CHARLESTON – Battery center back Shawn Ferguson was named to the USL Team of the Week for Week 9 after leading Charleston to a 1-0 win over Wilmington on Saturday. It’s Ferguson’s third appearance overall and second as a starter in 2016.
Ferguson scored the game’s only goal in the 33rd minute with a cheeky finish from a Justin Portillo corner kick. The 6-4 center back ran into the six-yard box unmarked as Portillo’s inswinging delivery dipped towards his feet. Ferguson back heeled the ball on target, catching Wilmington goalkeeper John Smits off guard. The goal was Ferguson’s first of the year, making him the 10th different Battery player to get on the scoresheet this season.
Following Ferguson’s goal, the game became disconnected in part due to the surface at Legion Stadium. The Battery captain led Charleston’s defense to the shutout, cutting out most of Wilmington’s attacking moves before they became dangerous. Ferguson steadied the veteran Battery squad as it beat the Hammerheads at its own game for its fifth win of the season.
The shutout was the Battery’s second straight and fifth overall in the league. Charleston’s third straight league win moved the team into a tie for second place with New York Red Bulls II, setting the stage for this week’s match-up against league-leading Louisville City FC.
Ferguson’s Week 9 TOW honor is the ninth of his four year USL career. Charleston has had a representative on the Team of the Week five out of nine weeks this season, with four different players making at least one appearance.
