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After a masterful 2-0 victory against the Los Angeles Galaxy II to open the 2018 USL regular season, the Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC return to Weidner Field this Saturday as they host the Portland Timbers 2.  The first 500 fans in attendance will receive a Switchbacks beanie courtesy of Weidner Apartment Homes. In addition, $1 beers will be on offer for the first 30 minutes after the Weidner Field gates open at 5pm.

AJ Ajeakwa opened the scoring for the Switchbacks against Los Dos with a stunning strike that has been nominated for the USL’s Goal of the Week award.  “It felt good to score,” said Ajeakwa. “It was more a team goal than individual and I’m glad we got the win. Most definitely the win gives us confidence, in general, going into this weekend.  Portland are a good team and a hard-working organization. When I scored, I reached down to my wrist – I’ve got ‘Long Live Ricky’ on my wrist and it always gives me strength. He’s my friend and he passed away.  Today [Tuesday] is his birthday so Happy Birthday to Ricky. This weekend I hope we get the win for our hard work and for him.”

All three points against the Galaxy II were sealed with a second-half Jordan Burt penalty kick that sparked ugly scenes during the celebration.  Switchbacks winger Saeed Robinson has been suspended by the USL for one match for his part in the post-goal fracas and will miss this Saturday’s match against the Timbers 2.  Fellow attacker Shane Malcolm will also be missing this weekend, as he will represent the Guam National Team in international friendlies against the San Diego State University Aztecs and Los Angeles Galaxy II on March 23rd and March 27th, respectively.  

“We have a small roster so someone has to step up and give us the same effort against Portland that we had in the LA game,” said Switchbacks Head Coach Steve Trittschuh.  “Portland are athletic and good on the counter-attack. Going into Saturday we’re going to try to improve our game and come out and be flying at home. That’s how we have to play, especially at home.  It’s no secret that we’ll press teams here and try to win the ball back early like we did against LA. Portland have talented players. [Augustine] Williams up top with [Jeremy] Ebobisse and in the back and [Harold] Hanson – all over the field they’ve got good talent and we have to be ready.”  

The Timbers 2 began their season with a 2-1 loss to their Cascadia rivals, the Seattle Sounders FC 2 at Cheney Stadium in Tacoma, Washington last Friday evening.  The Timbers 2 took the lead on the half-hour mark through a neat finish from the aforementioned Sierra Leonean striker Augustine Williams. S2 rebounded to score two goals in the final two minutes of the first half, with a penalty kick conversion from Felix Chenkam followed closely by a beautiful strike from Nick Hinds.  

Former Switchbacks center back Josh Phillips captained the Timbers 2 against the Sounders FC 2.  Phillips made the switch to his native Pacific Northwest this winter after three successful seasons in Colorado Springs.  Phillips, who played collegiately at Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington, partnered Gambian defender Modou Jadama in the heart of the Timbers 2 defense in the loss to S2, with Jimmy Mulligan and Nathan Smith patrolling the flanks.  

“Not even worried about it,” responded Trittschuh when asked about Phillips’ return.  “I don’t want to talk about guys who aren’t here. I want guys who want to be here and want to play for this team.”

“When teams come in we expect them to be compact,” said Marty Maybin.  “We need to remember to be patient in order to open them up and take our chances when they arrive.  It’ll be good to see Josh. But for 90 minutes we’ll be enemies and then we can worry about old times after the game.”

Center back Taylor Hunter was named a starter on the USL Team of the Week after a standout performance against the Galaxy II in the heart of the Switchbacks’ defense alongside Jamal Jack.  Jordan Burt started in center midfield while the right back position was occupied by Switchbacks veteran Luke Vercollone. Switchbacks captain Josh Suggs patrolled his customary left back spot, while Jordan Schweitzer, Ajeakwa, Robinson, and Malcolm all pushed forward and constantly harassed the back line of the Galaxy II.  

“I always expect a good game against Portland,” said Jordan Schweitzer.  “We never know who they’ll bring to play against us because they are an MLS 2 team so we have to focus on what we can do and bring it on Saturday.  I think there are lots of positives from the game against LA. It’s great to start off with three points and we’re going to work hard to take that forward.”

Major League Soccer’s Timbers will also play on Saturday evening as they travel to Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas to face FC Dallas.  The Timbers will be desperate to get a win after starting their 2018 MLS campaign with back-to-back losses. The Timbers won’t play at Providence Park in the Rose City until an April 14th match against Minnesota United FC.

The Switchbacks will travel to Merlo Field on the campus of the University of Portland when they visit the Timbers 2 on Sunday, June 17th.  

After Saturday’s match, the Switchbacks will begin their 2018 away campaign with a trip to Toyota Stadium to face Saint Louis FC on March 31st.  Just four days later the Switchbacks have their first midweek match of 2018 as they face off against the Swope Park Rangers at Children’s Mercy Park in Kansas City, Kansas.  The Switchbacks will return to Weidner Field on April 7th for a clash against Rio Grande Valley FC with Kneaders Bakery & Café sponsoring the first part of the 2018 Poster Giveaway series.  

Tickets for Saturday's game start at just $12 and are available here.

After a masterful 2-0 victory against the Los Angeles Galaxy II to open the 2018 USL regular season, the Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC return to Weidner Field this Saturday as they host the Portland Timbers 2.  The first 500 fans in attendance will receive a Switchbacks beanie courtesy of Weidner Apartment Homes. In addition, $1 beers will be on offer for the first 30 minutes after the Weidner Field gates open at 5pm.

AJ Ajeakwa opened the scoring for the Switchbacks against Los Dos with a stunning strike that has been nominated for the USL’s Goal of the Week award.  “It felt good to score,” said Ajeakwa. “It was more a team goal than individual and I’m glad we got the win. Most definitely the win gives us confidence, in general, going into this weekend.  Portland are a good team and a hard-working organization. When I scored, I reached down to my wrist – I’ve got ‘Long Live Ricky’ on my wrist and it always gives me strength. He’s my friend and he passed away.  Today [Tuesday] is his birthday so Happy Birthday to Ricky. This weekend I hope we get the win for our hard work and for him.”

All three points against the Galaxy II were sealed with a second-half Jordan Burt penalty kick that sparked ugly scenes during the celebration.  Switchbacks winger Saeed Robinson has been suspended by the USL for one match for his part in the post-goal fracas and will miss this Saturday’s match against the Timbers 2.  Fellow attacker Shane Malcolm will also be missing this weekend, as he will represent the Guam National Team in international friendlies against the San Diego State University Aztecs and Los Angeles Galaxy II on March 23rd and March 27th, respectively.  

“We have a small roster so someone has to step up and give us the same effort against Portland that we had in the LA game,” said Switchbacks Head Coach Steve Trittschuh.  “Portland are athletic and good on the counter-attack. Going into Saturday we’re going to try to improve our game and come out and be flying at home. That’s how we have to play, especially at home.  It’s no secret that we’ll press teams here and try to win the ball back early like we did against LA. Portland have talented players. [Augustine] Williams up top with [Jeremy] Ebobisse and in the back and [Harold] Hanson – all over the field they’ve got good talent and we have to be ready.”  

The Timbers 2 began their season with a 2-1 loss to their Cascadia rivals, the Seattle Sounders FC 2 at Cheney Stadium in Tacoma, Washington last Friday evening.  The Timbers 2 took the lead on the half-hour mark through a neat finish from the aforementioned Sierra Leonean striker Augustine Williams. S2 rebounded to score two goals in the final two minutes of the first half, with a penalty kick conversion from Felix Chenkam followed closely by a beautiful strike from Nick Hinds.  

