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A USL Western Conference rivalry is renewed in the third round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup this Wednesday as the Colorado Springs Switchbacks travel to Toyota Field to face San Antonio FC.  Wednesday’s trip is perhaps the perfect tonic for the Switchbacks after a 1-0 loss in Oklahoma City on Saturday evening against the Energy FC.

“It’s been tough all around,” said Marty Maybin when asked about Saturday’s defeat.  “We haven’t been taking our chances and have been very inconsistent. We need momentum going into Saturday at home and Wednesday could be a perfect way to get that going.  That time to practice and work as a unit is really important so instead we have to fix things as we play. Wednesday will give us a chance to move into the next round and that’s big before we come home this weekend.”

The addition of midweek Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup matches has created a congested schedule for the Switchbacks.  “The travel is crazy right now,” said Switchbacks Head Coach Steve Trittschuh on Monday morning at Weidner Field.  “We got into Denver late yesterday and that part of the travel for us – the drives to Denver and back for every trip we take – has really been wearing on the guys and we’ve got to do it again tomorrow.  We will fly from Denver to Austin then drive another hour and a half or so to San Antonio. It’s a lot and it limits what we can work on but we’ll look for guys to step up.”

“All the travel is definitely affecting us,” confirmed Saeed Robinson.  “It just doesn’t give us time to reflect on past games and work and fix the things we need to.  It would be great to have more time to train and look at video. We can’t work on what we really need to but it’s a part of the game and we have to deal with it better.  San Antonio have a good home advantage and they’ll be prepared for us and they’ll be hyped up for the game at home. They want to win, of course. We want to keep playing in the Cup and the fact that we know them [San Antonio FC] will make for an interesting game.”

The Switchbacks reached the third round after a wild 3-2 win over FC Denver at Weidner Field on May 16th.  San Antonio FC defeated Midland-Odessa Sockers FC 4-0 at Grande Communications Stadium in Midland, Texas on May 16th behind goals from Darnell King, Mikey Lopez, Maxi Rodriguez, and Omar Gordon.  USL veteran Cyprian Hendrick made his first appearance for SAFC in the one-sided win against the Sockers, while former Switchbacks Mike Seth and Chris Christian were both given 90 minutes.  

SAFC tied the Tulsa Roughnecks FC 1-1 at Toyota Field on Saturday evening after going ahead in the 7th minute through Omar Gordon.  Joaquin Rivas equalized for the Roughnecks just after the halftime break, with the draw enough to sneak San Antonio FC into the 8th and final playoff place in the USL’s Western Conference at the time of writing.

“San Antonio made eight changes from the Open Cup to the league and they play in Reno on Saturday,” said Trittschuh.  “I’m not sure what they’ll do but we’ll be ready to work. [José] Escalante, [Mikey] Lopez, and [Darnell] King started in the Open Cup – they changed everyone else so they’ll be rested.  Mike Seth started at left back in the Open Cup – he’s a player you know I like a lot. They’re a good team with depth and we will have to be aware of all their guys.”

“For us, this is what you sign up for,” said Jordan Schweitzer.  “We want to be playing in a lot of games. Wednesday is the first priority this week.  San Antonio have quality and a lot of depth so for us it’s about understanding what we’re good at and getting the win.  This is Cup play and at the end of the day a win is what it’s all about.”

San Antonio FC visit Weidner Field in Colorado Springs on June 30th for World Cup Night presented by Weidner Apartment Homes.  The first 500 fans in attendance will receive complimentary vuvzelas, courtesy of Weidner Apartment Homes.  Toyota Field will again host the Switchbacks on July 25th for a midweek USL clash.  

“Getting other guys a game will be key on Wednesday because of the small roster and the game coming up on Saturday,” said Trittschuh.  “We have to keep guys sharp. Hopefully we can have a good turnaround for the guys who played in the first Open Cup game. Some of the guys in the game against [FC] Denver proved they need other chances and this will be a hard game.  We need to see more of those players from the last round on Wednesday.”

A Ziggy Bobblehead Giveaway, courtesy of Fox 21 News, awaits the first 500 fans through the gates at Weidner Field on Saturday, May 26th as the Switchbacks return to Colorado Springs for a matchup with Saint Louis FC. 

A USL Western Conference rivalry is renewed in the third round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup this Wednesday as the Colorado Springs Switchbacks travel to Toyota Field to face San Antonio FC.  Wednesday’s trip is perhaps the perfect tonic for the Switchbacks after a 1-0 loss in Oklahoma City on Saturday evening against the Energy FC.

“It’s been tough all around,” said Marty Maybin when asked about Saturday’s defeat.  “We haven’t been taking our chances and have been very inconsistent. We need momentum going into Saturday at home and Wednesday could be a perfect way to get that going.  That time to practice and work as a unit is really important so instead we have to fix things as we play. Wednesday will give us a chance to move into the next round and that’s big before we come home this weekend.”

The addition of midweek Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup matches has created a congested schedule for the Switchbacks.  “The travel is crazy right now,” said Switchbacks Head Coach Steve Trittschuh on Monday morning at Weidner Field.  “We got into Denver late yesterday and that part of the travel for us – the drives to Denver and back for every trip we take – has really been wearing on the guys and we’ve got to do it again tomorrow.  We will fly from Denver to Austin then drive another hour and a half or so to San Antonio. It’s a lot and it limits what we can work on but we’ll look for guys to step up.”

“All the travel is definitely affecting us,” confirmed Saeed Robinson.  “It just doesn’t give us time to reflect on past games and work and fix the things we need to.  It would be great to have more time to train and look at video. We can’t work on what we really need to but it’s a part of the game and we have to deal with it better.  San Antonio have a good home advantage and they’ll be prepared for us and they’ll be hyped up for the game at home. They want to win, of course. We want to keep playing in the Cup and the fact that we know them [San Antonio FC] will make for an interesting game.”

The Switchbacks reached the third round after a wild 3-2 win over FC Denver at Weidner Field on May 16th.  San Antonio FC defeated Midland-Odessa Sockers FC 4-0 at Grande Communications Stadium in Midland, Texas on May 16th behind goals from Darnell King, Mikey Lopez, Maxi Rodriguez, and Omar Gordon.  USL veteran Cyprian Hendrick made his first appearance for SAFC in the one-sided win against the Sockers, while former Switchbacks Mike Seth and Chris Christian were both given 90 minutes.  

SAFC tied the Tulsa Roughnecks FC 1-1 at Toyota Field on Saturday evening after going ahead in the 7th minute through Omar Gordon.  Joaquin Rivas equalized for the Roughnecks just after the halftime break, with the draw enough to sneak San Antonio FC into the 8th and final playoff place in the USL’s Western Conference at the time of writing.

“San Antonio made eight changes from the Open Cup to the league and they play in Reno on Saturday,” said Trittschuh.  “I’m not sure what they’ll do but we’ll be ready to work. [José] Escalante, [Mikey] Lopez, and [Darnell] King started in the Open Cup – they changed everyone else so they’ll be rested.  Mike Seth started at left back in the Open Cup – he’s a player you know I like a lot. They’re a good team with depth and we will have to be aware of all their guys.”

“For us, this is what you sign up for,” said Jordan Schweitzer.  “We want to be playing in a lot of games. Wednesday is the first priority this week.  San Antonio have quality and a lot of depth so for us it’s about understanding what we’re good at and getting the win.  This is Cup play and at the end of the day a win is what it’s all about.”

San Antonio FC visit Weidner Field in Colorado Springs on June 30th for World Cup Night presented by Weidner Apartment Homes.  The first 500 fans in attendance will receive complimentary vuvzelas, courtesy of Weidner Apartment Homes.  Toyota Field will again host the Switchbacks on July 25th for a midweek USL clash.  

“Getting other guys a game will be key on Wednesday because of the small roster and the game coming up on Saturday,” said Trittschuh.  “We have to keep guys sharp. Hopefully we can have a good turnaround for the guys who played in the first Open Cup game. Some of the guys in the game against [FC] Denver proved they need other chances and this will be a hard game.  We need to see more of those players from the last round on Wednesday.”

A Ziggy Bobblehead Giveaway, courtesy of Fox 21 News, awaits the first 500 fans through the gates at Weidner Field on Saturday, May 26th as the Switchbacks return to Colorado Springs for a matchup with Saint Louis FC. 

The Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC journey east this weekend as they return to USL action with a Saturday evening matchup against the Oklahoma City Energy FC at Taft Stadium.  

The Switchbacks moved into the third round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup on Wednesday at Weidner Field after defeating FC Denver 3 –2 in Colorado Springs.  Goals from Pascal Eboussi and a winning penalty kick from Jordan Burt bookended a Switchbacks debut strike for Uriel Macias. It was a tense win for the Switchbacks who secured a matchup with San Antonio FC in the third round next Wednesday in Texas.  

“We’ve got to take the positive, which is the three goals,” said Switchbacks Assistant Coach Wolde Harris after the win against FC Denver.  Harris took charge of the match as part of Head Coach Steve Trittschuh’s Pro License coaching certification. “We haven’t scored more than one goal since Reno [1868 FC] and that should give us confidence going into the weekend.  We’ll look to see what happened in the Cup for OKC, but it will be a whole new game.  I’m pretty sure they’ll be motivated so we have to take care of our game against a team in a very competitive environment.”

