Tie eliminates Battery from postseason contention

Battery 0, Islanders 0

With its playoff hopes on the line, the Charleston Battery played one of its best matches in a month against the Puerto Rico Islanders.

Unfortunately, the Battery's best wasn't good enough for a spot in the USL First Division playoffs.

Despite dominating the majority of the match, the Battery had to settle for a 0-0 draw with the Islanders on Friday night in front of a crowd of more than 5,000 at Blackbaud Stadium.

The Battery, which went winless for the sixth straight time, finished the regular season in ninth place in the USL First Division with an 8-14-6 (30 points) record. Puerto Rico, which clinched a playoff spot a week ago, finished the regular season with a 10-8-10 (40 points) record.

Heading into Friday night's match with the Islanders, the Battery needed a win to have any chance of advancing to the USL First Division playoffs. A tie or a win by Carolina would eliminate the Battery from playoff contention.

"We knew what we had to do coming in and I thought for the most part we played well," said Charleston coach Mike Anhaeuser. "We pushed everyone forward and created plenty of chances. Sometimes scoring goals can be difficult and we were a bit unlucky tonight.

"It wasn't for a lack of effort. We got plenty of chances we just couldn't knock one in. It's frustrating because the effort was there."

The Battery outshot the Islanders, 15-6, during the match and more than doubled Puerto Rico's scoring chances.

"It seemed like everyone had their chances tonight," said midfielder Stephen Armstrong.

"I know I had a couple of good chances, I just couldn't hit the back of the net. You can't really blame anyone. I think we did enough to get the win, we just didn't put it in the end."

At the end of July, the Battery was in sixth place in the USL First Division with its playoff position all but assured. But the Battery managed just one win in its last nine games of the regular season and watched as three team caught and past them in the standings.

"After the run we had August, we were lucky to be in this position," Armstrong said. "We didn't do ourselves any favors. We knew what we had to do and we didn't get it done this season. It's very disappointing."

After a scoreless first half, the Battery began to push everyone forward in the attack.

The move paid immediate dividends in the 57th minute when a long ball was played to striker Aaron King. King got behind the Islanders' defense and blasted a shot from just inside the 18-yard penalty box. King's low, hard shot was headed into the goal, but Islanders keeper Josh Saunders made a diving save to end the threat.

"You've got to give Saunders credit, he came up with the big save when they needed it," Anhaeuser said.

Charleston nearly scored again four minutes later when Armstrong got the ball on the left side of the 18-yard box. The South African native dribbled past one Puerto Rico defender and blasted a shot on net. But Islanders defender John Krause stood his ground on the goal line, stopping the sure goal with a chest save.

"I didn't see him on the line, but that's what a defender is supposed to do," Armstrong said.

Charleston continued to pressure the Islanders in the 79th minute. The ball was played into the middle of the field to King, who made a strong run into Islanders territory. King slipped the ball to Jordan Hughes on the left side of the 18-yard box. But Hughes' shot sailed over the cross bar to end the threat.

King threatened again in the 83rd minute when he got the end of another long ball. King battled two Islanders defenders in the 18-yard box and took an off-balance shot that bounced off the left goal post.

Charleston got its final scoring chance in stoppage time when the ball bounced out to Hughes after a scramble in the 18-yard box. Hughes shot, however, missed going in by inches as it sailed just wide of the net.

"That shot was the story of the match for us," Anhaeuser said. "We were that close to winning."

Headers

--The Battery inducted former striker Paul Conway into the Charleston Battery Hall of Fame.

Conway, who was on the Battery's 2003 A-League title team, is the franchise's all-time leading scorer with 91 goals and 34 assists.

Conway was the A-League MVP in 2001.

--The Battery fans voted Stephen Armstrong, the team's MVP and the offensive player of the year.

Keeper Dusty Hudock was named the team's defensive player of the year, while midfielder Gordon Chin was voted the newcomer of the year.

--Charleston midfielders Ian Fuller (ankle) and Mike Richardson (knee) were unavailable due to injuries.