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Zeiko Lewis was named USL Player of the Week and awarded a spot in the final USL Team of the Week of the regular season with his performances against Memphis 901 FC and Bethlehem Steel FC.

Lewis registered one goal and two assists in the Battery’s final two matches to push Charleston into the postseason for the twelfth straight season. Lewis filled up the stat sheet against Memphis assisting on Taylor Mueller’s opening goal and doubling the Battery’s lead in the 63rd minute. He finished the match with four key passes and five crosses, both team highs.

The Bermuda international kept things rolling in a 5-1 win against Bethlehem Steel on Saturday, setting up forward Arthur Bosua for the Battery’s opening goal. He created four scoring chances on the day and finished with two shots.

Lewis will lead Charleston into Ottawa on Wednesday night in the first round of the USL Championship Playoffs which will be streamed on ESPN+.

Battery TotW Honors, 2019

Zeiko Lewis (Week 2, reserves), Leland Archer (Week 5), Jarad van Schaik (Week 7), Joe Kuzminsky (Week 8, reserves), Kuzminsky (Week 10), Kuzminsky (Week 12, reserves), van Schaik (Week 15), Lewis (Week 20, reserves), Kuzminsky (Week 27), Lewis (Player of the Week 33), Bosua (Week 33, reserves)

Betsy McAdams Newcomer of the Year, Kyle Nelson

The former Wofford Terrier defender made eighteen starts at right-back and played over 1,500 minutes in twenty appearances in his first full season with the club. Nelson registered thirty-eight clearances and thirty-five interceptions to go along with a 65% tackle success rate.

Nelson showcased his ability to contribute in the attacking third, assisting on two match-winning goals against Memphis 901 FC and North Carolina FC. He’ll look to improve on a very successful first year of play.

David Vaughan Memorial Award, Nico Rittmeyer

Rittmeyer came on late in the season to begin the Battery’s run at a postseason spot, scoring twice over the last month of play. He scored his first goal of the season against Atlanta United II before grabbing a late winner against North Carolina FC four days later. Rittmeyer set up Zeiko Lewis’ goal in the match against Memphis and finished the season with 31 appearances in 2019. 

In addition to his on-field accomplishments, Rittmeyer has served the Battery through a number of community appearances and events. The College of Charleston alum has made multiple visits to the MUSC Children’s Hospital Atrium and Psychiatry Department, attended a clinic at Camp Communication, and participated in the Battery’s hosting of the South Carolina Special Olympics soccer team. 

Offensive Player of the Year, Zeiko Lewis 

Lewis burst onto the scene for the Black and Yellow scoring seventeen minutes into his regular-season debut for the Battery against Hartford Athletic. The Bermuda international would go on to score seven goals for the club and adding five assists.

Lewis also created forty-three scoring chances for the Battery this year; fifteen more than any other player. Lewis will set his sights on double-digit goals in 2020 and has the ability to score sensational goals. 

Derek Revord Defensive Player of the Year, Taylor Mueller 

In his eight-seasons with the club, Mueller is and has been the definition of consistency and perseverance. Mueller started all of his thirty-one appearances for the Battery logging over 2,700 minutes. If not for a nose injury suffered against Indy Eleven earlier this season, Mueller may have played in every match in 2019.

Mueller leads the team in clearances (129), blocked shots (24), and sits fourth in interceptions (38). Mueller has captained the backline to eight shutouts this season with two of the last four. And don’t forget about him on corners, he’s headed home two goals this season off set-piece situations.

Nigel Cooper, Most Valuable Player, Jarad van Schaik

Van Schaik has plugged into multiple positions for coach Anhaeusers side this season including left midfield, left-back, and most recently center back.

Van Schaik finished the season with three goals including a brace against Nashville SC. He finished second on the team in minutes played (2,841), only thirty-nine minutes less than goalkeeper Joe Kuzminsky, and started in thirty-two of the Battery’s thirty-four matches.

The veteran thrived in attack and defense on the left wings leading the team with 1,577 passes and eighty-three interceptions. The Battery are in good hands entering the playoffs with van Schaik and Mueller leading the back line.

