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On the eve of the Battery’s 2019 USL Championship home opener, the club has added forward Arthur Bosua and goalkeeper Phil Breno to the roster. Bosua and Breno join a number of new players who have signed contracts with the Battery for the upcoming season.  

Arthur Bosua joins the Battery following a four-year playing career at Columbia University. The 6-3 forward scored twenty-seven goals and added twelve assists for the Lions from 2014-2017. Bosua made fifteen appearances as a freshman starting twelve of those matches. During his freshman season, Bosua earned Ivy League Rookie of the Week honors twice finishing the year with two goals and two assists.

Bosua nearly doubled his point total in 2015 and had a breakout year in 2017, where he scored twelve goals and added five assists (all career highs). His senior year was highlighted by a four-goal effort against Harvard as he led the Lions to a 11-2-3 regular season record. Bosua was named Ivy League Offensive Player of the Year, an award he won two years in a row (2016, 2017). In 2018 he was one of sixty players initially invited to the 2018 MLS Combine in Orlando. 

Prior to playing soccer at Columbia University, Bosua attended Half Hollow Hills, receiving a varsity letter in football, soccer, and track and field. He played club soccer for Albertson Academy where he captained the U16 and U18 teams, scoring twenty and twenty-three goals respectively.

BIO:

Name: Arthur Bosua

Number: 27

Position: Forward

Height: 6-3

D.O.B: 1/26/96

Age: 23

Hometown: Johannesburg, South Africa

Previous club/college: Columbia University

Phil Breno joins the Battery from William and Mary. Breno began his collegiate career at the University of Maryland – Baltimore County (UMBC) before joining William and Mary his junior year (redshirt). At UMBC, Breno made nine appearances and finished with a 1.36 GAA which included a clean sheet against #7 Maryland.

Breno made an immediate impact after transferring to William and Mary starting twenty games in his first season. Breno finished the year with a 1.15 GAA and seven shutouts including back to back clean sheets against Liberty and Longwood.

Breno would improve on his stellar first season with the Tribe in his senior year. He ranked second amongst Colonial Athletic Association goalkeepers in shutouts, matching his previous years total, fourth in GAA (1.04), and seventh in saves (54).

Breno was a multisport athlete in high school and played club soccer for the Potomac Academy in Gaithersburg, Maryland.

BIO:

Name: Phil Breno

Number: 0

Position: Goalkeeper

Height: 6-2

D.O.B: 12/11/95

Age: 23

Hometown: Mount Airy, MD

Previous club/college: William and Mary

The Battery has also signed Trinidad midfielder Kieron Mason from W Connection FC of the TT Pro League.

Also returning to the Battery for the 2019 USL Championship season is goalkeeper Robert Beebe, midfielder Dante Marini, and defender O’Brian Woodbine.

The Charleston Battery have added Kyle Nelson and AJ Paterson to the roster ahead of the 2019 USL Championship season. The Battery boasted one of the best defensive records in the USL in 2018 and look to be even more dominant with the additions of Nelson and Paterson.

Kyle Nelson joins the Battery after a four-year playing career at Wofford College. Nelson was an important anchor in the Wofford defensive unit starting in all thirty-seven matches over the course of his freshman and sophomore years.

In 2016, as a sophomore, Nelson scored six times for the Terriers including three game-winning goals to go along with one assist. Nelson finished his Wofford career with ten goals and one assist. He finished Second Team All-Southern Conference in 2016 and First Team All-Southern Conference in 2018. Nelson sits eighth in all-time appearances for Wofford at 73 games played.

Prior to his playing career at Wofford College, Nelson led his Cedar Ridge High School to a district and regional championship following an 18-6 regular season record. He played club soccer with Lonestar USSDA.

BIO:

Name: Kyle Nelson

Number: 3

Position: Defender

Height: 6-2

D.O.B: 1/7/97

Age: 22

Hometown: Austin, TX

Previous club/college: Wofford College

Paterson joins the Battery following a successful collegiate career at Wright State.

Paterson most recently played for USL Championship side Bethlehem Steel FC in 2018. Prior to joining Bethlehem, Paterson was selected by New York City FC in the second round of the 2018 MLS SuperDraft.

While at Wright State Paterson made 76 appearances for the Raiders, starting all eighteen matches in 2017. During that season, Paterson scored seven goals including a hat-trick against the University of Cincinnati.

Paterson’s offensive contributions spanned the course of his entire college career racking up a total of fifteen goals and seven assists in four seasons. He has collected a number of various accolades including First Team All-Horizon League and Horizon League Player of the Year.

