Charleston, SC - The Charleston Battery is making its mark in the competitive A-League Atlantic Division. So far this season the team is on course to accomplish the goals that team officials established for them. The Battery is undefeated at home in A-League regular season play at 5-0-1, a record that the team will put on the line this Friday with a home game versus Pacific Division leader El Paso. The slight blemish on the record being a 1-1 tie with nemesis Raleigh, who were dispensed 3-2 a week later as the Battery stormed back from a two goal deficit to qualify for the US Open Cup for the second straight year and accomplished their first goal of the 2000 season. On the road the Battery is 1-3-1 and have their work cut out for them to get above the .500 mark when away from the beautiful confines of Blackbaud Stadium. In the tough Atlantic Division though, the road record of the Battery is typical as every team is losing some away games. Charleston actually has six points in five games away so far this season, which is the most taken in the Atlantic Division by any team. In second place (6-3-2, 30 points) behind the Richmond Kickers (8-4-0, 32 points), the Battery are living up to pre season predictions of Atlantic Division favorites with the highest points-per-game average in the division with 2.72. Richmond currently is earning a 2.66 points per game average, with third place Hampton Roads standing at 2.63.
BATTERY FIRING LOADED BARRELS
The Charleston Battery is the highest scoring team in the Eastern Conference and the Atlantic Division, with 19 goals in 11 games. The Battery is getting goals from a number of players, with 11 different players scoring at least a goal so far this campaign. 1999 leading goal scorer Paul Conway paces the team with 7 goals in 10 games, tying him up in second place in the A-League. Charleston playmaker Temoc Suarez vaulted to the top of the A-League assist chart on Saturday night with a three assist performance in the 3-1 victory over Hampton Roads. Suarez now has seven assists for the season and leads the A-League in assists. Battery defender/midfielder Dean Sewell returns to camp this week in preparation for the Friday game with El Paso after a tour of Brazil with the Jamaican National Team. A member of the 1998 World Cup Finals Jamaican Team known as the "Reggae Boyz", Sewell was on display for the new Jamaican coach as he selects his squad for the upcoming bouts of 2002 World Cup Qualifying. Battery officials have received call up notices from Jamaica for two qualifying games in late July.
The Battery breathed a sigh of relief with the news that defender Kevin Scott's injury suffered in the 82nd minute versus Hampton Roads on Saturday is not as serious as feared. Scott has a contusion (deep bruising of the bone) picked up in a hard charging three-man collision. X-Rays to detect any fractures in the tibia or fibula bones of his right leg where negative. Popular midfielder Ivailo Ilarionov has a slight hamstring tear, but will possibly be playing for the game on Friday as will newcomer Braeden Cloutier who suffered a slight MCL strain. Cloutier is fitting into the Battery central midfield nicely and has helped strengthen the team. Ilarionov known as "Ivo" by the Blackbaud Stadium faithful, one of many potential goal scorers on the Battery squad, only lasted 28 minutes on Saturday night versus the Mariners. He has been plagued by a niggling injury so far in 2000 as has fellow Bulgarian Velko Iotov. Iotov is expected to return for the game versus El Paso on Friday, a team that features five Bulgarian players including the imposing figure of 6'4" former Bulgarian National Team goalkeeper Dimitar Popov. Popov was teammates with Battery striker Velko Iotov in the 1994 Bulgarian World Cup team that took fourth place in the tournament held in the USA.
Next Game:
Charleston Battery versus El Paso Patriots. A-League regular season action, East versus West in first meeting ever between the two teams. Friday June 23 at Blackbaud Stadium. Kick off is at 7:30pm. Tickets are available by calling 971-4625, at Lloyds Sports in Mt.Pleasant or online at www.etix.com.
