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Battery sign MJ Petry to Academy Contract, Modesto Mendez on Short-Term Loan

The Charleston Battery announced a pair of additions to the roster Monday, signing midfielder Michael John “MJ” Petry to an academy contract and defender Modesto Méndez on a short-term loan from Fort Lauderdale C.F., pending league and federation approval.

Petry, a 17-year-old midfielder, hails from Charleston and previously played at Oceanside Collegiate Academy in Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina, where he won a state championship in 2019 and became the school’s all-time leader in goals and assists. His exceptional play earned him All-State and All-Lowcountry honors while at Oceanside.

In his youth career, Petry has also played for the Bayern Munich Global Premier Soccer (GPS) National Team in two tournaments, San Diego Surf Cup and The Dr. Pepper Dallas Cup. Internationally, he also competed with the U.S. Youth Futsal 2003-04 boys national soccer team, recording four goals and three assists.

“I’m both humbled and excited to sign as an academy player with the Charleston Battery, a franchise rich in history,” said Petry. “The professional quality of the coaches, players, and management is phenomenal, and I am excited to be able to contribute to the team’s continued success.”

Méndez is a native of Pinar del Rio, Cuba, and is a 23-year-old defender. He joins the Battery on a short-term loan for the Monday match against New Mexico United only. With League One side Fort Lauderdale C.F., the defender has made six appearances this season and 14 total across the past two seasons.

Méndez has also represented Cuba internationally, making his first appearance for the Cuban national team on June, 8, 2021, against St. Vincent and the Grenadines during CONCACAF qualifiers for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. He joins fellow countryman Geobel Perez with the Black and Yellow for the match.

Petry will wear number 31 and Méndez will wear number 23. Both players will be available for Monday night’s match against New Mexico United at 9:30 p.m. EST.

What You Need to Know: New Mexico United v Charleston Battery

The Battery are on the road to start the week, making the cross-country journey to face New Mexico United in Albuquerque, New Mexico on Monday, July 12. Kickoff is slated for 9:30 p.m. EST/7:30 p.m. MDT. The fixture is the first-ever meeting between the two black-and-yellow sides.

Looking at the respective division tables, New Mexico are currently in third with a record of 5-5-2 (17 pts) in the Mountain Division of the Western Conference. The Battery are in sixth with a 3-3-3 record (12 pts) in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference.

Although just the first meeting between the two clubs, there are many more ties than just the similar color palette. New Mexico Head Coach Troy Lesesne is a South Carolina native who previously played for the Battery and served as an assistant coach for the club under Anhaeuser. Lesesne additionally played college at the College of Charleston and later coached the Cougars under Ralph Lundy, where he recruited current Battery players Leland Archer, Temi Adesodun and Nico Rittmeyer. Monday will be the first managerial duel between Anhaeuser and Lesesne.

Additional ties between the clubs exist with Zach Prince, an assistant on Lesesne’s technical staff, who made more than 150 appearances for the Battery under Anhaeuser before entering the coaching ranks. Current New Mexico goalkeeper Alex Tambakis and midfielder Micheal Azira both have also competed for Charleston in the past.

New Mexico are making a quick turnaround between matches after playing Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC on Friday night, a 3-1 victory. The match was a 1-1 stalemate until the very end when New Mexico scored the go-ahead goal in the 90th minute and then put the game away in the 93rd minute off a corner kick. Isidro Martinez came off the bench to assist both goals to secure the victory.

The Battery are coming off a 1-1 home draw against Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC. Charleston struck first via a Geobel Perez goal in the 9th minute of the contest that stood as the difference-maker for much of the afternoon. The Hounds, however, managed to equalize in the 85th minute following a dramatic build-up near the byline to share the points.

Monday’s meeting isn’t short of interest or intrigue in the pre-match storylines and the display on the pitch should be equally compelling as the first installment of the Black and Gold Derby, as it’s been dubbed.

