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Chattanooga Red Wolves SC defender Tony Walls has been named to the USL League One Team of the Week for Week 15 of the league’s inaugural 2019 season.

The Wisconsin native scored the equalizer to draw Lansing 1-1 at David Stanton Field Saturday night, extending the team’s unbeaten stretch to six games.

Walls headed one home into the top left corner of the net off an Amirgy Pineda corner kick to level the match in the 55th minute. The goal marked Walls’ first of the season. 

Walls also completed 21 of 26 passes and recorded one tackle in his impressive defensive display against Lansing. 

Week 15 is his second appearance on Team of the Week. 

It was recently announced that Walls’ goal against Lansing is nominated for USL League One Fan’s Choice Goal of the Week. To vote, fans can visit www.uslleagueone.com/news_article/show/1033581. 

The Red Wolves are back in action Wednesday, July 10 as the team travels to Orlando, Florida to face Orlando City B for the second of three meetings between the clubs. The match kicks off at 7:30 p.m. ET from Montverde Academy and can be streamed on ESPN+. 

USL League One Team of the Week

GK – Dallas Jaye, Greenville Triumph SC: Jaye recorded a three-save shutout as Greenville became the first side to hold North Texas without a goal in a game this season, earning a point at Toyota Stadium.

D – Evan Lee, Greenville Triumph SC: Lee won 5 of 5 duels and recorded three interceptions, three recoveries and two clearances as Triumph SC earned a 0-0 draw against North Texas SC.

D – Cesar Murillo, North Texas SC: Murillo won 6 of 9 duels and completed 23 of 33 passes while recording one key pass as he helped his side record a shutout against Greenville Triumph SC.

D – Carl Schneider, Forward Madison FC: Schneider completed 29 of 34 passes, made seven recoveries and recorded two interceptions and four clearances in Madison’s victory on the road against South Georgia.

D – Tony Walls, Chattanooga Red Wolves SC: Walls scored the equalizer and completed 21 of 26 passes to help the Red Wolves earn a 1-1 draw with Lansing Ignite FC on Saturday night.

M – Raheem Somersall, FC Tucson: Somersall recorded one assist, completed 26 of 30 passes overall while recording 12 recoveries and winning 9 of 12 duels in Tucson’s 3-1 victory against Toronto FC II.

M – Xavier Gomez, Lansing Ignite FC: Gomez completed 75 of 83 passes, recorded the assist on Ignite FC’s goal and won 7 of 8 duels in his side’s 1-1 draw against Chattanooga Red Wolves SC.

M – Andrew Wheeler-Omiunu, FC Tucson: Wheeler-Ominiu scored the opening goal, made eight recoveries and won 6 of 9 duels in his side’s 3-1 victory against Toronto FC II last Wednesday night.

M – Josiel Nuñéz, Forward Madison FC: Nuñéz had one assist and three key passes offensively while adding five recoveries and two clearances in his side’s road victory against South Georgia Tormenta FC.

F – Oliver White, Forward Madison FC: White scored his first league goal for the Flamingos after coming on as a second-half substitute in Madison’s 2-1 road victory against South Georgia Tormenta FC.

F – Jordan Jones, FC Tucson: Jones found the net, completed 10 of 14 passes and won 7 of 14 aerial duels in his side’s 3-1 victory against Toronto FC II.

Megan Rapinoe and the U.S Women’s National Soccer Team weren’t the only ones crowned champions on July 7.

Just hours after the USWNT lifted the World Cup trophy in Lyon, France, the Chattanooga Lady Red Wolves (11-1-2) became champions of the Southeast Conference Tournament in the Women’s Premier Soccer League.

“I’m extremely proud and honored to be a part of this team,” Red Wolves forward Carlie Banks said. “This team is something special, and we knew it from the very first time we played together.”

With a 3-2 come-from-behind win over Nashville Rhythm, the Lady Red Wolves won their conference tournament after finishing at the top of the table in the regular season just a week earlier.

