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USL Charleston Battery

Rochester Draws Charleston, Strengthens USL East Lead

July 3, 2015 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Charleston Battery News Release


CHARLESTON -- Rochester's record-threatening defense stifled Charleston's attacking ambitions Friday night at Blackbaud Stadium and held on for a scoreless draw that kept the first-place Rhinos five points clear of the second-place Battery.

"It's a lot like playing chess," said Battery Coach Mike Anhaeuser. "Nobody wants to watch something like that. But you see why they're very good. They pressure very well. You have to be very careful with the ball and not make any mistakes, and unfortunately we couldn't make that final pass tonight. They probably got the result that they wanted. Zero-zero is a good point for them."

The draw pushed Rochester's unbeaten start to 2015 to 15 matches (9-0-6), while Charleston's home unbeaten streak extended to 19 matches (12-0-7, and 5-0-4 in 2015). It was the Battery's first home shutout of the 2015 season, too.

Stats and streaks aside, Friday's bottom line was a simple tyranny of math. With less than half a season to play and only one more chance at the Rhinos, Charleston will now need help from another club if it hopes to contend for the Eastern Conference Championship.

"That's the one thing about not playing everyone three times," Anhaeuser said. "We play a few teams four times. That's why it's so important. They keep a five-point advantage on us with a game in hand, so that makes a big difference."

Charleston visits Rochester on July 26. The Rhinos are 5-0-0 at home.

Rochester began the night deployed in a nominal 4-4-2 that rapidly morphed into a 5-4-1, with midfielder Mike Garzi dropping in a as third center back and Kenardo Forbes -- listed as a forward, but commonly used in Lilley's midfield -- hanging back. That left imposing forward Steeven Dos Santos alone at the top.

He was essentially an afterthought. With Bob Lilley's Rhinos playing not to lose and Charleston's defense equally composed, the big striker didn't take a shot.

Charleston was only a bit more successful in the attack. Faced with nine or 10 men behind the ball at almost every turn, Charleston was never able to put a shot on frame, and Brandon Miller -- the Rhino's league-leading goalkeeper, emerged with a clean sheet despite recording no saves.

For Battery backup goalkeeper Kevin Corby, the night will be memorable as the first clean sheet of his USL career. The first-year man faced two shots and was generally composed and authoritative. He earned praise from Anhaeuser, but deferred it to his teammates.

"Good to get the point, but obviously we wanted the win," Corby said, shrugging off the milestone.

Charleston wound up outshooting the Rhinos eight to five, with Dane Kelly leading the way with five attempts. But with the league's best defense now on pace to allow fewer than 10 goals in a 28-game season, those numbers were largely academic. Even when the Rhinos allowed a shot, it was always under pressure from one or more swarming defenders.

"It's frustrating, but at the same time, you have to be able to break them down," Anhaeuser said. "We had a good first half, but in the second we got a little bit frustrated.

"They're a good team. There's a good reason why they're undefeated. We need to figure it out next time we go up there to play them.

Team captain Jarad van Schaik picked up a yellow card, which means he'll miss next week's road rematch with Harrisburg. The Rhinos were as good as billed defensively, he said, but lacked a "get-behind" threat. "It made it a lot of balls in the midfield, a lot of possession with both teams struggling to get it behind."

"It turned into a very tough game," van Schaik said. "Tough to create chances for both teams, And that's what you expect when the top two teams play."

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