Paterson also received his first international call up to the Grenada National Team in October of 2018 prior to the country’s CONCACAF Nations League qualifier against Cuba.

BIO:

Name: AJ Paterson

Number: 20

Position: Defender

Height: 6-1

D.O.B: 1/31/96

Age: 23

Hometown:  Key Largo, FL

Previous club/college: Bethlehem Steel FC

The Charleston Battery lost 1-0 to the Chicago Fire on the final night of the Carolina Challenge Cup.

On a night of chances for both sides, the Battery come up just short to finish out the preseason in 4th place with one point.

Chicago pressured the Battery early attacking down both wings with talents forwards in Aleksandar Katai and Nemanja Nikolic. The Battery defense defended well against a barrage of first-half crosses and dangerous passes through the box.

Ian Svantesson lead the attack for the Battery once again, and had chances to score for his 3rd consecutive match, but couldn’t find the back of the net. His first opportunity came in the 17th minute when Svantesson fought off two defenders after receiving a lofted through ball but pushed the shot wide of the far post.

The Battery continued to put pressure on the Chicago defense with a corner in the 27th minute. A quick pass found Tah Brain Anunga at the top of the eighteen-yard box and a chipped pass into Svantesson was headed just over the bar.

The first half concluded 0-0 but the Chicago Fire came out flying forcing a save from Joe Kuzminsky. Kuzminsky made a number of big save throughout the game to keep the Battery in the match.

Chicago’s breakthrough came in the 85th minute. The ball found its way into the boxed controlled nicely by Amando Moreno who found Fabian Herbers near the top of the box who slotted it past Kuzminsky.

Charleston had an opportunity late as trialist Arthur Bosua ran at a group of Fire defends but couldn’t find the final ball to Romario Piggott who was making a run down the near sideline.

The Columbus Crew finished first in the cup, winning the competition for the third consecutive year. The Chicago Fire finished in second place followed by FC Cincinnati and the Charleston Battery.

Boxscore:

CHARLESTON –

CHICAGO – 85′ Goal, Herbers. Assisted by Moreno.

The Battery kicked off the second day of the Carolina Challenge Cup with a 1-1 draw against former Challenge Cup winners, Columbus Crew.

The cold, rainy weather played a part early in the match as players attempted to find their footing on the slick surface. Both sides took advantage of the conditions by putting pressure on attackers and defenders alike.

Ian Svantesson put the Battery up 1-0 in the 25th minute, his second goal of the tournament. A quick spell of attacking play led to a Battery corner which resulted in the goal. Jared van Schaik’s cross found the head of Svantesson, giving the Columbus goalie no chance at making a save.

The Battery came inches from doubling their lead late in the first half thanks to a powerful header from midfielder Vincenzo Candela. Jared van Schaik’s chipped ball in from the left side connected with Candela. The header hit the middle of the crossbar before being cleared by the Columbus defence.

The Battery nearly made it to half time unscathed, but a late stoppage time goal from Robinho leveled things up. Columbus Crew attacker Edward Opoku provided the assist with a quick pass across the box which evaded the Battery defense and found Robinho in the middle of the box.

Second half heroics from goalkeeper Joe Kuzminsky and defender Leland Archer preserved the draw for the Battery. A late Crew attack forced a number of saves from Kuzminsky and a critical block on the goal line from Archer.

The result leaves the Battery on one point through two matches with a final game against the Chicago Fire on February 23rd at 7:30 PM.

The 2019 Carolina Challenge Cup wraps up on the 23rd. Visit https://www.www.charlestonbattery.com for more information on Challenge Cup standings and to puchase tickets for the last night of Major League Soccer action here in Chalreston!

Box Score:

CHARLESON – Ian Svantesson, goal 25′

COLUMBUS – Robinho, goal 45 +2′

The Charleston Battery opened the Carolina Challenge Cup with a 2-1 loss to MLS newcomers, FC Cincinnati, on Saturday night.

The tournament hosts conceded an early goal in the opening moments of the match before trading penalties with FC Cincinnati in the second half. Goals from Fanendo Adi and Darren Mattocks propelled FC Cincinnati to a win in a game that saw both teams convert on penalties.

It only took two minutes for FC Cincinnati to get their first goal of the evening. A fast build-up of play and short quick passes led to a Darren Mattocks pass across the box, which connected with the former Portland Timbers foot. Battery goalkeeper, Joe Kuzminksy, made the initial save only to see the ball land back at Adi’s feet and led to an easy tap in.