They have been dominant all year, finishing with 11 wins from 14 games and a regular season title. The Lady Red Wolves finished the season all alone at the top of the Southeast Conference, with 11 points between them and second-place.

“Being regular season and conference tournament champions is a testament to the hard work our players have put in all season,” Lady Red Wolves SC Head Coach Billy Sparks said. All of them have brought their individual qualities to the team, but it’s their desire to play for each other that has really been a big factor for the success they’ve earned.”

With the win over Nashville, the Lady Red Wolves keep their inaugural season alive and advance to the regional tournament in Pensacola, Florida beginning on Friday, July 12.

Banks and the rest of the Lady Red Wolves are proud but not satisfied with how far they’ve come, and now turn their attention to the ultimate prize: a national title.

“As we continue through post season play, we couldn’t be more thrilled and ready to keep doing our thing,” Banks said. “We hope to continue our run all the way to the national championship.”

Regional play begins play this Friday in Pensacola, Florida. The Red Wolves are slated to face Charlotte Lady Eagles (8-0) Saturday, July 13 at West Florida University Kickoff is set for 11 a.m. CT. 

Today, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee and other elected officials joined Chattanooga Red Wolves Soccer Club owner Bob Martino in East Ridge to break ground on the professional team’s future stadium and the surrounding mixed-use development. Today signals the beginning of a $125 million investment in East Ridge and Chattanooga with a significant economic impact on the county, region and state.

“The groundbreaking of this innovative facility is an exciting step forward for sports fans across the state and the city of Chattanooga,” said Governor Bill Lee. “Chattanooga is already a world-class destination for tourism and business, and this new growth will only add to the city’s attractive destinations and economy. We commend Bob Martino and the Red Wolves Soccer Club for choosing to invest in Tennessee.”

The area in East Ridge along Interstate 75 South will feature a state-of-the-art, soccer-specific stadium, housing, shops, restaurants, a hotel and expansive greenspaces and trails.

“From my first day in Chattanooga, I have been looking for an opportunity to unite my passion for sports and real estate, and today I’m seeing a dream come to life for a community centered around sports. This development will be here for a long time, and generations of families and fans will create lasting memories here,” said Martino. “People want to live in an area offering a great quality of life, and by providing live, work and play opportunities, we are creating an unparalleled experience for people in East Ridge, Chattanooga and beyond.”

With the idea in mind of creating an experience around soccer, Martino’s plans include apartments and condominiums so people can live nearby the stadium, walk to events and enjoy dining and shopping in the neighborhood. To that end, the plan features 400 apartment and condominium units.

“Today we are turning over dirt and turning over a new leaf in East Ridge,” said Mayor Brian Williams. “For years, this area has remained dormant, and we are thankful to Bob and the team for breathing new life into this property and committing to creating hundreds of jobs for our people in East Ridge.”

The plans also include 375 hotel rooms and 475,000 square feet of commercial space. The economic impact will span the region with the creation 1,200 new jobs, not including construction and other businesses.

“For all of the people of East Ridge who have witnessed the course of our community over the past few decades, today is a rallying point for our future,” said East Ridge Vice Mayor and Tennessee State Rep. Esther Helton. “Bob’s investment in East Ridge is a boon for our town and state and will continue to attract new businesses and job growth to improve our local economy.”

Built out over the next three to five years, the property is expected to generate between $6 and $7 million in tax revenue each year. The 100-acre property is within the city limits of East Ridge and Chattanooga.

“This is an exciting time in East Ridge and Hamilton County and a historic investment for this town,” said Mayor Jim Coppinger. “We’re encouraged by the activity and interest in this corner of Hamilton County, and we know this investment will be felt throughout our county as people travel here to attend games, shop and dine.”

Martino has plans for a trail running under Interstate 75 to connect the stadium and the team’s training center at Camp Jordan, which will also increase connections for people in the area.

Because the stadium layout is soccer specific, it will offer an incredible, up-close experience with amenities like concessions, merchandise, VIP boxes and special areas for fans and families. The stadium will house staff offices, lockers and spaces for the team to meet, review film and train.