Ones to Watch This Week

Isidro Martinez

Martinez had a productive match against the Switchbacks, coming off the bench to tally two crucial assists in just 29 minutes of play. The assists came in the 90th and 93rd minute and proved to be the difference makers, as the goals that followed broke the 1-1 deadlock and then put the game away. His key contributions earned him Man of the Match honors from USLChampionship.com and FotMob.com. On the year, he co-leads the team in chances created and is one of five players on New Meixco to appear in all 12 matches.

Zeiko Lewis

Lewis returns to the Battery lineup after competing with the Bermuda national team in the preliminary rounds of the CONCACAF Gold Cup. Zeiko tallied one goal and three assists in two matches while on international duty and will look to bring that production back to the league stage. Lewis leads the team in chances created and assists, and co-leads in goals and shots. Expect the team to lean on Lewis’ experience and leadership as he makes his way back onto the pitch for Charleston.

From the Training Ground

The Battery returned to training at Patriots Point on Friday following a day of rest on Thursday. The team prepares for their first trip of the year outside the Eastern Conference.

Head Coach Michael Anhaeuser discussed the role the squad’s younger members have been playing throughout the lineup and the impact they’ve had in their first professional seasons.

“We’ve got a few young guys who have stepped in and did a great job, especially working through some of the things that they’ve been working on in the preseason and now into the season,” said Anhaeuser. “It’s very good, once we get everybody back it’s going to be a great thing because you’re going to have guys that you can slide right in and make the difference.”

Monday’s match will be the first time facing New Mexico, who joined the league in 2018.

“Troy [Lesesne] has got guys in there that can play, he likes to possess the ball a little bit,” said Anhaeuser. “Their field is not the easiest to play on, it’s a real long grass compared to here, it’s going to be different. It’s like when you play on turf compared to our field, so you have to be prepared for that.”

The match will be the furthest away trip for the club thus far, midfielder Romario Piggott spoke on preparing for the journey.

“It’s been a short week after the game [on Wednesday], we did a lot of recovery sessions because we have a lot of games coming,” said Piggott. “It’s always the same, we have to focus on ourselves. We know it’s going to be hard to go there, it’s the other conference, they play a different style, but we have to focus on ourselves first and try to get the three points there.”

Piggott has made two appearances so far since returning to the Battery and has been working his back onto the pitch each game since re-signing.

“I’ve been feeling better and better every week, obviously I want to get to 100%, but I know it’s going to take time,” said Piggott. “I just have to be focused on myself and personally I feel really good and everything is looking good and better.”

On the keys to win, the Battery will look to overcome the New Mexico crowd which has been among the more active ones in the league.

“They have a good crowd, it’s going to be a good environment there, so we have to go there and do our game to bring the three points back home,” said Piggott.

AJ Paterson is off on international duty with the Grenada national team for the Gold Cup Group Stage.

MATCH INFO

New Mexico United vs. Charleston Battery

Monday, July 12 – 9:30 p.m. EST Kickoff

Rio Grande Credit Union Field at Isotopes Park, Albuquerque, New Mexico

HOW TO WATCH:

All Battery matches will be streaming on ESPN+. You can tune in on Monday here.

Battery to Open Patriots Point to Full Capacity for Remainder of Season

The Charleston Battery announced Thursday that all remaining home matches at Patriots Point will be open at full capacity. Starting with the July 17 contest against Hartford Athletic, the team will welcome close to 4,000 fans to Patriots Point for the remainder of the season.

“We’ve been waiting a long time for this day” said Battery chief revenue officer Scott Krenitski. “The support from the community has been amazing for the first few home matches this season, with sold out crowds at a limited capacity. We’re excited to finally welcome a full crowd to experience live pro soccer and everything we’ve built at Patriots Point. We certainly know the players can’t wait to have the stadium rocking on July 17.”

To celebrate the full reopening of Patriots Point to the Charleston community, the club will be selling 843 individual General Admission tickets for the July 17 match against Hartford Athletic at $8.43 per ticket. The next 843 fans to purchase General Admission tickets online via SeatGeek using the code 843 will be able to quickly take advantage of the discounted ticket offering. The Saturday evening match will also feature a pre-match concert with local-favorite Greg Keys & Co., and giving away exclusive Battery Rally Flags to the first 500 fans through the gates.