A tricky run won Saeed Robinson the 86th minute penalty kick that Jordan Burt converted to win the game for the Switchbacks after a spirited performance from FC Denver.   “Obviously, some of the things that were said at halftime were straightforward,” said Head Coach Steve Trittschuh. “The players were told that a lot of guys have got to show who has the quality to play…and they showed us.  If you can’t play versus an amateur team, you can’t play in the USL. We’ve got to show up in OKC because that’s a difficult place to play.”

“It’s not going to be an easy trip – it never is,” said Luke Vercollone.  Vercollone was named a reserve on the USL’s Team of the Week after his all-around performance and goal in last weekend’s victory against the Las Vegas Lights FC.  “If we can play our game we should come away with a result. They’ve [OKC] had some tough ones so far, but they’re a good team.”

OKC Energy FC are rooted to the foot of the USL’s Western Conference table with just three points from their opening nine matches.  Eight consecutive losses have befallen OKC since an opening day win against the Tulsa Roughnecks FC at Taft Stadium. Hopes that a Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup run would erase the bitterness of OKC’s start to the USL campaign were dashed on Wednesday evening as they were eliminated in extra time by NTX Rayados 5-2.  

“OKC are just not having a good time of it right now,” said Steve Trittschuh.  “They’re a quality team and we’ve got to be ready, focused, and we must have a good start to the game.  OKC haven’t won since March so it’s important we start fast.”

“It’s going to be a very tough trip,” said captain Josh Suggs.  “It’s a tough place to play. They haven’t won a lot of games this year but that’s a team who knows how to win in this league.”

Three Energy FC players are tied with a goal apiece in USL play: Francis Atuahene, Christian Volesky, Jaime Siaj, and former Switchback Christian Ibeagha.   “I’m looking forward to playing there and maybe getting to play against [Christian] Ibeagha,” said Saeed Robinson. Robinson played with Christian Ibeagha last season with North Carolina FC in Cary, North Carolina.  “OKC is a tough place to play and they need three points so we know it will be a hard game. We need to build off the Vegas win and get the three points so we can get on a roll and keep that feeling going. We need to keep winning so we can maintain a playoff spot.  It will be a tough game but we’ll go there and try to play.”

Switchbacks coaches would not confirm any lineup changes for the trip to Oklahoma City, although Head Coach Trittschuh selected Uriel Macias for praise after his goal against FC Denver.  “As coaches, we’ve got to make decisions on who is on the travel squad to OKC. Uriel did well! He hasn’t got a lot of time, but he showed up and scored and he’s going to travel to Oklahoma City with us.  He’s earned it.”

“Just speaking for ourselves, we want to go in there and get the win and our plan is to go in and get three points,” said goalkeeper Steward Ceus.  “We’ve had short turnarounds before this season. We know what to expect, and the guys know how to prepare themselves for the trip.”

“We focus on the three points on Saturday and getting all the points we can the rest of the season,” said AJ Ajeakwa.  “We’ve been putting in work in training – we’ll continue that this week.  We’re hungry on this one.”

Saturday’s opponents will meet again in Oklahoma’s capital city before their return matchup in Colorado Springs.  OKC host the Switchbacks on Saturday July 7th, before making their way to Weidner Field on Saturday, August 4th for Back to School Night that will include a backpack giveaway for the first 500 fans, presented by GE Johnson.  

A Ziggy Bobblehead Giveaway, courtesy of Fox 21 News, awaits the first 500 fans through the gates at Weidner Field on Saturday, May 26th as the Switchbacks return to Colorado Springs for a matchup with Saint Louis FC.  

The Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC journey east this weekend as they return to USL action with a Saturday evening matchup against the Oklahoma City Energy FC at Taft Stadium.  

The Switchbacks moved into the third round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup on Wednesday at Weidner Field after defeating FC Denver 3 –2 in Colorado Springs.  Goals from Pascal Eboussi and a winning penalty kick from Jordan Burt bookended a Switchbacks debut strike for Uriel Macias. It was a tense win for the Switchbacks who secured a matchup with San Antonio FC in the third round next Wednesday in Texas.  

“We’ve got to take the positive, which is the three goals,” said Switchbacks Assistant Coach Wolde Harris after the win against FC Denver.  Harris took charge of the match as part of Head Coach Steve Trittschuh’s Pro License coaching certification. “We haven’t scored more than one goal since Reno [1868 FC] and that should give us confidence going into the weekend.  We’ll look to see what happened in the Cup for OKC, but it will be a whole new game.  I’m pretty sure they’ll be motivated so we have to take care of our game against a team in a very competitive environment.”

A tricky run won Saeed Robinson the 86th minute penalty kick that Jordan Burt converted to win the game for the Switchbacks after a spirited performance from FC Denver.   “Obviously, some of the things that were said at halftime were straightforward,” said Head Coach Steve Trittschuh. “The players were told that a lot of guys have got to show who has the quality to play…and they showed us.  If you can’t play versus an amateur team, you can’t play in the USL. We’ve got to show up in OKC because that’s a difficult place to play.”

“It’s not going to be an easy trip – it never is,” said Luke Vercollone.  Vercollone was named a reserve on the USL’s Team of the Week after his all-around performance and goal in last weekend’s victory against the Las Vegas Lights FC.  “If we can play our game we should come away with a result. They’ve [OKC] had some tough ones so far, but they’re a good team.”

OKC Energy FC are rooted to the foot of the USL’s Western Conference table with just three points from their opening nine matches.  Eight consecutive losses have befallen OKC since an opening day win against the Tulsa Roughnecks FC at Taft Stadium. Hopes that a Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup run would erase the bitterness of OKC’s start to the USL campaign were dashed on Wednesday evening as they were eliminated in extra time by NTX Rayados 5-2.  

“OKC are just not having a good time of it right now,” said Steve Trittschuh.  “They’re a quality team and we’ve got to be ready, focused, and we must have a good start to the game.  OKC haven’t won since March so it’s important we start fast.”

“It’s going to be a very tough trip,” said captain Josh Suggs.  “It’s a tough place to play. They haven’t won a lot of games this year but that’s a team who knows how to win in this league.”

Three Energy FC players are tied with a goal apiece in USL play: Francis Atuahene, Christian Volesky, Jaime Siaj, and former Switchback Christian Ibeagha.   “I’m looking forward to playing there and maybe getting to play against [Christian] Ibeagha,” said Saeed Robinson. Robinson played with Christian Ibeagha last season with North Carolina FC in Cary, North Carolina.  “OKC is a tough place to play and they need three points so we know it will be a hard game. We need to build off the Vegas win and get the three points so we can get on a roll and keep that feeling going. We need to keep winning so we can maintain a playoff spot.  It will be a tough game but we’ll go there and try to play.”

Switchbacks coaches would not confirm any lineup changes for the trip to Oklahoma City, although Head Coach Trittschuh selected Uriel Macias for praise after his goal against FC Denver.  “As coaches, we’ve got to make decisions on who is on the travel squad to OKC. Uriel did well! He hasn’t got a lot of time, but he showed up and scored and he’s going to travel to Oklahoma City with us.  He’s earned it.”

“Just speaking for ourselves, we want to go in there and get the win and our plan is to go in and get three points,” said goalkeeper Steward Ceus.  “We’ve had short turnarounds before this season. We know what to expect, and the guys know how to prepare themselves for the trip.”

“We focus on the three points on Saturday and getting all the points we can the rest of the season,” said AJ Ajeakwa.  “We’ve been putting in work in training – we’ll continue that this week.  We’re hungry on this one.”

Saturday’s opponents will meet again in Oklahoma’s capital city before their return matchup in Colorado Springs.  OKC host the Switchbacks on Saturday July 7th, before making their way to Weidner Field on Saturday, August 4th for Back to School Night that will include a backpack giveaway for the first 500 fans, presented by GE Johnson.  

A Ziggy Bobblehead Giveaway, courtesy of Fox 21 News, awaits the first 500 fans through the gates at Weidner Field on Saturday, May 26th as the Switchbacks return to Colorado Springs for a matchup with Saint Louis FC.  

The 105th Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup makes its way to Weidner Field this Wednesday evening as the Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC host FC Denver in the second round.  $1 beer will be on offer during the first 30 minutes after gates open to all fans 21 and over.

FC Denver reached the second round after defeating Azteca FC 4-2 on May 9th in Westminster, Colorado.  As a member of the USL, the Switchbacks were not tasked with playing a first round match and entered the 2018 competition in the second round.  

Last season, the Switchbacks defeated Premier Development League opponents FC Tucson 2-0 in the second round of the US Open Cup at Weidner Field on May 17th behind goals from Jung-Yeong Park and Kevaughn Frater.

“It’s the first Open Cup game that I’ll be a part of so I’m really looking forward to it,” said Jordan Schweitzer.  “We don’t know too much about them [FC Denver] – but we know they are a team that will give their all. We have to respect their game and be ready for a battle.”

The Switchbacks last played on Saturday night at Weidner Field as they defeated the Las Vegas Lights FC behind a strike from Luke Vercollone.  “I feel like we had a good game,” said Taylor Hunter immediately following the win against the Lights FC. “We don’t know who will play on Wednesday, but we’ll make sure we’re rested and do what we need to.  Being at home really helps and saves legs. Anytime we’re in front of our own fans and at our stadium we get that home presence that’s huge no matter who the game is against.”

