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NASL North Carolina FC

RailHawks Close out Regular Season in Front of Record Crowd

September 22, 2012 - North American Soccer League (NASL)
North Carolina FC News Release


CARY, NC - The Carolina RailHawks (10W-10T-8L, 40 pts.) closed out the 2012 NASL Regular Season in front of 7,310 fans in a scoreless tie against the Tampa Bay Rowdies (12W-9T-7L, 45 pts.). The RailHawks presented an alternative lineup in order to rest some of the players that saw the bulk of minutes in the 3 road games over the last 10 days. The hard fought match ended with 13 shots per side and 38 fouls in total.

The RailHawks and the Rowdies ended the fourth match in the 2012 series between the teams in a 0-0 tie. All four matches between the two teams ended in draws. Austin Da Luz and Breiner Ortiz, who showed dominance in the midfield, led the RailHawks attack. Since early in the first half, the midfielder duo showed the form that allowed them to break into the starting lineup before being sidelined with injuries. In the final minutes of the game the RailHawks had a couple of scoring chances including one that was cleared off the line by a defender.

With the tie the RailHawks now finished the NASL in fourth place on 40 points and will have to wait for the outcome of the games on Sunday to know which team they will be hosting on Saturday, September 29th at 7:00 PM. Fort Lauderdale will face Edmonton while Minnesota will visit San Antonio.

Prior to the game the RailHawks players received the annual awards recognizing their performance and contributions. Defender Sam Stockley received the Team Leadership Award, Ty Shipalane was named the WakeMed Unsung Hero, and the fans chose Justin Willis as the Fan Favorite Player. Captain Kupono was named Defensive Player of the Year. Nick Zimmerman was named Offensive Player of the Year as well as team MVP for his tremendous year where he leads the team with 15 goals.

The Carolina RailHawks will host a NASL Playoff Quarterfinal Match on Saturday, September 29th at WakeMed Soccer Park. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:00pm and gates will open at 6:00pm. The parking lot will open at 4:30pm on Saturday afternoon and fans are encouraged to arrive early and enjoy tailgating at WakeMed Soccer Park. To receive information about the Playoff match, 2013 Season Tickets, or ticket information, contact the Cruizers Box Office at 919-459-8144 or by email at tickets@CarolinaRailHawks.com .

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