When not in use by the Chattanooga Red Wolves, Dalton Red Wolves or Lady Red Wolves, the stadium will act as a venue for non-sports events like concerts.

The month of June proved to be a prolific one for the Chattanooga Red Wolves as they took 13 of 15 possible points from the month’s fixtures.

But for Chattanooga’s Alex Mangels and Jamie Dell, this past month was about more than just simply playing the game—it was about “Playing for Pride.” 

The pair raised a combined $150 for the Playing for Pride project, an initiative conceptualized and championed by North Carolina FC midfielder Austin da Luz with the purpose of providing a platform for athletes, and their fans, to support LGBTQ+ rights and equality. 

Mangels and Dell were joined by hundreds of players around the world who pledged their support for the 2019 campaign. 

“I think it’s important to stand by the fact that everyone deserves to be treated equally,” Mangels said.

An effort first initiated in 2017, da Luz built a overwhelming support across the soccer landscape through a combination of profound messaging and assistance from other participating players, helping the program exceed its fundraising goal in year one.

For both Dell and Mangels, the cause is near to their hearts as both have close ties to members of the LGBTQ+ community.

“I have a brother who’s gay, and to think he went so long without being comfortable in his own skin before coming out is terrible,” Dell said. “It’s less about the money and more about the message. This is our way of being a support network and saying ‘look, we’re here for you.’”

Mangels added that he hopes to spread this important message to his fans in his new home of Chattanooga.

“I’ve got friends and family that are a part of the LGBTQ community and so it’s near and dear to my heart,” Mangels said. “I want to spread the message here in my new city and get people behind it.”

Now in its second year, Playing for Pride has partnered with Athlete Ally, an organization whose mission is rooted in the belief that everyone, regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression, should be given equal access, opportunity, and experience in sports.

Through its growing network of participating players around the world, Playing for Pride has become an important example of not only the ability that sports have to bring us together, but also the role that the professional athletes, and social media presence, can play in bolstering such vital causes today. 

To donate to the Playing for Pride project, visit app.mobilecause.com/vf/PLAY4PRIDE19. For more information on Athlete Ally, visit athleteally.org. 

Chattanooga Red Wolves SC (6-4-4) and Lansing Ignite FC (5-5-6) drew 1-1 at David Stanton Field Saturday night. The draw improves the Red Wolves by one point and preserves the team’s unbeaten record at home.

Lansing’s Elma N’for opened up scoring in the 25th minute, getting on the end of a ball in from Xavier Gomez and slotting it past goalkeeper Alex Mangels. The remainder of first half would see both Lansing and Chattanooga shown a red card each, causing both teams to play with ten men going into halftime.

The Red Wolves battled back in the early minutes of the second half, with Tony Walls putting Chattanooga on the board in the 55th minute. Walls headed one home into the top left corner of the net off an Amirgy Pineda corner kick to level the match. The goal marked Walls’ first goal of the season and Pineda’s third assist.

Despite efforts from both teams to put another away and seal the match, neither could capitalize on chances.

Goalkeeper Alex Mangels finished the night with two saves and three crosses claimed. Center back Nicholas Amponsah had a strong defensive display, recording three tackles and a 93% passing accuracy.

Looking ahead, the Red Wolves are on the road for two consecutive road matches, beginning with Orlando City B on Wednesday, July 10. Kickoff for that game is set for 7:30 p.m. ET. The team travels to Madison, Wisconsin to face Forward Madison FC on Saturday, July 13. The match marks the third and final meeting between Chattanooga and Madison and kicks off at 8 p.m. ET. Both road matches will be available to stream on ESPN+.