Former Switchbacks center back Josh Phillips captained the Timbers 2 against the Sounders FC 2.  Phillips made the switch to his native Pacific Northwest this winter after three successful seasons in Colorado Springs.  Phillips, who played collegiately at Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington, partnered Gambian defender Modou Jadama in the heart of the Timbers 2 defense in the loss to S2, with Jimmy Mulligan and Nathan Smith patrolling the flanks.  

“Not even worried about it,” responded Trittschuh when asked about Phillips’ return.  “I don’t want to talk about guys who aren’t here. I want guys who want to be here and want to play for this team.”

“When teams come in we expect them to be compact,” said Marty Maybin.  “We need to remember to be patient in order to open them up and take our chances when they arrive.  It’ll be good to see Josh. But for 90 minutes we’ll be enemies and then we can worry about old times after the game.”

Center back Taylor Hunter was named a starter on the USL Team of the Week after a standout performance against the Galaxy II in the heart of the Switchbacks’ defense alongside Jamal Jack.  Jordan Burt started in center midfield while the right back position was occupied by Switchbacks veteran Luke Vercollone. Switchbacks captain Josh Suggs patrolled his customary left back spot, while Jordan Schweitzer, Ajeakwa, Robinson, and Malcolm all pushed forward and constantly harassed the back line of the Galaxy II.  

“I always expect a good game against Portland,” said Jordan Schweitzer.  “We never know who they’ll bring to play against us because they are an MLS 2 team so we have to focus on what we can do and bring it on Saturday.  I think there are lots of positives from the game against LA. It’s great to start off with three points and we’re going to work hard to take that forward.”

Major League Soccer’s Timbers will also play on Saturday evening as they travel to Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas to face FC Dallas.  The Timbers will be desperate to get a win after starting their 2018 MLS campaign with back-to-back losses. The Timbers won’t play at Providence Park in the Rose City until an April 14th match against Minnesota United FC.

The Switchbacks will travel to Merlo Field on the campus of the University of Portland when they visit the Timbers 2 on Sunday, June 17th.  

After Saturday’s match, the Switchbacks will begin their 2018 away campaign with a trip to Toyota Stadium to face Saint Louis FC on March 31st.  Just four days later the Switchbacks have their first midweek match of 2018 as they face off against the Swope Park Rangers at Children’s Mercy Park in Kansas City, Kansas.  The Switchbacks will return to Weidner Field on April 7th for a clash against Rio Grande Valley FC with Kneaders Bakery & Café sponsoring the first part of the 2018 Poster Giveaway series.  

Tickets for Saturday’s game start at just $12 and are available here.

“It seems like LA are more of a rivalry than anyone else in the league.  It’s always a good game versus LA where both teams want to play well and play quickly and win.” – Steve Trittschuh.

The 2018 USL regular season begins for the Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC on Saturday evening at Weidner Field as they welcome the Los Angeles Galaxy II on St. Patrick’s Day.  Gates will open at 5 pm with $1 green beer available for the first 30 minutes and a St. Paddy’s Day fireworks show to follow the match. Saturday will mark the first time in franchise history the Switchbacks have hosted a game on the opening weekend of the USL regular season.  

Both teams will be desperate to start their season with a win after failing to qualify for the 2017 USL Cup Playoffs.  The Galaxy II and Switchbacks traded 2-1 wins last season, with the Switchbacks coming out victorious on June 10th at the StubHub Center Track & Field Stadium behind a brace from Kevaughn Frater.  Los Dos recorded a 2-1 win at Weidner Field on August 18th after an unfortunate own goal from Sean McFarlane sealed all three points for the visitors.

The Switchbacks possessed a much more potent attack during the 2017 season than Saturday’s opponents.  Steve Trittschuh’s team finished the regular season in 9th place in the USL’s scoring charts with 52 goals, while the Galaxy II tied for 25th position with 32 goals scored.  Ethan Zubak will most likely lead the attack for Los Dos on Saturday, although predicting a starting XI for the Galaxy II poses a challenge.  Major League Soccer’s Los Angeles Galaxy are currently in their early season bye-week and will not play again until they travel to British Columbia to face the Vancouver Whitecaps on March 24th.  

“I don’t know who LA will play,” confirmed Switchbacks Head Coach Steve Trittschuh.  “We won’t find out LA’s 23-man roster until Thursday – 48 hours before the game. This season it’s a 23-man roster so LA will have a lot of players to choose from.  The main thing to focus on is how we’re preparing and how we’ll play at home. We’ll take the game to them and play the way we can; it doesn’t matter who LA bring.”

“We’re pumped and ready to go,” said Switchbacks veteran Luke Vercollone.  “We don’t look at who they might bring – we’re focused on what we have to do on Saturday.  The most important thing is to start the season well at home. It’s good that we have the pressure to get all three points and that we open the season at home in front of our fans.”

Beginning the 2018 Major League Soccer campaign with their opening three matches on the road, the Galaxy won their MLS opener in Portland against the Timbers by 2-1 on March 4th behind goals from Ola Kamara and Romain Alessandrini.  On Sunday afternoon the Galaxy lost 2-1 at Yankee Stadium against New York City FC in a game that saw Giovani dos Santos score and Ashley Cole sent off.

“All we are focusing on is our game and we’ll bring it to LA,” said goalkeeper Steward Ceus when asked about LA’s potential lineup.  “With the home advantage, we have to set the tone early and often on Saturday.”

“Any home opener and the season opener is big, but of course it’s great that we start here,” said defender Taylor Hunter.  “What we’ve been preaching is how hard we work as a team – that’s what we can control, not who we will play against. Saturday will be a good culmination of all the work we’ve been doing.”

Cameroonian defender Jean Jospin Engola will miss the trip to Colorado Springs through suspension.  Engola was sent off against the Real Monarchs at Rio Tinto Stadium in Salt Lake City, Utah on October 14th of last year in the final match of the 2017 USL regular season.  The Monarchs won the match 2-1 as Los Dos finished their Western Conference campaign in 13th place.

“Saturday is big.  We didn’t have a good start last year and we have to change that,” said Trittschuh.  “The first two games are very important for us. We’re almost set on our lineup and we’ll see how the rest of the week of training goes.  There’s no doubt that we must come out and play fast and that up top we’ll cause them a lot of problems. We’ve got to put on a good showing to our fans and must be positive in what we do and come out ready to play fast.”

Saturday’s season-opening opponents will have to wait until September 1st for the reverse fixture, with the Switchbacks visiting the StubHub Center in Carson, California as the calendar turns to fall.

The Switchbacks will return to Weidner Field as they host the Portland Timbers 2 on March 24th, with Weidner Apartment Homes sponsoring a Beanie Giveaway.   

“It seems like LA are more of a rivalry than anyone else in the league.  It’s always a good game versus LA where both teams want to play well and play quickly and win.” – Steve Trittschuh.

The 2018 USL regular season begins for the Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC on Saturday evening at Weidner Field as they welcome the Los Angeles Galaxy II on St. Patrick’s Day.  Gates will open at 5 pm with $1 green beer available for the first 30 minutes and a St. Paddy’s Day fireworks show to follow the match. Saturday will mark the first time in franchise history the Switchbacks have hosted a game on the opening weekend of the USL regular season.  

Both teams will be desperate to start their season with a win after failing to qualify for the 2017 USL Cup Playoffs.  The Galaxy II and Switchbacks traded 2-1 wins last season, with the Switchbacks coming out victorious on June 10th at the StubHub Center Track & Field Stadium behind a brace from Kevaughn Frater.  Los Dos recorded a 2-1 win at Weidner Field on August 18th after an unfortunate own goal from Sean McFarlane sealed all three points for the visitors.

