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USL United Soccer League Championship

Switchbacks Look to Extend Five-Game Winning Streak in Week 16

July 2, 2015 - United Soccer League Championship (USL) News Release


TAMPA, Fla. - The Fourth of July Weekend features a throng of intriguing matchups as USL clubs solidify their positions in the standings in the second half of the season.

Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC has won five consecutive matches and hopes to extend that run at Sand Creek Stadium when it hosts the Austin Aztex on Friday. Colorado Springs touts the USL's best offense and also has posted back-to-back shutouts heading into the match.

Elsewhere, the Eastern Conference's top two teams meet up at Blackbaud Stadium as the Charleston Battery host the first-place Rochester Rhinos. Once again, Rochester's unbeaten streak will be the focal point. The 14-game unbeaten stretch is a club record.

GAMES TO WATCH

Charleston Battery vs. Rochester Rhinos

Friday, 7:30 p.m. ET, Blackbaud Stadium

The top two teams in the Eastern Conference square off when the second-place Battery host the first-place Rhinos. Rochester (9-0-5) looks to continue its club record-setting unbeaten start and faces a Charleston side that is 5-0-3 at Blackbaud and 7-2-6 overall. The Rhinos will maintain their top billing no matter the result, but a lot more is at stake for Charleston, which is trying to narrow the gap against Rochester and stay ahead of the Richmond Kickers, who are one point behind. The Battery will be without several players - Heviel Cordoves (ankle), Quinton Griffith (suspension) and Seba Thuriere (CONCACAF Gold Cup). Dane Kelly and the Charleston offense go up against the league's most robust defense as Rochester has allowed only five goals in 14 games. Anchored by goalkeeper Brandon Miller, the Rhinos' 0.36 goals-against average is far and away the best in the USL as Richmond is second at 0.94 GAA (15 goals allowed in 16 games). They are the only two teams in the league to allow less than one goal per game. This is the first of two meetings between Charleston and Rochester this season. They went 1-1-1 head-to-head during the 2014 season.

Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC vs. Austin Aztex

Friday, 10 p.m. ET, Sand Creek Stadium

What a difference one month can make. Entering June, Colorado Springs was several steps behind the West's top tier. Thanks to a 5-0-0 June, the Switchbacks (9-5-0) are now among the carousel of teams atop the conference and enter the weekend three points behind defending champion Sacramento Republic FC (9-6-3). The Switchbacks should feel confident with their 6-1-0 record at Sand Creek Stadium when they welcome the Austin Aztex. But Austin has fared well against the Switchbacks this season, earning shutout victories on March 28 and April 25 at House Park. The Aztex (5-7-3) sit below the postseason cutoff line, and they will need to find some road savvy with eight of their remaining 13 regular-season games away from Austin. The Aztex have posted five clean sheets this season and will be tested mightily against a Switchbacks side that leads the USL with 31 goals in 14 games. Ten different Switchbacks have scored a goal this season, with Luke Vercollone (7) and Miguel Gonzalez (6) leading the way.

Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2 vs. Seattle Sounders FC 2

Saturday, 6 p.m. ET, UBC Thunderbird Stadium

WFC2 prepares for another Cascadia matchup when it hosts S2 on Saturday. Vancouver defeated the Portland Timbers 2, 3-2, on June 21 and will face T2 again next Friday during this heavy stretch of Pacific Northwest matches. In the meantime, WFC2 (4-8-4) takes on Seattle for the third time this season. S2 earned a dominant 4-0 win on March 29 at Starfire and played to a 1-1 draw in the previous meeting on April 26 at Thunderbird Stadium. Though Seattle (9-5-2) has had its shortcomings on the road, the team has improved in that regard with a 2-1-1 mark over its past four road games, including a 2-0 win against the Timbers 2 on Monday at Merlo Field. Seattle has had a good stretch in recent weeks with three wins in its past four games, all three victories being shutouts. Teams have kept Seattle goalkeeper Charlie Lyon busy of late. He has made 23 saves over the past three games.

NEWS AND NOTES

- The LA Galaxy II have won nine of their past 11 matches and are in the midst of a three-game winning streak. This Sunday, they take on an OKC Energy FC side that has lost three consecutive games, including a 1-0 loss to Orange County Blues FC on Wednesday. This stretch comes after OKC had won five in a row during its homestand at Taft Stadium. Sunday's Los Dos-OKC game will played at StubHub Center's main stadium for the first time this season.

- The Charlotte Independence, who are preparing to face Saint Louis FC on Saturday, signed former Richmond Kickers defender Henry Kalungi. Kalungi, who has captained the Uganda national team, had been sidelined since August of 2014 when he tore his ACL and MCL.

- The Richmond Kickers are looking to play a full 90-minute game for the first time since a scoreless draw against FC Montreal on June 13. The Kickers' June 20 and 26 games against the Wilmington Hammerheads FC and Charlotte Independence, respectively, were shortened to 45 minutes because of inclement weather. Those resulted in scoreless draws, as well. Richmond faces Louisville City FC on Saturday at Slugger Field.

- Louisville City FC is coming off its best offensive performance of the season during a 6-2 victory against OKC Energy FC on June 27. Matt Fondy scored three goals and leads the club with nine on the season.

- The Pittsburgh Riverhounds will be shorthanded in many regards when they host the New York Red Bulls II on Saturday at Highmark Stadium. Danny Earls and Willie Hunt are serving suspensions, and head coach Mark Steffens and assistant Niko Katic also will not be on the sidelines after protesting a call during last week's game against Rochester. Josh Rife will assume the head coaching role for Saturday.

- The New York Red Bulls II have won three consecutive road games, outscoring their opponents 7-1 during this stretch. This strong run of form has put NYRBII in fifth place in the East at 6-5-4 and 22 points, ahead of sixth-place Pittsburgh (5-5-4, 19 points).

HOW TO FOLLOW

Every game of the 2015 USL season can be seen live, free and in HD on YouTube (www.Youtube.com/USL), with updates from throughout the league also available via Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

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United Soccer League Championship Stories from July 2, 2015


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.


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