GAME SUMMARY 

First Half:  

• 3’ – Save! Elma Nfor (Lansing Ignite) right footed shot from inside the box is saved by Alex Mangels.
• 4’ – Pato Botello Faz (Lansing Ignite) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the left.
• 6’ – Sito Seoane (Chattanooga Red Wolves) left footed shot from the left side of the box is saved by Stefan Cleveland.
• 8’ – Chance! Sito Seoane (Chattanooga Red Wolves) hits the left post with a left footed shot from the center of the box.
• 8’ – Steven Beattie (Chattanooga Red Wolves) right footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked.
• 12’ – YaYa Cisse is shown the red card and ejected. Red Wolves begin to play one man down.
• 15’ – Steven Beattie (Chattanooga Red Wolves) right footed shot from outside the box is saved.
• 16’ – Sito Seoane (Chattanooga Red Wolves) left footed shot from the left side of the box misses to the right.
• 19’ – Pato Botello Faz (Lansing Ignite) right footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked by Andrew Moullin.
• 25’ – Elma Nfor (Lansing Ignite) finds the net from close range.
• 44’ – Xavier Gómez (Lansing Ignite) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. 
• 45’ – Kevin Coiffic (Lansing Ignite) is shown a red card for violent conduct. Lansing begins to play one man down.
• 45’ + 4 – Conor Doyle (Chattanooga Red Wolves) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the left following a set piece situation.

Second Half: 

• 47’ – Ualefi (Chattanooga Red Wolves) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the right. Assisted by Steven Beattie.
•  55’ – Goal! Tony Walls (Chattanooga Red Wolves) header from the center of the box goes into the top left corner. Assisted by Amirgy Pineda on a corner kick.
• 63’ –Robinson Moshobane (Lansing Ignite) left footed shot from outside the box is saved by Alex Mangels in the bottom left corner.
• 74’ – Pato Botello Faz (Lansing Ignite) left footed shot from the center of the box is close, but misses to the left.

LINEUPS:  

Chattanooga Red Wolves SC — Alex Mangels; Tony Walls, Andrew Moullin, Nicholas Ampansah, Jonathan Caparelli (Vangjel Zguro – 73’), Ualefi, Amirgy Pineda (Josue Soto – 76’), Conor Doyle, Yaya Cisse, Steven Beattie (C), Sito Seoane (Eamon Zayed – 66’)

Substitutes not used — Will Dieterich, Alex Jaimes, Jaime Dell

Lansing Ignite – Stefan Cleveland; Grant Stoneman, Brandon Fricke (C), Xavier Gomez, Nick Moon, Kevin Coiffic, Pato Botello Faz, Ivo Cerda, Tumi Moshobane (Rhys Williams – 70’), Elma Nfor, Marshall Hollingsworth

Substitutes not used – Mike Kirk, Rafa Mentzingen, Kyle Carr, Steeve Saint-Duc, Christian Silva, Alex Bruce

Scoring Summary: 

LAN: Elma Nfor – 25’

CHT: Tony Walls – 56’

Misconduct Summary: 

LAN: Brandon Fricke (cautioned – 30’)

LAN: Nick Moon (cautioned – 57’)

Ejection Summary:  

CHT: YaYa Cisse (red – 12’)

LAN: Kevin Coiffic (red – 45’)

MATCH INFORMATION: 

Head Official: Michael Smith
Assistant Referee: Chris Schurfranz
Assistant Referee: Jonathan Fogo
4th Official: Carlos Pielago

Note: This piece was written based on stats as of June 29, 2019. 

The first half of the inaugural USL League One season is coming to an end with the Red Wolves sitting in third place in the league table. Although the Red Wolves are several points behind league leaders North Texas SC, taking a deeper look at the first half of the season’s statistics would suggest the Red Wolves have been one of the best teams in the league in certain areas. 

The Red Wolves have been at their best in the attacking third of the pitch so far this season. Head coach Tim Hankinson demands clinical finishing from his attackers, and all of the extra shooting work in training has begun to pay off.

The Red Wolves have bagged 17 goals from 98 overall shot attempts through 13 games this season. That may not sound like a lot, but their 17.3% shot-to-goal conversion rate is second-best in the league. They are creating an average number of goal-scoring opportunities, but they capitalize on the chances they’re given, making them one of the most clinical attacking units in League One.

