Charleston Battery News Release -- www.charlestonbattery.com
Friday, July 29, 2011
CHARLESTON S.C. – The Charleston Battery take on the Rochester Rhinos on Saturday night at Blackbaud Stadium; gates open at 6 p.m. with kickoff set for 7:30 p.m. The Battery (9-6-5) enters the game in fourth position in the American Division one point behind the Richmond Kickers and the Wilmington Hammerheads.
The Rhinos (10-6-3) are in first place in the National Division and have already booked their spot in the 2011 postseason.
This is the second game of the year between the Battery and the Rhinos. Charleston will be looking to reverse a 1-0 loss suffered in Rochester back on May 7. Rochester midfielder Tony Donatelli scored the lone goal in that game.
The Charleston Battery has enjoyed a successful month of July and is unbeaten home or away with two wins and two draws. The Battery’s last league game was a 2-2 tie with the Dayton Dutch Lions in a game played in Dayton, Ohio last Saturday night.
Midfielder Nicki Paterson scored both goals for Charleston in Dayton, twice putting the Battery ahead but the Dutch Lions fought back on both occasions to deny Charleston all three points.
Battery head coach Mike Anhaeuser will be without the services of midfielder JC Mack tonight as he continues to rehab his foot injury. Aside from that the Battery are injury-free, with defender Graham Dugoni playing 45 minutes in the midweek friendly against English Championship side Portsmouth, his first competitive game since the Carolina Challenge Cup.
Charleston and Rochester have enjoyed a rivalry that dates back to the 1997 season. Over the years both teams have won key games in the USL playoffs. The Battery defeated Rochester in a USL semifinal en route to the 2003 Championship and also defeated the Rhinos in a 2004 U.S. Open Cup quarterfinal.
The Rhinos are one of the most successful teams in USL history having won three league championships (’98, ’00, ’01) and one U.S. Open Cup Championship (’99). The Rhinos remain the only non-Major League Soccer side to win the U.S. Open Cup since the inception of MLS. The Charleston Battery and Rochester are the only non-MLS teams to have made it to the Cup final.
Midfielder Evan Taylor will be unavailable as he has joined the Jamaican Olympic team for three qualification games as the Reggae Boyz attempt secure a spot in the 2012 London Olympics. The Jamaicans will play St. Vincent and the Grenadines on August 3, the Cayman Islands on August 5 and host Suriname on August 7.
Tickets for Saturday’s game are on sales now priced at $10 - $18, to purchase tickets or for more information please call (843) 971-GOAL (4625) or visit charlestonbattery.com. All military and first responders receive complimentary admission on Saturday courtesy of Force Protection.