The Switchbacks possessed a much more potent attack during the 2017 season than Saturday’s opponents.  Steve Trittschuh’s team finished the regular season in 9th place in the USL’s scoring charts with 52 goals, while the Galaxy II tied for 25th position with 32 goals scored.  Ethan Zubak will most likely lead the attack for Los Dos on Saturday, although predicting a starting XI for the Galaxy II poses a challenge.  Major League Soccer’s Los Angeles Galaxy are currently in their early season bye-week and will not play again until they travel to British Columbia to face the Vancouver Whitecaps on March 24th.  

“I don’t know who LA will play,” confirmed Switchbacks Head Coach Steve Trittschuh.  “We won’t find out LA’s 23-man roster until Thursday – 48 hours before the game. This season it’s a 23-man roster so LA will have a lot of players to choose from.  The main thing to focus on is how we’re preparing and how we’ll play at home. We’ll take the game to them and play the way we can; it doesn’t matter who LA bring.”

“We’re pumped and ready to go,” said Switchbacks veteran Luke Vercollone.  “We don’t look at who they might bring – we’re focused on what we have to do on Saturday.  The most important thing is to start the season well at home. It’s good that we have the pressure to get all three points and that we open the season at home in front of our fans.”

Beginning the 2018 Major League Soccer campaign with their opening three matches on the road, the Galaxy won their MLS opener in Portland against the Timbers by 2-1 on March 4th behind goals from Ola Kamara and Romain Alessandrini.  On Sunday afternoon the Galaxy lost 2-1 at Yankee Stadium against New York City FC in a game that saw Giovani dos Santos score and Ashley Cole sent off.

“All we are focusing on is our game and we’ll bring it to LA,” said goalkeeper Steward Ceus when asked about LA’s potential lineup.  “With the home advantage, we have to set the tone early and often on Saturday.”

“Any home opener and the season opener is big, but of course it’s great that we start here,” said defender Taylor Hunter.  “What we’ve been preaching is how hard we work as a team – that’s what we can control, not who we will play against. Saturday will be a good culmination of all the work we’ve been doing.”

Cameroonian defender Jean Jospin Engola will miss the trip to Colorado Springs through suspension.  Engola was sent off against the Real Monarchs at Rio Tinto Stadium in Salt Lake City, Utah on October 14th of last year in the final match of the 2017 USL regular season.  The Monarchs won the match 2-1 as Los Dos finished their Western Conference campaign in 13th place.

“Saturday is big.  We didn’t have a good start last year and we have to change that,” said Trittschuh.  “The first two games are very important for us. We’re almost set on our lineup and we’ll see how the rest of the week of training goes.  There’s no doubt that we must come out and play fast and that up top we’ll cause them a lot of problems. We’ve got to put on a good showing to our fans and must be positive in what we do and come out ready to play fast.”

Saturday’s season-opening opponents will have to wait until September 1st for the reverse fixture, with the Switchbacks visiting the StubHub Center in Carson, California as the calendar turns to fall.

The Switchbacks will return to Weidner Field as they host the Portland Timbers 2 on March 24th, with Weidner Apartment Homes sponsoring a Beanie Giveaway.   

“I think we’ve figured out our strengths and weaknesses as a team and that’s the point of the preseason.”  – Marty Maybin.

On Sunday afternoon at Weidner Field, the Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC finished their preseason match schedule with a comfortable and confident 3-0 win over the United States Air Force Academy.  

Goals from Jordan Schweitzer and Toby Uzo bookended a penalty kick from Jordan Burt, as a strong lineup for the Switchbacks looked to fine-tune their match fitness ahead of next weekend’s USL regular season opener against the Los Angeles Galaxy II.  Air Force played well, after a 2017 season that saw Head Coach Doug Hill’s Flacons reach the NCAA Tournament.

“I think at this point we’re just getting the rust out,” said Switchbacks captain Josh Suggs who started at his customary left back spot.  “I think we’re ready. Air Force are a good, fit team so this was good for us. Preseason this year has been better than the last couple years.”

“What Suggsy’s been saying to the team is that in the first few games we’re going to have to grind out results and make sure we win at home,” said Switchbacks Head Coach Steve Trittschuh.  “We gave up just one goal in preseason – that’s not bad! The defensive side of the ball is important. What I’ve been preaching to the guys is to be solid defensively and that our attack will come.  Everyone has to work on the defensive side of the ball. This week we’ll keep getting sharp on how we want to play and attack teams, and we’ll be ready to take it to LA. We’re going to press the hell out of teams this season.  We’re really looking forward to opening with the first few games at home and that will help us.”

Switchbacks veteran Luke Vercollone played at right back against Air Force, with Jamal Jack and Taylor Hunter in the heart of the defense.  Haitian National Team goalkeeper Steward Ceus joined fellow Switchbacks newcomer Jordan Schweitzer in the starting lineup, alongside returnees Saeed Robinson, AJ Ajeakwa, and Taeseong Kim.  

“We always want competition at every position,” said Trittschuh.  “I can’t say anything bad about the way the guys have been fighting for places during the preseason.  I’ve got no complaints. We need to settle on our starting XI versus LA. Whoever comes in will add to our game and hopefully give us something different.  If someone is not up to par someone else steps in and that’s how it should be.”

“The Switchbacks have brought in the right pieces this offseason,” said Marty Maybin.  “The hard work is done and now we just need to finesse everything and work out the little details of our game.”

One of the key questions that Switchbacks fans have been asking throughout this preseason revolved around who will start in goal for Steve Trittschuh’s team when the USL begins next Saturday.  Last year’s number one Moise Pouaty got the call against Harpo’s FC on Wednesday evening at Weidner Field, while Steward Ceus was given the nod in Sunday’s victory against the Air Force Academy.  “Both goalkeepers are pushing each other – both have good qualities and they each have some weaknesses,” said Trittschuh. “The situation there is the same as every position: we don’t want to say, ‘you’re a starter,’ because we need guys coming in hungry and ready to play.  In this last week of practice, we need to settle on the starting XI that’s good for LA.”

Preseason for the Switchbacks included a trip to USL Western Conference foes Reno 1868 FC on March 18th, with a Jordan Burt penalty kick giving the Switchbacks a solid away win against a team they’ll face twice in the span of less than a month during the regular season.  A visit to The Biggest Little City in the World on April 14th will start the 2018 rivalry, before the Switchbacks host Reno 1868 FC on Cinco de Mayo at Weidner Field with Colorado Technical University sponsoring a cushion giveaway.

"It’s been a long preseason and the guys did well with the time we had,” said Shane Malcolm.  “Mostly we faced college teams, but we got to play versus Reno [1868 FC] and got a good result there.  In this last week, we’ve got to get the new guys adjusted to the way we play. Hopefully, we make the playoffs this season – that’s the goal of everyone on the team.  Preseason has been good for us and we’re getting better.”

For the first time in franchise history the Switchbacks will host a game on the opening weekend of the USL season.  Saturday’s match against Los Dos will feature a St. Patrick’s Day celebration that includes $1 green beer during the first 30 minutes after gates open, with a firework show to follow the full-time whistle.  March 24th will see a visit from the Portland Timbers 2 and former Switchbacks defender Josh Phillips that will feature a beanie giveaway courtesy of Weidner Apartment Homes, before the Switchbacks begin their 2018 road campaign with a trip to Saint Louis FC on the final day of March.  

“We built a lot of excitement over these last few weeks and we’ve seen our potential,” said Jordan Burt immediately following the win over the Air Force Academy.  “We’re definitely coming into the season fit and we’re looking forward to taking it to LA and Portland in the first two home games.”