A huge part of the Red Wolves’ goal-scoring success has been their proficiency in the air. Chattanooga leads the league in headed goals with 6, with almost 40 percent of the team’s total goals coming from headers. Not an especially tall team, the Red Wolves prowess in the air may come as a surprise. But the quality of crosses coming in from wing players like Jonathan Caparelli and Vangjel Zguro give smaller attackers a chance to nod the ball goalwards.

One player who has especially benefited from this service is Red Wolves forward Steven Beattie. The Ireland international is just two goals back in the race for the USL League One golden boot. His seven goals are good for second-most in the league and make him the Red Wolves’ top scorer. 

Fresh off a hat-trick performance in a 3-2 home win over Greenville Triumph, Beattie displayed his excellent ability to rise above the defense to slot home a headed goal in the face of a taller defender. His first of three goals on the night came from a well-placed corner kick from midfielder Ami Pineda, which Beattie headed home at the far post to give the Red Wolves a 1-0 lead.

Red Wolves’ goalkeeper Alex Mangels has played a key role in the Red Wolves recent success.

The California native has been a solid last-resort defender and shot-stopper for the Red Wolves this year and his stats back it up.

He sits atop the list of keepers with the most saves in League One with 42 shots stopped on the season. While he and Hankinson would prefer to face fewer shots, Mangels has proven that he is more than capable of stepping up when the defense is broken down.

These are just a few stats that provide a deeper look at this Chattanooga Red Wolves side. Although the league table is the ultimate deciding factor in crowning a League One Champion, these stats paint a clearer picture of how well the team is performing.

Hankinson and the Red Wolves will hope that at the end of the season, their picture will include the Inaugural USL League One Trophy.

The team is back in action Saturday, July 6 at David Stanton Field to host Lansing Ignite FC. The match marks the first-ever meeting between the two clubs and kicks off at 7 p.m. For tickets, visit chattredwolves.com/tickets. 

Chattanooga Red Wolves SC took down Richmond Kickers 1-0 on Saturday at David Stanton Field. The win improves Chattanooga to third place in League One Standings, just four points shy of second place.

Here are three takeaways from the third of four meetings between Chattanooga and Richmond:

BEATTIE AND SEOANE LEAD RED WOLVES OFFENSE

Red Wolves captain Steven Beattie put on another solid offensive display in the 1-0 victory over Richmond.

Beattie opened up scoring in the eighth minute as he received a cross from forward Sito Seoane, beating his defender and finding the net. It was his goal that gave the Red Wolves an early lead that would ultimately be decisive in the team securing its third consecutive win.

Seoane and Beattie have connected to score a goal twice in three games. With Seoane up front, the Red Wolves offense has appeared more dynamic and has opened up space for Beattie and others on the flanks.  

The goal marked Beattie’s seventh of the season, just two goals short of the league leader. He has scored five of those seven during the team’s climb up the table over the course of the last month. 

Seoane recorded his second assist of the season. Both he and Beattie lead the team in shots and shots on target.

PIECES CONTINUE TO CONNECT IN AN UNBEATEN MONTH OF JUNE

The win over Richmond extends the Red Wolves’ unbeaten run to five matches. The unbeaten stretch began on May 25th with a win over Greenville. The team has collected 13 of 15 total possible points since.

Saturday’s win also adds to the Red Wolves’ undefeated record at home this season, improving the club’s record at David Stanton Field to 5-0-2. Chattanooga is one of four League One clubs that have not lost on home turf since the start of the inaugural season.

The three points earned against the Kickers move the Red Wolves into third place in the standings, just four points shy of second.

DEFENSIVE STRENGTH SHINING

Though injuries have seemingly caused constant movement in the back four line-up, the Red Wolves have rolled with the punches and continue to produce a strong defensive display week after week.

Saturday’s match saw the return of defender Andrew Moullin, who has been on the injured list since the team traveled to Tucson back in May. Despite not recording meaningful minutes since then, Moullin came back with a strong performance in Saturday’s win alongside fellow center back Nicholas Amponsah.

