Charleston Battery News Release -- www.charlestonbattery.com
Thursday, May 3, 2012
CHARLESTON, S.C. -- The Charleston Battery (3-1-0) take on Antigua Barracuda FC (2-3-0) this Friday night at Blackbaud Stadium, Daniel Island; gates open at 6 p.m. with kick off set for 7:30 p.m. The Battery enter the game looking for a third consecutive victory after wins against the Charlotte Eagles (3-0, April 17) and the Pittsburgh Riverhounds (1-0, April 27).
Friday night’s game is presented by the McAlister Development Company. Tickets are available starting at just $10, to purchase tickets please visit www.charlestonbattery.com or call (843) 971-GOAL (4625).
Charleston Battery midfielder Nicki Paterson scored the lone goal in the 1-0 win over Pittsburgh last Friday night, heading home a Jose Cuevas free-kick in the ninth minute. Goalkeeper Andrew Dykstra, on loan from Major League Soccer’s D.C. United, recorded four saves en route to a second consecutive shutout.
Antigua is on a two-game swing through the Carolinas, and fell in their opening game of the trip on Wednesday night to the Wilmington Hammerheads. Andriy Budnyy scored twice for the Hammerheads to give Antigua back-to-back losses after its 2-0 loss at home against the Charlotte Eagles last Saturday night. Antigua has split a pair of two-game home series’, winning and losing games against Pittsburgh and Charlotte, while forward Stefan Smith leads USL PRO with four goals this season.
This will be the first time the Battery have played Antigua, which began competing in USL PRO in 2011. Antigua missed the 2011 playoffs finishing the season with a record of 9-2-13. Antigua had the longest consecutive winning streak in 2011 (six wins) and also had the longest consecutive losing streak (7 losses).
The Battery and Antigua will play four games in the USL PRO regular season. Antigua makes a return visit to Blackbaud Stadium on June 15 and then the Battery heads to Antigua for a pair of game on June 29 and July 1.