 of the club's 16 shots against Colorado Springs. Forwards Rubio Rubín and Diego Abitia led the team with three shots each, pacing the Locomotive offense. Rubín delivered the most accurate shooting performance of the night, placing all three of his attempts on target. Midfielder Alex Méndez and academy product Kenneth Hoban each added two shots, helping Locomotive sustain attacking pressure.

DEFENSIVE ANCHOR

Defender Noah Dollenmayer anchored the back line for El Paso Locomotive FC, recording 12 clearances and eight duels won, both team highs. His 12 clearances were more than double the next closest Locomotive player, Kenneth Hoban, who finished with five. Dollenmayer's presence helped limit Colorado Springs's attack, holding the Switchbacks to just two shots on goal.

POSSESSION & PASSING

El Paso Locomotive FC showcased strong buildup play in its last match, finishing with 16 total shots and seven on target, with the majority of those opportunities generated through structured possession in midfield. Midfielder Alex Méndez played a key role in orchestrating the attack, recording two shots and contributing to chance creation.

Locomotive's offensive buildup featured contributions from across the lineup, with five different players recording at least one key pass and four players registering multiple shots. The team created 13 of its 16 shots from inside the box, two which resulted in scores.

GETTING THE CALL

El Paso Locomotive FC defender Noah Dollenmayer has been called up to represent the Dominican Republic during the upcoming international window. Dollenmayer will join the Dominican Republic as the national team prepares for international competition during the window, including a friendly match against El Salvador on Wednesday, March 25, 9:00 p.m. MT in the Dominican Republic. This match will count towards the Dominican Republic's FIFA Ranking. Dollenmayer received his first call-up a year ago. He will rejoin Locomotive following the conclusion of the international window.

RECENT LOCOMOTIVE QUOTES

HC Junior Gonzalez on the Locomotive Season Opener:

"The environment, the fans, and the experience were great. It gave us extra motivation, and the guys were feeding off that energy. They dealt with some adversity early in the game, but mentally the group stayed composed and continued competing. I thought it was a great experience for us.

There are some key points we need to work on this week to be better. Colorado Springs was very organized, a hard-working team with good ability on free kicks and restarts. We need to be able to score two goals, control the tempo at times, and be bold. Unfortunately, we made two mistakes, and they capitalized on them. Overall, we could have left this game without a point, but we came away with one. We can take the positives from the attack and look to be better against Monterey."

Gonzalez on looking to Monterey Bay FC:

"We need to have a good start to the match, good confidence in the match, and hopefully things that we need to improve on from this game we can build on and the next. I'm hoping that we're stronger on free-kick situations and defending those. I'm hoping we're a little bit cleaner in our technique and executing our game plan. But overall, I'm excited to go to NorCal and to see another opponent and to see us controlling the tempo of the game."

F Rubio Rubín on his two goals against Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC:

"I think it was just about being in the right spots on those two goals. Obviously, it's about reacting and being in front of the goal. Coach always preaches that, and as a striker, I try to keep myself in the window of the goal, especially on rebounds, because anything can happen. Luckily, I was in the right spot and able to finish them.

It feels good. It's still a new group with a new coaching staff coming in, but it's been great so far. We had eight preseason games, and those helped prepare us for the home opener."

D Noah Dollenmayer's take on improvements going into Monterey Bay FC:

"I think there are a lot of positives. Of course, the two goals we conceded are frustrating. Overall, we looked good and felt like we played well. But the reality of sports is that sometimes you don't get the three points, and that's what we were looking for. So we're frustrated in that aspect, but we're also excited because we feel like we're building something, and we're focused on that as well. We need to work on second balls and set pieces in general. If we combine that with being a little more mentally focused in those moments when the game stops, we'll be solid.

Dollenmayer on playing at home:

"I loved being back out there in front of the El Paso fans. It had been a while for me, going away and then coming back, so that was amazing. I also loved the overall energy from the team to bounce back after conceding early. A lot of teams can get rattled in that moment, but we showed our true colors by responding strongly and fighting back to take control of the game."

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United Soccer League Championship Stories from March 13, 2026


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