The Charleston Battery clinched an Eastern Conference playoff spot with a 5-1 win against the Bethlehem Steel in what could be the final match played at MUSC Health Stadium.

Charleston got things started in the 23rd minute with Zeiko Lewis linking up with Arthur Bosua for the opening goal of the match. After a few quick passes at the top left corner of Bethlehem’s eighteen-yard box, Lewis picked out Bosua who split the Steel FC backline and directed the cross past Matt Freese. It was a relatively quiet first half as Bosua’s goal sent the Battery into halftime leading 1-0.

The match sprang to life in the 65th minute beginning with Bosua’s second goal of the match. Kotaro Higashi played the final ball to Bosua after Angelo Kelly intercepted a poor Bethlehem pass to begin the attack. The Japanese playmaker linked up with Ataulla Guerra and controlled the return pass before pushing it past two Bethlehem defenders and sliding it across the box towards Bosua for a tap in.

Charleston added a third in the 74th minute by way of a penalty, converted by Ataulla Guerra. Guerra and Bosua pressured the Bethlehem goal, making their way inside the box with a series of short quick passes. Guerra’s shot was eventually blocked out to a waiting Lewis who battled Zach Zandi returning the ball to Guerra. Guerra slipped a pass through to Lewis who went down in the area. Guerra’s goal ended any chance of a Bethlehem comeback and erased any doubt that the Charleston Battery would clinch a playoff spot.

Bethlehem’s leading goalscorer, Faris Pemi Moumbagna, picked up his eleventh goal of the season to cut the deficit, with a brilliant goal in the 78th minute. Moumbagna collected a deflected cross just inside the Battery’s penalty area, and with a quick turn, curled a shot past Joe Kuzminsky.

AJ Paterson scored two goals in four minutes to end the match in style. Paterson headed home his first in the 81st minute following a short corner taken by the Battery. Angelo Kelly lofted a beautiful ball in and Paterson caught Freese in no man’s land, sending his header over the Steel FC keeper. He grabbed his second in the 84th beating Freese with a low shot at the back post after Guerra found him making an attacking run on the left side of the field.     

With a place in the postseason secured, the Battery will face either North Carolina FC or Ottawa Fury, dependent on results, in a play-in round match to open the 2019 USL Championship Playoffs on Wednesday, October 23rd at 7:00 PM. The match will be streamed on ESPN+.

BOXSCORE

CHARLESTON: Kuzminsky, Nelson, Mueller (YC 90+1), van Schaik, Paterson (goal 81′, 84′), Rittmeyer (Piggott 68′), Kelly (YC 27′), Higashi (YC 71′), Lewis (Candela 74′), Bosua (goal 23′, 67′, Marini 86′), Guerra (pen 74′)

Substitutes: Breno, Woodbine, Candela, Marini, Piggott, Daley, Svantesson

BETHLEHEM: Freese, Harriel (YC 39′), Cortes (YC 58′), Ofeimu, Turner, Zandi, Miscic (Willis 68′), Chambers (YC 21′), Picazo, Borgelin (Moumbagna 45′, goal 78′), Ngalina

Substitutes: Burns, Willis, Diaz, Moumbagna, Scintu

The Charleston Battery wrap up the 2019 USL Championship regular season against the Bethlehem Steel FC at 2:00 PM. The match, originally scheduled for 7:30 PM, was moved to avoid an unfavorable weather forecast on Saturday evening.

The Battery are set to play their third match in seven days while Bethlehem will look to end their season with a win. Charleston enter Saturday afternoon’s match after beating Memphis 901 FC, 2-0, at home in midweek. Bethlehem are winless in their last five and split points with Ottawa in a 1-1 draw last time out.

Bethlehem took three points in a 3-1 win over the Battery in April, handing the Black and Yellow their first loss of the season. Kacper Przybylko opened the scoring and Fabinho converted on a penalty to doubled the Steel lead before Tah Brian Anunga cut the deficit with his first goal of the season. Przybylko found the net less than a minute after Anunga’s goal to secure three points for Bethlehem. Zach Zandi played a big part in April’s contest contributing an assist and creating a team-high six scoring chances.