“I think we’ve figured out our strengths and weaknesses as a team and that’s the point of the preseason.”  – Marty Maybin.

On Sunday afternoon at Weidner Field, the Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC finished their preseason match schedule with a comfortable and confident 3-0 win over the United States Air Force Academy.  

Goals from Jordan Schweitzer and Toby Uzo bookended a penalty kick from Jordan Burt, as a strong lineup for the Switchbacks looked to fine-tune their match fitness ahead of next weekend’s USL regular season opener against the Los Angeles Galaxy II.  Air Force played well, after a 2017 season that saw Head Coach Doug Hill’s Flacons reach the NCAA Tournament.

“I think at this point we’re just getting the rust out,” said Switchbacks captain Josh Suggs who started at his customary left back spot.  “I think we’re ready. Air Force are a good, fit team so this was good for us. Preseason this year has been better than the last couple years.”

“What Suggsy’s been saying to the team is that in the first few games we’re going to have to grind out results and make sure we win at home,” said Switchbacks Head Coach Steve Trittschuh.  “We gave up just one goal in preseason – that’s not bad! The defensive side of the ball is important. What I’ve been preaching to the guys is to be solid defensively and that our attack will come.  Everyone has to work on the defensive side of the ball. This week we’ll keep getting sharp on how we want to play and attack teams, and we’ll be ready to take it to LA. We’re going to press the hell out of teams this season.  We’re really looking forward to opening with the first few games at home and that will help us.”

Switchbacks veteran Luke Vercollone played at right back against Air Force, with Jamal Jack and Taylor Hunter in the heart of the defense.  Haitian National Team goalkeeper Steward Ceus joined fellow Switchbacks newcomer Jordan Schweitzer in the starting lineup, alongside returnees Saeed Robinson, AJ Ajeakwa, and Taeseong Kim.  

“We always want competition at every position,” said Trittschuh.  “I can’t say anything bad about the way the guys have been fighting for places during the preseason.  I’ve got no complaints. We need to settle on our starting XI versus LA. Whoever comes in will add to our game and hopefully give us something different.  If someone is not up to par someone else steps in and that’s how it should be.”

“The Switchbacks have brought in the right pieces this offseason,” said Marty Maybin.  “The hard work is done and now we just need to finesse everything and work out the little details of our game.”

One of the key questions that Switchbacks fans have been asking throughout this preseason revolved around who will start in goal for Steve Trittschuh’s team when the USL begins next Saturday.  Last year’s number one Moise Pouaty got the call against Harpo’s FC on Wednesday evening at Weidner Field, while Steward Ceus was given the nod in Sunday’s victory against the Air Force Academy.  “Both goalkeepers are pushing each other – both have good qualities and they each have some weaknesses,” said Trittschuh. “The situation there is the same as every position: we don’t want to say, ‘you’re a starter,’ because we need guys coming in hungry and ready to play.  In this last week of practice, we need to settle on the starting XI that’s good for LA.”

Preseason for the Switchbacks included a trip to USL Western Conference foes Reno 1868 FC on March 18th, with a Jordan Burt penalty kick giving the Switchbacks a solid away win against a team they’ll face twice in the span of less than a month during the regular season.  A visit to The Biggest Little City in the World on April 14th will start the 2018 rivalry, before the Switchbacks host Reno 1868 FC on Cinco de Mayo at Weidner Field with Colorado Technical University sponsoring a cushion giveaway.

“It’s been a long preseason and the guys did well with the time we had,” said Shane Malcolm.  “Mostly we faced college teams, but we got to play versus Reno [1868 FC] and got a good result there.  In this last week, we’ve got to get the new guys adjusted to the way we play. Hopefully, we make the playoffs this season – that’s the goal of everyone on the team.  Preseason has been good for us and we’re getting better.”

For the first time in franchise history the Switchbacks will host a game on the opening weekend of the USL season.  Saturday’s match against Los Dos will feature a St. Patrick’s Day celebration that includes $1 green beer during the first 30 minutes after gates open, with a firework show to follow the full-time whistle.  March 24th will see a visit from the Portland Timbers 2 and former Switchbacks defender Josh Phillips that will feature a beanie giveaway courtesy of Weidner Apartment Homes, before the Switchbacks begin their 2018 road campaign with a trip to Saint Louis FC on the final day of March.  

“We built a lot of excitement over these last few weeks and we’ve seen our potential,” said Jordan Burt immediately following the win over the Air Force Academy.  “We’re definitely coming into the season fit and we’re looking forward to taking it to LA and Portland in the first two home games.”

The Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC play their final regular season match of 2017 at Weidner Field on Saturday evening as they welcome Sacramento Republic FC for Fan Appreciation Night with limited free beer courtesy of Budweiser.  A win last weekend in Colorado Springs saw the Switchbacks leapfrog Orange County SC and move into 9th place in the Western Conference after defeating OC SC 2-1 behind goals from Taeseong Kim and Kevaughn Frater.  Kim was named a starter on the USL Team of the Week after his performance against Orange County.  

At the time of writing Sacramento Republic sit comfortably among the playoff positions as they occupy 6th place in the USL’s Western Conference.  Orange County SC will host Sacramento Republic on Wednesday evening at Champions Soccer Stadium at OC Great Park in Irvine, California.  A win or a draw for Sacramento Republic would guarantee the team from California’s capital city a playoff place.  Orange County must win the game to keep their dim playoff chances alive.  

Both Orange County and the Switchbacks are chasing the Oklahoma City Energy FC who occupy the 8th and final playoff place with 43 points.  The Switchbacks have 38 points and both the OKC Energy and Switchbacks have played 30 matches.  OKC’s final two matches will take place at Taft Stadium in Oklahoma City.  Sunday, October 8th will see the Swope Park Rangers visit OKC.  A week later OKC will finish its season against the Seattle Sounders FC 2.  If Orange County SC were to lose on Wednesday evening to the Sacramento Republic, and the Switchbacks were to fail to take all three points from Saturday’s match against Sacramento Republic, then OKC would clinch a place in the 2017 USL Cup Playoffs before their match on Sunday.

“It helps a little,” said Luke Vercollone when asked about being able to watch Sacramento Republic in action on Wednesday evening.  “We’re just hoping for the right result.  We’re hoping for Sacramento to win – that’ll help us.  Our focus is on what we have to do on Saturday.  We have to take care of our job like we did last weekend.  We play well against Sacramento – I’ve been able to score in the past against them, but it’s not necessarily the goal from earlier this season, it’s that playing against them is fun.  They’re a good team.”

September 2nd saw the Switchbacks fight back to tie Sacramento Republic at Papa Murphy’s Park in California.  Vercollone bagged a 38th-minute goal before Pascal Eboussi rescued a point for the Switchbacks with a stoppage-time equalizer.   

“Wednesday will be good because we’ll see what Sacramento will bring,” said Switchbacks captain Rony Argueta.  “We need Sacramento to win.  Watching who Sacramento play and how they go out on Wednesday can help us.  But this weekend is for us to keep doing what we have been.  We’ll stay positive – that’s something Coach has really emphasized – and have a strong week of practice and be ready again this weekend.”

“It’s nice for us to see Sacramento play this week.  Obviously, we can see their tendencies but Saturday will be a new challenge,” said Masta Kacher.  “What really matters, as always, is us.  We have to make the job hard for Sacramento and make them work for everything.  The win against OC was great and we must keep the same mentality the rest of this season.  In this game, we just worry about ourselves and make sure we come out and start strong.”

