July 23, 2024 – United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Charleston Battery News Release
CHARLESTON, S.C. – The Charleston Battery hit the road for a midweek midday game against Loudoun United FC on Wed., July 24. Kickoff at Segra Field is set for brunch hour at 11 a.m. ET and the match will stream on ESPN+.
Charleston and Loudoun meet for the first time this season. Last year, the Battery went 1W-0L-1D against Loudoun, winning the home match, 3-0, but tying in the reverse fixture, 2-2.
The Battery (11W-2L-7D, 40pts) head to Virginia after a comfortable 2-0 victory over Miami FC on Friday. Nick Markanich scored twice in the second half to seal the deal for the Battery while the team notched their 11th shutout of the league campaign. Charleston are undefeated in their last five games.
Loudoun (7W-6L-5D, 26pts) have been enjoying one of the most successful stretches of games in the club’s history and are currently on an eight-match undefeated run in league play. That span includes notable wins over the Tampa Bay Rowdies, Monterey Bay FC and Orange County SC. Last time out, Loudoun drew 1-1 with Indy Eleven on July 13, so Wednesday’s hosts will be well-rested coming into the match.
Looking at the Eastern Conference standings, the Battery are in second and Loudoun are in seventh.
Storylines of the Match
Brunch Ball in Virginia – The Battery are kicking off at an unusually early time – 11 a.m. – as the visitors for Loudoun’s Camp Day game. Wednesday’s match features various initiatives for youth soccer players in the Leesburg area before, during and after the game. The last time Charleston played a morning match was in the 2022 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, which was a rescheduled date after the original game was postponed for storms.
America’s Top Goalscorer (Again) – With a brace against Miami, Nick Markanich is once again the No. 1 goalscorer across all U.S. domestic leagues with 18 goals in the USL Championship. He reclaims the top spot for the first time since holding the designation in May.
Markanich and Grinwis Chase History – Forward Nick Markanich and goalkeeper Adam Grinwis are nearing historic marks, showcasing the Battery’s holistic strength. Markanich’s 18 goals set a new single-season record for the Battery in their USLC era, and he is inching closer to the club’s all-time single-season record (27 goals) and the USLC’s single-season record (25 goals). Grinwis has eight clean sheets so far and his current pace puts the Battery’s single-season shutout record…