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NASL North Carolina FC

Ralhawks Kick Off 2010

April 9, 2010 - North American Soccer League (NASL)
North Carolina FC News Release


CARY, N.C. (April 9, 2010) - The Carolina RailHawks open the 2010 USSF D-2 Professional League season on Saturday at WakeMed Soccer Park against first-year franchise AC St. Louis. Kickoff is at 7 p.m.

The RailHawks this season are looking to replicate the start they had in 2009. Last season, the RailHawks opened the year with three straight games at home, and they won all three of them, setting the stage for an outstanding season. They went on to a 16-7-7 regular-season record and a runner-up finish in the league. Along the way, they established more than 30 club records. The 16 wins, 55 points earned and the runner-up finish in the table were all franchise bests, as were the 43 goals scored, 19 goals conceded and 17 shutouts earned. The 16 wins were tied for most in the league, while the seven draws were tied for the second fewest. Their 11 wins at WakeMed Soccer Park tied them for the most home wins in the USL First Division.

With expectations high inside and outside the team as the 2010 season gets underway, RailHawks coach Martin Rennie believes starting off with a strong performance Saturday is essential.

"Last year, our team had high expectations and now those expectations are probably matched by other people," Rennie said. "It's important that we get our minds focused on doing a good job Saturday and start off the season right. We did well at home last year and we want to make sure we continue to do that this year."

With an eye toward continuing 2009's success in 2010, this year's roster features 15 returning players from last year's squad. Among the returning players are 2009 team MVP Daniel Paladini, forward Gregory Richardson, midfielder Amir Lowery, midfielder Josh Gardner, captain/defender Mark Schulte, defender John Gilkerson and goalkeeper Eric Reed. Added to the returning core are a group of seasoned veterans, like defender Matt Bobo, who came to the RailHawks from Charleston, and a trio of players with extensive overseas experience: Floyd Franks (Denmark), Marques Davdison (Japan) and Etienne Barbara (Malta).

RAILHAWKS PRESEASON

The RailHawks completed their preseason schedule earlier this week and finished with a 5-3-1 mark over nine matches. The RailHawks had wins over Duke (3-2), Wake Forest (2-1), Elon (2-1), N.C. State (4-1) and the Charleston Battery (2-1).

Carolina scored 17 goals during the preseason while conceding 15. Sainey Touray led the team with four goals during the preseason. Andriy Budnyy scored three goals and Mark Schulte and Kupono Low had two apiece. Daniel Paladini and Josh Gardner each scored once.

SCOUTING ST. LOUIS

St. Louis comes to the Triangle this weekend to play its first-ever match.

They are led by coach Claude Anelka, who is the brother of Chelsea forward and France international Nicolas Anelka. Anelka previously coached with Raith Rovers in Scotland. Joining Anelka on the bench is Steve Ralston, a 14-year MLS veteran and St. Louis native. Ralston will serve as a player-coach this season, but he isn't expected to take the field for several more weeks as he is recovering from an ACL injury.

Anelka and Ralston have a very young roster with which to work. The average age of the 21-man roster is just under 24 years old. But they do feature several experienced players, who are also natives of the St. Louis area, including defender Tim Velten, who played previously with Charleston, Rochester and Harrisburg, former Miami defender Matt Traynor, and midfielder Luke Kreamalmeyer, who is also a former RailHawk.

SERIES HISTORY

Saturday's match will be the first all-time meeting between Carolina and St. Louis.

FAST FACTS

Of the 43 goals Carolina scored in 2009, they return 32 of them in 2010. And of the 12 players to score at least one goal for the RailHawks last season, nine of them return this year. Sallieu Bundu and Gregory Richardson each scored six goals, while Daniel Paladini, Joseph Kabwe and Andriy Budnyy scored five apiece. Kupono Low, Amir Lowery, Mark Schulte and Matt Watson each scored one goal.

Last season, 14 players logged at least 1,000 minutes, and three players (Daniel Paladini, Amir Lowery and Mark Schulte) registered more than 2,000.