Saturday will see the Switchbacks without the services of Josh Phillips as the center back will serve a suspension for yellow card accumulation after picking up a booking in the 2-1 win last weekend over Orange County SC.  Phillips is tied with Masta Kacher and Rony Argueta with all three players having started all 30 USL matches in 2017.  

“He’s been our big player at the back.  Every game he’s there,” said Trittschuh about Phillips.  “We need Sean [McFarlane] and Pascal [Eboussi] to step in and not miss a beat.  Jordan [Burt] is 100% fit and ready to go and that’s a big plus for us.  Everybody on the team is fighting for a spot in the starting lineup for our last two games.”  

Burt has been sidelined since being substituted on July 29th against the Seattle Sounders FC 2.  “I still need to get in games; that’s the final benchmark for me,” said Burt.  “I’m thankful that I’m back practicing and able to play.  Honestly, it’s exciting to get back to something that I’ve missed for so long.  The pressure is high this weekend.  We have to win.  If we focus well on our preparation we’ll go out and get the win.”

Sacramento will enter Weidner Field this weekend without the services of two key players; Trevin Caesar and Emrah Klimenta.  Striker Caesar will be representing Trinidad and Tobago in two World Cup qualifiers, as the Soca Warriors travel to Estadio Azteca to face Mexico on Friday before they host the United States at Ato Boldin Stadium in Couva next Tuesday.  Versatile defender Klimenta has again been called into the Montenegrin national team.  The Brave Falcons have two massive World Cup qualifiers in just four days as they host Denmark on Thursday before traveling to Warsaw to face Poland on Sunday.  

Bulgarian Villyan Bijev, who was loaned to Sacramento Republic from the Portland Timbers on September 1st, is one of the more dangerous attacking threats for Sacramento Republic.  Bijev was a second-half substitute against the Switchbacks on September 2nd.  Midfielder Agustin Cazarez scored in the early-September draw with the Switchbacks and was again on the score sheet last Saturday as Sacramento Republic defeated Phoenix Rising FC 2-0 in California.  

Following Saturday’s match, Sacramento Republic will travel to Greater Nevada Field as they face Reno 1868 FC on October 14th.  The Switchbacks will wrap up their season in the same stadium the 2017 campaign began; ONEOK Field in Tulsa, Oklahoma, against the Roughnecks FC.  

“The OC win was huge for us; it kept alive our playoff hopes,” said Trittschuh.  “There’s still six points for us to get and we’ll go all out for them.  The guys have a great attitude which is all we can ask for.  We’ll see on Wednesday about Sacramento’s lineup.  Saturday will be their third game in a week and we have to take advantage of that.  We need to get out after them.  We’ve had success when we play them and that can’t change for us if we want to get to where we deserve to be.  Hopefully, when we go to Tulsa that game will mean something big.”

Fans will want to arrive early when gates open at 5:00 PM as Budweiser will be giving away limited free beer to fans 21 and older as the Switchbacks kickoff  Fan Appreciation Night as they party with Magic 98.9. Tickets start at just $12 and are available here.

The Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC play their final regular season match of 2017 at Weidner Field on Saturday evening as they welcome Sacramento Republic FC for Fan Appreciation Night with limited free beer courtesy of Budweiser.  A win last weekend in Colorado Springs saw the Switchbacks leapfrog Orange County SC and move into 9th place in the Western Conference after defeating OC SC 2-1 behind goals from Taeseong Kim and Kevaughn Frater.  Kim was named a starter on the USL Team of the Week after his performance against Orange County.  

At the time of writing Sacramento Republic sit comfortably among the playoff positions as they occupy 6th place in the USL’s Western Conference.  Orange County SC will host Sacramento Republic on Wednesday evening at Champions Soccer Stadium at OC Great Park in Irvine, California.  A win or a draw for Sacramento Republic would guarantee the team from California’s capital city a playoff place.  Orange County must win the game to keep their dim playoff chances alive.  

Both Orange County and the Switchbacks are chasing the Oklahoma City Energy FC who occupy the 8th and final playoff place with 43 points.  The Switchbacks have 38 points and both the OKC Energy and Switchbacks have played 30 matches.  OKC’s final two matches will take place at Taft Stadium in Oklahoma City.  Sunday, October 8th will see the Swope Park Rangers visit OKC.  A week later OKC will finish its season against the Seattle Sounders FC 2.  If Orange County SC were to lose on Wednesday evening to the Sacramento Republic, and the Switchbacks were to fail to take all three points from Saturday’s match against Sacramento Republic, then OKC would clinch a place in the 2017 USL Cup Playoffs before their match on Sunday.

“It helps a little,” said Luke Vercollone when asked about being able to watch Sacramento Republic in action on Wednesday evening.  “We’re just hoping for the right result.  We’re hoping for Sacramento to win – that’ll help us.  Our focus is on what we have to do on Saturday.  We have to take care of our job like we did last weekend.  We play well against Sacramento – I’ve been able to score in the past against them, but it’s not necessarily the goal from earlier this season, it’s that playing against them is fun.  They’re a good team.”

September 2nd saw the Switchbacks fight back to tie Sacramento Republic at Papa Murphy’s Park in California.  Vercollone bagged a 38th-minute goal before Pascal Eboussi rescued a point for the Switchbacks with a stoppage-time equalizer.   

“Wednesday will be good because we’ll see what Sacramento will bring,” said Switchbacks captain Rony Argueta.  “We need Sacramento to win.  Watching who Sacramento play and how they go out on Wednesday can help us.  But this weekend is for us to keep doing what we have been.  We’ll stay positive – that’s something Coach has really emphasized – and have a strong week of practice and be ready again this weekend.”

“It’s nice for us to see Sacramento play this week.  Obviously, we can see their tendencies but Saturday will be a new challenge,” said Masta Kacher.  “What really matters, as always, is us.  We have to make the job hard for Sacramento and make them work for everything.  The win against OC was great and we must keep the same mentality the rest of this season.  In this game, we just worry about ourselves and make sure we come out and start strong.”

Saturday will see the Switchbacks without the services of Josh Phillips as the center back will serve a suspension for yellow card accumulation after picking up a booking in the 2-1 win last weekend over Orange County SC.  Phillips is tied with Masta Kacher and Rony Argueta with all three players having started all 30 USL matches in 2017.  

“He’s been our big player at the back.  Every game he’s there,” said Trittschuh about Phillips.  “We need Sean [McFarlane] and Pascal [Eboussi] to step in and not miss a beat.  Jordan [Burt] is 100% fit and ready to go and that’s a big plus for us.  Everybody on the team is fighting for a spot in the starting lineup for our last two games.”  

Burt has been sidelined since being substituted on July 29th against the Seattle Sounders FC 2.  “I still need to get in games; that’s the final benchmark for me,” said Burt.  “I’m thankful that I’m back practicing and able to play.  Honestly, it’s exciting to get back to something that I’ve missed for so long.  The pressure is high this weekend.  We have to win.  If we focus well on our preparation we’ll go out and get the win.”

Sacramento will enter Weidner Field this weekend without the services of two key players; Trevin Caesar and Emrah Klimenta.  Striker Caesar will be representing Trinidad and Tobago in two World Cup qualifiers, as the Soca Warriors travel to Estadio Azteca to face Mexico on Friday before they host the United States at Ato Boldin Stadium in Couva next Tuesday.  Versatile defender Klimenta has again been called into the Montenegrin national team.  The Brave Falcons have two massive World Cup qualifiers in just four days as they host Denmark on Thursday before traveling to Warsaw to face Poland on Sunday.  