Charleston fielded a strong attacking lineup on Wednesday against Memphis and could feature a similar eleven on Saturday. The attacking trio of Arthur Bosua, Nicque Daley, and Zeiko Lewis took nine of Charleston’s fifteen shots as Lewis shined in the 2-0 win. The Bermuda international assisted on Taylor Mueller’s first-half goal and scored his seventh of the season in the 63rd minute. Lewis now leads or shares the lead in four offensive categories which include goals, assists, shots, and chances created.

With the Philadelphia Union eyeing a deep run in the MLS Cup Playoffs, Bethlehem Steel will be without Przybylko and Fabinho as the pair have consistently featured for the Union this season. The duo combined for four appearances for Steel FC and scored a total of four goals, three of which against the Battery. Bethlehem will instead turn to Faris Pemi Moumbagna, who has scored ten goals for Steel FC this season. The 19-year old Cameroon international joined the club in 2018 scoring three goals in fifteen appearances and has eclipsed those totals in his 21 starts this season.

While Bethlehem have been eliminated from the USL Championship Playoffs, Charleston are locked in a tight race for the final two spots in the Eastern Conference.  

Battery Win: Three points on Saturday secure a playoff spot for the Black and Yellow. A draw or loss for Birmingham in this scenario would see the Battery finish 9th setting up a play-in match against Ottawa Fury OR North Carolina FC. If Birmingham claim three points the Battery would finish in 10th.

Battery Draw: This is where things get a bit complicated. A draw would see the Battery finish on 44 points and be in danger of missing out on the playoffs. A combination of a Saint Louis win AND Birmingham win/draw would eliminate Charleston from the postseason. However, if Saint Louis are unable to take three points against North Carolina FC, the Battery would be in, regardless of Birmingham’s final result. A combination of a Saint Louis draw/loss AND Birmingham loss would see the Battery finish 9th.

Battery Loss: While a loss to Bethlehem wouldn’t eliminate Charleston from the playoffs, it’s an obvious worst-case scenario. Saint Louis would need just one point to jump back into 10th place, as they own the tiebreaker, and the Battery would be out. If North Carolina beat Saint Louis, the Battery are in.

The Charleston Battery’s season finale, scheduled for October 19th at 7:30 PM against Bethlehem Steel FC, has been moved to 2:00 PM. The change in time comes as a result of an unfavorable weather forecast projected over Charleston on Saturday evening.

Tickets purchased for the match will be honored at the box office with gates opening at 12:30 PM. Tickets are still available online or by calling (843) 971-GOAL! The match will be broadcast on MyTVCharleston or streamed on ESPN+.

The Battery took a big step towards securing a playoff spot with a 2-0 win over Memphis 901 FC at MUSC Health Stadium on Wednesday night. Charleston pass Saint Louis in the Eastern Conference standings and will hold the 9th or 10th spot heading into Saturday’s match against Bethlehem Steel FC.

Memphis challenged for the opening goal ten minutes in following a corner kick. Marc Burch whipped in a dangerous cross at the near post and midfielder Nico Rittmeyer looked to clear the danger with a header. Rittmeyer’s attempted clearance watched the ball fly above goalkeeper Joe Kuzminsky, who was able to punch away in a crowded box. Kuzminsky’s punch found the feet of Adam Najem who sent a rocket of a shot towards goal but Jarad van Schaik was able to block and clear the danger.

Zeiko Lewis and Arthur Bosua combined for an excellent chance in the 26th minute, and nearly put the Battery out to a 1-0 lead. Lewis collected a pass in Memphis’ defensive third and turned towards goal looking for an opportunity to drive forward. Instead, the crafty attacker held up play and lofted a brilliant pass in toward Bosua, who did well to keep himself onside with a well-timed run. Bosua was able to get his head on it but lacked the power required to beat Memphis keeper Scott Levene. In the end, Levene was able to turn the shot over the crossbar and out for a Battery corner.

Charleston would cash in from a corner in the 30th minute, as captain Taylor Mueller headed home his second goal of the season to give the Battery a 1-0 lead. Lewis played an inswinging ball directed at the near post and Mueller was first to, flicking it past Levene who was left helpless. “We work on those sort of set pieces all the time,” said coach Anhaeuser after the match. “He scored one like that against Loudoun and he’s done it again for us tonight.”

