Playoff Preview: Charleston vs. Rhode Island
Published on October 31, 2025 under United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Charleston Battery News Release
The Charleston Battery are back at Patriots Point to host Rhode Island FC on Sun., Nov. 2, in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals of the USL Championship Playoffs. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m. ET and the match will air exclusively on national television on CBS Sports Network.
Charleston and Rhode Island split the regular season series with both sides winning their home fixtures. Charleston triumphed 2-0 in March, while Rhode Island won 1-0 in August.
The Battery (No. 2) head into postseason play after defeating Birmingham Legion FC, 2-1, in the regular season finale. Charleston came back from an early 0-1 deficit to win following goals by Houssou Landry and Cal Jennings. The result marked the Battery's 19th win of the regular season, setting a new single-season club record in Charleston's Championship era.
Rhode Island (No. 7) arrive in the Lowcountry to officially kick off their Eastern Conference Title defense. The New England club suffered defeat in their finale, a 2-1 road loss against New Mexico United.
The Eastern Conference Quarterfinals are the opening round of the USL Championship Playoffs, and it is a single-elimination match. The Conference Semifinals will be the weekend of November 8-9.
Storylines of the Match
EC Final Rematch - Perhaps the main storyline going into Sunday is this game being a rematch of last year's Eastern Conference Final, which Rhode Island won, 1-2, at Patriots Point. Charleston managed to get some payback in March in the first meeting since that game when Cal Jennings notched a brace in the first half. However, it's a clean slate in the postseason now and the stakes are higher than ever.
Past History - The East Coast rivals have met five times in the past two seasons. Since Rhode Island joined the league last year, they hold a slight advantage in the all-time series with a 2W-1L-2D record. The series is even at 1W-1L-1D in meetings at Patriots Point.
Top Attack vs. Top Defense - It will be a clash of opposites on Sunday as the Battery's high-octane offense meets Rhode Island's stout defense. Charleston were the league's high-scoring side in the regular season, led by Cal Jennings (17G/6A) and MD Myers (15G/4A). Rhode Island goalkeeper Koke Vegas, meanwhile, had the second-most clean sheets (11) and third-best save percentage (72.1%) in the Championship.
Ones to Watch - The strikers will be ones to keep an eye on for both teams on Sunday. Cal Jennings ended the league season with 17 goals and a career-best six assists, which was a Championship-best 23 goal contributions. JJ Williams, on the other hand, had a league-leading +0.25 Goals Added-per-90 mark for the regular season.
Fast Starters - The Battery were the fastest starters in either half in the league in attack in 2025, recording 11 goals in the opening 15 minutes of the first half and 12 goals in the opening 15 minutes of the second half during the regular season.
Fight for Fifth Title - While Rhode Island aim to defend their conference title, the Battery officially begin their hunt for a fifth league title. Charleston have won four league championships: 1996, 2003, 2010 and 2012. They additionally claimed silverware via the 2010 regular season title and 2023 Eastern Conference trophy.
Playoffs at the Point - Saturday will mark the eighth consecutive playoff match hosted by the Battery, dating back to 2023. This year, Charleston posted a home record of 12W-1L-2D in the regular season, which included an 11-game winning streak.
Golden Awards Runners-Up - Recognition is due for three Battery players who finished as close runners-up in the Championship Golden Awards. Cal Jennings and MD Myers finished second and third, respectively, in the Golden Boot race, and Juan David Torres came in second for the Golden Playmaker race. While the awards might have gone elsewhere, it does not take away the shine from their sterling seasons.
Road Ahead - Sunday's winner will advance to the Eastern Conference Semifinals set for November 8-9, where they will face the winner of the No. 3 North Carolina FC vs. No. 6 Loudoun United FC match.
From the Training Ground
MATCH INFO
Eastern Conference Quarterfinals
Charleston Battery vs. Rhode Island FC
Sunday, November 2 - 2 p.m. ET Kickoff
Patriots Point
HOW TO WATCH:
Sunday's match will air exclusively on national television on CBS Sports Network, which may be accessed through a typical cable or satellite TV subscription that includes CBSSN. Check your TV's guide for the exact channel number.
The match is exclusive to CBSSN and will not be accessible via a Paramount+ subscription nor will it be available on local linear channels. Fans may use the CBS Sports App or website to stream the games by logging in with their TV subscription credentials.
On radio, the game will air on SiriusXM FC (channel 963).
A limited amount of tickets for Sunday are available now via SeatGeek.com, the Battery's exclusive digital ticketing provider.
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