“We needed that…we really needed that win,” said Trittschuh after defeating the Lights FC.  “Defensively we did really well – they [Lights FC] didn’t have a single shot on goal. We’ve got to take that forward into Wednesday.”

Planning for FC Denver remains difficult, as their amateur status makes game footage difficult to acquire.  Switchbacks Assistant Coach Wolde Harris watched FC Denver’s first round victory against Azteca FC, and will see his duties extend even further this week.  

“It’s Wolde’s game – he’s the man,” said Trittschuh.  “It’s a part of taking my Pro License and it’s for Wolde’s development as a coach.  Wolde will prepare the team and get them ready for Wednesday and it’s all him for this game and that’s great for him and for everybody.”

“This game was a good opportunity and it’s great for me to be in charge of the game,” said Harris after running Monday’s practice in Colorado Springs.  “Since I’ve been an assistant here for four years, Tritt has given me a lot of autonomy and I’m very thankful for that. I’m looking forward to Wednesday, we’ve done well in the Cup before, and we’re looking to go far this year.  That’s the most important thing.”

Three matches in just nine days may signal changes in the Switchbacks’ starting XI for Wednesday’s match.   “It’s a tricky game because at the end of the day we’re expected to win,” said Marty Maybin. “But it will be a great opportunity for a lot of the boys who aren’t playing to get a game and get some quality minutes, especially at home.  We have to make sure we go out there and handle our business because on paper we’re supposed to go into the next round.”

“You’re playing an amateur team and it’s their biggest game of the season.  They’ll work and bring energy and it’s important we bring our own energy to match them,” said Taylor Hunter.  “Because we can’t get much info on them we focus more on ourselves and our style and make sure we take that into Wednesday and implement that on them.”

FC Denver’s four goal outburst in their first round win against Azteca FC gave notice that Wednesday’s visitors can have success going forward.  “They have a couple good players and good movement up top,” said Harris. “They work hard on both sides of the ball. We have to make sure we keep compact and we must be fast in transition and use our speed.”

The first round victory for FC Denver was also notable due to its location, at the North Stadium in Westminster, Colorado.  “If these teams are going to get into these early stages of the U.S. Open Cup there needs to be standards from U.S. Soccer for the fields where there aren’t football lines on the field,” said Trittschuh.  “Soccer is at a place where we can’t have that in this country anymore. It’s got to change.”

After Wednesday’s match the Switchbacks travel east to Taft Stadium in Oklahoma City to face the OKC Energy FC on Saturday evening.  Saint Louis FC will visit Weidner Field on Saturday, May 26th with Fox 21 News presenting a Ziggy Bobblehead Giveaway for the first 500 fans in attendance.  

The 105th Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup makes its way to Weidner Field this Wednesday evening as the Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC host FC Denver in the second round.  $1 beer will be on offer during the first 30 minutes after gates open to all fans 21 and over.

FC Denver reached the second round after defeating Azteca FC 4-2 on May 9th in Westminster, Colorado.  As a member of the USL, the Switchbacks were not tasked with playing a first round match and entered the 2018 competition in the second round.  

Last season, the Switchbacks defeated Premier Development League opponents FC Tucson 2-0 in the second round of the US Open Cup at Weidner Field on May 17th behind goals from Jung-Yeong Park and Kevaughn Frater.

“It’s the first Open Cup game that I’ll be a part of so I’m really looking forward to it,” said Jordan Schweitzer.  “We don’t know too much about them [FC Denver] – but we know they are a team that will give their all. We have to respect their game and be ready for a battle.”

The Switchbacks last played on Saturday night at Weidner Field as they defeated the Las Vegas Lights FC behind a strike from Luke Vercollone.  “I feel like we had a good game,” said Taylor Hunter immediately following the win against the Lights FC. “We don’t know who will play on Wednesday, but we’ll make sure we’re rested and do what we need to.  Being at home really helps and saves legs. Anytime we’re in front of our own fans and at our stadium we get that home presence that’s huge no matter who the game is against.”

“We needed that…we really needed that win,” said Trittschuh after defeating the Lights FC.  “Defensively we did really well – they [Lights FC] didn’t have a single shot on goal. We’ve got to take that forward into Wednesday.”

Planning for FC Denver remains difficult, as their amateur status makes game footage difficult to acquire.  Switchbacks Assistant Coach Wolde Harris watched FC Denver’s first round victory against Azteca FC, and will see his duties extend even further this week.  

“It’s Wolde’s game – he’s the man,” said Trittschuh.  “It’s a part of taking my Pro License and it’s for Wolde’s development as a coach.  Wolde will prepare the team and get them ready for Wednesday and it’s all him for this game and that’s great for him and for everybody.”

“This game was a good opportunity and it’s great for me to be in charge of the game,” said Harris after running Monday’s practice in Colorado Springs.  “Since I’ve been an assistant here for four years, Tritt has given me a lot of autonomy and I’m very thankful for that. I’m looking forward to Wednesday, we’ve done well in the Cup before, and we’re looking to go far this year.  That’s the most important thing.”

Three matches in just nine days may signal changes in the Switchbacks’ starting XI for Wednesday’s match.   “It’s a tricky game because at the end of the day we’re expected to win,” said Marty Maybin. “But it will be a great opportunity for a lot of the boys who aren’t playing to get a game and get some quality minutes, especially at home.  We have to make sure we go out there and handle our business because on paper we’re supposed to go into the next round.”

“You’re playing an amateur team and it’s their biggest game of the season.  They’ll work and bring energy and it’s important we bring our own energy to match them,” said Taylor Hunter.  “Because we can’t get much info on them we focus more on ourselves and our style and make sure we take that into Wednesday and implement that on them.”

FC Denver’s four goal outburst in their first round win against Azteca FC gave notice that Wednesday’s visitors can have success going forward.  “They have a couple good players and good movement up top,” said Harris. “They work hard on both sides of the ball. We have to make sure we keep compact and we must be fast in transition and use our speed.”

The first round victory for FC Denver was also notable due to its location, at the North Stadium in Westminster, Colorado.  “If these teams are going to get into these early stages of the U.S. Open Cup there needs to be standards from U.S. Soccer for the fields where there aren’t football lines on the field,” said Trittschuh.  “Soccer is at a place where we can’t have that in this country anymore. It’s got to change.”

After Wednesday’s match the Switchbacks travel east to Taft Stadium in Oklahoma City to face the OKC Energy FC on Saturday evening.  Saint Louis FC will visit Weidner Field on Saturday, May 26th with Fox 21 News presenting a Ziggy Bobblehead Giveaway for the first 500 fans in attendance.  

Reno 1868 FC visit Weidner Field this Saturday evening to face the Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC on Cinco de Mayo, with Colorado Technical University sponsoring a cushion giveaway for the first 500 fans.  

The Switchbacks are winless since a rampant 4-0 win against Saturday’s opponents on April 14th at Greater Nevada Field in Reno.  A narrow 2-1 loss for the Switchbacks in Sacramento was followed by a goalless draw with the Seattle Sounders FC 2.  Last Saturday, the Switchbacks were unlucky to lose 1-0 at Champions Soccer Stadium at OC Great Park to Orange County SC.

“No matter what the score of the first game, this Saturday is still a home game and we have to win those and play well and use our strengths,” said Switchbacks Head Coach Steve Trittschuh.  “We’ve talked over and over about scoring. We’re just not finishing our chances right now. Defensively we’re strong and we’ll need that because Reno have good players.”

“The big win against them definitely adds to our confidence because we know they’ll be thinking about it,” said Marty Maybin.  “They’ll be ready for a new start and it sets us up for a competitive game. They’re a good team – we saw that earlier this year even though we won – but we’re glad to be back home and ready for the week.”

Reno 1868 FC played to a tense 0-0 draw against Rio Grande Valley FC on Wednesday morning at H-E-B Park in Edinburg, Texas.  Not a typo: the 09:30 MT kickoff was by far the earliest in the USL, as the rescheduled match had to be shoehorned into a packed schedule for both clubs.

Statistically, Reno slightly edged Wednesday’s match, with RGV FC ‘keeper Nicolas Corti making five saves to keep Reno scoreless.  

Midfielder Kevin Partida was named a starter on the USL’s Team of the Week after his strike against the Oklahoma City Energy FC set Reno 1868 FC on their way to last Saturday’s 2-0 win.  Former San Jose Earthquakes striker Danny Musovski leads Reno 1868 in goals with 3 after scoring a match-winning brace against the Portland Timbers 2 on April 21st in a 2-1 Reno 1868 FC victory at the University of Portland’s Merlo Field.

Musovski was removed from the 0-0 draw against RGV in the 57th minute for Brian Brown.  Reno 1868 FC Head Coach Ian Russell will no doubt be hoping his star hitman Musovski will be fit for Saturday’s match against the Switchbacks, with this weekend’s hosts well aware of the quality Reno will bring.

