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USL Louisville City FC

What to Watch for with LouCity vs. Monterey Bay FC

July 26, 2024 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Louisville City FC News Release


Inside the Louisville City FC huddle
Inside the Louisville City FC huddle
(Louisville City FC, Credit: Chris Carter)

Coming off the thrill of a last-gasp win last weekend, Louisville City FC will look to back up the victory when hosting Monterey Bay FC for an 8 p.m. Saturday kickoff at Lynn Family Stadium.

LouCity has followed wins with losses since early June, though the boys in purple still find themselves near the top USL Championship standings. With some consistency, they're poised to regain the lead with the second half of the season underway.

City (13-4-2, 41 points) most recently rallied from a goal down to defeat Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC by a 2-1 score last Friday. Sean Totsch headed in the winner five minutes into second half stoppage time, opening a home stand in style.

That was the first of five games over LouCity's next six that will be played at Lynn Family Stadium. Following the Monterey Bay game, the schedule includes Tuesday's international friendly against German giant Eintracht Frankfurt.

City has lost just once this season at Lynn Family Stadium, a big part of why the boys in purple find themselves just two points back of the Charleston Battery in the Eastern Conference standings despite playing two fewer games.

Monterey Bay (7-8-5, 26 points) enters Saturday eighth - in the final playoff spot - in the Western Conference standings. The California-based outfit comes into the weekend fresh, having not played since July 13, but Monterey Bay has also lost five of its last six away games.

Off the pitch, Saturday marks Beach Night at Lynn Family Stadium. The BlueOval SK Fan Zone will feature a live pregame performance by Lunar Beach House Band, a sandcastle artist, a leis giveaway while supplies last and a variety of beach games - volleyball, spike ball, corn hole and more. Gates open at 6:30 p.m.

Follow along

- The game will air live locally on WBKI/The CW and ESPN Louisville's AM 680/FM 105.7.

- If streaming, download the free WDRB+ app to watch the local feed in Louisville. ESPN+ or Golazo Network also streams the home feed of all USL Championship games not selected for national TV.

- For Starting XI and in-game updates, follow @loucityfc on Twitter. Also, find the club at louisvillecityfc on Instagram and Louisville City FC on Facebook.

Player availability report

Kyle Adams (questionable)

Jorge Gonzalez (out)

Brian Ownby (out)

Adrien Perez (questionable)

Story lines...

Series history: LouCity and Monterey Bay split their prior two meetings. Monterey Bay shocked LouCity back in May of 2022, defeating the boys in purple at Lynn Family Stadium. One of the club's goal scorers in that 2-0 win - Sam Gleadle - now plays in Louisville. LouCity turned the tables in March of 2023, winning 1-0 out in California.

Clutch Totsch: When LouCity needed a hero in the waning minutes of stoppage time last week, Totsch stepped up for his fourth goal of the season. His prior three were all from the penalty spot this season. Following the game, City announced this week that it has agreed to a new contract with Totsch, the club's all-time minutes leader.

Midfield Maestro: Taylor Davila registered third assist of the season when serving up Totsch, bringing the All-League midfielder to within two of tying his career high. Davila, who led LouCity in chances created last Saturday with five, also paces all qualified City players in passing accuracy (85.51%) and passes completed per 90 minutes (40.68).

Youth served: LouCity Academy graduate Elijah Wynder continues to look better with age, as the 21-year-old midfielder scored the club's opener last Friday for his career-high fourth goal of the season. He is one of just two LouCity field players to play at least 1,500 minutes and contribute to more than five goals, adding in his assist.

Comeback City: LouCity was winless in its last three games when conceding the opening goal before meeting Colorado Springs. A rally to win marked the club's second come-from-behind victory of the season following a 5-1 drubbing of Detroit City FC back on May 29.

Record pace: LouCity is on track to challenge Phoenix Rising FC's 2019 squad for the USL Championship's single-season points record. The Western Conference powerhouse holds the current record for points in a season at 78 (2.29 points per game). City's collecting 2.16 points per game, a mark eclipsed by just two teams since 2021.

Raining goals: LouCity continues to score at a near-record pace with 48 goals, which still doubles those scored by 11 of the league's 23 other teams heading into the final match week of July. City's 2.47 goals per game have the club in a race to compete with 2019's record-setting Phoenix squad that numbered 89 goals, or 2.62 per game.

Spreading scoring: LouCity's attack has proven to be both effective and wide-ranging. Overall, 14 players in purple have scored goals this year, eight of whom have three or more goals, the most in the Eastern Conference. The club has also scored in 17 of its 19 games. No team has hit the back of the net more often in the USL Championship this season.

Check out the Louisville City FC Statistics




Images from this story

Inside the Louisville City FC huddle
Inside the Louisville City FC huddle
(Chris Carter)		   

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