The Battery’s best chance of the first half came in the 31st minute when Tah Brian Anunga found himself at the top of the box and had a shot on goal. The shot was blocked by a Cincinnati defender and out for a corner. The ensuing corner produced another opportunity for the Battery as Cincinnati’s goalkeeper couldn’t handle the cross. A scramble broke out in front of goal but a defender was able to clear the danger.

Coming out of halftime, the Battery made nine substitutions to the starting eleven, with a number of trialists getting a look. New Battery signing Zeiko Lewis played 68 minutes and was presented with the Heineken Man of the Match award.

Ian Svantesson would equalize in the 52nd minute from the spot. A shot from Dante Marini hit the hand of a Cincinnati defender and was ruled a penalty. Svantesson stepped up cooly and converted the penalty to equalize. Five minutes later FC Cincinnati would claim a penalty of their own to go back on top. Adi drew the foul and Mattocks finished.

The Battery are back in action on Wednesday, February 20th, as they take on the Columbus Crew who tied in their opening match against the Chicago Fire.

Boxscore:

CHARLESTON – Ian Svantesson, goal 52′

CINCINNATI – Fanendo Adi, goal 2′ Darren Mattocks, goal 57′ (PEN)  

The Charleston Battery will unveil a permanent tribute to the Prisoners of War (POW) and Soldiers Missing in Action (MIA) at MUSC Health Stadium on Saturday, June 8, 2019.

The POW/MIA Chair of Honor is currently a permanent fixture in the front row of section W1. The seat will remain unoccupied and roped off during the upcoming Carolina Challenge Cup, Battery regular season home games, and all events held at MUSC Health Stadium. The formal dedication ceremony will take place at halftime on Saturday, June 8th as the Battery take on Birmingham.

The Charleston Battery is proud to dedicate the permanent Chair of Honor to help people remember that even though our soldiers aren’t here, there is still a place for them. The chair will be roped off and always unoccupied to honor American POW/MIA.  

For more information regarding the POW/MIA Chair of Honor please contact Jodi Witte at jodi.witte@https://www.www.charlestonbattery.com

Charleston Battery youth academy product, Nico Rittmeyer has signed a new, multi-year contract ahead of the 2019 season.

Despite growing up in Savannah, Georgia, Rittmeyer has played nearly his entire soccer career in Charleston. At the age of 11, Rittmeyer and his dad started making the two-hour trek to and from Charleston to play for Summerville Soccer Club under former Battery player Clark Brisson. With the support of the Battery, Brission helped create the Charleston Battery Academy, merging Rittmeyer’s team with other clubs in the area shortly after his first trip to Charleston.

During Rittmeyer’s time with the academy as a teenager, Battery Head Coach Mike Anhaeuser invited him to train with the first team. Rittmeyer played his first matches for the professional club as a 17-year old against the Chicago Fire and Toronto FC at the 2011 Carolina Challenge Cup.  

“It was crazy being thrown into that environment as a teenager,” said Rittmeyer. “But, I gained a lot of valuable experience as a youth player in the Battery system. Testing myself against professional players and other high level youth players from a young age prepared me for the next level.”

For Rittmeyer, the next level was NCAA Division 1 with the University of North Carolina, however, an injury cut his freshman season short. After recovering from the injury and finishing his first year at Chapel Hill, Rittmeyer sought out a fresh start and elected to transfer from UNC. For his fresh start, Rittmeyer turned to the familiar and put the school in his adopted hometown at the top of his list.

Rittmeyer transferred to College of Charleston to play under former Cougar assistant coach Troy Lesesne, who is now the head coach of the new USL Championship franchise New Mexico United. Lesesne knew Rittmeyer from his time with the academy, giving him leverage to lure the highly-touted recruit to The College.

“Troy was a coach at the academy when I was coming through the system, so I knew him pretty well,” said Rittmeyer. “He’s a great coach and had a plan to help get me to the professional level. Unfortunately he left midway through my first semester to take a job with the Battery first team, so I didn’t get to play under him for very long”   Despite Lesesne’s absence, Rittmeyer flourished as a Cougar in his new, but familiar, setting. During his three seasons with The College, Rittmeyer scored 13 goals and registered four assists in 50 starts. He served as team captain for all three seasons and earned several all-conference awards.

His performances with CofC earned him an invite to Anhaeuser’s trials a few months after the end of his senior season. Rittmeyer earned a contract shortly thereafter and spent the majority of his rookie season as a role player.