The Battery will host eleven remaining home matches at Patriots Point for the 2021 season, including Saturday’s match against Hartford. Fans can look forward to additional events at the stadium and in the new Battery Pavilion which features season-long partners Home Team BBQ, Coastal Crust Wood-fired Pizza, frosé from The Co-Op and more.

With Patriots Point now at full capacity, tickets are still available for next Saturday’s match against Hartford Athletic on July 17 at 7:30 p.m. Fans can purchase tickets, including the exclusive $8.43 tickets, at tickets.https://www.www.charlestonbattery.com.

July 7 Match Against Pittsburgh Moved to 4:00 PM, To Be Played Behind Closed Doors

The Charleston Battery, in coordination with the USL Championship, announced Tuesday that the July 7 match against Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC will be played at 4:00 p.m., behind closed doors as Tropical Storm Elsa approaches the Carolinas and the Charleston area remains under a tropical storm watch.

Due to the highly unpredictable nature of the storm and out of an abundance of caution, the club, in coordination with the league, determined playing the match at an earlier time behind closed doors was the safest option.

As of posting, the storm is expected to reach the Lowcountry as early as Wednesday evening.

“We prioritized the safety of the fans, our partners, and the players in the decision to play tomorrow’s match earlier and without fans in attendance,” said Battery executive chairman Rob Salvatore. “Working with the league, delaying the game to later this week or rescheduling to later in the season were unfortunately not options due to an already extremely condensed schedule the remainder of this season.”

Season Members and ticket-holders to Wednesday’s match will receive direct communications from the team with the opportunity to use their purchased tickets for a future match later this season.

“While safety was our top concern,” Salvatore added, “we also understood the possibility that fans would not be able to make an afternoon kickoff midweek on short notice or would not want to travel to the stadium during inclement weather. For all fans that had planned to attend, we hope that you remain safe and look forward to having you back to Patriots Point again this season.”

Fans will still be able to catch Wednesday’s 4 p.m. match against Pittsburgh via the match broadcast streaming on ESPN+.

Battery Bring Unique Food Offerings to Patriots Point in Partnership with Hall Management Group

The Charleston Battery announced Thursday a partnership with Hall Management Group and their roster of award-winning restaurants, Halls Chophouse, Slightly North of Broad (S.N.O.B.), Rita’s Seaside Grille, High Cotton and Halls Signature Events. It marks the second consecutive season the Battery have partnered with the Charleston-based hospitality industry leader.

“Hall Management Group and their portfolio of award-winning restaurants are historic staples in the Charleston community,” said Battery director of business development Ryan Knapp. “Bringing the best that Charleston has to offer to fans at Patriots Point has been our focus from day one. With our new partnership, we’re excited for Hall to provide tasting menus from their famous restaurants for fans to enjoy at Patriots Point throughout the season.”

As part of the partnership, the restaurant group will have a presence in the new Battery Pavilion with a menu that includes favorites off the menus of S.N.O.B., High Cotton and Rita’s Seaside Grille. The new food option for fans will be available starting on Wednesday, July 7 as the Battery welcome Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC to Patriots Point at 7:30 p.m.

“It’s so cool to have the Battery playing so close to downtown Charleston at beautiful Patriots Point,” said Hall Management Group CEO and President, Tommy Hall. “We are excited to offer great culinary experiences while watching the Battery win. I can’t wait to bring my family to a match.”

After the July 7 match, the food offering by Halls Signature Events and the group’s restaurants will be available for fans during home matches on August 6, September 7 and October 2, while also providing Battery players post-match meals at select matches. The group joins a growing roster of leading Charleston restaurants feeding fans in the Battery Pavilion this season including Home Team Barbecue, Coastal Crust Wood-fired Pizza and a rotating lineup of some of the area’s favorite mobile food trucks.

