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USL-1 North Carolina FC

RailHawks face Cleveland with eyes on top of the league

August 7, 2009 - USL First Division (USL-1)
North Carolina FC News Release


The Carolina RailHawks will look to reclaim sole possession of first place on Saturday, when they meet the Cleveland City Stars at WakeMed Soccer Park at 7 p.m.

The RailHawks (12-5-3) enter the weekend tied with Portland at the top of the USL-1 table (39 points).

The RailHawks, whose 12 wins lead the USL-1, reclaimed first place with their 1-0 win over Rochester on Wednesday, the first time since May 29 Carolina has been at the top of the table.

But their hold on sole possession of first was brief.

Portland defeated Vancouver 1-0 on Thursday night to pull back even with Carolina. Charleston, which began the week at the top of the table, can regain the lead on Friday if it beats Vancouver. However, the RailHawks can then take first place back on Saturday if they defeat Cleveland, but Portland could then pull back into a tie if it beats Charleston later Saturday night.

Carolina has won three straight matches and outscored its opponents 8-0. It's the RailHawks' third three-match win streak of the year, and it's the third time this year they've held opponents scoreless for at least 300 minutes. The current streak stands at 310.

Since June 30, the RailHawks are 8-1-0 and they have outscored the opposition 18-4, with six shutouts.

Saturday is Jimmy V Night, presented by CEI and Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina.

A portion of the proceeds from ticket sales from Saturday's match will be donated to the Jimmy V Foundation, and anyone who purchases a ticket to the match can use it to gain admission to the Jimmy V Celebrity Golf Classic at N.C. State's Lonnie Poole Golf Course on Aug. 16.

SCOUTING CLEVELAND

The City Stars (2-12-7) come to WakeMed Soccer Park sitting at the bottom of the USL First Division table with 13 points. Cleveland is winless over its last 10 matches (0-5-5) and last won a game on June 13 (3-0 vs. Rochester).

Defensively, the City Stars have allowed the most shots in the league (260/12.38 spg) and the second most goals (35).Their goalkeepers have combined to make 87 saves, third most in the league. Hunter Gilstrap has done most the work this year. In 17 matches, he has a 1.705 goals against average, 71 saves and five shutouts.

Though Cleveland has been shut out more times (11) than any other team in the league and their 15 goals scored and 7.86 shots per game are fewest in the league, the City Stars feature a handful of offensive threats. Midfielder Joshua Boateng leads the team with four goals, while forward Ricardo Pierre-Louis has scored three goals and midfielder Roland Aguilera has three goals and five assists.

SERIES HISTORY

Saturday's match with be the third and final meeting between the RailHawks and City Stars in 2009. The RailHawks won the first two games, 3-0 at Cleveland on May 22 and 1-0 on May 29 at WakeMed Soccer Park.

In the first match, Daniel Paladini had two assists while Andriy Budnyy, John Cunliffe and Joseph Kabwe accounted for the goals. The RailHawks outshot Cleveland 13-6, and goalkeeper Eric Reed had to make just one save to earn the shutout.

In the second match a week later, the RailHawks outshot Cleveland 12-5 but weren't able to break down the City Stars until the 90th minute, when Daniel Paladini scored the game-winning goal on a 30-yard free kick. Goalkeeper Caleb Patterson didn't need to make a single save in order to keep his clean sheet.

LAST TIME OUT

The RailHawks earned their first ever win in Rochester on Wednesday night by defeating the Rhinos 1-0 at Marina Auto Stadium. Kupono Low scored the game's only goal in the 90th minute, redirecting a pass from Andriy Budnyy. The win was the RailHawks' second straight over Rochester after the Carolina didn't win any of the first six (0-2-4).

OW TO THE TOP

Kupono Low became the RailHawks' all-time leader in points after scoring the game-winning goal in Rochester on Wednesday night.

Low has 29 points (10 goals, nine assists) in his two and a half seasons with the RailHawks.

Low also sits atop the club's list in appearances (81), minutes (7,082) and assists (nine). His goal Wednesday also broke a tie with Hamed Diallo for second most in club history, and Low trails Connally Edozien by three goals for the lead in that category.

If that goal wasn't enough of a milestone, it was also the RailHawks' 100th goal scored in an official match in club history (official being defined as USL-1 or USOC matches).

PLAYER NOTES

*Forward Andriy Budnyy set up Kupono Low's 90th-minute goal on Wednesday night in Rochester, his first assist of the season. Budnyy has played 27 minutes the last two matches and tallied a goal and an assist as a substitute.
*Goalkeeper Caleb Patterson tied his season-high for saves in a game (seven) on Wednesday, and earned his seventh shutout of the season in the process.
*One match after making his club debut, defender Greg Shields got his first start with the RailHawks. He played all 90 minutes at right back in Rochester.

STAT LEADERS*

Goals: Sallieu Bundu (5)
Assists: Daniel Paladini (5)
Minutes: Mark Schulte (2,171)
Shots: Daniel Paladini (46)
Fouls: Amir Lowery (37)

*includes USL-1 matches, U.S. Open Cup matches and five friendlies in 2009

CAROLINA VS USL-1*

The following are the RailHawks' team statistics for the year and in parentheses is where they rank in each category compared to the rest of the USL First Division.

Shots: 225 (3rd)
Shots allowed: 207 (9th)
Goals: 26 (T-3rd)
Goals allowed: 13 (9th)
Saves: 61 (T-9th)
Shutouts: 12 (T-1st)
Times shut out: 4 (T-10th)

*based only on USL-1 matches

2008 VS 2009 SEASON COMPARISON

Through 20 games in 2008:
4-7-9, 21 points, 18 GF, 27 GA, 5 SO

Through 19 games in 2009:
12-5-3, 39 points, 26 GF, 13 GA, 12 SO

USL-1 STANDINGS

Portland 10-1-9, 39 points
Carolina 12-5-3, 39 points
Charleston 10-3-8, 38 points
Puerto Rico 9-5-8, 35 points
Rochester 8-7-5, 29 points
Vancouver 7-8-4, 25 points
Miami 7-8-4, 25 points
Montreal 6-8-5, 23 points
Minnesota 3-9-6, 15 points
Austin (-2) 3-11-7, 14 points
Cleveland 2-12-7, 13 points

USL-1 SCHEDULE - WEEK 19

Wednesday, Aug. 5
Carolina 1, Rochester 0

Thursday, Aug. 6
Vancouver 0, Portland 1

Friday, Aug. 7
Charleston at Vancouver, 11 p.m.

Saturday, Aug. 8
Cleveland at Carolina, 7 p.m.
Austin at Rochester, 7:35 p.m.
Miami at Puerto Rico, 8 p.m.
Charleston at Portland, 10 p.m.

Sunday, Aug. 9
Minnesota at Montreal, 3:45 p.m.

NEXT UP

After playing twice this week, the RailHawks will have seven days to recuperate before taking the field again. They will meet the Vancouver Whitecaps at Swanguard Stadium on Aug. 15 before returning to WakeMed Soccer Park to face the Whitecaps again on Aug. 18. The RailHawks' won the teams' first meeting this season 2-1 at WakeMed Soccer Park on July 17.
Check out the North Carolina FC Statistics



USL First Division Stories from August 7, 2009


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