Bulgarian Villyan Bijev, who was loaned to Sacramento Republic from the Portland Timbers on September 1st, is one of the more dangerous attacking threats for Sacramento Republic.  Bijev was a second-half substitute against the Switchbacks on September 2nd.  Midfielder Agustin Cazarez scored in the early-September draw with the Switchbacks and was again on the score sheet last Saturday as Sacramento Republic defeated Phoenix Rising FC 2-0 in California.  

Following Saturday’s match, Sacramento Republic will travel to Greater Nevada Field as they face Reno 1868 FC on October 14th.  The Switchbacks will wrap up their season in the same stadium the 2017 campaign began; ONEOK Field in Tulsa, Oklahoma, against the Roughnecks FC.  

“The OC win was huge for us; it kept alive our playoff hopes,” said Trittschuh.  “There’s still six points for us to get and we’ll go all out for them.  The guys have a great attitude which is all we can ask for.  We’ll see on Wednesday about Sacramento’s lineup.  Saturday will be their third game in a week and we have to take advantage of that.  We need to get out after them.  We’ve had success when we play them and that can’t change for us if we want to get to where we deserve to be.  Hopefully, when we go to Tulsa that game will mean something big.”

Fans will want to arrive early when gates open at 5:00 PM as Budweiser will be giving away limited free beer to fans 21 and older as the Switchbacks kickoff  Fan Appreciation Night as they party with Magic 98.9. Tickets start at just $12 and are available here.

Orange County SC visits Weidner Field this Saturday evening as the Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC look for a much-needed three points.  The first 500 fans through the turnstiles will receive a black and blue tote bag courtesy of The Gazette newspaper, complete with the Switchbacks logo.

Last Saturday saw the Switchbacks lose 3-1 to the Swope Park Rangers in a game that was beset by torrential thunderstorms that eventually caused a delay after 17 minutes of the first half.  Swope Park nabbed three quick-fire goals almost immediately after the match restarted before second-half substitute Pascal Eboussi pulled a stoppage-time consolation goal back for the Switchbacks.  

“We can’t have the lapses in concentration that we did on the weekend,” said Switchbacks Head Coach Steve Trittschuh.  “Five minutes cost us the game.   I told the guys during the lightning break that the game will be won or lost right after the break…and we lost it.  But I’m happy we didn’t stop playing in the second half.  We went 3-5-2 in the second half and that helped us.  Lapses in concentration and focus hit us in the game and we lost because of that.”

Orange County SC will arrive in Colorado Springs after a 0-0 draw last Friday night against the Switchbacks’ Rocky Mountain Rivals, the Real Monarchs SLC at Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy, Utah.  Five days earlier Orange County defeated the Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2 behind goals from Zach Kobayashi and Jerry van Ewijk at Thunderbird Stadium in British Columbia.  

“It’s do or die for us,” said Davy Armstrong who started at left back against the Swope Park Rangers.  “They’ll [OC] come out fighting like dogs.  We can’t have mental lapses like in the last game and if we cut those out we’ll come out and win on Saturday.”

Saturday’s visitors will no doubt be out for a modicum of revenge at Weidner Field after the Switchbacks defeated Orange County SC 4-0 on Tuesday, August 8th at Champions Soccer Stadium at OC Great Park in Irvine, California.  A 72nd-minute finish from Kevaughn Frater supplemented first-half goals from Luke Vercollone, Shane Malcolm, and Masta Kacher.  

“I expect OC to have the same mentality we do,” said Shane Malcolm.  “It’s all about this weekend.  Games earlier won’t be a factor on Saturday.  The playoffs are everything – that’s our promotion/relegation in this league.  OC have a lot of talent.  I expect a good game because they have a lot on the line now – just like us.”

Dutch striker Jerry van Ewijk is joined atop Orange County’s goal-scoring charts by former Seattle Sounders FC 2 standout Irvin Parra – each player has scored seven times in 2017.  Parra started the 2017 campaign as a member of S2 – even scoring against his current employers on June 24th in wild match that ended in a 4-3 victory for Orange County SC.  Belgian defender Roy Meeus has already scored four goals this season, equaling his total from all of 2016.

Orange County number one goalkeeper and former Marquette University Golden Eagle standout Charlie Lyon leads OC in games played: Lyon captained his club in the aforementioned 0-0 draw on the other side of the Rocky Mountains against the Real Monarchs SLC on September 22nd.  Casey Beyers started in net for OC’s 2-1 victory over the Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2 on September 17th, while Lyon once again wore the armband just days earlier as OC fell 1-0 to red-hot San Antonio FC.  

Three Western Conference matches will be contested on Wednesday evening.  The Swope Park Rangers host the Los Angeles Galaxy II, Phoenix Rising FC travel to the Great Pacific Northwest to take on the Portland Timbers 2, and Sacramento Republic FC entertain the Real Monarchs SLC in California’s capital city.  As of Wednesday morning prior to those kickoffs, the Switchbacks sit in 10th place in the USL’s Western Conference – five points behind the Oklahoma City Energy FC who occupy the 8th and final playoff place.  Orange County SC are in 9th – just two points above the Switchbacks.  A win for the Switchbacks on Saturday would move them above OC, but they’d remain just outside the playoff picture with two critical matches remaining in the regular season.  

“We still have a chance,” said Head Coach Steve Trittschuh when asked about his team’s playoff prospects.  “I really liked the approach of the guys today [in practice].  We’ll go at every game like we’re going to win.  It’s time to see who’s got the mentality to come out and win the game on Saturday.  There will be changes for this weekend.  I told the guys that all three teams we play from here on out are above us and are fighting for a playoff position.  Nothing will be easy from here on out.  We’ll focus on what we’ve got to do which is to win the game.”

Saturday, October 7th, sees the Switchbacks host Sacramento Republic – themselves currently in 7th place – with the Switchbacks’ final regular season game taking place on October 14th at ONEOK Field in Tulsa, Oklahoma against the Roughnecks FC.  

“This weekend is a must-win situation,” said Conner Bevans.  “We had a good training session today [Tuesday] – the energy level is up.  The guys are positive and we’ve got to approach every game from now on with this mentality.”

“I definitely expect a battle and a test of our character,” said Jack Jones.  “Through character, we’ll respond and we’ll show that we’re not going to die.  We’ll go at them and show ourselves in every game.”

Tickets for Saturday's match start at just $12 and are available here.

Orange County SC visits Weidner Field this Saturday evening as the Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC look for a much-needed three points.  The first 500 fans through the turnstiles will receive a black and blue tote bag courtesy of The Gazette newspaper, complete with the Switchbacks logo.

Last Saturday saw the Switchbacks lose 3-1 to the Swope Park Rangers in a game that was beset by torrential thunderstorms that eventually caused a delay after 17 minutes of the first half.  Swope Park nabbed three quick-fire goals almost immediately after the match restarted before second-half substitute Pascal Eboussi pulled a stoppage-time consolation goal back for the Switchbacks.  

“We can’t have the lapses in concentration that we did on the weekend,” said Switchbacks Head Coach Steve Trittschuh.  “Five minutes cost us the game.   I told the guys during the lightning break that the game will be won or lost right after the break…and we lost it.  But I’m happy we didn’t stop playing in the second half.  We went 3-5-2 in the second half and that helped us.  Lapses in concentration and focus hit us in the game and we lost because of that.”

Orange County SC will arrive in Colorado Springs after a 0-0 draw last Friday night against the Switchbacks’ Rocky Mountain Rivals, the Real Monarchs SLC at Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy, Utah.  Five days earlier Orange County defeated the Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2 behind goals from Zach Kobayashi and Jerry van Ewijk at Thunderbird Stadium in British Columbia.  