Lewis would double the Battery’s lead in the 63rd minute, adding to his assist earlier in the match. Rittmeyer split two Memphis defenders before sprinting down the right side and delivering a pass in towards Lewis, who was waiting in the box. It looked as if Lewis would hit Rittmeyer’s pass first time but the ball took a slight bobble, keeping the Bermuda international from having a go. Lewis fought off two defenders and controlled the ball long enough to slip a shot past Levene.

It was a fairly dominant performance from the Charleston side as they outshot (15 to 6) and out possessed Memphis. Kuzminsky made three saves in the contest to record his eighth clean sheet of the season. The Battery out possessed 901 FC by the slimmest of margins (50.1% to 49.9%) and won three more corners.

The Battery wrap up the regular season on Saturday at MUSC Health Stadium against Bethlehem Steel FC at 7:30 PM. Come out and support the boys in Black and Yellow with our 4 for $40 ticket package and stick around after the game for post-match fireworks on the field! Tickets for Saturday’s match are on sale now and can be purchased online or by calling (843) 971-GOAL.  

BOXSCORE

CHARLESTON: Kuzminsky, Nelson, Mueller (goal 30′), van Schaik, Paterson, Higashi, Kelly (YC 90+1′), Rittmeyer, Lewis (YC 55′, goal 63′, Mason 86′), Daley (Candela 62′), Bosua (Svantesson 89′)

Substitutes: Breno, Mason, Anunga, Candela, Piggott, Svantesson, Marini

MEMPHIS: Metzger (YC 68′), Burch (YC 48′), Najem, Kunga (Uccello 75′), Collier (YC 81′), Charpie (Mohamed 46′, YC 86), Levene, Morton, Lindley, Epps (Graf 75′), Doyle

Substitutes: Caldwell, Hauser-Ramsey, Mohamed, Uccello, Hackworth, Graf

The Battery host Memphis 901 FC at MUSC Health Stadium on July 13th at 7:30 PM. It will be Memphis’ first trip to Charleston since entering the USL Championship prior to the start of the 2019 season.

Charleston’s last match against Atlanta United 2, scheduled for July 5th, was postponed due to inclement weather and rescheduled for September 18th.

The Battery finished 1-1 against New York Red Bulls II on June 29th. Tah Brian Anunga picked up a straight red card on the stroke of halftime and the teams entered the break level at 0-0. Nicque Daley scored his second goal of the season in the 54th minute after Kotaro Higashi intercepted an errant pass in the midfield and played Daley through on goal. Daley held off New York defender Preston Kilwien to put the Battery up 1-0.

Mathias Jorgensen scored in the 80th minute after Jared Stroud’s deflected shot found the feet of the striker in the center of the box and he was able to sneak it past Kuzminsky.

Memphis 901 FC picked up three points against Hartford Athletic in a convincing 4-1 win on July 6th. Elliot Collier scored the first hat trick in Memphis history. Collier opened the scoring for Memphis in the 6th minute after picking up a pass down the left side and cutting into the box onto his right foot. With a yard of space at the top of the area, Collier beat goalkeeper Frederik Due low at the left post to record his 3rd goal of the season.

Collier netted his 2nd of the match 5 minutes later, finding himself in a similar position of his first goal, driving towards the goal line and putting his shot through the legs of Due. He’d complete his hat trick in the 75th minute on a wonderful solo run through the attacking third, giving Memphis a 3-1 lead. Substitute Lagos Kinga would add a fourth for Memphis in the 80th minute.

Previous Meeting

The Battery took three points against Memphis in dramatic fashion the last time the two teams met at AutoZone Park on April 27th. Dante Marini was the hero for the Battery breaking the deadlock in the final minute of stoppage time.

Marini scored his second goal of the season in the 93rd minute, putting the Battery up 1-0. Kyle Nelson played a pass across the face of goal looking for Arthur Bosua, who was making a strong drive to the near post. Jeff Caldwell made a play on the ball mishandling the low cross and Marini was first to the loose ball tapping it past a recovering Caldwell.