Battery Re-Sign Panamanian Midfielder Romario Piggott

The Charleston Battery announced the re-signing of Romario Piggott to the 2021 roster on Thursday, pending league and federation approval. The Panamanian midfielder returns to the Black and Yellow for his third season with the club, where he has made 36 total appearances.

“I’m really excited to be back after a long injury and all the hard work finally I will be able to be back on the field,” said Piggott. “I’m looking forward to helping the team as much as I can to make the playoffs and compete for the championship.”

A crafty playmaker, Piggott was a pivotal part of the Battery midfield in 2020, tallying two goals, one assist, and nine key passes, before his season was cut short due to injury. Piggott started all 11 of his appearances during the campaign.

Piggott first signed with Charleston in September 2018, but he debuted with the Battery in 2019. During his first season, he tallied three goals and three assists in 26 appearances (21 starts). Piggott scored what proved to be the match-winning goal against Indy Eleven at home on September 9, 2019.

A native of Panama City, Panama, Piggott played professionally for four seasons in the Panamanian Football League (LPF), for Chepo F.C. and Tauro F.C., making 73 appearances and scoring four goals in Panama’s top division from 2012-2015.

On the international stage, Piggott represented his country with the U-17 and U-20 national teams. With the U-17 team, Piggott made four total appearances, two in the FIFA U-17 World Cup and two in the CONCACAF U-17 Championship. For the U-20 team, he made three appearances and scored one goal in the CONCACAF U-20 Championship.

Piggott then played collegiately in the United States from 2016-2017. He spent 2016 with Ancilla Community College in Plymouth, Indiana, and 2017 with Coastal Carolina University in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. The midfielder also played with the Myrtle Beach Mutiny (USL PDL) in the summer of 2018 before signing with Charleston.

Piggott will wear number 8 and re-joins the Battery ahead of the club’s away match against Tampa Bay Rowdies on July 2, 2021.

Match vs. New York Red Bulls II Rescheduled for September 22

The USL Championship announced Tuesday the match between the Charleston Battery and New York Red Bulls II that was postponed on Friday, June 12 due to inclement weather has been rescheduled. The teams will now meet at Patriots Point on Wednesday, September 22 at 7:00 p.m. EST.

Tickets purchased for the original June 12 match that were not selected to be transferred to another match this season will automatically be valid for the rescheduled match against New York Red Bulls II on September 22.

Fans with questions about purchased tickets are encouraged to contact tickets@https://www.www.charlestonbattery.com.

The Battery return to Patriots Point next Wednesday, July 7 at 7:30 p.m., welcoming fellow black-and-yellow club Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC to the Lowcountry for the first time since the 2019. Tickets are still available via SeatGeek, the Battery’s exclusive digital ticketing provider.

Battery Secure Second Shutout in 3-0 Win Over Loudoun

The Battery secured their second home victory of the season with a 3-0 win over Loudoun United FC. It was a night of seconds as the Battery saw their second clean sheet of the season, second win at Patriots Point, second win over Loudoun United FC and a second professional brace by Nicque Daley. Stavros Zarokostas got the scoring started in the 16th minute with a strike off the post that went in, and Daley notched the brace to put the game away. Zarokostas’ goal was particularly of note, as it was the 10,000th regular-season goal in USL Championship history.

Loudoun threatened early with three shots in the first 10 minutes of the match, but none converted. Charleston, however, struck first in the 16th minute when Stavros Zarokostas drove a shot past goalkeeper Jermaine Fordah’s reach, off the left post and into the net. Logan Gdula assisted Zarokostas’ goal.

The Battery and Loudoun continued to trade attacking possessions into the half-hour mark, but neither side could find a goal. Nicque Daley doubled Charleston’s lead in the 35th minute from inside the box. Daley fielded a cross from Zarokostas in the middle of the box and took the shot, but was quickly blocked by a Loudoun defender. Daley recovered the ball and turned past the defender to put a second shot past Fordah into the bottom left corner of the net. The Battery defensive unit frustrated the Loudoud attack through the remainder of the half, including a pair of solid saves by Battery keeper Joe Kuzminsky, to preserve the 2-0 lead.