“It’s do or die for us,” said Davy Armstrong who started at left back against the Swope Park Rangers.  “They’ll [OC] come out fighting like dogs.  We can’t have mental lapses like in the last game and if we cut those out we’ll come out and win on Saturday.”

Saturday’s visitors will no doubt be out for a modicum of revenge at Weidner Field after the Switchbacks defeated Orange County SC 4-0 on Tuesday, August 8th at Champions Soccer Stadium at OC Great Park in Irvine, California.  A 72nd-minute finish from Kevaughn Frater supplemented first-half goals from Luke Vercollone, Shane Malcolm, and Masta Kacher.  

“I expect OC to have the same mentality we do,” said Shane Malcolm.  “It’s all about this weekend.  Games earlier won’t be a factor on Saturday.  The playoffs are everything – that’s our promotion/relegation in this league.  OC have a lot of talent.  I expect a good game because they have a lot on the line now – just like us.”

Dutch striker Jerry van Ewijk is joined atop Orange County’s goal-scoring charts by former Seattle Sounders FC 2 standout Irvin Parra – each player has scored seven times in 2017.  Parra started the 2017 campaign as a member of S2 – even scoring against his current employers on June 24th in wild match that ended in a 4-3 victory for Orange County SC.  Belgian defender Roy Meeus has already scored four goals this season, equaling his total from all of 2016.

Orange County number one goalkeeper and former Marquette University Golden Eagle standout Charlie Lyon leads OC in games played: Lyon captained his club in the aforementioned 0-0 draw on the other side of the Rocky Mountains against the Real Monarchs SLC on September 22nd.  Casey Beyers started in net for OC’s 2-1 victory over the Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2 on September 17th, while Lyon once again wore the armband just days earlier as OC fell 1-0 to red-hot San Antonio FC.  

Three Western Conference matches will be contested on Wednesday evening.  The Swope Park Rangers host the Los Angeles Galaxy II, Phoenix Rising FC travel to the Great Pacific Northwest to take on the Portland Timbers 2, and Sacramento Republic FC entertain the Real Monarchs SLC in California’s capital city.  As of Wednesday morning prior to those kickoffs, the Switchbacks sit in 10th place in the USL’s Western Conference – five points behind the Oklahoma City Energy FC who occupy the 8th and final playoff place.  Orange County SC are in 9th – just two points above the Switchbacks.  A win for the Switchbacks on Saturday would move them above OC, but they’d remain just outside the playoff picture with two critical matches remaining in the regular season.  

“We still have a chance,” said Head Coach Steve Trittschuh when asked about his team’s playoff prospects.  “I really liked the approach of the guys today [in practice].  We’ll go at every game like we’re going to win.  It’s time to see who’s got the mentality to come out and win the game on Saturday.  There will be changes for this weekend.  I told the guys that all three teams we play from here on out are above us and are fighting for a playoff position.  Nothing will be easy from here on out.  We’ll focus on what we’ve got to do which is to win the game.”

Saturday, October 7th, sees the Switchbacks host Sacramento Republic – themselves currently in 7th place – with the Switchbacks’ final regular season game taking place on October 14th at ONEOK Field in Tulsa, Oklahoma against the Roughnecks FC.  

“This weekend is a must-win situation,” said Conner Bevans.  “We had a good training session today [Tuesday] – the energy level is up.  The guys are positive and we’ve got to approach every game from now on with this mentality.”

“I definitely expect a battle and a test of our character,” said Jack Jones.  “Through character, we’ll respond and we’ll show that we’re not going to die.  We’ll go at them and show ourselves in every game.”

Tickets for Saturday’s match start at just $12 and are available here.

Saturday evening sees the Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC travel to California’s capital city in need of three points to keep their 2017 USL Playoff hopes alive against Sacramento Republic FC.  

In 7th place in the USL’s Western Conference at the time of writing, the Switchbacks are holding their playoff position by three points over Phoenix Rising FC.  The Seattle Sounders FC 2 and Orange County FC are both four points behind the Switchbacks and each club has games-in-hand over Colorado Springs as the 2017 season ticks down to its final two months.

Phoenix Rising defeated Sacramento Republic 3-1 on Saturday evening in Arizona, as the Switchbacks enjoyed their off-week in the altitude of Colorado Springs.  “I believe we can do it,” said Switchbacks Head Coach Steve Trittschuh when asked about his team’s playoff chances.  “Our practice has been two weeks of just preparing for Sacramento.  The guys believe we can do it and the training has been fantastic.  We’re going to go there and do it – we’re going to go to Sacramento and get three points – it all starts this weekend.”

“We have to bring the intensity – Sacramento are a good team, especially at home,” said Masta Kacher.  “It’s not impossible at all for us to win there.  We have to go and take a higher intensity with us.  If we have that it will be key.  We’ve put some good work in training this last week.  The time to sit back and think about our game has been helpful but now we must get our focus back.”

Trevin Caesar jumped into Sacramento’s goal-scoring lead after a 50th-minute strike in the loss against Phoenix Rising.  Caesar’s seventh goal of 2017 sees the Trinidad and Tobago international lead teammate Tyler Blackwood by a lone goal on the stat-chart.  Forward duo Sammy Ochoa and Wilson Kneeshaw are tied with five goals apiece.  Former Wake Forest University Demon Deacon Hayden Partain opened the scoring in Sacramento Republic’s 2-1 loss at Papa Murphy’s Park on August 19th to Western Conference high-flyers Reno 1868 FC.

Caesar will be absent from Sacramento’s lineup this weekend after being called into the Trinidad and Tobago national team for The Soca Warriors’ two World Cup Qualifiers.  On September 1st T&T host Honduras at Ato Boldin Stadium in Couva.  Tuesday, September 5th will see Caesar and his countrymen take on Panama at the Estadio Rommel Fernández in Panama City as T&T look to ignite a campaign that sees them currently sitting at the very bottom of the CONCACAF table ahead of next summer’s World Cup in Russia.  

Sacramento Republic defender Emrah Klimenta will also be out of action for the visit of the Switchbacks on Saturday as the 26-year-old will be representing his native Montenegro in two UEFA World Cup qualifiers.  Second in Group E of UEFA qualification, Montenegro will face off against Kazakhstan on September 1st at the Astana Arena in the Kazakh capital before hosting Romania just three days later at the Podgorica City Stadium in Montenegro. 

“Sacramento still have a quality team – even without those two,” warned Trittschuh.  “But they haven’t been playing their best in the last few weeks.  We’ve had two weeks to prepare just for them and we’ll go there with the ambition of winning.  The week off has been great.  We’ve brought guys in to have a look at.  The intensity and quality of training has been very high.  I’ve been preaching to the guys that they’ve got to be putting all negative thoughts and speech out of our minds and they’ve done a great job of doing that.”

Currently in 5th place in the USL’s Western Conference – just two points ahead of the Switchbacks – Sacramento Republic are winless since a 1-0 victory over the Portland Timbers 2 on August 13th at Providence Park in Oregon.  Sacramento’s offense has shown signs of the explosive nature that saw the Republic FC finish the 2016 regular season atop the Western Conference table.  A 4-0 win on April 1st against Orange County SC at Papa Murphy’s Park helped start Sacramento’s season on a high, but they were unable to reach those free-scoring ways until a rampant 6-2 victory over Rio Grande Valley FC on June 21st.

“They have dangerous players,” said midfielder Eddy Prugh.  “It’s a tough place to play with a lot of people.  It’s down to that time to see who’s got the bone marrow for the challenge.  Who’s got the strength for the fight?  At this time of the season, you see who’s got the character to scrap for those points.  If we do make the playoffs we’ve got as good a chance as any team.  We’re aware of our situation but we’re not in desperation-time yet.”