Appearing in six of 13 matches for the Red Wolves, Amponsah continues to step up to the plate, holding a place in the team’s top four in clearances, blocks and interceptions.

UP NEXT

Continuing to fight for a playoff position, the Red Wolves are back home to host Lansing Ignite (5-5-5) this Saturday, July 6. The match marks the first-ever meeting between the two clubs and kicks off at 7 p.m. ET. For tickets, visit chattredwolves.com/tickets.

Chattanooga Red Wolves SC (6-4-3) defeated Richmond Kickers (3-8-3) 1-0 at David Stanton Field Saturday. Forward Steven Beattie netted his seventh goal of the season to improve the Red Wolves to third place in League One standings.

Beattie put the Red Wolves on the board in the seventh minute. Midfielder Ami Pineda played a long ball into the left side of the 18 to find Sito Seoane. Seoane then slotted the ball back inside the six, and Beattie was there to put it away, giving the Red Wolves an early lead.  

The Kickers would battle back to create chances in the latter minutes of the first half and throughout the second, but the Red Wolves held it down to secure the win.

Both Pineda and Conor Doyle had strong displays in the midfield, recording the two highest passing accuracy percentages for the Red Wolves. Goalkeeper Alex Mangels came out of the night unscathed, securing his fourth clean sheet of the season

The team is back home next Saturday, July 6 to host Lansing Ignite FC, concluding the team’s three-game home stand. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. ET. For tickets, visit chattredwolves.com/tickets.   

GAME SUMMARY 

First Half:  

• 7’ – Goal! Steven Beattie’s (Chattanooga Red Wolves) left footed shot from the center of the box finds the net. Assited by Sito Seoane.
• 18’ – Ualefi (Chattanooga Red Wolves) fires a left footed shot from outside the box, but it misses right.
• 30’ — Tony Walls (Chattanooga Red Wolves) hits the left post with a header from the centre of the box. Assisted by Amirgy Pineda with a cross following a set piece situation.
• 30’ — Attempt missed. Conor Doyle (Chattanooga Red Wolves) right footed shot from a difficult angle on the right misses to the left following a set piece situation.
• 35’ — Attempt missed. Alexander Ainscough (Richmond Kickers) right footed shot from the right side of the box is close, but misses the top right corner. Assisted by Joe Gallardo

Second Half: 

• 56’ – Attempt missed. Abdoulaye Cisse (Chattanooga Red Wolves) right footed shot from outside the box is too high. Assisted by Ualefi.
• 58’ — Attempt blocked. Sito Seoane (Chattanooga Red Wolves) left footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Abdoulaye Cisse.
• 68’ — Attempt missed. Joe Gallardo (Richmond Kickers) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the left.
• 70’ — Attempt blocked. Maximiliano Rodríguez (Richmond Kickers) right footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Mutaya Mwape.
• 88’ — Attempt missed. Steven Beattie (Chattanooga Red Wolves) header from a difficult angle on the right is high and wide to the left. Assisted by Josue Soto with a cross.
• 89’ — Attempt blocked. Éamon Zayed (Chattanooga Red Wolves) right footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Amirgy Pineda.
• 90’ +1 – Attempt missed. Éamon Zayed (Chattanooga Red Wolves) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Amirgy Pineda.
• 90’ +1 – Attempt missed. Daniel Jackson (Richmond Kickers) right footed shot from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Maximiliano Rodríguez.
• 90’ +4 – Attempt missed. Joe Gallardo (Richmond Kickers) header from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Maximiliano Rodríguez with a cross following a corner.

