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USL-1 North Carolina FC

RailHawks eliminated from USL-1 quarterfinals, fall 1-0 on aggregate

September 27, 2009 - USL First Division (USL-1)
North Carolina FC News Release


CARY, N.C. - Over the RailHawks' final seven home games, Vancouver was the only USL First Division team to leave WakeMed Soccer Park with a tie.

Sunday's 0-0 result in the teams' USL-1 quarterfinal return leg ensured that would hold true, but the draw meant defeat for the RailHawks.

Needing a goal to even the series on aggregate and two to win, the RailHawks didn't get any, and Vancouver eliminated them 1-0 on aggregate. The Whitecaps won the first leg of the series 1-0 on Thursday and will move on to the USL-1 semifinals against top-seeded Portland, while the RailHawks are left to wonder how their season ended so abruptly and unexpectedly.

"I need to look at it again to analyze it properly," said Carolina coach Martin Rennie. "But I felt like the first goal [Sunday] would be really important. In the first half, we had a few chances to get that, and we didn't take it. And then it made it more difficult because we started to go a little bit too direct, and they were packing it in. When you go direct, you need the ball to bounce your way, and it didn't."

Given that the RailHawks tied for the USL-1 lead in home wins (11), had the best home goal differential in the league (plus-24), had been shut out at home only once in 15 matches and were playing a team with only two road shutouts, it stood to reason that the RailHawks, at the very least, would get one goal.

But it never came.

"I think we had our fair share of chances," said midfielder Daniel Paladini. "We could've been more composed in front of the net. We had tons of crosses and good opportunities, and we didn't make the best out of it. That's something we need to work on in the offseason, come back, and eventually get a win for this franchise in the playoffs."

With Sunday's loss, the RailHawks fall to 0-4 all-time in the postseason.

The RailHawks were on the ball for almost the entire first half, but that possession didn't translate to a goal.

Carolina took 12 shots by night's end, but much like the first leg, the RailHawks were unable to put much pressure on Vancouver goalkeeper Jay Nolly (four saves).

In the second minute, Paladini sent a long free kick into the area. Brad Rusin got his head on the other end, but it deflected off a Vancouver defender.

In the 19th minute, Mark Schulte got his head to a Paladini corner, but it was deflected away by a Vancouver defender, and the threat was averted.

They nearly took a 1-0 lead (and evened the aggregate) in the 36th minute. On a counterattack, Gregory Richardson broke down the left side. As he entered the area and looked to turn toward the goal, Vancouver defender Lyle Martin pulled Richardson down, leading to a penalty kick. Paladini, who tied for the team lead in goals scored this season, hit the shot low and to Nolly's right, and the Vancouver goalkeeper turned it away.

"I had the chance to tie us, and I just slipped and missed the PK," Paladini said. "I ran up and had my spot, and I just slipped."

Though the Whitecaps were cautious going forward, they nearly scored in the 25th minute. Following a Wes Knight throw-in, the ball was knocked around the area. It bounced out to Kenold Versailles, and his half-volley ricocheted off the crossbar.

The RailHawks thought they might have equalized midway through the second half, but again, it was not so. In the 64th minute, John Cunliffe played through Matthew Delicâte. Nolly came out to try and win the ball, but Delicâte got to it first and punched it into goal. But just as the ball settled in to the goal, the linesman's flag was up. Delicâte was offside.

In the 81st minute, Nolly came way off his line and out of the area to head a ball away. He didn't hit it squarely, and it popped out to Gavin Glinton. Glinton tried to hit on frame out of the air, but he was unable to square it up.

In the end, the difference might have been experience. Vancouver is the reigning USL-1 champion, while the RailHawks were back in the playoffs for the first time since 2007, and a rebuilt team with almost entirely new parts at that.

"There's just something that comes with experience," said captain Mark Schulte. "Vancouver, they're an experienced team. That's what they do every year - make the playoffs and then they turn it on. They did it last year and that's what they're looking to do this year. That's something we have to learn, either in the offseason, or throughout playing next year, what it is to play in the postseason, which is a totally different beast than the regular season."

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USL First Division Stories from September 27, 2009


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