“We know they’re a dangerous team and they’ve been able to score some goals,” said Trittschuh.  “[Danny] Musovski is a player who can score goals in this league. [Antoine] Hoppenot is a good player too.  Kevin Partida on Team of the Week after the goal. Being able to have a week here before Saturday will help us and we can watch Reno.  They’ll be trying to get one after earlier this season – that’s one of the things we’re going to have to be ready for this time. They’re going to be full of energy and we have to match that.  We can’t think of the 4-0. They’ve changed themselves since that game. On Wednesday, we’ll get to see a little bit more of what they’re about and that will help with the rest of our week.”

Goals from AJ Ajeakwa, Luke Vercollone, and Jamal Jack set the Switchbacks on their way to the 4-0 win on April 14th.  Reno 1868 FC are undefeated since the large loss to the Switchbacks, with back-to-back wins against the Portland Timbers 2 and Oklahoma City Energy FC coming before Wednesday morning’s draw against Rio Grande Valley FC.

“They know we beat them in the last game and they are going to try even harder to get the win,” said Jamal Jack.  “It’s good we’re back and we will come back full-force at home. It’s going to be a close game – both teams will be going all out for all three points.”

“Reno are on a bit on a run of not losing now,” said Saeed Robinson.  “I expect a competitive game and a close game – the first game against them shouldn’t matter.  They like to possess the ball and pass quickly so it’s going to be hard to play that way on our field the way it is now.  Hopefully we will use being here to help us and spend some time together working while Reno have a tough game in the week.  They’re a good team and we must worry only about Saturday.”

The Switchbacks will remain in Colorado Springs after this weekend’s match as they prepare for their first Friday night home game of 2018 with the inaugural visit of the Las Vegas Lights FC to Weidner Field.  Pikes Peak Brewing Company will be sponsoring a hat giveaway on Military Appreciation Night for Las Vegas’ visit on May 11th. Fans are encouraged to wear RED to Remember Everyone Deployed.  Tickets start at just $12 and are available here.

 

Reno 1868 FC visit Weidner Field this Saturday evening to face the Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC on Cinco de Mayo, with Colorado Technical University sponsoring a cushion giveaway for the first 500 fans.  

The Switchbacks are winless since a rampant 4-0 win against Saturday’s opponents on April 14th at Greater Nevada Field in Reno.  A narrow 2-1 loss for the Switchbacks in Sacramento was followed by a goalless draw with the Seattle Sounders FC 2.  Last Saturday, the Switchbacks were unlucky to lose 1-0 at Champions Soccer Stadium at OC Great Park to Orange County SC.

“No matter what the score of the first game, this Saturday is still a home game and we have to win those and play well and use our strengths,” said Switchbacks Head Coach Steve Trittschuh.  “We’ve talked over and over about scoring. We’re just not finishing our chances right now. Defensively we’re strong and we’ll need that because Reno have good players.”

“The big win against them definitely adds to our confidence because we know they’ll be thinking about it,” said Marty Maybin.  “They’ll be ready for a new start and it sets us up for a competitive game. They’re a good team – we saw that earlier this year even though we won – but we’re glad to be back home and ready for the week.”

Reno 1868 FC played to a tense 0-0 draw against Rio Grande Valley FC on Wednesday morning at H-E-B Park in Edinburg, Texas.  Not a typo: the 09:30 MT kickoff was by far the earliest in the USL, as the rescheduled match had to be shoehorned into a packed schedule for both clubs.

Statistically, Reno slightly edged Wednesday’s match, with RGV FC ‘keeper Nicolas Corti making five saves to keep Reno scoreless.  

Midfielder Kevin Partida was named a starter on the USL’s Team of the Week after his strike against the Oklahoma City Energy FC set Reno 1868 FC on their way to last Saturday’s 2-0 win.  Former San Jose Earthquakes striker Danny Musovski leads Reno 1868 in goals with 3 after scoring a match-winning brace against the Portland Timbers 2 on April 21st in a 2-1 Reno 1868 FC victory at the University of Portland’s Merlo Field.

Musovski was removed from the 0-0 draw against RGV in the 57th minute for Brian Brown.  Reno 1868 FC Head Coach Ian Russell will no doubt be hoping his star hitman Musovski will be fit for Saturday’s match against the Switchbacks, with this weekend’s hosts well aware of the quality Reno will bring.

“We know they’re a dangerous team and they’ve been able to score some goals,” said Trittschuh.  “[Danny] Musovski is a player who can score goals in this league. [Antoine] Hoppenot is a good player too.  Kevin Partida on Team of the Week after the goal. Being able to have a week here before Saturday will help us and we can watch Reno.  They’ll be trying to get one after earlier this season – that’s one of the things we’re going to have to be ready for this time. They’re going to be full of energy and we have to match that.  We can’t think of the 4-0. They’ve changed themselves since that game. On Wednesday, we’ll get to see a little bit more of what they’re about and that will help with the rest of our week.”

Goals from AJ Ajeakwa, Luke Vercollone, and Jamal Jack set the Switchbacks on their way to the 4-0 win on April 14th.  Reno 1868 FC are undefeated since the large loss to the Switchbacks, with back-to-back wins against the Portland Timbers 2 and Oklahoma City Energy FC coming before Wednesday morning’s draw against Rio Grande Valley FC.

“They know we beat them in the last game and they are going to try even harder to get the win,” said Jamal Jack.  “It’s good we’re back and we will come back full-force at home. It’s going to be a close game – both teams will be going all out for all three points.”

“Reno are on a bit on a run of not losing now,” said Saeed Robinson.  “I expect a competitive game and a close game – the first game against them shouldn’t matter.  They like to possess the ball and pass quickly so it’s going to be hard to play that way on our field the way it is now.  Hopefully we will use being here to help us and spend some time together working while Reno have a tough game in the week.  They’re a good team and we must worry only about Saturday.”

The Switchbacks will remain in Colorado Springs after this weekend’s match as they prepare for their first Friday night home game of 2018 with the inaugural visit of the Las Vegas Lights FC to Weidner Field.  Pikes Peak Brewing Company will be sponsoring a hat giveaway on Military Appreciation Night for Las Vegas’ visit on May 11th. Fans are encouraged to wear RED to Remember Everyone Deployed.  Tickets start at just $12 and are available here.

 

The Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC travel to Champions Soccer Stadium at OC Great Park this Saturday to face an Orange County SC team who sit 2nd in the USL’s Western Conference.  

Orange County SC have lost twice in 2018 – a narrow 1-0 defeat at Champions Soccer Stadium in Irvine, California to Sacramento Republic FC on March 24th was followed a month later by a 2-0 defeat against Rio Grande Valley FC.  After the loss to Sacramento, Orange County SC won their next four matches by a combined score of 12-0.  Danish striker Thomas Enevoldsen leads Orange County SC in goals with 5 and shots with 14.

Orange County SC lost 2-0 to Rio Grande Valley FC on Wednesday evening at H-E-B Park in Edinburg, Texas.  RGV goals from Memo Rodriguez and Aldo Quintanilla sealed the win for the Toros, although Orange County SC remain in second place at the time of writing.

“OC play with confidence,” said Switchbacks Head Coach Steve Trittschuh.  “They won four in a row, and they’ve totally changed-over that roster with seventeen new players.  Their affiliation with LAFC has helped them a lot – their roster is full of good players that we have to be ready for.  [Mark] Segbers, who they got from New England, is a top player in this league. [Thomas] Enevoldsen is an opportunist – he just knows where to be and how to score goals.  He’s one of the most dangerous players we’ve seen so far. OC’s midfield is good – we must make sure we control the game in that area. We must keep playing defensively like we have been.  If we can do that, we’ll be alright.”

“They’re a strong team – I expect OC will be one of the top teams in the conference,” said Switchbacks captain Josh Suggs.  “Watching them against RGV will help us. We’ll be able to get a good idea of their style. Hopefully the Wednesday game and the travel will take a toll on OC and they’ll be a little tired.”

The Switchbacks will train for the first four days of the week in the altitude of Colorado Springs.  Last Saturday the Switchbacks played to a goalless tie with the Seattle Sounders FC 2 at Weidner Field as both teams had a player sent off.  Luke Vercollone was given his second yellow card just after the hour mark against S2 and will not make the trip to Orange County.

“We’ll miss him, but other guys have to step up,” said Trittschuh.  “In some areas, we’re a little thin, but we’re still looking to bring guys in and Niki [Jackson] came in for us and did well last week.  We’ll have to pick a strong team in California.”

Niki Jackson, signed on loan from the Colorado Rapids before the draw against S2, made his Switchbacks debut when he came on in the 55th minute as a replacement for Shane Malcolm.  Jackson trained with the Switchbacks during the week and should be available for selection against Orange County, along with fellow attackers AJ Ajeakwa, Marty Maybin, and Tobenna Uzo.  

“From watching OC, right now they are one of the best teams in the West,” said Saeed Robinson.  “They know how to manage the game and they play to their strengths and they pass the ball very well.  We know it will be a hard game. They’re second and they have been very good so far to be honest. It’s a fun place to play and another long trip but we’ll have a good week at home to prepare.”

“I’m glad OC will have a midweek game and not us for once,” said Jordan Burt.  “They’re a good team and they’ve got some new players that we’ll have to look at.  Having the week to work and then watch them will help us look at the players we’ll be up against.  We’ve had good games with them in the past.”

Switchbacks defender Taylor Hunter was named a starter on the USL’s Team of the Week after his performance in holding the Sounders FC 2 goalless last weekend.  It’s the second time in the young 2018 USL regular season that Hunter has been named to the USL’s Team of the Week.

