Leland Archer

Charleston’s match against Hartford Athletic on Saturday, March 21st, has been postponed with a rescheduled date and time to be determined.

Hartford Athletic’s decision to postpone the match was made Wednesday morning after consultation with local and state health authorities, as well as city officials. Hartford’s full statement can be found on the club’s website. Charleston’s match against Birmingham Legion has not been affected and is currently scheduled to be played on Sunday, March 15th.

More information will be released, when available, on the USL Championship’s website and through Charleston Battery’s website and social channels.

Charleston Battery defender, Kyle Nelson, was named to the USL Championship Team of the Week for his performance against Atlanta United 2 on Sunday afternoon.

Entering his second year in Charleston, Nelson led the Battery backline to its first clean sheet of the year, playing 90 minutes in a 1-0 win. The 2019 Betsy McAdams Newcomer of the Year figured to see an increase in minutes, with the departure of Taylor Mueller, and is off to a fine start in 2020.

Stat Line: Won 12 of 19 duels, completed 5 of 6 tackles, and made 4 interceptions. The attacking back also finished with 2 key passes.

Nelson’s tackle and interception numbers led the team and his 2 key passes finished just behind Zeiko Lewis for a team lead. Nelson and Charleston are back in action this Sunday against Birmingham Legion at BBVA Field.

2020 USL Team of the Week:

Brandon Miller (CLS), Mauricio Cuevas (LA), Kyle Nelson (CHS), Callum Montgomery (SA), Todd Wharton (STL), Cameron Dunbar (LA), Christiano Francois (RNO), Tyler Pasher (IND), Rufat Dadashov (PHX), Solomon Asante (PHX)

Charleston Battery opened the 2020 USL Championship season with a 1-0 win over Atlanta United 2 on Sunday afternoon.

It was a quick start for Charleston, who threatened Atlanta’s goal thirty seconds into the match. Zeiko Lewis played a brilliant ball in towards Dante Marini, who was inches away from latching on to the pass and taking a quick touch around the keeper for what would have been a tap into an empty net. ATLUTD2 responded with a chance of their own three minutes later. Amir Bashti picked out Jack Gurr with a perfect through ball that split Charleston’s backline, but Gurr’s shot went wide of the left post. 

Despite early chances on both ends, Atlanta and Charleston played to a scoreless opening half, going into the locker room 0-0. Charleston looked the more dangerous side in the first forty-five minutes, controlling possession and finishing better chances. It didn’t take long for Charleston’s quality to show through with Lewis continuing to look dangerous going forward. Lewis forced a penalty call in the 62nd minute beating an ATLUTD2 defender down the right-wing and crossing the ball into the box where it hit the hand of an ATLUTD2 defender.

Lewis would step up and convert on the penalty giving Charleston a one-goal advantage, a lead they would hold through the final whistle. Lewis, who scored eight goals for the Battery last season, looked confident throughout and should continue to feature as Charleston’s focal point of attack.

Charleston finished with ten shots, three of which were on target. Phil Breno, who made his third USL Championship start, finished the afternoon strong picking up his first career clean sheet. It was a straight forward outing for the second year goalkeeper who made just one save on the afternoon. Of Atlanta’s fourteen total shot attempts, only one was on target. The match finished with a possession split of 55% to 45% in favor of ATLUTD2.

A number of first-year players made their Charleston debuts against ATLUTD2. Rennico Clarke and Logan Gdula started in Sunday’s win, playing 90 minutes and 81 minutes, respectively. Their contributions on the defensive end helped Charleston to their first clean sheet of the year. Midfielder Robbie Crawford played 14 minutes in his first appearance for the Black and Yellow, coming on late for Lewis.

Next Up: Charleston takes on Birmingham Legion on Sunday, March 15th, at 5:00 P.M. EST.

How to Watch: Join us at Rusty Bull Brewing for our next watch party or catch the match live on ESPN+.

BOX SCORE

ATLANTA: Lundgaard, Gurr, Bello (Steedman 45′), Tubbs, Jadama (C), Kamdem Fewo, Wolff (Gannon 63′), Bashti (YC 57′, Jawneh 77′), Reilly, Fernando, Goodrum

Substitutes: Conway, Gannon, Jawneh, Reyes, Steedman

CHARLESTON: Breno, Nelson, Clarke, Archer, Gdula (YC 40′, Cox 81′), Piggott, Kelly (YC 21′), Paterson, Marini (C), Lewis (pen. 63′, Crawford 76′), Bosua (Daley 65′)

Substitutes: McCauley, Nembhard, van Schaik, Adesodun, Crawford, Cox, Daley

Temi Adesodun and James Cox are set to re-join Charleston Battery ahead of this weekend’s season opener, with Cox’s signing pending league and federation approval.

