USL Week 19: Louisville City FC Climbs in East

Published on July 27, 2015 under United Soccer League Championship (USL) News Release

TAMPA, Fla. - Louisville City FC went on the road to defeat Wilmington Hammerheads FC 3-1 on Saturday for its fifth consecutive victory. That win, combined with the Charleston Battery dropping two games in a three-day stretch, opened the door for City to climb into second place in the Eastern Conference. Only the first-place and unbeaten Rochester Rhinos are above Louisville, and City will need to maintain a strong showing on the road with three of the next four games away from Slugger Field.

FEATURED GAMES

Seattle Sounders FC 2 2, Portland Timbers 2 0

S2's Giuliano Franco and Oalex Anderson each scored a first-half goal and Seattle's defense blanked T2 on Friday at Starfire Stadium. Seattle completed a dominant series against Portland, going 4-0-0 in league play and adding a 2-1 victory in May during the 2015 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. Seattle leads the league with nine home victories and is atop the Western Conference with 36 points. The LA Galaxy II also have 36 points following their 1-0 win against Portland on Sunday, but Seattle holds the tiebreaker advantage over Los Dos.

Louisville City FC 3, Wilmington Hammerheads FC 1

Though City allowed a first-half penalty kick to Wilmington's Brian Ackley, the visiting team maintained its strong form with three unanswered goals to earn its fifth consecutive victory on Saturday at Legion Stadium. Louisville leading goal scorer Matt Fondy, Conor Shanosky and Charlie Adams each contributed a goal to push the team into second place in the Eastern Conference ahead of the Charleston Battery. Fondy now has 12 goals this season, trailing only OKC Energy FC's Danni Kî=B6nig (14) and the Pittsburgh Riverhounds' Rob Vincent (13) in the race for the USL Golden Boot.

Rochester Rhinos 1, Charleston Battery 0

The East-leading Rhinos scored an early goal and did what they do best in maintaining a clean sheet during their victory against Charleston at Sahlen's Stadium on Sunday. The Battery were coming off a 1-0 loss to Toronto FC II on Friday and they fell behind quickly. Steevan Dos Santos' back-heel goal in the 10th minute stood up for Rochester, which is 12-0-7 and extended its club record unbeaten streak to 19 games. Brandon Miller earned his 10th shutout this season and is one away from matching the USL record of 11 shared by Miguel Gallardo (Orlando City SC, 2011) and Kristian Nicht (Rochester, 2012). As a team, the Rhinos have posted 13 clean sheets, allowing only six goals in 19 games.

Harrisburg City Islanders 4, Pittsburgh Riverhounds 3

Jason Plumhoff scored two goals, including the game-winner, to lead the City Islanders to a Keystone Derby victory. Harrisburg trailed 3-1 when Jose Barril was sent off after receiving his second yellow card. The City Islanders then scored three answered goals while playing with 10 men. Craig Foster scored Harrisburg's other two goals. Pittsburgh and Harrisburg are now level in points at 25 in the East standings. The Riverhounds, with their two previous wins against the City Islanders, hold the tiebreaker advantage to sit in sixth place while Harrisburg is now in seventh, just below the playoff cutline.

QUOTABLE

"I thought our reaction [to giving up the penalty] was excellent. We didn't let that affect the outcome of the game." - Louisville City FC Coach James O'Connor, whose side responded with three unanswered goals to defeat Wilmington

"The only chance I had was with the fantasy there. [I] had no more options to score the goal there - [I was] lucky the ball went in." - Rochester Rhinos forward Steevan Dos Santos on his back-heel goal against Charleston, as told to the Rochester Democrat & Chronicle

"It means a lot. Growing up in Irvine, this being my favorite team, my favorite club, it's an honor to play for this team. ... A lot of things had to happen for me to get this opportunity, but I think I've been playing well enough to deserve it." - LA Galaxy II defender David Romney on his first start for the LA Galaxy in MLS against the Houston Dynamo

"I know a lot of Jamaicans who are negative and tough, but I try to spin everything positive. Even if I can only find half a positive, that's still half a reason to stay up. It's enough to keep me smiling." Pittsburgh Riverhounds goalkeeper Ryan Thompson, as told to FIFA.com during Jamaica's second-place run at the 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup

BY THE NUMBERS

19 - The Rochester Rhinos' club-record unbeaten streak has reached 19 games after a 1-0 victory against the Charleston Battery

10 - Goalkeeper Brandon Miller earned his league-leading 10th shutout for the Rochester Rhinos, who as a team now have 13 clean sheets this year

5 - Louisville City FC has earned five consecutive victories, dating back to its 6-2 win against OKC Energy FC on June 27

3 - The Harrisburg City Islanders scored three shorthanded goals, playing without the ejected Jose Barril, to rally for a 4-3 victory against the Pittsburgh Riverhounds

STANDINGS

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Team GP W L T GF GA Pts

Rochester Rhinos 19 12 0 7 23 6 43

Louisville City FC 18 10 3 5 35 16 35

Charleston Battery 20 9 4 7 31 19 34

Richmond Kickers 19 7 4 8 28 23 29

New York Red Bulls II 19 8 7 4 30 30 28

Pittsburgh Riverhounds 19 7 8 4 39 34 25

Harrisburg City Islanders 17 7 6 4 28 31 25

Saint Louis FC 19 5 7 7 20 27 22

Charlotte Independence 16 5 6 5 17 18 20

Toronto FC II 16 4 9 3 11 25 15

FC Montreal 18 4 12 2 19 29 14

Wilmington Hammerheads FC 19 2 11 6 12 27 12

WESTERN CONFERENCE

Team GP W L T GF GA Pts

Seattle Sounders FC 2 20 11 6 3 37 27 36

LA Galaxy II 19 11 5 3 31 18 36

Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC 18 10 6 2 37 22 32

Sacramento Republic FC 19 9 7 3 29 24 30

OKC Energy FC 19 7 5 7 27 26 28

Orange County Blues FC 19 8 8 3 25 29 27

Tulsa Roughnecks FC 19 7 8 4 30 30 25

Austin Aztex 19 7 9 3 22 25 24

Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2 21 6 10 5 28 41 23

Portland Timbers 2 20 7 11 2 27 33 23

Arizona United SC 18 7 10 1 20 36 22

Real Monarchs SLC 18 2 10 6 18 28 12

RESULTS

Tuesday, July 21

FC Montreal 1, Toronto FC II 0

Friday, July 24

Charlotte Independence 2, FC Montreal 0

Toronto FC II 1, Charleston Battery 0

Tulsa Roughnecks FC 4, Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2 0

Seattle Sounders FC 2 2, Portland Timbers 2 0

Saturday, July 25

New York Red Bulls II 4, Richmond Kickers 3

Louisville City FC 3, Wilmington Hammerheads FC 1

Saint Louis FC 0, OKC Energy FC 0

Orange County Blues FC 1, Real Monarchs SLC 0

Austin Aztex 1, Arizona United SC 0

Sunday, July 26

Rochester Rhinos 1, Charleston Battery 0

Harrisburg City Islanders 4, Pittsburgh Riverhounds 3

LA Galaxy II 1, Portland Timbers 2 0

SCHEDULE

Friday, July 31

OKC Energy FC vs. Arizona United SC, 8 p.m.

Tulsa Roughnecks FC vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2, 8:30 p.m.

Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC vs. LA Galaxy II, 9 p.m.

Saturday, Aug. 1

Toronto FC II vs. Louisville City FC, 3 p.m.

Charlotte Independence vs. Rochester Rhinos, 7 p.m.

Richmond Kickers vs. Harrisburg City Islanders, 7 p.m.

Pittsburgh Riverhounds vs. Wilmington Hammerheads FC, 7 p.m.

Charleston Battery vs. FC Montreal, 7:30 p.m.

Austin Aztex vs. Portland Timbers 2, 8:30 p.m.

Real Monarchs SLC vs. Orange County Blues FC, 9:30 p.m.

Sacramento Republic FC vs. Seattle Sounders FC 2, 11 p.m.

Sunday, Aug. 2

New York Red Bulls II vs. Saint Louis FC, 5 p.m.

Tulsa Roughnecks FC vs. Arizona United SC, 8:30 p.m.

United Soccer League Championship Stories from July 27, 2015

• USL Week 19: Louisville City FC Climbs in East - USL
• T2 Fall 1-0 to La Galaxy II - Portland Timbers 2

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