BY RICK NELSON
Of The Post and Courier staff
The Charleston Battery will try to snap a three-match losing streak and make up some ground in the A-League standings tonight against the Cincinnati Riverhawks at Blackbaud Stadium.
Charleston (9-6-1, 41 points) is in second place in the Central Conference behind the Richmond Kickers (11-2-2, 50 points).
''This game is vital to us,'' Battery head coach Alan Dicks said. ''We're entering the most important part of our season, and we need to get back into the habit of winning.''
The match begins at 7:30 p.m. at Blackbaud Stadium.
Charleston is coming off a 1-0 defeat at the Indianapolis Blast and a 2-1 loss to Richmond. Those A-League matches came after a 2-1 Open Cup loss at the New England Revolution of the MLS.
''We've had the possessions ... but we haven't knocked in the chances we've created,'' Dicks said. ''We have the top goal-scorers in the league, but we've also allowed too many 'suicidal' goals. We've surrendered space and our opponents have punished us for it.''
Cincinnati (4-9, 18 points) is in last place in the conference and has lost a pair of 2-1 overtime matches at home this season to Charleston. The Riverhawks dropped a 3-2 decision Wednesday at Richmond.
• Battery forward Paul Conway has a chance to break another team record tonight with his 106th career start, passing the mark set by Charleston assistant coach Mike Anhaeuser. Conway already has broken Battery career records for goals (58) and points (132) this season.
''It's an honor to break any record, but overtaking a player of the caliber of Mike Anhaeuser makes it doubly special,'' Conway said.
''Records aside, the most important thing is that we get a five-point win (tonight). If we can follow that up with another five points next week, we'll be right back in the thick of it.''
• Forward Velko Iotov and midfielder/forward Seamus Donnelly are recovering from injuries and will be on the bench tonight for Charleston. Both are working on their conditioning but could play 10-15 minutes if needed, Dicks said.
• Tonight is South Carolina Aquarium Night at Blackbaud Stadium.
The first 100 fans will get a gift from Quicksilver, and the aquarium mascot Otter will be at the match. There also will be arts and crafts demonstration tables and a snake exhibit. Several aquarium ticket packages will be given away.