“It’s good to be recognized – just like it was the first time this season.  But I’d rather have the three points against Seattle from Saturday,” said Taylor Hunter.  “Our number one goal is to keep clean-sheets and the rest will come. Defensively we’ve done well.  We’ll work this week on putting away goals and take that on the road and play against a good team who are strong out there.”

“It makes me think that people are watching the games more closely to see that it’s not just the defenders who score goals that deserve to be recognized,” said Trittschuh when asked about Hunter.  “Taylor was great against S2 and it’s great that was seen. But it’s not just him; you could have picked any of our back four to make the Team of the Week. We just need to find goals. Hopefully the surface this weekend will help us.  We’ll go to OC to win and see what we can do.”

On May 5th the Switchbacks will return to Weidner Field as they host Reno 1868 FC with Colorado Technical University sponsoring a Cinco de Mayo cushion giveaway.

 

The Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC travel to Champions Soccer Stadium at OC Great Park this Saturday to face an Orange County SC team who sit 2nd in the USL’s Western Conference.  

Orange County SC have lost twice in 2018 – a narrow 1-0 defeat at Champions Soccer Stadium in Irvine, California to Sacramento Republic FC on March 24th was followed a month later by a 2-0 defeat against Rio Grande Valley FC.  After the loss to Sacramento, Orange County SC won their next four matches by a combined score of 12-0.  Danish striker Thomas Enevoldsen leads Orange County SC in goals with 5 and shots with 14.

Orange County SC lost 2-0 to Rio Grande Valley FC on Wednesday evening at H-E-B Park in Edinburg, Texas.  RGV goals from Memo Rodriguez and Aldo Quintanilla sealed the win for the Toros, although Orange County SC remain in second place at the time of writing.

“OC play with confidence,” said Switchbacks Head Coach Steve Trittschuh.  “They won four in a row, and they’ve totally changed-over that roster with seventeen new players.  Their affiliation with LAFC has helped them a lot – their roster is full of good players that we have to be ready for.  [Mark] Segbers, who they got from New England, is a top player in this league. [Thomas] Enevoldsen is an opportunist – he just knows where to be and how to score goals.  He’s one of the most dangerous players we’ve seen so far. OC’s midfield is good – we must make sure we control the game in that area. We must keep playing defensively like we have been.  If we can do that, we’ll be alright.”

“They’re a strong team – I expect OC will be one of the top teams in the conference,” said Switchbacks captain Josh Suggs.  “Watching them against RGV will help us. We’ll be able to get a good idea of their style. Hopefully the Wednesday game and the travel will take a toll on OC and they’ll be a little tired.”

The Switchbacks will train for the first four days of the week in the altitude of Colorado Springs.  Last Saturday the Switchbacks played to a goalless tie with the Seattle Sounders FC 2 at Weidner Field as both teams had a player sent off.  Luke Vercollone was given his second yellow card just after the hour mark against S2 and will not make the trip to Orange County.

“We’ll miss him, but other guys have to step up,” said Trittschuh.  “In some areas, we’re a little thin, but we’re still looking to bring guys in and Niki [Jackson] came in for us and did well last week.  We’ll have to pick a strong team in California.”

Niki Jackson, signed on loan from the Colorado Rapids before the draw against S2, made his Switchbacks debut when he came on in the 55th minute as a replacement for Shane Malcolm.  Jackson trained with the Switchbacks during the week and should be available for selection against Orange County, along with fellow attackers AJ Ajeakwa, Marty Maybin, and Tobenna Uzo.  

“From watching OC, right now they are one of the best teams in the West,” said Saeed Robinson.  “They know how to manage the game and they play to their strengths and they pass the ball very well.  We know it will be a hard game. They’re second and they have been very good so far to be honest. It’s a fun place to play and another long trip but we’ll have a good week at home to prepare.”

“I’m glad OC will have a midweek game and not us for once,” said Jordan Burt.  “They’re a good team and they’ve got some new players that we’ll have to look at.  Having the week to work and then watch them will help us look at the players we’ll be up against.  We’ve had good games with them in the past.”

Switchbacks defender Taylor Hunter was named a starter on the USL’s Team of the Week after his performance in holding the Sounders FC 2 goalless last weekend.  It’s the second time in the young 2018 USL regular season that Hunter has been named to the USL’s Team of the Week.

“It’s good to be recognized – just like it was the first time this season.  But I’d rather have the three points against Seattle from Saturday,” said Taylor Hunter.  “Our number one goal is to keep clean-sheets and the rest will come. Defensively we’ve done well.  We’ll work this week on putting away goals and take that on the road and play against a good team who are strong out there.”

“It makes me think that people are watching the games more closely to see that it’s not just the defenders who score goals that deserve to be recognized,” said Trittschuh when asked about Hunter.  “Taylor was great against S2 and it’s great that was seen. But it’s not just him; you could have picked any of our back four to make the Team of the Week. We just need to find goals. Hopefully the surface this weekend will help us.  We’ll go to OC to win and see what we can do.”

On May 5th the Switchbacks will return to Weidner Field as they host Reno 1868 FC with Colorado Technical University sponsoring a Cinco de Mayo cushion giveaway.

 

This Saturday, on 90’s Night at Weidner Field, the Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC return to Colorado Springs as they host the Seattle Sounders FC 2.  The Gazette Newspaper will be sponsoring the second part of the 2018 Poster Giveaway Series this weekend, with the first 500 fans receiving their posters as the gates open.

Wednesday evening saw the Switchbacks lose 2-1 at Sacramento Republic’s Papa Murphy’s Park, as the hosts maintained their undefeated start to 2018 after Shane Malcolm had opened the scoring for the Switchbacks.  

“We’ve got to win our home games and the guys know that,” said Switchbacks Head Coach Steve Trittschuh.  “Getting the goals in Reno was huge for us, and I thought we played well against Sacramento even though we lost.  It was those two errors that cost us the two goals in Sacramento. We did enough in the first half to win that game.  If we put our chances away there’s a chance we could have scored a few. We couldn’t capitalize in our transition going forward and they [Sacramento] get the win because we gave up two bad goals.  That won’t happen at home. We’ve got to make sure we keep our focus because that’s been big for us this season here. Seattle will be tough as always and we haven’t had much time to prepare.”

The Seattle Sounders FC 2 have won twice and lost four times in the young 2018 USL regular season.  A win on opening day against their Pacific Northwest rivals Portland Timbers 2 was followed by four consecutive losses for S2, until Head Coach John Hutchinson’s team bounced back with a 3-2 victory against Rio Grande Valley FC last Saturday.  After the win against RGV and without having a midweek game like the Switchbacks, the Sounders S2 made their way to Colorado Springs a few days early to prepare for Saturday’s match in the altitude of Weidner Field.

Cameroonian striker Felix Chenkam scored twice for S2 in last weekend’s win against RGV at Cheney Stadium in Tacoma, Washington.  Chenkam is tied for the lead on S2’s goal-charts with David Estrada on three goals apiece.

“They’re a good young team and they possess the ball well and they move out quickly in their transition play,” said Trittschuh.  “We’ve got to always know where [Felix] Chenkam is. Ray Saari in the middle is also a very good, solid player – they’re a well-rounded team.  It won’t be easy. It’s our third game this week and a lot of the same guys will be playing for us. It’s tough, but we’re glad to be home.”

“Seattle are coming off a win and came here a day early,” said Shane Malcolm.  “We expect them to be ready. We’re trying to make this place a fortress for us to play in and I fully believe that the team and the fans are ready to do that.  We’ve done well here this season and the conditions up here will help make sure we continue to fight.”

Saturday’s opponents will have to wait until early October for this weekend’s rematch.  The Switchbacks will visit Cheney Stadium in Tacoma, Washington on October 10th as Steve Trittschuh’s team finish their 2018 USL regular season campaign.  

“We know we’ll get a really good game from Seattle,” said Jordan Schweitzer.  “As always they’ve got a young group that’s all looking to push on in that organization and make the first team.  We’re really excited to have them here in the altitude at Weidner Field – it’s been a long trip but we do well here and hopefully the conditions can help us too.”

“We’ve got to be on our game – Seattle are quick and they’re a young team with a good front three,” said Taylor Hunter.  “It always helps us to play better when we are at home and getting results in front of our fans means a lot to us. It will be especially nice to be back this weekend after our trip.  We’ve been watching up on them and we’ll go through practice today and finish our plan. Seattle are a good team but we’re glad to be back.”

After Saturday’s match, the Switchbacks return to the West Coast for an April 28th showdown with Orange County SC at Champions Soccer Stadium at OC Great Park in Irvine, California.  

Weidner Field will host the Switchbacks on Cinco de Mayo, with Colorado Technical University sponsoring a Cushion Giveaway for the visit of Reno 1868 FC.

“We’re strong here and we have to match the energy of being at home,” said Trittschuh.  “We enjoy playing in this stadium but we’ve got to take advantage of being up here. We’ve got to play our up-tempo game and have somebody score when we need goals.  We know Seattle are taking this weekend seriously and they’ll bring a good, strong squad.”

