NASL North Carolina FC

RailHawks, Silverbacks Renew Rivalry Saturday

May 27, 2011 - North American Soccer League (NASL)
North Carolina FC News Release


The first-place Carolina RailHawks return to WakeMed Soccer Park on Saturday at 7 p.m. to renew their rivalry with the Atlanta Silverbacks.

Both teams enter the weekend on opposite ends of the spectrum. The RailHawks (6-1-1) are at the top of the NASL table with 19 points, have won four straight and are unbeaten in their last seven matches. Atlanta (0-2-5) is at the bottom of the NASL table with five points and is winless over its first seven matches of the season.

The RailHawks will look to extend their lead at the top of the table, which is currently six points over Edmonton. With a victory, Carolina will establish a new club record for consecutive wins and they are looking to inch closer to the club record for longest unbeaten streak, which stands at nine matches.

The RailHawks continue riding their dynamic attack to the best start in the franchise's history. They have scored a league-best

18 goals, or 2.25 per game, and no team has shut them out in 2011. After scoring six goals in their first four games, they have scored 12 goals in their last four - all wins.

Strikeforce Etienne Barbara and Pablo Campos have inflicted the lion's share of damage on opposing defenses. They've combined to score 15 of the RailHawks' 18 goals and they have four of the team's 12 assists. Barbara scored two more goals and had one assist in last Saturday's 3-0 win over Puerto Rico to extend his scoring streak to eight straight games.

While the attack has garnered most of the attention so far this season, the defense turned in arguably its finest performance of the year last weekend en route to shutting out the Islanders. The RailHawks are allowing 1.00 goals per game, tied with Tampa Bay for best in the league.

Atlanta, meanwhile, has struggled in its return to the field. The Silverbacks, back after sitting out the last two seasons, have conceded a league-high 11 goals and scored a league low three. They have been shut out in three straight matches entering this weekend's trip to WakeMed Soccer Park.

LAST TIME OUT

The RailHawks avenged their only defeat of 2011 last Saturday when they dismantled Puerto Rico 3-0 before an audience of 3,498 at WakeMed Soccer Park.

Etienne Barbara opened the scoring in the 26th minute, redirecting a pass from Jonny Steele into the back of the net. Barbara doubled his tally in the 53rd minute, this time finishing a breakaway set up by Pablo Campos. Fourteen minutes later, Barbara returned the favor to Campos. Barbara set Campos free and he tucked in the evening's final goal in the 67th minute.

The RailHawks held the Islanders to eight shots, and goalkeeper Brad Knighton made four saves on his way to his second shutout of the season.

The 3-0 scoreline was the largest margin of victory for the RailHawks over the Islanders in the series' history.

SERIES HISTORY

Saturday's match will be the first of four in 2011 against Atlanta and the eighth all-time meeting between the two clubs. They'll also play on June 25 in Atlanta, July 30 in Cary and Aug. 27 in Atlanta.

It has been nearly three years to the day since the RailHawks and Silverbacks last met. On May 31, 2008, the Silverbacks snapped the RailHawks' seven-match unbeaten streak by defeating Carolina 1-0 at Silverbacks Stadium.

The RailHawks are 1-4-2 all-time against Atlanta, including an 0-3-0 mark at WakeMed Soccer Park.

The RailHawks earned their first-ever league win on May 12, 2007 against the Silverbacks by a score of 2-1 in Atlanta.

BARBARA STREAK CONTINUES

Forward Etienne Barbara tacked on two more goals and an assist to extend his goal scoring streak to eight matches last weekend against Puerto Rico.

Barbara leads the NASL with 11 goals and 25 points, and

he's tied for the league lead in assists with teammate Floyd Franks (three).

Though the season is just more than one-quarter of the way through, Barbara has already established new RailHawks single-season records for goals and points in a season, both of which he set over the course of 28 matches in all of 2010.

He has also become the club's all-time leading scorer with 19 goals and 43 points - in just 36 appearances

NASL LEADERS

Not only are the RailHawks at the top of the NASL table, three players lead the league in separate statistical categories.

Forward Etienne Barbara leads the league with 11 goals and 25 points, and he midfielder Floyd Franks lead the league with three assists. Goalkeeper Brad Knighton leads the league with 34 saves and his tied with four other keepers for the lead in shutouts (two).

PLAYER NOTES

- Forward Etienne Barbara had two goals and one assist on Saturday against Puerto Rico to extend his goal scoring streak to eight games.

- Forward Pablo Campos had a goal and an assist on Saturday against Puerto Rico.

- Midfielder Jonny Steele assisted on Barbara's 26th-minute goal on Saturday, his second straight game with an assist.

- Midfielder Chris Nurse made his second straight start last weekend against Puerto Rico and played the full 90 minutes for the first time in 2011.

- Goalkeeper Brad Knighton made four saves and earned his second shutout of the season last weekend against Puerto Rico.

2011 STAT LEADERS

Appearances:

Floyd Franks, Kupono Low, Devon McKenney, Etienne Barbara, John Krause, Nick Zimmerman, Brad Knighton (8)

Starts:

Floyd Franks, Kupono Low, Devon McKenney, John Krause, Nick Zimmerman, Brad Knighton (8)

Minutes:

Floyd Franks, Kupono Low, John Krause, Brad Knighton (720)

Goals:

Etienne Barbara (11)

Assists:

Floyd Franks, Etienne Barbara (3)

Shots:

Etienne Barbara (25)

Yellow cards:

Floyd Franks, Kupono Low, John Krause (3)

Red cards:

Pablo Campos, Jonny Steele (1)

Saves:

Brad Knighton (34)

NASL SCHEDULE - WEEK 8

Saturday, May 28

Atlanta vs Carolina, 7 p.m.

WakeMed Soccer Park, Cary, N.C.

Montreal vs Ft. Lauderdale, 7:30 p.m.

Lockhart Stadium, Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.

Tampa Bay vs Minnesota, 8:30 p.m.

National Sports Center, Blaine, Minn.

NASL RESULTS - WEEK 7

Saturday, May 21

Carolina 3, Puerto Rico 0

WakeMed Soccer Park, Cary, N.C.

Tampa Bay 3, Montreal 0

Al Lang Stadium, St. Petersburg, Fla.

Ft. Lauderdale 0, Atlanta 0

Atlanta Silverbacks Stadium, Atlanta, Ga.

Monday, May 23

Edmonton 2, Minnesota 1

Foote Field, Edmonton, Alberta

NEXT UP

The RailHawks hit the road for their next two matches. On Saturday, June 4, they return to Florida to face FC Tampa Bay, whom Carolina defeated 3-1 at Al Lang Stadium on May 7. On Friday June 10, they'll make their maiden voyage to Alberta to face Edmonton at Foote Field. The Railhawks return to WakeMed Soccer Park on June 18 to face Tampa Bay.

Check out the North Carolina FC Statistics



North American Soccer League Stories from May 27, 2011


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