Battery gets boost from strong defense

Battery keeper Dusty Hudock has been a lonely man this season, but he's not complaining.

Through the first six games, Hudock has recorded a USL First Division-leading four shutouts as Charleston has allowed just two goals all season.

Hudock, 36, has barely broken a sweat in some games, but that's just fine with the veteran keeper.

"It's actually been a very pleasant season so far for an old geezer like me," Hudock said with a chuckle. "We've played very, very well defensively through the first six games of the season. I really don't have any complaints to this point, and that hasn't always been the case in the past."

The Battery takes on Miami FC at 7:30 tonight in its first home game in nearly a month at Blackbaud Stadium.

Hudock said the addition of veteran defenders Matt Bobo and Frankie Sanfilippo to an already solid corps that included Nelson Akwari and Johnson Wilson has had an immediate impact for the Battery.

"I think the biggest thing is that we've got defenders that are really true defenders," Hudock said. "We've got guys who understand that their first job is to defend and to keep the ball out of our net."

The Battery has been a vastly improved team on the road. The Battery, 2-0-2 on the road, already has two regulation wins over Miami (1-0) and Carolina (2-1) away from home. The two wins matches the road wins the club had all of last season.

"We've been solid defensively on the road, but some circumstances have also helped out," Hudock said. "There have been a couple of early red cards, so we've been able to play a man-up for extended periods of time and that certainly helps your cause on the road."

Wilson said the entire team has been committed to playing better defensively this season.

"It's not just the guys in the back and Dusty getting the job done," Wilson said. "It seems like everyone, the forwards, the guys in the midfield, have really bought into keeping our shape and keeping the ball in front of us. The key defensively is getting organized and keeping your shape and so far we've done a good job of that."

While the Battery's defense has been solid, it's still early in the season, Hudock said.

"You don't win a championship in May," Hudock said. "What matters is what you do over the long haul of the season and how well you're playing at the end of it."