This Saturday, on 90’s Night at Weidner Field, the Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC return to Colorado Springs as they host the Seattle Sounders FC 2.  The Gazette Newspaper will be sponsoring the second part of the 2018 Poster Giveaway Series this weekend, with the first 500 fans receiving their posters as the gates open.

Wednesday evening saw the Switchbacks lose 2-1 at Sacramento Republic’s Papa Murphy’s Park, as the hosts maintained their undefeated start to 2018 after Shane Malcolm had opened the scoring for the Switchbacks.  

“We’ve got to win our home games and the guys know that,” said Switchbacks Head Coach Steve Trittschuh.  “Getting the goals in Reno was huge for us, and I thought we played well against Sacramento even though we lost.  It was those two errors that cost us the two goals in Sacramento. We did enough in the first half to win that game.  If we put our chances away there’s a chance we could have scored a few. We couldn’t capitalize in our transition going forward and they [Sacramento] get the win because we gave up two bad goals.  That won’t happen at home. We’ve got to make sure we keep our focus because that’s been big for us this season here. Seattle will be tough as always and we haven’t had much time to prepare.”

The Seattle Sounders FC 2 have won twice and lost four times in the young 2018 USL regular season.  A win on opening day against their Pacific Northwest rivals Portland Timbers 2 was followed by four consecutive losses for S2, until Head Coach John Hutchinson’s team bounced back with a 3-2 victory against Rio Grande Valley FC last Saturday.  After the win against RGV and without having a midweek game like the Switchbacks, the Sounders S2 made their way to Colorado Springs a few days early to prepare for Saturday’s match in the altitude of Weidner Field.

Cameroonian striker Felix Chenkam scored twice for S2 in last weekend’s win against RGV at Cheney Stadium in Tacoma, Washington.  Chenkam is tied for the lead on S2’s goal-charts with David Estrada on three goals apiece.

“They’re a good young team and they possess the ball well and they move out quickly in their transition play,” said Trittschuh.  “We’ve got to always know where [Felix] Chenkam is. Ray Saari in the middle is also a very good, solid player – they’re a well-rounded team.  It won’t be easy. It’s our third game this week and a lot of the same guys will be playing for us. It’s tough, but we’re glad to be home.”

“Seattle are coming off a win and came here a day early,” said Shane Malcolm.  “We expect them to be ready. We’re trying to make this place a fortress for us to play in and I fully believe that the team and the fans are ready to do that.  We’ve done well here this season and the conditions up here will help make sure we continue to fight.”

Saturday’s opponents will have to wait until early October for this weekend’s rematch.  The Switchbacks will visit Cheney Stadium in Tacoma, Washington on October 10th as Steve Trittschuh’s team finish their 2018 USL regular season campaign.  

“We know we’ll get a really good game from Seattle,” said Jordan Schweitzer.  “As always they’ve got a young group that’s all looking to push on in that organization and make the first team.  We’re really excited to have them here in the altitude at Weidner Field – it’s been a long trip but we do well here and hopefully the conditions can help us too.”

“We’ve got to be on our game – Seattle are quick and they’re a young team with a good front three,” said Taylor Hunter.  “It always helps us to play better when we are at home and getting results in front of our fans means a lot to us. It will be especially nice to be back this weekend after our trip.  We’ve been watching up on them and we’ll go through practice today and finish our plan. Seattle are a good team but we’re glad to be back.”

After Saturday’s match, the Switchbacks return to the West Coast for an April 28th showdown with Orange County SC at Champions Soccer Stadium at OC Great Park in Irvine, California.  

Weidner Field will host the Switchbacks on Cinco de Mayo, with Colorado Technical University sponsoring a Cushion Giveaway for the visit of Reno 1868 FC.

“We’re strong here and we have to match the energy of being at home,” said Trittschuh.  “We enjoy playing in this stadium but we’ve got to take advantage of being up here. We’ve got to play our up-tempo game and have somebody score when we need goals.  We know Seattle are taking this weekend seriously and they’ll bring a good, strong squad.”

On Wednesday night, the Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC visit Sacramento Republic FC at Papa Murphy’s Park in California’s capital city.  A huge 4-0 win against Reno 1868 FC started the Switchbacks’ western road trip on Saturday evening at Greater Nevada Field. Goals from AJ Ajeakwa, Luke Vercollone, and Jamal Jack were aided by an early own-goal from Reno midfielder Luis Felipe Fernandes.  

“It was great to finally score some goals,” said Switchbacks Head Coach Steve Trittschuh.  “Being able to get those goals gives us some real momentum going into Wednesday night against a very good Sacramento team.  They have experienced players who know how to play. [Jeremy] Hall, [Villyan] Bijev, [Cameron] Iwasa, Adam Moffat…these are all good, experienced players and they’re very tough to beat, especially in Sacramento.  We must keep improving what we can game-by-game and look to finish this trip with a strong performance in a tough place to play.”

Sacramento Republic FC have won both of their matches at Papa Murphy’s Park in the 2018 USL season.  A 2-1 victory over San Antonio FC on March 17th was followed by a 1-0 win over the Seattle Sounders FC 2 on April 7th.  Third in the USL’s Western Conference table at the time of writing, Sacramento Republic FC are unbeaten with three victories and two draws.  Sacramento Head Coach Simon Elliott’s team won 1-0 against Orange County SC behind a Cameron Iwasa goal on March 24th at Champions Soccer Stadium at OC Great Park.  

“We’ve got an idea what Sacramento are about – we’ve just got to show up defensively and we’ll be alright,” said Trittschuh.  “For the most part we played really well against Reno and to get the goals was huge for the team. Guys were really happy with the win and getting it on the road helps before this Wednesday.  The players picked off a lot of passes in the win in Reno and we’ll look to keep that going this season. Luke’s goal really helped us. That was the nail in that match – it came at the perfect time and lifted the whole team.”

“Getting the first goal of the season really takes the pressure off to feel like you have to score all the time.  It’s helpful and good to score – especially on the road,” said Vercollone. “The win against Reno was really good for us.  To be able to do that on the road says a lot about this group and the win gives us a big confidence boost going forward.”

Switchbacks fans will have to wait until July 14th to welcome Sacramento Republic FC to Weidner Field, with Heat Depot sponsoring a Premium Bottle and Bag Giveaway.  After Wednesday’s match, the Switchbacks will return to Colorado Springs as they welcome the Seattle Sounders FC 2 on Saturday night.  The contest against S2 will be the Switchbacks’ third game in the last week.

“We don’t have too much room for training while we’re gone, it’s more about walking through things on the road and the guys getting their legs back under them,” said Trittschuh.  “We can only travel with 16 players so some have to really manage their legs and it’s not easy at times. But the win in Reno gives us a big boost and I hope we take that forward.  Two more games this week – it won’t be easy, but Sacramento is a fun place to visit and I think we’re looking forward to it and to playing against a good team.”

Iwasa is tied for the lead in goals for Sacramento Republic with Christian Eissele.  Iwasa, Bijev, and Keven Aleman each have an assist on the young 2018 USL regular season.  Undisputed number one goalkeeper Josh Cohen will almost certainly start on Wednesday against the Switchbacks after recording another 90 minutes in Sacramento’s 1-1 draw with the Las Vegas Lights on Saturday evening in Nevada.  

“Sacramento are a solid, tough, organized team and they’re really difficult to play against, especially in Sacramento,” said Vercollone.  “They’ll be motivated to win and they’ll use their great crowd so we’ve got to play our game and be ready for the test. These next two games are really big for us and I’m hoping we can continue to improve and keep this momentum going into the weekend at home.”

On Saturday evening the Switchbacks return to Weidner Field to host the Seattle Sounders FC 2 on 90’s Night.  The first 500 fans at Weidner Field will receive the second part of the 2018 Poster Giveaway Series, courtesy of The Gazette Newspaper.

On Wednesday night, the Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC visit Sacramento Republic FC at Papa Murphy’s Park in California’s capital city.  A huge 4-0 win against Reno 1868 FC started the Switchbacks’ western road trip on Saturday evening at Greater Nevada Field. Goals from AJ Ajeakwa, Luke Vercollone, and Jamal Jack were aided by an early own-goal from Reno midfielder Luis Felipe Fernandes.  

“It was great to finally score some goals,” said Switchbacks Head Coach Steve Trittschuh.  “Being able to get those goals gives us some real momentum going into Wednesday night against a very good Sacramento team.  They have experienced players who know how to play. [Jeremy] Hall, [Villyan] Bijev, [Cameron] Iwasa, Adam Moffat…these are all good, experienced players and they’re very tough to beat, especially in Sacramento.  We must keep improving what we can game-by-game and look to finish this trip with a strong performance in a tough place to play.”

Sacramento Republic FC have won both of their matches at Papa Murphy’s Park in the 2018 USL season.  A 2-1 victory over San Antonio FC on March 17th was followed by a 1-0 win over the Seattle Sounders FC 2 on April 7th.  Third in the USL’s Western Conference table at the time of writing, Sacramento Republic FC are unbeaten with three victories and two draws.  Sacramento Head Coach Simon Elliott’s team won 1-0 against Orange County SC behind a Cameron Iwasa goal on March 24th at Champions Soccer Stadium at OC Great Park.  