Saturday will be the first meeting of 2017 between the Switchbacks and Sacramento Republic FC.  The Switchbacks play their final regular season match at Weidner Field against Sacramento Republic on October 7th on Oktoberfest Fan Appreciation Night, presented by Budweiser.

“Sacramento are just a good team,” said Conner Bevans.  “You look around the entire field and every player they have is solid.  They won’t take us lightly.  I’ve been part of a team with Kitsap [Pumas] in the U.S. Open Cup last year that beat them 3-1 so I know it’s possible to win there.  In the week off we’ve been able to get good rest and recovery.  We’ve put in a lot of work so it was good to have that little break.  The rest of the season will be good for us with one game per week – we’ll have time to prepare and work for each opponent.”

After Saturday’s match at Papa Murphy’s Park, the Switchbacks will return to Colorado Springs to face Phoenix Rising at Weidner Field on September 9th.  The first 500 fans in attendance will receive the 5th and final section of the Poster Giveaway series, courtesy of Accelerated Wealth.  Tickets are start at just $12 and are available here.

A victory against Sacramento Republic would see the Switchback leapfrog Saturday’s opponents in the Western Conference standings.  Switchbacks fans will be rooting for the Seattle Sounders FC 2 on Wednesday night as they host the Tulsa Roughnecks at the Starfire Sports Complex in Tukwila, Washington.  The Roughnecks currently sit in 6th place – sandwiched between Sacramento Republic and the Switchbacks – while the Sounders FC 2 are in 10th position.

“We’ve got to show up in Sacramento and win,” said Jack Jones.  “It’s been a pretty intense week of practice and we’ve had a good energy around here.  The break has been good – we’ve been able to hit the reset button and get a nice balance.  Now let’s go to Sacramento and kick some ass.”

Saturday evening sees the Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC travel to California’s capital city in need of three points to keep their 2017 USL Playoff hopes alive against Sacramento Republic FC.  

In 7th place in the USL’s Western Conference at the time of writing, the Switchbacks are holding their playoff position by three points over Phoenix Rising FC.  The Seattle Sounders FC 2 and Orange County FC are both four points behind the Switchbacks and each club has games-in-hand over Colorado Springs as the 2017 season ticks down to its final two months.

Phoenix Rising defeated Sacramento Republic 3-1 on Saturday evening in Arizona, as the Switchbacks enjoyed their off-week in the altitude of Colorado Springs.  “I believe we can do it,” said Switchbacks Head Coach Steve Trittschuh when asked about his team’s playoff chances.  “Our practice has been two weeks of just preparing for Sacramento.  The guys believe we can do it and the training has been fantastic.  We’re going to go there and do it – we’re going to go to Sacramento and get three points – it all starts this weekend.”

“We have to bring the intensity – Sacramento are a good team, especially at home,” said Masta Kacher.  “It’s not impossible at all for us to win there.  We have to go and take a higher intensity with us.  If we have that it will be key.  We’ve put some good work in training this last week.  The time to sit back and think about our game has been helpful but now we must get our focus back.”

Trevin Caesar jumped into Sacramento’s goal-scoring lead after a 50th-minute strike in the loss against Phoenix Rising.  Caesar’s seventh goal of 2017 sees the Trinidad and Tobago international lead teammate Tyler Blackwood by a lone goal on the stat-chart.  Forward duo Sammy Ochoa and Wilson Kneeshaw are tied with five goals apiece.  Former Wake Forest University Demon Deacon Hayden Partain opened the scoring in Sacramento Republic’s 2-1 loss at Papa Murphy’s Park on August 19th to Western Conference high-flyers Reno 1868 FC.

Caesar will be absent from Sacramento’s lineup this weekend after being called into the Trinidad and Tobago national team for The Soca Warriors’ two World Cup Qualifiers.  On September 1st T&T host Honduras at Ato Boldin Stadium in Couva.  Tuesday, September 5th will see Caesar and his countrymen take on Panama at the Estadio Rommel Fernández in Panama City as T&T look to ignite a campaign that sees them currently sitting at the very bottom of the CONCACAF table ahead of next summer’s World Cup in Russia.  

Sacramento Republic defender Emrah Klimenta will also be out of action for the visit of the Switchbacks on Saturday as the 26-year-old will be representing his native Montenegro in two UEFA World Cup qualifiers.  Second in Group E of UEFA qualification, Montenegro will face off against Kazakhstan on September 1st at the Astana Arena in the Kazakh capital before hosting Romania just three days later at the Podgorica City Stadium in Montenegro. 

“Sacramento still have a quality team – even without those two,” warned Trittschuh.  “But they haven’t been playing their best in the last few weeks.  We’ve had two weeks to prepare just for them and we’ll go there with the ambition of winning.  The week off has been great.  We’ve brought guys in to have a look at.  The intensity and quality of training has been very high.  I’ve been preaching to the guys that they’ve got to be putting all negative thoughts and speech out of our minds and they’ve done a great job of doing that.”

Currently in 5th place in the USL’s Western Conference – just two points ahead of the Switchbacks – Sacramento Republic are winless since a 1-0 victory over the Portland Timbers 2 on August 13th at Providence Park in Oregon.  Sacramento’s offense has shown signs of the explosive nature that saw the Republic FC finish the 2016 regular season atop the Western Conference table.  A 4-0 win on April 1st against Orange County SC at Papa Murphy’s Park helped start Sacramento’s season on a high, but they were unable to reach those free-scoring ways until a rampant 6-2 victory over Rio Grande Valley FC on June 21st.

“They have dangerous players,” said midfielder Eddy Prugh.  “It’s a tough place to play with a lot of people.  It’s down to that time to see who’s got the bone marrow for the challenge.  Who’s got the strength for the fight?  At this time of the season, you see who’s got the character to scrap for those points.  If we do make the playoffs we’ve got as good a chance as any team.  We’re aware of our situation but we’re not in desperation-time yet.”

Saturday will be the first meeting of 2017 between the Switchbacks and Sacramento Republic FC.  The Switchbacks play their final regular season match at Weidner Field against Sacramento Republic on October 7th on Oktoberfest Fan Appreciation Night, presented by Budweiser.

“Sacramento are just a good team,” said Conner Bevans.  “You look around the entire field and every player they have is solid.  They won’t take us lightly.  I’ve been part of a team with Kitsap [Pumas] in the U.S. Open Cup last year that beat them 3-1 so I know it’s possible to win there.  In the week off we’ve been able to get good rest and recovery.  We’ve put in a lot of work so it was good to have that little break.  The rest of the season will be good for us with one game per week – we’ll have time to prepare and work for each opponent.”

After Saturday’s match at Papa Murphy’s Park, the Switchbacks will return to Colorado Springs to face Phoenix Rising at Weidner Field on September 9th.  The first 500 fans in attendance will receive the 5th and final section of the Poster Giveaway series, courtesy of Accelerated Wealth.  Tickets are start at just $12 and are available here.

A victory against Sacramento Republic would see the Switchback leapfrog Saturday’s opponents in the Western Conference standings.  Switchbacks fans will be rooting for the Seattle Sounders FC 2 on Wednesday night as they host the Tulsa Roughnecks at the Starfire Sports Complex in Tukwila, Washington.  The Roughnecks currently sit in 6th place – sandwiched between Sacramento Republic and the Switchbacks – while the Sounders FC 2 are in 10th position.

“We’ve got to show up in Sacramento and win,” said Jack Jones.  “It’s been a pretty intense week of practice and we’ve had a good energy around here.  The break has been good – we’ve been able to hit the reset button and get a nice balance.  Now let’s go to Sacramento and kick some ass.”