The Battery applied pressure early in the second half with shots from Gdula, Zarokostas and Daley within the first 12 minutes of the half. The pressure proved fortuitous in the 60th minute when a flurry of saved shots off the boots of Robbie Crawford and Joel Bunting gave way to Nicque Daley to score his second of the night. Daley pounced on the rebound from Bunting’s shot and worked through the Loudoun defense to send the Battery ahead three-nil.

Loudoun continued to fight in the second half with a handful of shots following Daley’s brace. Robert Dambrot, Darlius Paz, Jovanny Bolivar, Abdellatif Aboukoura and Timothy Mehl all had shots in the ensuing 15 minutes. The Battery defense stayed strong despite Loudoun’s efforts to secure their second clean sheet of the season.

Battery Head Coach Michael Anhaeuser was proud of his team’s bounce-back performance.

“It’s great, you look up at the scoreboard, three points, three [to] zero,” said Anhaeuser. “We got it back from Wednesday, and we want to win in front of this whole crowd going crazy.

“I’m so proud of the guys. It’s not easy to play on a Wednesday and come back and play again on a Saturday and even playing last week on Friday. So great job by the guys who stepped in.”

Battery forward Nicque Daley had been seeking his first goal of the year after co-leading the team last season. He was pleased to not only score his first, but register his second professional brace with the second.

“Well I’ve been waiting for my first goal of the season, so this was exciting,” said Daley. “It was just a great experience, it’s a long season and we just have to remain focused. We have some players leaving for international duty, so we have to just keep growing and just keep on working.”

The night also saw newly-signed forward Claudio Repetto make his professional debut after substituting into the game in the 74th minute. The Battery will hit the road next week to play Tampa Bay Rowdies on July 2, before returning home to face Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC on July 7.

Battery Announce Recover 180 as Official Training Kit Sponsor

The Charleston Battery announced Friday a partnership with Recover 180° as the official training kit sponsor for the 2021 season. The hydration solution provider for athletes and active lifestyles will supply their electrolyte sports drink for Battery players this season for rapid rehydration during training sessions and matches at Patriots Point. Recover 180° will be the front-of-kit sponsor for both training kits and matchday warmup jerseys.

“We are proud to have an innovative brand and partner in Recover 180° as our training kit sponsor in our new era,” said Battery chief revenue officer Scott Krenitski. “As a club, we look for the best, cutting-edge partners to help maximize our players’ performance on the field. As a high-quality electrolyte beverage, we look forward to Recover 180° providing a unique hydration solution to players in training and on the pitch.”

Since 2017, Recover 180° has revolutionized the functional hydration category with a premium, balanced isotonic formula that combines key ingredients such as essential vitamins, electrolytes and plant-based extracts at half the calories and one-third of the sugar found in traditional sports drinks. The brand has experienced nearly 300% growth the past 18 months with availability in over 3,500 stores nationwide and sports a roster of professional athlete partners including Larry Fitzgerald, Christian Yelich and Deontay Wilder.

“Recover 180° is thrilled and excited to partner with the Charleston Battery,” added Recover 180° senior vice president Brad Neumann. “Investing in the Charleston market has always been a top priority for us and we can’t think of a better way to cement ourselves in the community than aligning with a great organization like the Battery. We look forward to the success of the club and providing premium hydration to their players and fans.”

The beverage will also be available to fans in-stadium this season as the Battery head into their midsummer group of matches at Patriots Point. “Summertime in Charleston is hot, there’s no question there,” Krenitski added. “And while there’s nothing quite like enjoying live pro soccer here in the Lowcountry, providing an option for fans to stay hydrated at Patriots Point this summer is very important to us. We’re excited to provide Recover 180° for fans to enjoy in the stands just as the players are staying hydrated with it on the pitch.”

The team will sport the new kits during warmups beginning Saturday, June 26 as the Battery welcome Loudoun United FC to Patriots Point at 7:00 p.m.