Goalkeeper Joe Kuzminsky made four saves in the win, denying Memphis twice in a matter of 60 seconds in the 80th minute. Kuzminsky’s first save came off a deflected shot by Elliot Collier, pushing the attempt just wide of the left post on a terrific reaction save. Wesley Charpie forced Kuzminsky into a second save from the ensuing corner with a high header from eight yards out.

What to Watch For

Creative Midfielders (MEM) – It was an offensive explosion for Memphis last Saturday night and 901 FC will look to build on the win against the Battery tomorrow night. While Elliot Collier stole the show, Memphis midfielders Cam Lindley and Adam Najem were key playmakers in the 4-1 win. Lindley and Najem picked up assists against Hartford and lead the team in assists (2) and chances created (21) on the season. Lindley has started in eight of the last ten while Najem has been in the starting XI in twelve of the last thirteen.

Rested and Ready to Go (CHS) –  With Charlestons last match against Atlanta United 2 postponed to September, the Battery are fresh and are looking to make a second-half run. “It was nice, we were able to give our guys Saturday and Sunday off, we had a lot of guys playing a lot of minutes said coach Anhaeuser after training on Friday. “You could see a lot of buzz in the player’s legs and it’s been fantastic.” Entering the second half of the season, the Battery finds themselves eight points of the top-four with a favorable schedule ahead. Four of the Battery’s next five opponents sit 10th or lower in the table, with a combined record of 12-33-21. “We’ve got a lot of our offensive weapons available, teams are going to have to worry about us.”

Charleston Battery: USL Championship Record, 5-4-8 (4-0-6)

Team Leaders:

Goals: Lewis (5)

Assists: Higashi (3)

Chances Created: Lewis (22)

Saves: Kuzminsky (40)

Clean Sheets: Kuzminsky (3)

Memphis 901 FC: USL Championship Record, 3-8-5 (2-4-3)

Team Leaders

Goals: Collier (5)

Assists: Lindley, Najem (2)

Chances Created: Lindley, Najem (21)

Saves: Caldwell (28)

Clean Sheets: Caldwell (2)

The Battery missed out on a chance to move above Birmingham, and the playoff line, Sunday afternoon with a 2-1 loss to Loudoun United FC. It’s Loudoun’s third consecutive win after beating Saint Louis and Tampa Bay. Charleston remains tied with the Legion on 40 points with two remaining home matches in the regular season.

Arthur Bosua and the Battery got off to a quick start, going up 1-0 in the 6th minute. Dante Marini looked Bosua’s way with an initial cross that was punched away by Loudoun keeper Colin Miller. Romario Piggott latched on to the live ball and found Tah Brian Anunga at the top of the box with a few yards of space available. Anunga recycled play and lofted a cross back into the box connecting with Nicque Daley, who did well to chest the ball down in the box and hold off a Loudoun defender before going to ground. Bosua jumped to the loose ball and tucked it into the back of the net, scoring his fourth goal of the season.

Charleston generated a number of quality scoring chances in the first half but were unable to punish a struggling Loudoun defense. The Black and Yellow had seven first-half shots, but only two were on target. “We got in on the outsides, and the quality just seemed to be missing at the end,” said coach Anhaeuser following the match. “I think we played very well and made adjustments throughout the match to be more offensive.” The Battery finished the match with twenty-one crosses forcing Miller to come out and deal with dangerous balls.

Loudoun responded quickly, leveling the match five minutes after Bosua’s opener. Alioune Ndour bagged a brace in the win showcasing his power and finesse on his first goal. Antonio Bustamante chipped a lovely ball through to Ndour who found himself through on goal and controlled the pass nicely before smashing a half volley past Kuzminsky in the top left corner of the net. Ndour was efficient with his chances registering three shots on the afternoon, all of which were on target. Hunter Gorski assisted on Ndour’s second goal in the 83rd minute, sending a low hard pass towards Ndour who redirected the pass past Joe Kuzminsky.