Adesodun, who played collegiately at the College of Charleston, trained with the Black and Yellow during the 2019 season. Adesodun played alongside current teammates Leland Archer and Nico Rittmeyer at CofC in 2015. In 2018, Adesodun captained the Cougars and earned tournament honors at the UNCW Springhill Suites Classic. Adesodun will look to make his USL Championship debut in 2020.

Cox signed an academy contract with Charleston in June of last year. The former South Carolina Battery Youth Academy midfielder renewed the academy contract allowing Cox to retain his college eligibility. Cox made one substitute appearance for Charleston in 2019 against Ottawa Fury, playing fourteen minutes in a 3-2 loss.

Adesodun and Cox will have the opportunity to feature on Sunday against Atlanta United 2. You can catch the match live on ESPN+ or join us at Baker & Brewer for our first watch party of the season!

Charleston Battery have added a third goalkeeper to their roster ahead of the upcoming season, signing Paul Lewis on Thursday morning.

Lewis began his college career at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, California. He made three appearances as a redshirt freshman going 2-1, registering 8 saves and a goal-against average of 1.82. In his second season with the Lions, Lewis made 15 appearances playing 1329 minutes, making 60 saves and picking up one shutout.

Transferring to California State University, Northridge in 2019, Lewis made 11 starts in 13 appearances for the Matadors, finishing with 45 saves and a 1.78 goals-against average. His saves and goals-against average were good for seventh and ninth-best in the Big West, respectively. Lewis’ season was highlighted by a 10 save effort against UC Irvine in a 1-0 win, picking up his fifth win of the year. Lewis contributed to the team’s four clean sheets over the course of the season.

Lewis featured for a number of academy clubs including the Seattle Sounders Academy and Crossfire Academy. Graduating from Eastside Catholic High in 2016, Lewis was a two-time All-League player and was named as the teams Most Inspirational Player in 2015. 

Charleston take on Atlanta United 2 on Sunday afternoon to kick off the 2020 USL Championship season. Join us at Baker & Brewer for our first watch party or catch the match live on ESPN+.

Week 1 of the USL Championship is right around the corner and it feels so good to be back! A new season brings a fresh start for all thirty-five Championship clubs with hopes of being crowned champions in November. Charleston begin their quest for a fifth championship, and first in the modern era, against Atlanta United 2 on Sunday, March 8th.

Here’s a quick look ahead to this weekend’s opener.

New Kids in Town – Charleston added a number of new faces to the roster in what is a revamped Battery roster. Rennico Clarke, Logan Gdula, and Deshawon Nembhard join the backline, while Robbie Crawford, Jesus Ibarra, and Mauro Cichero look to add an offensive spark to the squad. The team wraps up preseason play tonight against the College of Charleston and this weekend’s match against ATLUTD2 could see a number of debuts for the first-year players.

Strong Out of the Gate – The season is a marathon, not a sprint, but three points on opening weekend can set the tone for the rest of the year. ATLUTD2 has yet to drop points in their first two opening matches since joining the Championship in 2018. Charleston has enjoyed similar success winning three of their last six openers while suffering just one defeat. Sunday’s match presents a unique challenge for Charleston who haven’t opened the season on the road since 2013.

It’s A Party – Our first watch party of the season will be hosted by Baker & Brewer! Make the match part of your Sunday Funday plans with $3 craft beers and some of Charleston’s best pizza. The party starts at 3:00 P.M. with kickoff set for 3:30 P.M. Can’t make it out to Baker & Brewer? The match, along with every other USL Championship match, will be streamed on ESPN+.

Charleston Battery are on the road for the first three weeks of the season before making their home debut at Patriots Point on March 28th. Tickets for the historic home opener are on sale and can be purchased online or by calling (843) 971-GOAL! We’re ready to #PackThePoint…are you?

Mason didn’t see much action during the USL Championship regular season making just one start in three total appearances. Like teammate Jay Bolt, Mason’s season was cut short due to an injury that sidelined him for the second half of the season. Mason did make an impact in the U.S. Open Cup, starting all three of Charleston’s cup matches.

Mason put in a solid performance against Greenville Triumph SC in the Second Round. He started alongside Tah Brian Anunga in midfield and played ninety minutes, setting the tone defensively for Charleston. He was involved in eighteen duels throughout the match, a team-high, winning possession in ten of those battles. Mason added two tackles, two clearances, and two interceptions while winning possession for Charleston six times.

The first year Trinidad and Tobago international also started against Nashville SC in the Third Round. This time he pushed past the ninety-minute mark, playing the first eight minutes of extra time before being replaced. Mason improved upon his numbers against Greenville winning possession for Charleston thirteen times and nearly doubling his number of tackles, clearances, and interceptions.