LINEUPS: 

Chattanooga Red Wolves SC — Alex Mangels; Tony Walls, Andrew Moullin, Nicholas Ampansah, Jonathan Caparelli, Ualefi, Amirgy Pineda (Vangjel Zguro – 90’ +2), Conor Doyle, YaYa Cisse (Josue Soto – 67’), Steven Beattie (C), Sito Seoane (Eamon Zayed – 71’)

Substitutes not used — Will Dieterich, Alex Jaimes, Juan Mare

Richmond Kickers – Akira Fitzgerald; Ivan Mogalhaes, Daniel Jackson, Joe Gallardo, Alex Ainscough (Braeden Troyer – 45’), Nick Retzlaff (Josh Hughes – 64’), Eli Lockaby, Wahab Ackwei, Maxi Rodriguez (C), Charles Boateng (Dennis Chin – 58’), Mutaya Mwape

Substitutes not used – Jannik Eckenrode, Joe Rice, Greg Boehme

Scoring Summary: 

CHT: Steven Beattie – 7’

Misconduct Summary: 

CHT: Tony Walls (cautioned – 11’)

RIC: Alex Ainscough (cautioned – 17’)

CHT: YaYa Cisse (cautioned – 45’ +1)

RIC: Braeden Troyer (cautioned – 53’)

RIC: Wahab Ackwei (cautioned – 53’)

RIC: Charles Boateng (cautioned – 56’)

RIC: Ivan Mogalhaes (cautioned – 86’)

Ejection Summary:  

N/A 

MATCH INFORMATION: 

Head Official: Nickrod Fateh
Assistant Referee: Zach McWhorter
Assistant Referee: Kyle Johnston
4th Official: William Hale

Chattanooga Red Wolves SC forward Steven Beattie has been named the USL League One Player of the Week for Week 13 of the league’s inaugural season. This marks Beattie’s second Player of the Week award and his third appearance on Team of the Week.     

The Red Wolves captain was fantastic in the 3-2 win over Greenville Triumph SC, notching the first hat trick in club history. The three goals marked his fourth, fifth and sixth of the season, bringing him within one of the league leaders.

Beattie opened up scoring in the 19th minute as he received a cross from midfielder Ami Pineda off a corner kick and headed the ball from the center of the box into the back of the net.  

He wouldn’t have to wait long for his second as he put the Red Wolves up 2-0 less than 20 minutes later. Pineda found forward Juan Mare just outside of the box, who then lobbed the ball across towards the six-yard line. Greenville’s Dominic Boland failed to get the clearance off, and Beattie was there at the right time to slip it through goalkeeper Dallas Jaye.

His third would come in the 77th, smashing away a deflection off of a header into the net following a corner kick.

Saturday’s match was the first time this season that Greenville conceded multiple goals in a match, making Beattie’s hat-trick all the more impressive.

Midfielder Ami Pineda joins Beattie on USL League One’s Week 13 Team of the Week due to his dynamic performance against Greenville. Pineda completed 37 of 41 passes, recorded three key passes and notched one assist for the Red Wolves. This is his second consecutive week being named to the league’s Team of the Week.

Both played vital roles in the team holding onto its undefeated record at David Stanton Field.

Chattanooga Red Wolves SC is looking to build off of the momentum of Saturday’s victory as the team prepares for the next two consecutive matches at home. The Red Wolves host Richmond Kickers on Saturday, June 29 for the third of four regular season meetings between the two clubs. Kickoff is set for 7:00 p.m. ET. For tickets, visit chattredwolves.com/tickets.

USL League One Team of the Week

GK – Stefan Cleveland, Lansing Ignite FC: Cleveland recorded five saves over a pair of shutouts as Landing took victories against both Toronto FC II and Orlando City B.

D – Kevin Coiffic, Lansing Ignite FC: Coiffic had a pair of strong performances in Lansing’s two shutouts victories, recording 13 recoveries and six interceptions, and found the net on Saturday against Orlando City B.

D – Josh Phelps, South Georgia Tormenta FC: Phelps made nine recoveries and two interceptions while completing 36 of 40 passes as Tormenta FC held the Kickers without a shot on goal in a 1-0 victory on Saturday night.

D – Eli Lockaby, Richmond Kickers: Lockaby recorded seven recoveries, completed 32 of 38 passes and won 4 of 7 duels in a solid display in Richmond’s back line on the road against Tormenta FC.

