Charleston Battery News Release - www.charlestonbattery.com
Thursday, May 15, 2008
CHARLESTON, SC -- The Charleston Battery heads to Rochester, NY Saturday night for a 7:35 PM match versus the Rochester Rhinos (REAL 1340AM / USLLive.com). Charleston (3-1-2, 11 points) enters the weekend in first place in the USL First Division after winning three games in a row at Blackbaud Stadium. The game is Rochester’s first home fixture of the season; the Rhinos (0-3-2, 2 points) tied 1-1 with the Seattle Sounders in a game played in Seattle Wednesday evening.
The Battery defeated the Montreal Impact 1-0 on Wednesday night at Blackbaud Stadium; forward Randi Patterson scored the lone goal in the 85th minute. Patterson’s strike was his team-leading fourth of the year.
Wednesday’s game versus the Impact was a largely defensive affair with only two registered shots on goal during the entire match. Charleston played without veteran goalkeeper Dusty Hudock for the first time this season; Keith Wiggans recorded the shutout.
Charleston’s three match win streak extends back to the 2-0 win on May 2 over the Rochester Rhinos. Charleston’s plays Rochester three times this season; the third game of the series is at Blackbaud Stadium on June 28.
The Rhinos began the season with a five match road swing; Saturday’s game is Rochester’s home opener and also the first home game for the franchise since new ownership took over the club during the off-season.
In 2007 the Battery tied the Rhinos 1-1 in the game played at Blackbaud Stadium. Charleston lost 5-2 in the return match played at PaeTek Park in Rochester.
The Rhinos lost in the first round of the playoffs last year after making it to the championship game in 2006. Rochester has won the USL first Division Championship on three occasions (1998, 2000 & 2001) and is also the only non MLS side to win the US Open Cup (1999) since the inception of Major league Soccer.
The Rhinos appointed former player Darren Tilley as head coach during the off-season. Tilley played for Rochester from 1998 – 2000 and was a member of the 1998 championship winning team and the 1999 US Open Cup winning team.