“My first season was a huge learning experience for me,” Rittmeyer said. “I just showed up every day with a hunger to train and get better. I put my head down, worked as hard as I could, and leaned on some of the veterans like Taylor [Mueller] and [Odisnel] Cooper to help me navigate through that first year.”

The hard work as a rookie paid off in year two. In his second season as a professional, Rittmeyer scored four goals and tallied four assists in 32 appearances. He was named USL Player of the Week in July and finished the season with the 26 chances created, the third highest total on the team.

“I was much more comfortable from the start in my second season,” said Rittmeyer. “I had a year of training in that environment day in and day out under my belt which really helped my confidence. I think what I did last year is true representation of my abilities and I’m looking to build on that in 2019.”

Rittmeyer’s efforts in the Battery’s run to an eleventh consecutive playoff appearance earned him a new, multi-year contract with his hometown Club.

“I’m excited,” Rittmeyer said of the new contract. “This is an amazing city and a great Club with a long history of success. I love living here and I love playing here. It’s cool to see things come full circle; to get to play here as a pro after all the hard work I put in as a youth player is rewarding.”

Fresh off signing his new contract, Rittmeyer hit ground running when preseason officially began on Sunday, February 10 with a match against his alma mater. Eight years after his first appearance in Challenge Cup, Rittmeyer will take part in his third CCC this weekend when the Battery opens the tournament against FC Cincinnati.

“All the boys are ready to get started,” Rittmeyer said. “Challenge Cup always offers us the chance to see what we have against some of the best teams in the country early on in preseason. I’m looking forward to building on what I did last year and helping the team get back to the playoffs to give ourselves a chance to win the championship.”

Tickets for Carolina Challenge Cup are on sale now at https://www.www.charlestonbattery.com. The tournament begins with the first of three days of doubleheaders featuring the Battery, Columbus Crew SC, Chicago Fire, and FC Cincinnati on Saturday, February 16.

The Charleston Battery Adult Soccer League will run from mid-March through late May, starting March 14th, with a finalized schedule coming soon. League matches will take place on Thursday evenings at MUSC Health Stadium on Daniel Island with games set to begin at 7:00 PM, 8:00 PM, and 9:00 PM.

The 10 week adult league is split between three different age brackets; over 25 (25-34), over 35 (35-44), and over 45. Players are encouraged to register with or without a team, as “free agents” will be assigned to a team automatically. Games will be 8v8 including goalkeepers, with final rosters expected to be 10-12 players. 

Registration for the Charleston Adult Soccer League is currently open and accessed through the Charleston Battery website or by clicking here. A 2019 Battery season ticket is included with each individual registration.

Questions or concerns in regards to the Charleston Battery Adult Soccer League may be directed to adultleague@https://www.www.charlestonbattery.com or by calling (843) 971-GOAL.

The Charleston Battery has singed 23-year old winger, Zeiko Lewis for the 2019 season pending league and federation approval.

The former New York Red Bull joins the Battery from Icelandic first division side Handknattleiksfélag Kópavogs (HK). Lewis spent the end of last season with HK on loan from Fimleikafélag Hafnarfjarðar (FH).

Prior to his move to Iceland, Lewis was selected 17th overall by the Red Bulls in the 2017 MLS SuperDraft. Lewis helped NYRBII reach the USL Eastern Conference Final during his rookie season, scoring two goals and creating 23 chances in 14 starts.

Lewis earned his first senior cap for Bermuda just after his 16th birthday. He has scored eight goals in 18 appearances for his country since his debut in 2011.

In four seasons at Boston College, Lewis scored 18 goals and tallied 26 assists in 73 appearances. He served as team captain for his sophomore, junior, and senior seasons, earning several all-conference accolades along the way.

Lewis is the 14th player to be added to the Battery’s 2019 roster. He joins goalkeeper: Joe Kuzminsky; defenders: Taylor Mueller, Jarad van Schaik, Jay Bolt, Leland Archer; midfielders: Vincenzo Candela, Kotaro Higashi, Angelo Kelly, Tah Brian Anunga, Nico Rittmeyer, forwards: Ataulla Guerra, Romario Piggott, Ian Svantesson

BIO:

Name: Zeiko Lewis
Position: MF/F
Height: 5-7
Date of birth: 6/4/1995
Age: 23
Hometown: Spanish Point, Bermuda
Country: Bermuda
Previous team: Handknattleiksfélag Kópavogs
How acquired: Signed February 2019