“We’ve got an idea what Sacramento are about – we’ve just got to show up defensively and we’ll be alright,” said Trittschuh.  “For the most part we played really well against Reno and to get the goals was huge for the team. Guys were really happy with the win and getting it on the road helps before this Wednesday.  The players picked off a lot of passes in the win in Reno and we’ll look to keep that going this season. Luke’s goal really helped us. That was the nail in that match – it came at the perfect time and lifted the whole team.”

“Getting the first goal of the season really takes the pressure off to feel like you have to score all the time.  It’s helpful and good to score – especially on the road,” said Vercollone. “The win against Reno was really good for us.  To be able to do that on the road says a lot about this group and the win gives us a big confidence boost going forward.”

Switchbacks fans will have to wait until July 14th to welcome Sacramento Republic FC to Weidner Field, with Heat Depot sponsoring a Premium Bottle and Bag Giveaway.  After Wednesday’s match, the Switchbacks will return to Colorado Springs as they welcome the Seattle Sounders FC 2 on Saturday night.  The contest against S2 will be the Switchbacks’ third game in the last week.

“We don’t have too much room for training while we’re gone, it’s more about walking through things on the road and the guys getting their legs back under them,” said Trittschuh.  “We can only travel with 16 players so some have to really manage their legs and it’s not easy at times. But the win in Reno gives us a big boost and I hope we take that forward.  Two more games this week – it won’t be easy, but Sacramento is a fun place to visit and I think we’re looking forward to it and to playing against a good team.”

Iwasa is tied for the lead in goals for Sacramento Republic with Christian Eissele.  Iwasa, Bijev, and Keven Aleman each have an assist on the young 2018 USL regular season.  Undisputed number one goalkeeper Josh Cohen will almost certainly start on Wednesday against the Switchbacks after recording another 90 minutes in Sacramento’s 1-1 draw with the Las Vegas Lights on Saturday evening in Nevada.  

“Sacramento are a solid, tough, organized team and they’re really difficult to play against, especially in Sacramento,” said Vercollone.  “They’ll be motivated to win and they’ll use their great crowd so we’ve got to play our game and be ready for the test. These next two games are really big for us and I’m hoping we can continue to improve and keep this momentum going into the weekend at home.”

On Saturday evening the Switchbacks return to Weidner Field to host the Seattle Sounders FC 2 on 90’s Night.  The first 500 fans at Weidner Field will receive the second part of the 2018 Poster Giveaway Series, courtesy of The Gazette Newspaper.

Buoyed by picking up three points last weekend, the Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC travel to Reno, Nevada this Saturday as they face Reno 1868 FC at Greater Nevada Field.  

The vital 2-1 win for the Switchbacks at Weidner Field against the Rio Grande Valley FC Toros vaulted the Switchbacks into 9th place in the USL’s Western Conference table.  Second-half goals from Josh Suggs and Jordan Burt were enough to overcome a late strike from RGV.

Josh Suggs’ Man of the Match performance in the win against Rio Grande Valley FC saw the Switchbacks’ captain named to the USL’s Team of the Week.  Suggs scored for the Switchbacks with a beautiful, curling free kick and was a constant threat against RGV down the left wing.

“It doesn’t mean much to me personally.  It’s a testament to the team and our performance – it’s because we had a good game as a team,” said Suggs when asked about his place on the USL’s Team of the Week.  “It was good to score and we played well and that’s important at home. But now we have a difficult trip. It’s good that we played at Reno in the preseason. I expect a strong team and because we had that game in preseason both teams will come out with that extra bit of fire.  Hopefully, after getting two goals in our last game the floodgates will open for us and we can get goals on the road starting on Saturday. Reno are a good, strong team and it will be a good game.”

“Guys see what it takes to win and to have broken our losing streak like we did with two big goals at home felt great,” said winger Shane Malcolm.  “We haven’t seen Reno [1868 FC] since preseason when we won there and we know they’re a good team. We’ll have to keep pressing our opponents, even on the road, and make sure we have good possession of the ball.  The win against RGV was huge and we’re looking to keep it going. Now that we have some confidence from that win, guys will be more ruthless in front of goal.”

“It’s one of those things where we’re happy that we got the win, and a lot of guys played well, but we must keep going and pushing on,” said Switchbacks Head Coach Steve Trittschuh.  “Hopefully now guys can be more aggressive in getting into the area. Reno haven’t had much success at home yet this year so we need to be ready for their best game. They have a 4-4-2 with a diamond in the center of midfield and they have talented players.  We have got to keep playing our game.”

Reno 1868 FC have only managed to pick up a single point in 2018 – by way of a 1-1 draw with the Las Vegas Lights FC on March 24th in Las Vegas.  Reno have dropped both games they have played this season at Greater Nevada Field.  A 4-3 thriller on March 17th saw Reno lose the opening match of 2018 to the Swope Park Rangers, and on March 31st they fell 1-0 to Phoenix Rising FC.

“Reno have a solid backline and good creative players,” said AJ Ajeakwa.  “Brenton Griffiths, Lindo Mfeka – these are just two of their guys that can hurt you.  But we’ll be hungry for the win. We got to go there in preseason and come away from the trip with some confidence and some energy to win this time.  Last weekend was huge. We have to make sure it’s a fortress for us here because it’s hard to play here. It was great to get the win. We need to make sure to get numbers in the box and take our opportunities on this road trip and use the confidence going on the road from winning here.”

“The altitude of Reno won’t give us any trouble or bother us – we need to stay big and play our game and use the experience of earlier in the preseason to help us,” said Trittschuh.  “The schedule isn’t in our favor right now with our small squad and all the travel we have to do. It’s a tough week with three games in a row – if we’re going to get points we’re going to have to be at our best.”

The Switchbacks will stay on the road after Saturday’s match, as they face Sacramento Republic FC on Wednesday, April 18th at Papa Murphy’s Park.  April 21st will see the Switchbacks return to Weidner Field to host the Seattle Sounders FC 2 on 90’s Night.  The first 500 fans at Weidner Field will receive the second part of the 2018 Poster Giveaway Series, courtesy of The Gazette Newspaper.

Reno 1868 FC will visit Weidner Field on May 5th with Colorado Technical University sponsoring a Cinco de Mayo cushion giveaway.  

“The way we beat RGV is how we have to press and move up top and score goals,” said Trittschuh.  “The guys got the feeling back of getting a big win and we’ll need that going into this trip. On Saturday night we will need to be big and get this stretch started right.”

Buoyed by picking up three points last weekend, the Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC travel to Reno, Nevada this Saturday as they face Reno 1868 FC at Greater Nevada Field.  

The vital 2-1 win for the Switchbacks at Weidner Field against the Rio Grande Valley FC Toros vaulted the Switchbacks into 9th place in the USL’s Western Conference table.  Second-half goals from Josh Suggs and Jordan Burt were enough to overcome a late strike from RGV.

Josh Suggs’ Man of the Match performance in the win against Rio Grande Valley FC saw the Switchbacks’ captain named to the USL’s Team of the Week.  Suggs scored for the Switchbacks with a beautiful, curling free kick and was a constant threat against RGV down the left wing.

“It doesn’t mean much to me personally.  It’s a testament to the team and our performance – it’s because we had a good game as a team,” said Suggs when asked about his place on the USL’s Team of the Week.  “It was good to score and we played well and that’s important at home. But now we have a difficult trip. It’s good that we played at Reno in the preseason. I expect a strong team and because we had that game in preseason both teams will come out with that extra bit of fire.  Hopefully, after getting two goals in our last game the floodgates will open for us and we can get goals on the road starting on Saturday. Reno are a good, strong team and it will be a good game.”

“Guys see what it takes to win and to have broken our losing streak like we did with two big goals at home felt great,” said winger Shane Malcolm.  “We haven’t seen Reno [1868 FC] since preseason when we won there and we know they’re a good team. We’ll have to keep pressing our opponents, even on the road, and make sure we have good possession of the ball.  The win against RGV was huge and we’re looking to keep it going. Now that we have some confidence from that win, guys will be more ruthless in front of goal.”

“It’s one of those things where we’re happy that we got the win, and a lot of guys played well, but we must keep going and pushing on,” said Switchbacks Head Coach Steve Trittschuh.  “Hopefully now guys can be more aggressive in getting into the area. Reno haven’t had much success at home yet this year so we need to be ready for their best game. They have a 4-4-2 with a diamond in the center of midfield and they have talented players.  We have got to keep playing our game.”

Reno 1868 FC have only managed to pick up a single point in 2018 – by way of a 1-1 draw with the Las Vegas Lights FC on March 24th in Las Vegas.  Reno have dropped both games they have played this season at Greater Nevada Field.  A 4-3 thriller on March 17th saw Reno lose the opening match of 2018 to the Swope Park Rangers, and on March 31st they fell 1-0 to Phoenix Rising FC.

“Reno have a solid backline and good creative players,” said AJ Ajeakwa.  “Brenton Griffiths, Lindo Mfeka – these are just two of their guys that can hurt you.  But we’ll be hungry for the win. We got to go there in preseason and come away from the trip with some confidence and some energy to win this time.  Last weekend was huge. We have to make sure it’s a fortress for us here because it’s hard to play here. It was great to get the win. We need to make sure to get numbers in the box and take our opportunities on this road trip and use the confidence going on the road from winning here.”