Ten minutes into Charleston’s Fourth Round battle against Atlanta United, Mason picked up an injury and was replaced by Angelo Kelly. The injury would keep Mason from being able to establish any momentum in his first season with the club. Anunga’s transfer to Nashville SC will provide an opening Mason could fill heading into 2020.

Don’t miss out on a chance to be part of history! Purchase your season tickets for our inaugural season at Patriots Point online or by calling (843) 971-GOAL!

CHARLESTON, S.C. – The Charleston Battery, the oldest continuously run professional soccer club in the United States, entered a new era on Wednesday as the sale of the USL Championship team to HCFC, LLC was officially announced.

“The Battery are an indelible part of the Charleston community,” said Rob Salvatore, who will lead the club’s new ownership. “As one of the most historic professional soccer organizations in the United States, this club has brought people throughout the Lowcountry together for decades. As ownership and custodians of the club, we will honor and respect that history while bringing new energy, experience and resources to grow the club’s connection to the community both on and off the field.”

Under Salvatore’s leadership, the Club also announced it will commence play at the Patriots Point Soccer Complex in Mount Pleasant starting next season. While more details on the club’s move will be provided in the coming weeks, HCFC is committed to ensuring the new venue is both fan- and family-friendly, while also allowing for the type of intense, raucous atmospheres seen throughout the USL Championship.

“This new venture between the College of Charleston and the Charleston Battery is a tremendous collaboration that will benefit the Towne of Mount Pleasant, the College and soccer fans in the metro-Charleston area,” said College of Charleston President Andrew T. Hsu. “By moving the Battery closer to College facilities – which are closer to downtown – more families, young professionals and students will be able to take in professional soccer matches. The College of Charleston is happy to play a role, a small one at that, in this next chapter of the Battery’s story.”

“Our guiding light has and will continue to be our supporters and engaging the community in order to return the club to relevance,” continued Salvatore. “We want to empower an inclusive and diverse supporters’ culture that resonates on both local and national levels. A concerted and fresh approach to how we engage the community, coupled with the changes we envision at Patriots Point will help facilitate that.”

With the ownership change, HCFC takes control of one the United States’ most successful Second Division soccer clubs. The Battery have previously won league titles in 1996, 2003, 2010 and 2012, and in 2008 were the most recent lower-division club to reach the final of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. In addition, the club has qualified for postseason play in 12 consecutive seasons, while winning the Southern Derby in four of the last five.

“We are absolutely thrilled to welcome Rob, his family and the entire HCFC ownership group to the USL Championship,” said USL President, and former Battery player, Jake Edwards. “Our league is experiencing a tremendous period of growth, and as someone who has had the privilege of playing for the club, I know firsthand how wonderful the Charleston community is and how important they are to the future of the USL Championship. Under Rob’s leadership, we believe the future of professional soccer in Charleston is incredibly bright.”

Over the coming the months, Salvatore will embark on a series of community listening sessions with the primary focus of gaining valuable feedback from the community on how the club can further bind itself to the city it represents. More information on those sessions will be made public in the coming weeks.

“The most important thing we can do this offseason is listen,” said Salvatore. “Our group brings a very unique profile with entrepreneurs who have built consumer brands and community driven businesses, marketers, major league sports owners and even a former professional soccer player, so we are confident that we have some very exciting ideas on how we can improve and grow the organization, but we need to make sure those ideas align with the views and beliefs of our supporters. It’s very important that we’re making decisions together.

“We may own the team, but it belongs to Charleston. It is paramount that we earn and keep the community’s trust. That starts by listening and being transparent.”

To all Charleston Battery fans and supporters,

Last night’s result in Nashville ended what was an exciting 2019 USL Championship season. The boys in Black and Yellow fought to the very end and put in a gutsy effort to finish the year, but without the support from our loyal fans, none of it would be possible. From our U.S. Open Cup run to Jarad’s match-winning penalty against Ottawa, you, the fans, were backing us all the way. Our final home match at MUSC Health Stadium was one we’ll never forget, even though it was a little rainy (nothing we aren’t used to at this point), and the support was even better.

While we won’t be lifting our fifth championship trophy this season, we are excited about the successes that lie ahead, both on and off the pitch for the Charleston Battery. The Battery will continue its quest for a 5th star in the 2020 USL Championship season at the Patriots Point Soccer Stadium, home of the College of Charleston Cougars and now the Charleston Battery.  

“It’s been a pleasure working with College of Charleston staff and look forward to the positive partnerships that will result from this move,” said Charleston Battery Owner Eric Bowman. “We’ll also be working to enhance the facilities at Patriots Point to meet all USL Championship requirements and create an unforgettable game-day experience. Our venue will be more easily accessible to people in the downtown area, and give our fans the opportunity to explore the best spots in town before and after the matches.” 

Details concerning ticketing and preseason scheduling will be available on our website in the weeks to come. We hope to have you with us in what will be an unforgettable 2020 season!