The 2010 RailHawks roster features only two rookies: defender Ramak Safi and goalkeeper Sean O'Connor.

The RailHawks' roster is represented by players from 11 countries: the United States, Scotland (Greg Shields), England (Matt Watson), Malta (Etienne Barbara), Iran (Ramak Safi), Sierra Leone (Sallieu Bundu), Zimbabwe (Joseph Kabwe), Gambia (Sainey Touray), Guyana (Gregory Richardson) and Ukraine (Andriy Budnyy).

The RailHawks' 14 U.S. born players come from nine states and the District of Columbia (Amir Lowery). California is the most represented state on the roster, with five players (Sean O'Connor, Kupono Low, Daniel Paladini, Nic Platter and Eric Reed), while the rest come from Iowa (Matt Bobo), Alabama (Floyd Franks), Texas (Josh Gardner), Ohio (Mark Schulte), North Carolina (Caleb Norkus), Virginia (John Gilkerson), Florida (Brad Rusin) and Michigan (Cory Elenio).

July is the only month of the year in which no RailHawk celebrates a birthday. Matt Watson and Sallieu Bundu share a birthday (Jan. 1) and 12 RailHawks have birthdays over 12 weeks from December to February.

HOMECOMING

Though AC St. Louis is new to professional soccer this year, they feature two players familiar to the Triangle.

Midfielder Luke Kreamalmeyer spent the 2009 season playing for the RailHawks. In his only season with Carolina, Kreamalmeyer appeared in 25 matches and had four goals and one assist in 1,461 minutes played.

Goalkeeper Alec Dufty is from Raleigh and graduated from Wakefield High School in 2005. After two years at Appalachian State, Dufty completed his collegiate career at the University of Evansville - alongside the newest RailHawk, Cory Elenio.

DID YOU KNOW?

Under Martin Rennie, the RailHawks are undefeated against first-year teams. In six matches against Cleveland and Austin, last season's new entrants to the USL First Division, Carolina went 5-0-1 and outscored the two teams 11-1.

TSF PASSBACK PROGRAM

Triangle Soccer Fanatics will be collecting used gently used soccer equipment throughout the 2010 season that will be donated to players in need.

"Gently used" refers to any equipment that is not ruined, torn, or excessively dirty - really anything that could be used again. Having used gear is better than having none at all. Donations of all kinds are acceptable. TSF will take anything a soccer player could use, including jerseys, shorts, shin guards, socks, cleats, balls, bags, warm-ups, water bottles, etc. Jerseys do not have to be in complete sets and it doesn't matter if they have logos or numbers on them. Balls do not have to be deflated. If in doubt, bring it and TSF will dispose of it if it is not acceptable as a donation.

Triangle Soccer Fanatics is collecting the equipment as part of the Passback Program in association with Eurosport and U.S. Soccer. Passback is designed to help meet the soccer uniform and equipment needs of all players in all communities. Donations are collected and redistributed to areas throughout the world.

To donate any equipment, stop by the TSF tailgate area at WakeMed Soccer Park prior to or after any Saturday night RailHawk smatch this and drop off the gear you are willing to donate. Collection bins will also be located inside the main gates at WakeMed Soccer Park on Saturday night games as well as at XL Soccer World for donations anytime you would like to drop off your used gear.

WEEK 1 SCHEDULE

Saturday, April 10

St. Louis at Carolina, 7 p.m.

WakeMed Soccer Park; Cary, N.C.

Rochester at Miami, 7 p.m.

Lockhart Stadium; Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.

April 11, 2010

Montreal at Austin; 7 p.m.

House Park; Austin, Texas

NSC Minnesota at Vancouver; 7 p.m.

Swangard Stadium, Burnaby, BC

NEXT UP

The RailHawks return to the field on Friday April 16, when they will meet NSC Minnesota at WakeMed Soccer Park at 7 p.m. The Stars, like St. Louis, are a first-year entrant into the USSF D-2 Pro League. The play their inaugural game on Sunday at Vancouver.

Check out the North Carolina FC Statistics



North American Soccer League Stories from April 9, 2010


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