“The altitude of Reno won’t give us any trouble or bother us – we need to stay big and play our game and use the experience of earlier in the preseason to help us,” said Trittschuh.  “The schedule isn’t in our favor right now with our small squad and all the travel we have to do. It’s a tough week with three games in a row – if we’re going to get points we’re going to have to be at our best.”

The Switchbacks will stay on the road after Saturday’s match, as they face Sacramento Republic FC on Wednesday, April 18th at Papa Murphy’s Park.  April 21st will see the Switchbacks return to Weidner Field to host the Seattle Sounders FC 2 on 90’s Night.  The first 500 fans at Weidner Field will receive the second part of the 2018 Poster Giveaway Series, courtesy of The Gazette Newspaper.

Reno 1868 FC will visit Weidner Field on May 5th with Colorado Technical University sponsoring a Cinco de Mayo cushion giveaway.  

“The way we beat RGV is how we have to press and move up top and score goals,” said Trittschuh.  “The guys got the feeling back of getting a big win and we’ll need that going into this trip. On Saturday night we will need to be big and get this stretch started right.”

Rio Grande Valley FC visit Weidner Field to face the Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC this Saturday on 2000’s Theme Night.  The first 500 fans in attendance will receive the first part of the 2018 Poster Giveaway Series, courtesy of Kneaders Bakery & Café.

The Switchbacks return home after dropping back-to-back away games by 1-0.  A loss at Toyota Stadium last Saturday against Saint Louis FC was followed on Wednesday with a defeat at Children’s Mercy Park against a talented Swope Park Rangers team.  

“It was a long trip but we played well at times,” said Switchbacks Head Coach Steve Trittschuh.  “We played well enough and created enough chances to have won these last couple of games. The guys understand what we’re trying to do.  It was a bad goal to give away in Saint Louis – those are the things we need to clean up. All of the players need to step up. Saeed [Robinson] and AJ [Ajeakwa] are getting in good positions – same with Shane [Malcolm].  We don’t have a lot of options in some places now, but the guys are playing well and we need to find someone who has the hunger and desire to score. We’re defending really well and we have to start getting some breaks going forward.”

Rio Grande Valley FC have only played twice in the 2018 USL regular season.  Their match against Reno 1868 FC was postponed after weather affected travel through Dallas.  It will be made up in the morning of Wednesday, May 2nd at H-E-B Park.  RGV have tied both of their home games this season.

Rio Grande Valley FC captain Todd Wharton was named a starter on the USL’s Team of the Week after scoring in RGV’s 2-2 draw against Sacramento Republic FC last Saturday evening at H-E-B Park in Edinburg, Texas.  Wharton, who had hit the woodwork earlier in the match, converted a 51st-minute penalty kick to give RGV the lead against the Republic FC.  On March 16th RGV tied Saint Louis FC 1-1 at H-E-B Park in RGV’s home opener.  Pablo Aguilar scored late for RGV before Saint Louis FC fought back to tie the match in the 82nd minute through a goal from Tony Walls.

“RGV are a newer team – they only have a few guys left from last season,” said Trittschuh.  “They’ve had good moments this year. It’s only their third game with the postponement, so they’ll be fresh.  We need to take more advantage from being at home. If we can use the altitude and bumpy surface to our advantage it will really help us.  It’s great to be home and we need that energy against RGV.”

“They’re a young and talented team,” said AJ Ajeakwa when asked about Saturday’s visitors.  “They can score goals and we have to play well. We’re really happy to be back home and we will figure this out.  We just need to clean up a few little mistakes. When we fix those, we’ll be much happier. We’re really tough to beat we just need to find the goals and once it clicks for us I think we’ll be dangerous going forward.”

In addition to Wharton and Aguilar, RGV have attacking talent in the form of Jamaican Jorginho James.  James scored RGV’s second goal against Sacramento Republic, and was a dangerous outlet for the Toros. Aldo Quintanilla has led RGV’s forward line well in 2018, and John Montano has an assist in the Toros’ young season.  

“RGV are a good side,” said Marty Maybin.  “But at this point, it’s more about fixing things ourselves and in our game.  It’s important to bounce back and get a positive result. We’re at home so we really need to come out flying and play our best early.  It’s important we start scoring goals and being at home should help. It’s really good to be back and hopefully it gives us a good mindset.  We really wanted a couple of points from the away games but that’s behind us now and we move forward as a team starting with tomorrow.”

Switchbacks goalkeeper Moise Pouaty made his first start of the season on Wednesday in the narrow loss to the Swope Park Rangers.  Pouaty made six saves against SPR and had key stops in the second half to keep the Switchbacks just a goal down.

After Saturday’s match the Switchbacks will head west for matches against Reno 1868 FC next Saturday, and Sacramento Republic FC on Wednesday, April 18th.  “The month of April is crazy for us this season,” said Trittschuh.  “We need to pick up three points soon because we’ve got another tough away stretch coming up.  It’s great that we’re back for tomorrow – we’ll need playing here to help us against RGV. It’s a very important game for us.”

The Switchbacks will return to Weidner Field on April 21st when they face the Seattle Sounders FC 2 on 90’s Night with The Gazette newspaper sponsoring the second part of the 2018 Poster Giveaway Series.  Tickets start at just $12 and are available here.

 

Rio Grande Valley FC visit Weidner Field to face the Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC this Saturday on 2000’s Theme Night.  The first 500 fans in attendance will receive the first part of the 2018 Poster Giveaway Series, courtesy of Kneaders Bakery & Café.

The Switchbacks return home after dropping back-to-back away games by 1-0.  A loss at Toyota Stadium last Saturday against Saint Louis FC was followed on Wednesday with a defeat at Children’s Mercy Park against a talented Swope Park Rangers team.  

“It was a long trip but we played well at times,” said Switchbacks Head Coach Steve Trittschuh.  “We played well enough and created enough chances to have won these last couple of games. The guys understand what we’re trying to do.  It was a bad goal to give away in Saint Louis – those are the things we need to clean up. All of the players need to step up. Saeed [Robinson] and AJ [Ajeakwa] are getting in good positions – same with Shane [Malcolm].  We don’t have a lot of options in some places now, but the guys are playing well and we need to find someone who has the hunger and desire to score. We’re defending really well and we have to start getting some breaks going forward.”

Rio Grande Valley FC have only played twice in the 2018 USL regular season.  Their match against Reno 1868 FC was postponed after weather affected travel through Dallas.  It will be made up in the morning of Wednesday, May 2nd at H-E-B Park.  RGV have tied both of their home games this season.

Rio Grande Valley FC captain Todd Wharton was named a starter on the USL’s Team of the Week after scoring in RGV’s 2-2 draw against Sacramento Republic FC last Saturday evening at H-E-B Park in Edinburg, Texas.  Wharton, who had hit the woodwork earlier in the match, converted a 51st-minute penalty kick to give RGV the lead against the Republic FC.  On March 16th RGV tied Saint Louis FC 1-1 at H-E-B Park in RGV’s home opener.  Pablo Aguilar scored late for RGV before Saint Louis FC fought back to tie the match in the 82nd minute through a goal from Tony Walls.

“RGV are a newer team – they only have a few guys left from last season,” said Trittschuh.  “They’ve had good moments this year. It’s only their third game with the postponement, so they’ll be fresh.  We need to take more advantage from being at home. If we can use the altitude and bumpy surface to our advantage it will really help us.  It’s great to be home and we need that energy against RGV.”

“They’re a young and talented team,” said AJ Ajeakwa when asked about Saturday’s visitors.  “They can score goals and we have to play well. We’re really happy to be back home and we will figure this out.  We just need to clean up a few little mistakes. When we fix those, we’ll be much happier. We’re really tough to beat we just need to find the goals and once it clicks for us I think we’ll be dangerous going forward.”

In addition to Wharton and Aguilar, RGV have attacking talent in the form of Jamaican Jorginho James.  James scored RGV’s second goal against Sacramento Republic, and was a dangerous outlet for the Toros. Aldo Quintanilla has led RGV’s forward line well in 2018, and John Montano has an assist in the Toros’ young season.  

“RGV are a good side,” said Marty Maybin.  “But at this point, it’s more about fixing things ourselves and in our game.  It’s important to bounce back and get a positive result. We’re at home so we really need to come out flying and play our best early.  It’s important we start scoring goals and being at home should help. It’s really good to be back and hopefully it gives us a good mindset.  We really wanted a couple of points from the away games but that’s behind us now and we move forward as a team starting with tomorrow.”

Switchbacks goalkeeper Moise Pouaty made his first start of the season on Wednesday in the narrow loss to the Swope Park Rangers.  Pouaty made six saves against SPR and had key stops in the second half to keep the Switchbacks just a goal down.

After Saturday’s match the Switchbacks will head west for matches against Reno 1868 FC next Saturday, and Sacramento Republic FC on Wednesday, April 18th.  “The month of April is crazy for us this season,” said Trittschuh.  “We need to pick up three points soon because we’ve got another tough away stretch coming up.  It’s great that we’re back for tomorrow – we’ll need playing here to help us against RGV. It’s a very important game for us.”

The Switchbacks will return to Weidner Field on April 21st when they face the Seattle Sounders FC 2 on 90’s Night with The Gazette newspaper sponsoring the second part of the 2018 Poster Giveaway Series.  Tickets start at just $12 and are available here.