Charleston, SC. The Charleston Battery will put its undefeated home streak on the line versus division rival Hampton Roads Mariners on Saturday night. The Battery currently trail the Mariners 1-2 behind two road defeats earlier in the four-game series. Each defeat came the night after tough road games with first Raleigh and then Richmond. Now it is Hampton Roads turn to play on the tail end of a back-to-back road trip, facing the Battery at Blackbaud Stadium the night after playing the Atlanta Silverbacks at DeKalb Memorial Stadium. Charleston is 7-0-1 at home this season (a club record) and is looking to keep pace with Richmond at the top of the Atlantic Division. The Battery is currently tied for second place at 39 points (8-4-2) with Atlanta, have a game in hand and rank fifth in the A-League in points-per-game at 2.76 and win percentage (.557). Hampton Roads faces the daunting task of keeping in touch with the division championship race by earning points on a two game road swing that has been very unproductive for every team so far this season. Hampton Roads is the only team that has collected a point on the Charleston-Atlanta swing so far this season, earning a 1-1 tie with the Silverbacks the night after a 3-1 loss against the Battery on June 17. The Mariners were red hot at the start of the 2000 season, leading the Atlantic with a 6-1-1 record, but face a tough month of road games in July and have lost 4 of their last 6 games to fall into a tie for fourth place in the division with the resurgent Hershey Wildcats.
The game Saturday night is a big one for both teams as the Battery also faces a tough slate of road games in July. The team will need to find some consistency away from home in their push for the top spot in the Atlantic Division as the end of the regular season approaches on Labor Day weekend. The Battery is nearing full strength after going through a series of injuries to key players, a situation that bodes well for a team that has been in sparkling form at home. The Mariners are going the other way, losing starting goalkeeper Jon Busch to a torn PCL injury, dangerous attacking midfielder Jair to international duty and Canadian midfielder Jeff Clarke to a trial with a top Danish club. Defender Carl Fletcher, another Canadian, is also questionable for Hampton Roads, a situation that will likely test the Mariners squad to the limit this weekend.
Battery Team News:
Battery forward Paul Conway is second in the A-League goal scoring race with 9 goals in 13 games. He currently ranks fifth in the A-League in points with 21 points behind 9 goals and 3 assists. Conway is on track to surpass his 17 goal tally from 1999 and is moving closer to challenging Patrick Olalere and Paul Young at the top of the All Time Battery goal scoring chart. He has scored 30 goals for the Battery in 69 games and is currently in his third season with the club. Midfielder Temoc Suarez leads the league in assists with 9 in 14 games and is on track to easily set an all time mark for assists in a single season for a Battery player, a benchmark that stands at 10, set by Chris Veselka in 1995. Suarez has sparked the Battery offense with his precision passing ability and deadly left foot on set plays. 1997 A-League Goalkeeper of the Year, Dusty Hudock, has produced solid performances all season long for the Battery in the nets. Hudock has played in every minute for the Battery so far this season (1311 minutes played) along with 1999 All A-League defender and Battery rookie of the Year Gilbert Jean-Baptiste. Hudock now ranks as the all time leading goalkeeper in Battery history in minutes played with 4,343 minutes in 47 games, surpassing Michael Compisi who set the standard at 4,055 in 53 games. He has posted 9 shutouts in a Battery jersey, which is second behind Compisi and sports a 1.22 goals against average (third best).
Captain Nicky Spooner has marshaled the defense solidly all season long and is the catalyst for tightening up the defensive corps of the Battery for the second half of the season. 1998 Battery MVP Todd Miller has continued his strong and dependable form in midfield and has now started 79 games for Charleston in a Battery uniform (fifth most in Battery history). The Battery midfield has been strengthened by the return from injury of Bulgarian Ivailo Ilarionov and the impressive form of 2000 Battery A-League College Draft first round pick Brian Alvero. Former San Jose Clash (MLS) midfielder Braeden Cloutier has been out with a strained MCL in his left knee and is probable for the mid July road trip to Pittsburgh and Hershey. Jamaican International Dean Sewell limped off of the pitch last weekend in the 17th minute with a sore hamstring but is expected to be available for this weekend. Trinidad and Tobago International defender Brent Sancho returns from International duty with the "Soca Warriors" with whom he has played three games recently on a whirlwind Caribbean tour preparing for the upcoming 2002 World Cup Qualifying games. Sancho played against Barbados on June 29, St.Vincent on July 2 and Cuba on July 4 alongside International stars Dwight Yorke (Manchester United) and Stern John (Nottingham Forest). He is competing for a spot with three other players on the final 18-man squad for the World Cup qualifying games on July 16 in Canada and July 23 at Mexico. Battery officials expect notification of his status by the Trinidad Football Federation today (July 7).
Experienced defender Kevin Scott is expected to be another key player for the Battery during the second half of the season. His pace and tenacity will help solidify the Battery back line that will be vital for success in the upcoming away games in July and August. Exciting and highly touted forward Velko Iotov is also counted on to heat up the already dangerous Battery offensive unit during the second half of the A-League season. Iotov has struggled all season with a number of injuries and now finally adds a player to an attacking trio that features red hot Conway and speedy 1999 first team All A-League striker Mac Cozier. Iotov was inspirational in the 2-1 road loss to Hampton Roads at the Virginia Beach Sportsplex on June 3, picking their defense apart with his ball handling ability and uncanny passing accuracy. He is expected to boost the Battery with the same form that propelled him to the top levels of the game in Europe and South America and to fourth place in the 1994 World Cup Finals in the USA with the Bulgarian national team.
What: Charleston Battery V Hampton Roads Mariners.
A-League Atlantic Division regular season action.
When: Saturday July 8, 7:30 pm. Gates open at 6:30 pm
Where: Blackbaud Stadium, Charleston, SC.
Tickets can be purchased in advance at the West Stand Ticket office starting at 12 noon on game day or by calling 971-GOAL. They can also be purchased at Lloyds Sports or online at www.etix.com. Tickets are available at the gate. Gates open at 6:30pm.Next Home Game: Saturday July 22 versus the Hershey Wildcats at Blackbaud Stadium. Kickoff is at 7:30pm.
Next Game: Saturday, July 22 @ 7:30 pm versus Hershey Wildcats
Featuring: Walterboro Sky Diving Demonstration Team
Promotion: Free Water bottle night: 1st 500 people will receive prizes in their water bottle!!!
