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Louisville City FC

LouCity Adds Kaye for Saturday's Game in Richmond

April 7, 2017 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Louisville City FC News Release


PREVIEW: LouCity Adds Kaye for Saturday's Game in Richmond
PREVIEW: LouCity Adds Kaye for Saturday's Game in Richmond
(Louisville City FC)

A Louisville City FC attacking midfield that impressed in the United Soccer League season's opening two weeks will add more depth this weekend with Mark-Anthony Kaye returning from a stint with Canada's U-23 national team.

Kaye played 90 minutes in both appearances for his home country, contributing to a 1-0 win over Uzbekistan and a 2-0 victory against tournament host Qatar, which also has the 2022 World Cup.

"It's always good to get call-ups. It adds experience to your game, and it's just good to see different levels of the game," said Kaye, back to training with LouCity ahead of a 5 p.m.

Saturday away game against the Richmond Kickers. "I'm happy to be back, and I'm excited to get on the road and hopefully have a good performance in Richmond." Kaye, a Toronto native, had the chance to be seen by Octavio Zambrano, Canada Soccer's new head coach. Zambrano has more than 25 years of coaching experience, including a trip to the MLS Cup Final as an LA Galaxy assistant coach.

"I'm delighted for Mark that he was able to go and play so well," said O'Connor, LouCity's coach. "Great little bit of a profile there for himself, and now he comes back in here to us." Kaye re-joined LouCity after the club posted a 3-1 victory over Orlando City B, following up a dominating - but scoreless - performance in the opener versus Saint Louis FC. He'll now have to battle for playing time with three attacking midfielders who started both the games so far in 2017: Richard Ballard, George Davis IV and Brian Ownby.

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Contact Jonathan Lintner, LouCity's director of media relations, with any questions, comments and requests by email at jlintner@louisvillecityfc.com or cell at (502) 930-7271. For the latest club news and updates on media availability, ask to join Jonathan's email listing.

Louisville City FC quickly established itself as one of the United Soccer League's top clubs. Led by coach James O'Connor, the boys in purple tallied more points, goals and assists than any team in the USL during the 2015 and 2016 seasons. Both years ended with LouCity posting the league's sec- ond-best record. The club advanced to the Eastern Conference Final, both years falling to the eventual champions. O'Connor and his coaching staff in March signed contract extensions through the 2020 seaosn, when LouCity plans to open its soccer-specific stadium.

USL regular season April 8, 2017 5 p.m.

City Stadium 65 degrees; sunny Danielle Chesky Justin Howard, Jordan Davis Max Smith TV (WBNA-21), radio (840 WHAS) and USL Soccer's YouTube LOUISVILLE CITY FC WWW.LOUISVILLECITY.COM/MEDIA NEWS AND NOTES LOUCITY AT RICHMOND LouCity enters the weekend third on the USL's Eastern Conference table, behind only the Tampa Bay Rowdies and Charleston Battery. With a draw and win so far, the club is looking to match a five-game unbeaten streak to open its inaugural 2015 season. Last year, LouCity fell to eventual USL champion New York Red Bulls II in its second game.

A pair of LouCity's attacking midfielders - both former Richmond Kickers teammates - will return to the Kickers' City Stadium on Saturday. Richmond native Brian Ownby played for his home- town club for parts of 2013 and 2014 while on loan, then signed with the Kickers for the 2015-2016 seasons. George Davis IV suited up for the team from 2014-2015.

Conor Shanosky, a former LouCity defender who signed with the Richmond Kickers late last sea- son, has taken over the role of team captain with his new club. Shanosky scored the only goal in a Week 1 win over the Harrisburg City Islanders. This is Shanosky's second stint with the Kickers; he also played there on loan from the DC United in 2013 and 2014.

LouCity drew last May in Richmond before winning its other two matchups with the Kickers.

After notching a 2-0 result on Sept. 10 at Louisville Slugger Field, LouCity hosted Richmond in the opening round of the USL Cup Playoffs, scoring two goals in extra time to advance. The boys in purple registered clean sheets in all three meetings.

Former MLS SuperDraft pick Luke Spencer put multiple knee surgeries behind him last Thursday with a 76th-minute goal against Orlando City B, his first as a professional. Spencer, who came on as an early substitute, totaled six shots in a breakout performance, placing three of them on goal.

He could be in line to start after relieving Cameron Lancaster, who left the Orlando game as a precaution.

In addition to Spencer's goal, Lancaster and George Davis IV scored in Orlando. Afterward, Davis IV hinted that this LouCity team may not rely on a single striker. In 2015, Matt Fondy delivered a USL-record 22 goals in 28 games, and in 2016 Chandler Hoffman scored 14 goals, most of them in the first half of the season.

Louisville native Richard Ballard, a recent graduate of Indiana University, has started on the right wing in both of LouCity's games so far and flashed plenty of potential. He went the full 90 minutes in the opener against Saint Louis FC and subbed out of the Orlando game after assisting George Davis IV's 57th-minute goal.

Missing starting 2016 center backs Sean Reynolds and Paco Craig due to red card suspensions, LouCity's defense hasn't missed a bit. Through 180 minutes, the only ball scored on the unit was an own goal. Newcomer Sean Totsch, formerly of the Rochester Rhinos, has featured as a center back alongside of Tarek Morad. Oscar Jimenez switched to left back from his former position in the midfield, while Kyle Smith again has right back locked down.

Goalkeeper Greg Ranjitsingh will continue to sit out this weekend due to a hip flexor strain suf- fered in LouCity's season opener. Expect Tim Dobrowolski, a second-year player out of Loyola-Chi- cago, to get the start in Richmond. Saturday's game will mark the last of three that defender Sean Reynolds has to sit out due to a red card suspension from 2016.

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PREVIEW: LouCity Adds Kaye for Saturday's Game in Richmond
PREVIEW: LouCity Adds Kaye for Saturday's Game in Richmond
   

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