Memphis 901 FC is up next for the Battery at MUSC Health Stadium on Wednesday night at 7:00 PM before wrapping up the regular season against Bethlehem Steel FC on Saturday, October 19th at 7:30 PM. Tickets are on sale for Wednesday’s match and Saturday’s season finale and can be purchased online or by calling (843) 971-GOAL!

BOX SCORE

CHARLESTON: Kuzminsky, Kelly, Woodbine (YC 71′), Mueller (YC 61′), van Schaik, Candela (Higashi 87′), Piggott (Rittmeyer 62′), Anunga, Marini, Bosua (goal 6′), Daley (Svantesson 79′)

Substitutes: Breno, Adesodun, Nelson, Higashi, Rittmeyer, Svantesson

LOUDOUN: Miller, Gorskie, Wiedt, Verfurth, Garduno (Dambrot 60′), Bustamante, Wild (Murphy 68′), Martinez, Sinclair (Lubahn 60′), Ku-Dipietro, Ndour (goal 11′, 83′)

Substitutes: Brown, Dambrot, Lubahn, Saravia, Murphy

The Charleston Battery square off against Loudoun United FC Sunday afternoon at MUSC Health Stadium. The Battery are looking to solidify a place in the postseason while Loudoun take aim at a third consecutive win.

Goals from Taylor Mueller and Dante Marini propelled the Battery to a win in their first ever meeting with Loudoun at Segra Field on August 14th. Mueller opened the scoring while Marini doubled the lead midway through the second half. Loudoun substitute Orlando Sinclair made things interesting in the 77th minute bringing his team within a goal and leading the attack in a wild finish in the Battery’s penalty area.

We could be in for a shootout at MUSC Health Stadium on Sunday afternoon. Loudoun have conceded multiple goals in nineteen matches while twenty-three of their matches have seen three or more goals scored in the match. The Battery have hit opponents for multiple goals in six of fifteen home matches including a 3-1 win against Nashville on April 20th.

Ataulla Guerra will miss out on Sunday’s actions after picking up a red card in a 0-0 draw with Birmingham last Saturday. Arthur Bosua, Ian Svantesson, and Nicque Daley will be called upon to carry the load in a very important match for the Black and Yellow. The trio have scored nine goals this season with Svantesson and Daley adding to that total with four U.S. Open Cup goals between them. Daley has missed time this season with a knee injury, but his return to action as a substitute against Birmingham is an encouraging sign for the young Jamaican international. Bosua and Svantesson seem the likely starter(s) while coach Anhaeuser will call on Daley to provide a moment of magic off the bench.

Gordon Wild leads the way for Loudoun and has been red hot since joining the team at the end of July. The German forward has found the back of the net eight times has quicly become the focal point of Loudoun’s attack. Wild was on the scoresheet in a 2-0 win against Tampa Bay and showcased his versatility with a hat trick against Swope Park on September 25th. Battery fans are very familiar with Wild as they watched him score seven goals for the Black and Yellow in 2018.

Playoff Watch – Wednesday night featured four USL Championship matches with two Eastern Conference battles carrying major playoff implications. Those midweek results went in favor of the Battery with Hartford stunning Birmingham, 4-0, and Loudoun picking up a stoppage-time winner against Saint Louis. Charleston remains level on points with Birmingham and are two points shy of Saint Louis for the 9th spot. With a game in hand on both teams, and a favorable three-match home stretch to close out the season, the Battery are in control of their own destiny.

A win against Loudoun could see the Battery move from 11th to 9th bypassing Birmingham and Saint Louis, however, that would require a Saint Louis loss to Pittsburgh on Saturday. Three points for Charleston this weekend would move them above the Legion and the playoff line. A draw would also move the Battery past Birmingham.

Charleston’s final three opponents have a combined record of 26-50-19 and a goal difference of -47.

#9. Saint Louis FC: Maximum points 48; Pittsburgh Riverhounds (H), North Carolina FC (A)

#10. Birmingham Legion: Maximum points 46; New York Red Bulls II (H), Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC (H)

#11. Charleston Battery: Maximum points 49; Loudoun United (H), Memphis 901 FC (H), Bethlehem Steel FC (H)

Tickets for Sunday’s match are available online or by calling (843) 971-GOAL!