M – Don Smart, Forward Madison FC: Smart scored a pair of goals and added an assist among three key passes as Madison recorded a 4-1 victory against North Texas SC on Saturday night.

M – Marco Micaletto, South Georgia Tormenta FC: Micaletto scored from the penalty spot and completed 15 of 20 passes to lift South Georgia to victory against the Richmond Kickers and into first place in the standings.

M – Ivo Cerda, Lansing Ignite FC: Cerda was a model of efficiency throughout Lansing’s two victories on the week, completing 95 of 108 passes while winning 20 of 32 duels and recording 15 recoveries and seven interceptions for Ignite FC.

M – Amirgy Pineda, Chattanooga Red Wolves SC: Pineda put in a strong midfield display as he completed 37 of 41 passes, recorded three key passes and notched one assist in the Red Wolves’ victory against Greenville.

F – Jake Keegan, Greenville Triumph SC: Keegan scored both goals as Triumph SC battled back on the road in Chattanooga while also recording two key passes and five recoveries.

F – Steven Beattie, Chattanooga Red Wolves SC: Beattie scored the first hat trick in Red Wolves history to lift his side to a 3-2 win against Greenville Triumph SC while also completing 22 of 25 passes and making six recoveries.

Chattanooga Red Wolves SC took down Greenville Triumph SC 3-2 on Saturday at David Stanton Field. The win moved Chattanooga up to fifth place in league standings, tied on points with Toronto FC II.

Here are three takeaways from the third and final meeting between Chattanooga and Greenville:

HATS OFF TO CAPTAIN STEVEN BEATTIE

Red Wolves captain Steven Beattie was fantastic in the 3-2 win over Greenville, notching the first hat-trick in club history. The three goals marked his fourth, fifth and sixth of the season, bringing him within one of the League Leaders.

Beattie opened up scoring in the 19th minute as he received a cross from midfielder Ami Pineda off a corner kick and headed the ball from the center of the box into the back of the net.  

He wouldn’t have to wait long for his second as he put the Red Wolves up 2-0 less than 20 minutes later. Pineda found forward Juan Mare just outside of the box, who then lobbed the ball across towards the six-yard line. Greenville’s Dominic Boland failed to get the clearance off, and Beattie was there at the right time to slip it through goalkeeper Dallas Jaye.

His third would come in the 77th, smashing away a deflection off of a header into the net following a corner kick.

Saturday’s match was the first time this season that Greenville conceded multiple goals in a match, making Beattie’s hat-trick all the more impressive.

RESILIENCY TESTED AFTER INCLEMENT WEATHER DELAY

The tail end of the first half was abruptly interrupted by a lightning storm quickly followed by a torrential downpour, causing a near two-hour inclement weather delay. Once allowed back onto the field, both teams were allotted a 20-minute warm up period before finishing out the remaining 6+ minutes of the half.

The quick turnaround after two hours in the locker room was a challenge for the players both physically and mentally. The Red Wolves were able to hold onto the 2-0 lead going into halftime, and despite giving up two consecutive goals in ten minutes during the second half, the team came out on top with Beattie’s third goal. This wasn’t the only match the Red Wolves have shown second half grit. When the Triumph visited Chattanooga last month, Eamon Zayed scored the game winning goal in the late minutes of stoppage time to secure the 1-0 victory.

UNDEFEATED HOME RECORD STANDS

It’s becoming evident that David Stanton Field is a tough place to play for opposing teams. Saturday’s win improves Chattanooga to 4-0-3 at home, keeping the team’s unbeaten record at David Stanton Field intact. The victory also marks three wins in the last four matches for the Red Wolves. The Red Wolves are coming up on two more consecutive home matches, hosting Richmond Kickers this Saturday and Lansing Ignite FC the next.

UP NEXT

Continuing to fight for a playoff position, the Red Wolves are back home to host Richmond Kickers this Saturday, June 29. The match marks the third meeting between the two clubs and kicks off at 7 p.m. ET. For tickets, visit chattredwolves.com/tickets.